Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We are having trouble with Annabel at night. A couple hours after we go to be she comes into our bedroom and wakes us up. She runs around like a mad fool, jumps on hubby's head, knocks over ashtrays, grabs and bites my feet, races across the bed, gets into the laundry, and climbs into the open window, behind the box fan!

Being deaf, we can't really tell her "no" or "stop", very easily in the dark and when she's too busy causing havok to look at us when we sign to her. We have tried shutting her out of the room, but she just howls until she wakes up us, and our son. Same thing with shutting her in a room by herself. We've tried wearing her out before we go to bed, but she often refuses to play until the middle of the night. We've tried feeding her before we go to bed, but it didn't help.

The biggest problem is that we are both insomniacs and when she wakes us up, we are often up for hours, online, reading or watching TV. I know that getting up is just giving her what she presumably wants, but we don't really even interact with her when we get up. She just follows us out to the living room and goes nuts on her own out there.

Additionally, I can't say I'm thrilled about being bitten while I'm sleeping either! It's really beginning to hurt!

What can we do to stop this crazed behavior? Oh, I thought of spraying her with water, but we don't really want to do that in the bedroom, because we have alot of special things in there.-- Jennifer
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And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE

Jennifer, can you put Annabel in another rom on the far end of the house? Maybe then you wouldn't hear her howling when you go to bed. After a few nights, she should get the idea that no one is going to answer her. I really can't think of anything else to do..short of getting her another cat to keep her company. maybe having a playmate of her own species to play with would tucker her out more. Of course, you just may wind up with *2* kittens wanting your attention at night. Hopefully someone else will have some better advice for you.
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Dottie
Proudly owned by The Catnip Crew...Munchkin,Casey,Maddie,Harley,Meadow,Ashley,Nicky and Mushka

Play long and hard with Anabelle in the evening and right before you go to bed. When she does bother you, quietly and firmly put her in a "time out" place, even a carrier, for five minutes and then let her out. Increase the time out time if she continues.

Good luck.
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

Hi Jennifer,
I know you said you live in an apartment building, So I am assuming your place isn't huge so you can't get Annabel far enough away so you aren't able to hear her. I have found in my house if I put a box fan on high I don't hear the kids making lots of noise maybe you could try that.
Or maybe get her a friend. I am not sure of if you can afford another kitty, I know they are expensive. I shouldn't have gotten Gabby but I just fell in love with her. So now I'm struggling to save money to get her to the vet. She has an appointment friday that is going to be around 100 dollars,and the dog has an ear infection so there is at least another 50 ugh.
I don't know why but Gabby sleeps at night when I'm home. My mother says when I'm not here she keeps them all up.
When I'm home I lock her in my room with me play with her right before I go to bed, leave food and water and toys out. I know she climbs the tree at night. Her new favorite play time is to climb to the third shelf on the tree and just hang there by her front feet.
It is so funny.
Anyway good luck.

Jaime

Thanks guys! Actually, while we do live in an apartment building, we actually have a huge amount of space because we rent two connected apartments and we have most of the third floor. However, because of the way the place is layed out and the room that our snake room must occupy, there is nowhere that we can confine her that is away from both our bedroom and Zane's room (that's our 7 yr old). Also, while we do run box fans all year, due to the fact that we have to keep our home at 80-85 degrees all year, we don't generally trn them up high, because then my husband who is nearly deaf can't hear anything but the fan. I suppose that would be a bonus where Anna is concerned (lol), but not so much with burglers. The past couple of nights, we've tried shutting her out of our bedroom to see if we can all sleep through the racket. Apparently, we've all grown accustomed to the yowling at this point and can sleep through it. So I guess the problem is solved for now, if things get worse again, I'll try some of you guys' other suggestions. Thanks again!-- Jennifer
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And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE