If Your Cat Runs at Night, It’s Trying to Tell You Something!

Wham-bam! Something crashes to the floor. Glass shatters. In the silence and pitch-black darkness of your bedroom, the clatter is deafening.

You’re almost certain it’s still too early to wake up yet. Grunting, you stretch your hand and grab your phone. 3.15 AM. You gotta be kidding me. Argh! This CAT!

The worst thing about this? It happens Every. Single. Night. Your wild kitty streaks around the house in a frenzy, yowls, and knocks stuff over. Have you accidentally got yourself a broken cat? Nah, this behavior is perfectly normal.

In most cases, it means your cat has too much pent-up energy it needs to use! Your ball of fluff is likely to spend most of its time catching some Zs. It doesn’t get enough exercise during the day and tries to find some outlet for all that energy.

If you’ve just moved to a new place, there might be some pests already leaving there! Your cat, with its hypersensitive hearing and smell, might pick up their presence. Most insects are more active at night. Your kitty won’t be able to rest with them scuttling around.

So, you’d better get rid of the pests as soon as you can. If your cat wouldn’t calm down even during the day, take it to see the vet. Your pet is likely to have some problems that make it feel physical discomfort, for example, fleas.

If you can’t stand NOT getting normal night rest anymore, you can use several cunning tricks. They’ll make your fluffy companion sleep like a log at night! But you’ll learn about them a bit later.

First, let’s figure out why your cat chirps! You’ve surely heard short, peep-like sounds your cat makes. In most cases, it’s their hunting instinct kicking in while they’re watching birds or insects. Your furry friend can start trilling at a toy too.

Sometimes, cats begin to chatter with their teeth. Some specialists believe it happens when the animals get frustrated. Their potential prey seems to be so close, just outside the window, but still out of their reach. Other experts think that such bizarre jaw movements let your pet get prepared for catching its food.

Like most cats, your kitty is likely to bunt — that’s when it presses and rubs its head against you and other stuff. That’s the way your pet marks you and the things around with its scent and claims it all (including you) as its own.

Sometimes, for seemingly no reason, your ball of fluff may begin to push things off the table and watch them fall to the floor. It’s all too easy to believe your pet wants to make you mad. In reality, the cat is either bored or curious. It entertains itself by batting stuff off different surfaces. Get your pet a new toy to distract it from this habit.

Oh, by the way, do you know how we know the Earth isn’t flat? Well if it were flat, cats would have already pushed everything off of it. Yeah, it’s an old joke.

Anyway, if your cat starts to roll around on its back in front of you, it’s a great compliment! For felines, it’s an extremely vulnerable position. If your kitty isn’t afraid of showing you its unprotected belly, you’ve earned its trust. And if your pet is rolling around on the floor, it wants to inform you it’s (uh-hem) playtime!

Cats are incredibly cute and funny in their belief that they can fit in the tiniest spaces. In their defense, they do look rather comfortable in vases, bathroom sinks, and even cereal boxes. Such small spaces make your cat feel secure. It can also observe its surroundings from a distance — and no one will be able to sneak up on it!

Your cat might be interrupting your phone calls because it gets jealous of all that attention you give someone else. It’s a sign you need to have more one-on-one time with your furry friend.

If you spot your cat sitting in a totally inappropriate way, for example, with its legs sprawled wide open, there’s no need to worry. It means your pet is calm, relaxed, and happy. Even better — it trusts you and knows it’s safe in your presence.

You might have caught your cat biting its nails. It’s likely to be just a manicure session. Or the kitty can be anxious about something, and it’s a bad habit to calm itself down. Some people tend to bite their nails while they’re bored or nervous. It’s the same with cats.

Your feline friend may start to scratch around its food bowl after the meal is over or even cover it with some shredded paper. It’s normal, instinctive behavior. The cat wants its food to be hidden and safe from others.

Now, you’re supposed to feel flattered (not disgusted!) if your kitty brings you its catch. A mouse may indeed look revolting on your pillow. But by placing it there, the cat shows you that you’re a member of its group, and that it cares for you deeply. Your pet may also be saying “thank you” in such an eccentric way.

You’ve barely had time to open your book or laptop, and your cat has already plopped down on it. The animal understands that this way, the chances are it’ll get some of your attention — and a good head scratch!

Every once in a while you may catch your cat sneering. This phenomenon has a scientific name, but it sure looks like a scornful lip curl. You won’t see it directed your way, though. It’s a reaction to other cats’ invisible messages.

Your cat picks up pheromones from the nearby felines. The lip curl is produced when your kitty traps these pheromones with its tongue against the roof of the mouth. Male cats “sneer” more often than females.

If your cat is watching you intently run for shelter — your miniature predator is about to pounce! These animals like to observe their potential “prey.” This way, they make sure their effort won’t be wasted when they finally lunge.

Another sign that it’s time to back off is your cat twitching its ears. That’s how it expresses its agitation or anxiety. If you keep bothering the animal, it might attack you. But if the cat’s ears are pointed upright, it’s listening to some noise that’s attracted its attention.

It’s much more pleasant when your pet starts to give you “kitty kisses.” That’s when the feline is slowly blinking at you. Experts are sure it’s your cat’s way to show its affection. Try blinking back just as slowly. Your kitty is likely to continue to send “kisses” your way.

Sweet, little meows from your cat are the way it greets you. After making this cute sound, it may jump in your lap and demand some cuddling. But if the meow is loud and demanding, the feline is likely to be hungry. Either feed your fluffy companion right away or explain why it’s going to get its meal later.

If your cat wouldn’t look at you no matter what, leave it alone. Felines need alone time as much as you do. Sometimes, all they want is some space and solitude. If you don’t disturb your kitty, it’ll feel more respect for you. And when it’s time to cuddle, it’ll come back. And now, as promised, the tricks that can help you get rid of those dark circles under your eyes!

When you sleep, your eyes move under your lids. If your cat is somewhere nearby, it can get curious and swat at your face. Not to get accidentally injured, it’s better to shut your kitty out of your room at night. If it scratches at the door and cries, put something a feline wouldn’t want to step on near the entrance. It can be double-sided sticky tape, aluminum foil, or vinyl carpet runner, with its knobby side up.

Give your kitty the biggest meal of the day in the evening. Cats tend to fall asleep after they’ve eaten a lot. Just like at Thanksgiving!

Have a long play session with your cat before going to bed. Use the toys that wiggle and dangle — they mimic the movement of small prey, like mice or birds. Keep entertaining your pet until it gets tired, your peaceful sleep depends on how hard you try!

If you spend most of your time at home, try to wear the cat out with active games. The more it moves during the day, the better it sleeps at night. And if your pet is social with other cats, and you can afford it, get a second kitty. They’re likely to play with each other and leave you alone at night.