My cats threw a party last night at our home. They were chasing each other, galloping across the living room, bedroom and kitchen, wrestling each other engaging all weapons.

The other night, my short-haired black kitty, Shadow, landed on my chest while running after another cat, Flip, then sprung up and leaped off my chest, leaving a big bruise for me to remember.

Cats are adorable when they play, but once they have thrown off your sleep or accidentally injured you during bed time, it is no longer as fun. What are the ways to stop them from waking us up every day in the middle of the night?

Play with your cats before bedtime

Cats sleep for about 18 - 20 hours a day. When they are awake, they become active. Keeping your cats awake and giving them plenty of activities before bedtime can use up some of their energy so by the time you go to bed, they will also rest to replenish themselves.

You can try to get some interactive cat toys where you can play with your cats while bonding with them. Laser pointers or feather wands are excellent toys that you and your cats could enjoy. If you have Maine Coon cats, you can even play fetch with them. Choose a toy that would entice your cats to get off their butt and start moving, jumping or rolling.

Feed Your Cats a Meal Before Bedtime

Cats usually turn off their snooze button after a meal. They rest and allow their tummy to do the work. Feeding a meal to your cats before your bedtime will put them to sleep at night so they will not wake you up in the middle of the night, asking for food or attention.

However, you do not want to over feed your cats, so having a good planned feeding schedule such as a cat feeder with a timer would help your cats stay healthy while getting them to fit your own schedule.

Do not get up for your cats

When your cats are trying to get your attention by pawing your face, nibbling your nose or swatting your head, they may be asking you for play time or feed time. Do not give in and get up to attend their needs because if you do so, you are sending them a message that by bothering you during sleep they will get you to respond to them. Cats are incredibly smart and it is not surprising that they may end up training you if you are not aware of it.

What if my cats keep bothering me

If your cat is one of those hyperactive nocturnal firecrackers that keep getting you sleep deprived regardless of what you do, you should probably keep him out of your bedroom and bring another cat or plenty of toys for him to play with at night.

Image: