Up all night...

[Teresa_K]

Over the last few months my cat has become increasingly restless in the night - to the point where it's now becoming unmanageable.

He's a rescue cat so not sure of his exact age or background, but I think he's at least 10, possibly older. He was diagnosed with hyperthyroid in April, and has been on medication since then (alternating daily 10mg/15mg vidalta). His most recent blood test a couple of weeks ago showed that his T4 level was as it should be, but the level of urea was quite high - I'm taking him back for another blood test next week to have this checked again and see if there is a problem with his kidney function.

So the problem is that he is awake ALL NIGHT and I am starting to struggle to know how to deal with it. Initially he was coming into my bedroom around 4am and would meow and paw me until I got up to feed him. (I put this down to the thyroid medication increasing his appetite - don't know if that's correct though.) He'd then come in a couple of hours later - at which point I'd have to get up to feed him again and give him his pill. I started feeding him before bed (around 11pm-midnight) and then setting an automatic feeder to go off around 4am, but he's started coming in earlier and more frequently. All through this weekend he's been waking me up around 2am, and then pretty much hourly after that. If I close the bedroom door he just meows and scratches until I give in.

He's an indoor cat, and I appreciate he probably doesn't do much during the day while I'm at work. I have really tried to make him more active - laser pens, stick toys, catnip etc, but he's just not interested. I've even tried a harness so I can take him for a little walk - he hated it at first and seems a little more relaxed with it now, but he's not ready to go outside yet. This has gone on for months now, I am so tired and running out of ideas, so any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received!

[Crewella]

If I hadn't known about his thyroid issues, the first thing I would have said would have been "get him tested for thyroid problems" as this night time restlessness is a classic symptom. When you take him back for his blood test, I'd talk to the vet about this to see if perhaps his medication needs altering?

[Teresa_K]

Thanks Crewella. Yes, I'll speak to the vet again... I've had to adjust his dosage a couple of times already, but perhaps it's the medication itself which is causing this. What's strange is that his thyroid is apparently fine now, according to his last blood test - but his night-time wanderings seem to be getting worse...

[Lallum]

My boy cat has been a night pest for years. What really annoyed me was when he was fed at 11pm then wanted more food at 2am then slept until midday. He was howling and scratching the bedroom door. If he was in the bedroom he ripped up the carpet. I put him with his bed, water and litter in the bathroom (it' s warm there). He tore up the flooring. I put him in the kitchen with the Aga he loves and he again tore up the edge of the carpet next to the floor tiles. I walked around like the living dead. When he bullied me into feeding him at night, he woke his 2 sisters so they could be fed as well even though they wanted beauty sleep rather than breakfast. I went on holiday for 2 weeks and he was looked after by my adult children. I don't know how they did it but now if I feed him at midnight (strangely enough he is called Midnight!) he sleeps until 7am. I'm settling for that! I'd prefer it was 8am but I'll settle for what i've got.

Midnight doesn't have thyroid problems. He has bladder issues. I wish you the best of luck. Not sleeping and and a night feeder is hell. I had an auto feeder. He spent all day sitting next to it waiting for food. He refused to go out and fought off the other two cats! Another good idea with a stupid outcome!

[Teresa_K]

Thank you Lallum - I feel a bit better knowing it's not just me, but I do feel your pain! I managed to sleep through my alarm yesterday after being up all night again so was over an hour late for work. Oops. Let's hope our boys settle down soon!