Title: When Your Cat Gets the "Midnight Crazies"
Headings: When Your Cat Gets the “Midnight Crazies”
When Your Cat Gets the “Midnight Crazies”
Help Your Kitten Relax
Provide More Opportunities for Play
‘Evening Proof’ Your Home
Confine Your Cat for the Evening
Interrupt Bad Behaviors

Content: One theory is that the cat is simply practicing hunting methods, fighting maneuvers, and escape techniques. “Cats in the wild are active at times when rodents come out, typically after dark,” says Sandy Myers, an animal behavior consultant with Narnia Pet Behavior Clinic in Naperville, Ill. “A cat naturally wants to spend her evenings hunting and playing predator games, even if she is a well-fed house pet.” Another theory is that house cats become active at night simply because they aren’t getting enough play and exercise during the day. “Many house cats spend the days alone and indoors while their owners are at work,” says Dr. Barbara Simpson, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist with the Veterinary Behavior Clinic at Southern Pines, N.C. “When the owner comes home in the evening, the cat wants to play and will be very active.” Late-night activity is especially common in young cats with a lot of energy to spare, and in new kittens who simply do not know any better. “ The kitten may have never lived with a human family before and not know that she is expected to sleep through the night,” Myers says. “ She may also feel a little unsure of her new human family and be uncomfortable about living in unfamiliar surroundings.” Here are some suggestions for coping with a nocturnally active cat. Help Your Kitten Relax
If your kitten is too anxious or nervous to lie down and sleep at night, you can help her feel more secure by sitting down with her for a while, holding her closely, and gently petting her. Some kittens are also comforted by a softly playing radio tuned to an all-night talk show or soft music station.