Help with cats banging at night - keeping me up
Hi. I have two bengals who I love very much however they have a range of weird behavioural issues. This is however the worst
I’ll try and keep it as short as I can. I used to let them free roam in the evening with no issues then over the past couple of years they started throwing themselves at my door, literally sounds like someone is breaking in when they do it. (I’m a really light sleeper anyway so I’ve never let them sleep in my room)
So I started putting them in the front room, plenty of room for 7/8 hours and also everything they could need to keep entertained. However between 2-4am they started jumping up onto the mantle place and jumping down over and over which has a really loud banging noise (the floors are wooden)
I’ve tried putting them in the attic at night instead too, same amenities and the same thing happens except they jump off this structural box, it’s also very loud as it’s third floor.
I live in a terrace too so I’m really worried about neighbours hearing the noise so I don’t like trying to wait it out. Saying that they don’t ever really stop unless I feed them, even then this doesn’t always work. They have wet food twice a day and always have dry food available. I know feeding them might be the solution but I can’t justify it when they start doing it at 2-4am! They know they’re being naughty.
I’ve tried ignoring them but I physically can’t get back to sleep, sometimes I tell them off and they do stop but I can’t get back to sleep quick enough before it starts again. It got to a point where I was instinctively waking up at 4am every morning
I’ve also tried feeding them - this was when they were doing it closer to the 5am mark and then going back to bed for a couple of hours but this just isn’t sustainable for work days
I’ve tried feeding them later in the evening, no difference
I’ve even tried putting them in those stupid little pet jumpers to restrict their movement a bit but they just get out of them, plus I spent most of my time worried about their safety and watching them when I did this
I’m at a real loss. I love them so much but it makes me resent them in the mornings
They are also extremely needy with me which doesn’t help
Any advice? Sorry this is all over the place (I’m tired)
Side note: got these from the rescue but as kittens so have had them their whole life (4 years)
Love them so much. Couldn’t recommend getting bengals less 😂 especially paying from a breeder haha