Sleep-deprived cat pawrent considers rehoming her kitten due to his nightly shenanigans, she receives surprisingly backwards advice: 'I will adopt another cat'

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Feb 20, 2025 11:00 AM EST

Hey there, cat pawrents. If you've ever adopted a kitten, you know that they are both fluffy, sweet little angels, and also purrfessional life-destroyers at the same time. One second, they're snuggled up on your chest, snoozing away, and then a few hours later (specifically at night), they're running around your house breaking literally everything pawssible. It's a lot. And the energy is never ending. This is why we always tell people to do their research before adopting a kitten, and even then it can't fully prepaw you for the chaos that will come.

The only way out is through, so you just have to live through it and know that it will get better. Now, some kittens are easier than others. The really hard ones make you question your reality, and even force you to consider rehoming your tiny baby. After being sleep deprived for the last couple of months, one such feline pawrent was at their limit. They asked the internet for advice, and what they received was not quite what they expected. Scroll down to see how they solved it below!

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  • 01
    My cat is ruining my life
    via isakarakus

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    I write this in a moment of desperation, I'm crying and it's 2AM. I adopted my cat in November from the streets, he's around 1yo. Vaccinated, neutered, bought a bunch of toys. He's overall very very loved. He just won't let me sleep. For the past 4
    via u/isaisaisaaaaaaaaa
  • 03
    months I've slept 5 hours per night. The lack of sleep is ruining myself, my work, my relationships... He wakes up at 5AM and literally won't shut up. I've followed the advixe of playing with him a lot during the
    via u/isaisaisaaaaaaaaa

  • With our last kitten….we started sleeping with headphones in. They were a nightmare for the first few months. No matter how much we played with them, they just loved to run around at night. We almost went crazy.

  • 04
    day (for literal hours), he has food and water... I don't know what to do. I'm crying. I feel like I should put him up for adoption, but that also makes me sad. Adopting another cat is out of question, I can't risk adopting any other cat like him.
    via u/isaisaisaaaaaaaaa
  • 05
    Please help. Also if you're going to be rude just scroll past this post. I'm so so so tired
    via u/isaisaisaaaaaaaaa
  • 06
    UPDATE after 15h: I will adopt another cat. A 5 months old little dude. Thank you for all your tips and help.
    via u/isaisaisaaaaaaaaa
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10469042432
    via vasiliki

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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  • 08
    Fantasy_Princess Honestly I know you don't want to hear this, but when he starts meowing super loud early in the morning you have to ignore it. You have to pretend you are sleep or be as unbothered as
    via u/Fantasy_Princess
  • 09
    possible. Because if you cave once then he knows oh, my human will get up if I do this and it'll be a never ending cycle. They are very smart.
    via u/Fantasy_Princess
  • 10
    Have some white noise or music to help drown it out. It's going to be rough for the first 2 weeks and you're going to want to quit, but stick with it and ignore.
    via u/Fantasy_Princess
  • 11
    My cat is passive aggressive he knows I won't answer his early morning meows, so he silently jumps on and off my body to wake me up but even still I ignore the behavior. And at 7am that is when he gets his food
    via u/Fantasy_Princess
  • 12
    One-Track330 does he have an electric feeder? this honestly saved my life my boy just sits by the feeder all morning waiting for it to go off
    via u/One-Track330

  • The only thing that saved us was our older cat finally getting fed up with his shenanigans and started “mentoring” him. It took some time, but eventually he stopped being a possessed kitten from our nightmares and is now the sweetest, cuddliest baby.

  • 13
    Cheezburger Image 10469042688
    via Nils Jacobi

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 14
    MikiMice My cat did this to me when he was younger, it was tture. What solved it was... #1 got him a cat tree. He was instantly obsessed with it and seemed more comfortable sleeping on it for longer hours and more
    via u/MikiMice
  • 15
    comfortable sleeping on it for longer hours and more importantly, #2 bought a feeder with a timer so he could eat at 2 am and 8 am. He quickly learned there was no reason to bother me as he would be fed by the machine.
    via u/MikiMice
  • 16
    Also, earplugs! Is his litter box, water, etc outside of your bedroom? Don't feel bad about kicking him out, he has everything he needs.
    via u/MikiMice
  • 17
    brainmelterr I know it sounds crazy but him having a buddy would take a lot of the load off of you.
    via u/brainmelterr
  • 18
    NoThought6983 We play with our cat at 11pm and make him run around to burn energy. He sleeps thru the night. Also I sleep with a fan on for sound. Try getting a calming cat plug in too for your room so he feels calm. Auto feeder set for 5 am so he leaves you alone and eats. Enrichment toys to keep him husy
    via u/NoThought6983
  • 19
    readzalot1 Shut your bedroom door and put on earplugs and white noise. Don't engage with the cat once you go to bed.
    via u/readzalot1
  • 20
    I had a cat who would meow outside my bedroom door until I meowed back to her, and then she would be quiet and go amuse herself. All the best to you.
    via u/readzalot1
  • 21
    somebishhh It sounds like you're doing all you can. I realize you said getting another cat is not an option, but he very well may be lonely and a companion could alleviate some of the issues. Hang in there.
    via u/somebishhh
  • 22
    i-am-narcoleptic Its rlly tough. My cat did that a lot when she was younger and it waxes and wanes w her food. I got an automatic feeder which seemed to help. She stopped waking me up at 3am w that.
    via u/i-am-narcoleptic
  • 23
    Maybe play w him before bedtime. I honestly s kat ignoring my cat but I heard that helps. Maybe see if you can wear earplugs and white noise to drown him out. Im sorry tho i felt the same but for my cat she has like a schedule and if I ignore her meowing long enough she stops
    via u/i-am-narcoleptic

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adoption strange shenanigans kitten animal rescue adopted advice feline cat rescue sleep deprived sleep forever home Cats cute kittens animals
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