Please help!

[Alee]

My cat is keeping me up at night. He is a 3 year old neutered indoor cat. I have raised him since he was a tiny stray kitten. Some nights he is good, but others especially lately, he runs around like a maniac pawing at mirrors and walls. If I close my door it gets worse because he will just bang on it endlessly. He has fresh water, food and clean litter, so that is not the problem. I am at work during the day, but I am sure to pay attention to him when I am at home. I need a good night of sleep and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

[MA]

If this is a brand new behavior change in him, then it could be health related. Or, he could have a new friend visiting him (outside) and he wants out to visit back.

Try right before you go to bed playing interactively with him. If you have an old fishing pole in the closet, tie a toy on the end of the fishing line and use that to run him around a bit and tire him out. Then feed him a bowl of wet food, and he should sleep through the night.

If he doesn't, because it is instinctive for cats to be up at those hours because that is when their prey is about, then put him out of your bedroom, shut the door. If he scratches and cries to come back in, put the vaccuum cleaner on guard outside your bedroom door. That generally gets the point across and the cat goes to sleep elsewhere.

Or invest in a pair of good earplugs and ignore him when he starts his nocturnal habits BUT if it is a brand new habit, a vet check would be a good idea.

[Alee]

Thank you so much for your advice! I am going to try your suggestions and see if they work. Thanks again!