A scratching post nearby will win you extra points with the new feline friend. Your kitten will be able to stretch and scratch to their heart’s content as soon as they’re ready to start the new day. What bliss!
Should I leave the light on or off?
Cats can see in very low light, so it’s likely that even with the lights off they’ll be able to move around effortlessly. However, it can take a bit of time before they get accustomed to their new environment so having a low night light on to make things easier at the beginning is a good idea.
Should I let the kitten sleep in my bed?
You may want to wait a while before sharing your bed with the new kitten. It takes time for kittens to be litter trained so if you want to keep your sheets in mint condition it’s best to invest in a separate kitten bed. If they are really young, they might even have trouble negotiating their way out of your bed without hurting themselves. Plus, your kitten might even prefer to have their own space to sprawl as they please.
Many owners do allow their cats to sleep in their bed, but it’s important to give your kitten their own space to spend the night.
How to get a kitten to sleep at night
Play and exercise
An exhausted kitten is more likely to sleep through the night. Schedule a play session close to their last nap of the day so they can exhaust all the extra energy before going to bed.
Change the meal time
Sometimes even feeding them a late meal can help as kittens will often go to sleep to let digestion do its work. But be mindful of the calorie count before introducing an extra or a larger meal.
Introduce familiar objects
Having something that smells familiar can be a huge step towards getting a kitten to sleep at night. Shelters are often happy to let you have their favourite blanket when you adopt a kitten so they can keep a piece of their old home close as they’re getting adjusted to the new life.
Offer them time and patience and soon enough your new ball of fur will be calmingly dozing off by themselves. Discover more about the cat’s sleeping habits and if the new kitten is treating you to copious amounts of meows in the middle of the night, here are some reasons why cats meow and how to address this behaviour.
