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Cat Forum / General Topics / October 2003How to keep kittens from running at night.
I have 2 kittens about 16 weeks old (Sam and Rascal) that that weigh from 5 to 8 pounds and love to run and chase each other especialy at night like typical kittens. The problem is that I live in an apartment and up to now there was a cat person below me. Now there is a non cat person there now who also goes to bed like 9:00 and is a light sleeper so she says. She complained to the landlord lately (Even though when she moved in I told her if she had any problems to let me know and I would try to fix them) that it sounded like a bunch of "birds on a roof" (Her words). I have started locking the kittens out of my office space which is above her bedroom and feed them their canned food in the evening trying to maybe get them to rest and sleep but ------- Was wondering if anyone else had any sensible suggestions other then doing away with the non-cat nieghbor :-) The landlord put insulation above her drop ceiling and I lock them out of the room above her bedroom and feed them in evening trying to get them to "hibernate". Sensible suggestions please?? http://www.ameritech.net/users/lestark/my-babies.htm whayface whayface48604@yahoo.junk.com writes >I have 2 kittens about 16 weeks >old (Sam and Rascal) that...love to >run and chase each other >especialy at night like typical >kittens. >The problem is that I live in an apartment ...Now there is a non cat >person there...She complained to >the landlord... feed them in evening >trying to get them to "hibernate"... Cats are nocturnal creatures...they sleep during the day and are up at night. You should start checking on your legal rights (to keep the cats.) Many states have such laws that if you have the cats for a given time, you are allowed to keep them in the apartment. However, you must do things to prevent the noise..such as install carpeting. You can try to play with them for a couple of hours before bedtime. That may lessen their energy level. Eventually, the cats will mellow out some...but that will be in a couple of years. Good luck. When I was in school, I had a similar situation with the cats I had at the time. I had a neighbor that lived next door that wasn't an animal person and a very light sleeper. She complained to me just about every time she saw me. Nonetheless, I had a friend in Veterinary School at the time that offered me a remedy, which happened to work for me. In essence, you need to keep your cats awake while you are gone. So you need to eliminate the cat naps they accustomed to having during the day. When your neighbor leaves for work in the morning, just before you leave, you need to put a radio near their favorite sleeping area and turn the volume up to a moderate level. Then place another radio on the floor near where they play. Then turn both radios to a station which has hard rock or Hip Hop. something with riffs and a high and low pitches. Shut all the doors to the areas they would normally have access to during the day, so they have to be in the general area of where the radios are located, and leave for the day. Then when you get home, just switch off the radios and open the doors. I know it sounds corny, but it truly works. The radios don't allow the cats to nap easily while you are gone. So, by not napping during the day, they will sleep more at night. It took me almost one and a half weeks to notice a difference in the cats sleeping schedule. If you use a TV, you will not have the same results. However, if you don't have any success with using the radios, then you may want to experiment with putting both cats in your bathroom for the evening, shutting the door and turning out the lights. Just put their water and litter box in the bathroom. That way if they play, they are confined to a smaller area. I think your neighbor will appreciate that. So you need to eliminate the cat naps > they accustomed to having during the day. When your neighbor leaves > for work in the morning, just before you leave, you need to put a > radio near their favorite sleeping area and turn the volume up to a > moderate level. Then turn both radios to a station which has hard rock > or Hip Hop. something with riffs and a high and low pitches. Shut > all the doors to the areas they would normally have access to > during the day, so they have to be in the general area of where the > radios are located, and leave for the day. This is cruel. I have come home from work to my stereo on loudly which was switched on by one of the cats. When I say loudly, I don't mean earsplitting but louder than they like since they have more sensitive ears than we have. They were weirded out by the time I came home listening to that even though they did have the option of going to another room. To the OP - if cats are allowed in the apt complex then your new neighbors need to adjust or ask for an apt that isn't below tenants with cats (or children, from the sound of it). I've lived in apts and put up with sh.t just because it is allowed and if *I* didn't like it *I* could have moved. >So you need to eliminate the cat naps >> they accustomed to having during the day. When your neighbor leaves [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] >put up with sh.t just because it is allowed and if *I* didn't like it >*I* could have moved. I'd have to agree. After all, without wanting to sound uncaring you were there first, and it sounds like your landlord has done more than enough (I'd have killed for a landlord that put in soundproofing!) In the end, if you want a quiet time you live in a house on your own - not in an apartment block!  Signature79.84% of all statistics are made up on the spot. The other 42% are made up later on. In Warwick - looking at flat fields and that includes the castle. Chris, By no means am I implying that a moderate level of volume equates to an earth shaking level of volume. I am associating a moderate level of volume to that of which creates enough noise to become bothersome, yet soft enough not to be heard by the neighbor. So, no sound proofing is needed. > In the end, if you want a quiet time you live in a house on your > own - not in an apartment block! In the apt I'm talking about I had a neighbor with a dog who barked all hours, another who was a police officer training K9s and they barked, plus he had a motorcycle he parked on his patio (against the rules) and started it up at all hours. And had the nerve to come tell me one night to turn my music down. These are things you live with in an apt community. Oh, and the next door neighbors with the dog barking all hours also practiced basketball against the common wall. Again, things some people wouldn't put up with but if you really really hate it, MOVE. That's what I did. Into my own house. In apts all things are shared; noise, FLEAS, everything. You deal with it or move. One more funny part to my rant: my neighbor above me in my old apt sounded like she must have been 300 lbs. Heavy walker. When I met her I was surprised to see she was probably 100 lbs but she had bare floors due to allergies. >> In the end, if you want a quiet time you live in a house on your >> own - not in an apartment block! [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >her I was surprised to see she was probably 100 lbs but she had bare >floors due to allergies. LOL. I was smart. My apt neighbour above me is a 73 year old, and she is an absolutley wonderful person, and the guy to the next side of me is deaf - hence no music, and doesn't mind if I am a little noisy. It's called being real lucky....:-) Signature79.84% of all statistics are made up on the spot. The other 42% are made up later on. In Warwick - looking at flat fields and that includes the castle. > I was smart. My apt neighbour above me is a 73 year old, and she is > an absolutley wonderful person, and the guy to the next side of me > is deaf - hence no music, and doesn't mind if I am a little noisy. > It's called being real lucky....:-) I'll say! In apts you take your chances. You can either make the best of it or move. You move into a building that allows pets, you deal with pets. That includes barking dogs and rampaging kittens. (Kittens are so insane they are almost evil (in a cute and adorable way, of course). This is the main reason I go to the shelter and adopt adult cats. The life-saving part is second.) I would see if you can confine them to an area that is not directly over her bedroom. If that's not possible, a play session before bedtime might help tucker them out a bit. Take your downstairs neighbor a plate of cookies. If she confides that she has problems sleeping even without the kittens, tell her to take a calcium and magnesium supplement before bedtime. She sounds like she could use one of those white noise machines, so that might be another "helpful hint." But really? This is her problem. What if someone with a barky dog moved into the apt. next to hers? She needs to live in a no-pet building. OT: >One more funny part to my rant: my neighbor above me in my old >apt sounded like she must have been 300 lbs. Heavy walker. When I met >her I was surprised to see she was probably 100 lbs but she had bare >floors due to allergies. I had a 90-pound roommate once who stomped on the floor so hard when she walked that she woke me up every night when she got up to use the bathroom. Daria Timing is everything. In this case, I respectfully disagree with you Cheryl. It's not malicious. By no means does this method harm the cats hearing. The point of leaving the radios on is to create random noise, thus not allowing the cat to nap during the daytime, which eliminates the habitual nocturnal behavior and resolves the conflict with the neighbor. Yes, I am aware that felines have sensitive ears, but cruel is not the adjective you should have used. Cruel, is what is going to happen to the original poster should he or she not resolve the situation. This method does work, regardless of how "cruel" you may think it is. Its simple feline physiology; you want the cats to be more restful at night; you have to wear them out. It can't be accomplished if you aren't there to play with the cats during the day, and fifteen to thirty minutes at night isn't enough. If the cats don't sleep during the day, they will at night. The only reason your cats were allegedly "wierded out" is because they probably weren't able to nap all day. > So you need to eliminate the cat naps > > they accustomed to having during the day. When your neighbor leaves [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > home listening to that even though they did have the option of going > to another room. I also think this is cruel. It might "work," but think of the discomfort. Prisoners of war used to be tortured by forcing them to listen to loud music at times when they should be sleeping. If the sounds of little cat feet are so annoying to the downstairs tenants, what would they do about the sounds of little children's feet? I admit that the hours would be different, but children are known to jump around at night. If these are hardwood or vinyl floors, I suggest carpeting them to muffle the sound. If they are already carpeted, I think the other tenants are being ridiculous. MaryL (take out the litter to reply) Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly) http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in") MaryL, I have to respectfully disagree with you Mary. I believe you are misunderstanding the suggestion. By leaving radios on while you are away, the cats do not get to nap. There is nothing cruel about that. Let me reiterate what I mean by a "moderate level of volume." The volume of both radios should be enough to not allow the cats to sleep, yet should be quiet enough to not be heard out of the apartment. Furthermore, there is nothing cruel regarding the volume level. Moreover, since the radios are left on while the original poster, and the neighbor is away at work, who is left to complain? I am by no means trying to be offensive, but I have to question what is best for the original poster. Either he or she handles the situation of the cats making too much noise by either using the method I have suggested, locking the cats in another room for the evening, or figuring out a way to keep everything quiet when the neighbor is most likely to complain of noise. If nothing is done to curb the noise then there is the possibility of having to deal with the neighbor, and possibly having to find another place to live. I believe that the original poster will figure out something to curb the noise before his or her lease is up or they are all evicted. Nonetheless, I think cruel is the wrong adjective to be used. | By leaving radios on while you are away, | the cats do not get to nap. You may be right but since a TV in the area caused a fire with enormous damage I don't leave any electrical devices on while I'm away. It helped the dog when I left the TV on when we were out in the evening, but now I don't do that any more either. Carola Frankly I don't think anything needs to be done. If you worked odd hours and happened to be up walking around your apartment at night would you have to do something? How much noise could 2 16 week old kittens make anyway? Your floor must be paper thin. I think the problem is the landlords and the neighbors. 2 kittens, or even two full grown cats can't possible be making that much noise by just running. The noise a downstairs neighbor would hear is the sound of their padded feet on the carpet..... get real! Sounds like she hates animals and is making it up. I can't even hear my cat run down the hall when I am in the same room and she weighs at least 13 pounds. AG > I have 2 kittens about 16 weeks old (Sam and Rascal) that that weigh > from 5 to 8 pounds and love to run and chase each other especialy at [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > http://www.ameritech.net/users/lestark/my-babies.htm >Frankly I don't think anything needs to be done. If you worked >odd hours and happened to be up walking around your apartment [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >even hear my cat run down the hall when I am in the same room and >she weighs at least 13 pounds. Actually, kittens can make an astounding amount of noise - it's not the padded feet on carpet that does it, it's the slamming against walls, furniture, and bare or tile floors as they run and tussle. When I have kittens in the house, the usually learn quickly that they can make the maximum amount of noise with the minimum amount of effort by wrestling next to my sliding closet doors (thin plaster board with metal fittings that rattle in the slider tracks) or the interior (hollow) room doors. They bother the adult cats as much as they do me. T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body) > >Frankly I don't think anything needs to be done. If you worked > >odd hours and happened to be up walking around your apartment [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >even hear my cat run down the hall when I am in the same room and > >she weighs at least 13 pounds. > Actually, kittens can make an astounding amount of noise - it's not > the padded feet on carpet that does it, it's the slamming against [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > (hollow) room doors. They bother the adult cats as much as they do > me. That's not usually the kind of noise that you hear from an apartment below though. I admit it's been a while since I lived in an apartment but I recall it being stomping of feet more than even loud music that really came through. >> >Frankly I don't think anything needs to be done. If you worked >> >odd hours and happened to be up walking around your apartment [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >but I recall it being stomping of feet more than even loud music >that really came through. It's been a lot of years since I lived in an apartment, but I remember the loud radios, the mice, and in one place, the neighbor slamming his girlfriend around - especially when he bounced her off the wall between our apartments. T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu - e-mail must contain "T.E.D." or my .sig in the body) Well, it _is_ an odd sound when kittens play: run, stop, go, jump, crash etc. A very simple suggestion: could you add some more carpets or rugs? Tell the lady that you want to help her, then at least she feels taken serious. The thing is if she's against the cats she'll hate the noise whenever it occurs and gets herself worked up. Help her to accept the cats by showing them to her or by telling her how much you love them. It's the same with cowbells in our area - a lot of people go crazy about them. But I for myself get reminded of holidays in the mountains and quite like them. Help the lady to get a positive attitude, but once you have done enough to please her and she won't accept it, tell her that too. Then she has to accept it and to come to terms with it. Of course you could move, but it's hassle and who knows what will be wrong there? Carola | Frankly I don't think anything needs to be done. If you worked | odd hours and happened to be up walking around your apartment [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] | > | > http://www.ameritech.net/users/lestark/my-babies.htm >Well, it _is_ an odd sound when kittens play: run, stop, go, jump, crash >etc. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >it's hassle and who knows what will be wrong there? >Carola Unless she's allergic, invite her over for tea and get her to fall in love with the kittens? Bastetsmuse "if an email to me there needs to be, then s not x you'll need to see" >The problem is that I live in an apartment and up to now there was a >cat person below me. Now there is a non cat person there now who also >goes to bed like 9:00 and is a light sleeper so she says. She >complained to the landlord lately (Even though when she moved in I >told her if she had any problems to let me know and I would try to fix >them) that it sounded like a bunch of "birds on a roof" (Her words). >Was wondering if anyone else had any sensible suggestions other then >doing away with the non-cat nieghbor :-) The landlord put insulation >above her drop ceiling and I lock them out of the room above her >bedroom and feed them in evening trying to get them to "hibernate". How about going to the downstairs neighbor and letting her now what you have done for accomodations? PLEASANTLY. Bring a little present with you -- yes, that will be bribery. Sign the card with your cats' names. Tell her you know what your landlord has done to help her out too. REPEAT that you'd appreciate it if she'd tell you if it's not enough, then offer that if the problem continues, you'll put a TAPE RECORDER in her home at night so you can HEAR what goes on. Keep smiling through this entire thing. Then write it up, date it, and mail it to her and the landlord... in case she's a whacko and you need evidence later on. Bastetsmuse "if an email to me there needs to be, then s not x you'll need to see" >I have 2 kittens about 16 weeks old (Sam and Rascal) that that weigh >from 5 to 8 pounds and love to run and chase each other especialy at [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >http://www.ameritech.net/users/lestark/my-babies.htm By the way the floors ARE carpeted and I leave the tv on all day (Not at a loud level but load enough where the kittens can hear it). I try to be pleasant about it with the neighbor below and gave her my phone number and asked her to call when and if it gets noisy for her so I can see what is going on at the time. To ABS: The tape recorder idea sounds really good. I will keep that in mind. Thanks all for the ideas. >By the way the floors ARE carpeted and I leave the tv on all day (Not >at a loud level but load enough where the kittens can hear it). [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >so I can see what is going on at the time. To ABS: The tape recorder >idea sounds really good. I will keep that in mind. Thank you for the thank you!! LOL. I always believe in documenting because it's a protection for me. Have to, in our society today, sad to say. Oh, the name's Anita. aka Bastetsmuse "if an email to me there needs to be, then s not x you'll need to see" >Subject: How to keep kittens from running at night. >Path: >lobby!ngtf-m01.news.aol.com!ngpeer.news.aol.com!feed1.newsreader.com!news reader.com!news-spur1.maxwell.syr.edu!news.maxwell.syr.edu!in.100proofnews .com!in.100proofnews.com!prodigy.com!newsmst01.news.prodigy.com!prodigy.co m!postmaster.news.prodigy.c >om!newssvr28.news.prodigy.com.POSTED!not-for-mail >From: whayface whayface48604@yahoo.junk.com [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >X-UserInfo1: >[[OKR\KGAJVWSSH]OJHNO_PAAB]@PAPDLXUNNH\KMAVNDQUBLNTC@AWZWDXZXQ[K\FFSKCVM@ F_N_DOBWVWG__LG@VVOIPLIGX\\BU_B@\P\PFX\B[APHTWAHDCKJF^NHD[YJAZMCY_CWG[SX\Y ]^KC\HSZRWSWKGAY_PC[BQ[BXAS\F\\@DMTLFZFUE@\VL >Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2003 14:51:59 GMT > [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >Sensible suggestions please?? ******************* Perhaps you could get one of those vacuum bag sealers, or those "Space bags" that they advertise on TV? Put the cats in, remove the air, they're immobilized until morning when you let them out. - Big "{BNB} is a little Net-Trollop. He sluts his wrath all over the place." - John Boyd " I also am leaving the Usenet never to return." - Mike Lalonde on 5/28 in <vd8ergbmj24g06@corp.supernews.com >> Sensible suggestions please?? >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Big You're so silly Big. I happen to know you're a cat lover. ;) >Subject: Re: How to keep kittens from running at night. >Path: >lobby!ngtf-m01.news.aol.com!ngpeer.news.aol.com!feed2.newsreader.com!news reader.com!priapus.visi.com!news-out.visi.com!petbe.visi.com!nntp1.roc.gbl x.net!nntp.gblx.net!nntp.gblx.net!newsfeed.cwix.com!feed2.news.rcn.net!fee d1.news.rcn.net!rcn!not-for >-mail >From: "Cheryl" jlh@NOSPAMpetitmorte.net [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > >You're so silly Big. I happen to know you're a cat lover. ;) **************** Heh. I admit it, but my cats run around all night and drive me crazy too. I'm very tempted to hogtie one of them like a calf a rodeo for a few nights. - Big "{BNB} is a little Net-Trollop. He sluts his wrath all over the place." - John Boyd " I also am leaving the Usenet never to return." - Mike Lalonde on 5/28 in <vd8ergbmj24g06@corp.supernews.com >**************** >Heh. I admit it, but my cats run around all night and drive me crazy too. I'm >very tempted to hogtie one of them like a calf a rodeo for a few nights. Well, other ideas abound. Throw them into a large barrel of water.... grease them with vaseline so they can't get a grip on anything ... sedate them regularly. Darn it, but I just LOVE the little buggers. Bastetsmuse "if an email to me there needs to be, then s not x you'll need to see" |
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