Crepuscular Cats


Is your cat suddenly waking you at 5:00 am? At the crack of dawn does she race from one end of the house to the other or demand that you get out of bed and feed her NOW? You are not alone. Cats are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. With the approach of spring and the sun rising earlier, most cats are rising earlier, too. If you would rather get a bit more sleep, there are steps you can take to help kitty sleep in as well:

  • Play in the evening. Twenty minutes of running, stalking, jumping, and “killing” will tire out your cat so she will be snoozing in the morning.
  • Awaken during the day. Cats who sleep all day while you are at work have more energy to use at night. Set a couple of alarm clocks to wake her, or phone home and call her name or whistle into the answering machine. Put out a special toy that she only gets when you are gone. If possible, have a friend or pet sitter visit her in the middle of the day (even if it’s only once or twice a week, your cat will appreciate it).
  • Use an automatic feeder. Rather than getting up to feed her and reinforcing her begging, set a feeder to open at the appropriate time (about five minutes earlier than she has been waking you).
  • Have patience. Cats will eventually adjust to the “new” schedule and will get back on track. And mature cats usually don’t go through this phase every year as younger cats do.