You don’t have to worry much when it comes to leaving your cat downstairs or in another room at night. According to their owners, cats are very efficient in learning how to adapt to their habitat.
You can very well train your cat to be by itself at night in a separate place and not bother you while you sleep.
As long as there is a routine for the household, like sleeping and waking up at the same time as your cat, having food at the same time and together, etc., there won’t be a problem leaving your cat downstairs at night.
Can I leave my cat downstairs at night?
Yes, you can leave your cat downstairs or in another room at night. It would be better if you had a kitten as it will learn to be by itself at night from the beginning only.
You can also put on the television or music or some toys in the room. The noises comfort them with the feeling that they are not alone. Some things listed below can help your cat when alone in the room.
1. Leave them a reminder of you
You can leave a piece of your clothing or something that belongs to you and your cat loves. This way, your cat will feel comforted and secured as it will feel your presence around itself.
2. Use some scents that can calm down your cat
Feliway, a popular product for cats, sprays a specific type of smell that helps in reducing a cat’s stress and relaxes their anxiety.
If you are much sure that your kitten might be too scared to be alone, you must try this as it may help bring them peace so that they are alright by themselves and leave you to sleep in peace. You can consider spraying it downstairs at night to better affect your cat.
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3. Give them everything that they might need before bedtime
When you leave the kitten downstairs at night, you need to put all of the kitten’s necessities downstairs with it. The kinds of stuff must be nearby with easy access. Keet neer it food, a bowl of water, a litter box would be accurate.
It would also be better to feed them precisely before it’s time to go to bed. That is to make sure they don’t get hungry in the middle of the night and have to wake you up by spoiling your sleep.
4. Keep them occupied with toys
Cats get bored very quickly. If you are thinking to keep your cat alone to be spending the night downstairs, you should arrange for various things for your cat to play with just in case their nocturnal instincts kick in.
Try to get some different cat chewable, balls to chase around, maybe even a cat tree to climb, or some other good distracting toys. If they are too bored, they might start to fiddle with your furniture, and you most probably don’t want that.
5. Tire them out before bedtime
Cats have an internal biological clock and require building up a routine, which can be considered useful to have playtimes with the cat every day in the same period of time. Playtime can be right before going to sleep as it may easily tire your cat.
You just have to pay attention to your kitten and play with it right before bedtime so that they run out of energy.
It automatically lowers the chances of them wanting to jump and run around early in the morning, which leads to hampering your sleep.
The best would be to do all the playing precisely in the room, where you plan to leave them for the night.
That way, it won’t feel a shock when you surprisingly drop them there alone and out of the blue. You don’t want to disrupt a good tired cat ready to sleep. Continuation of this activity regularly for a few days will teach them to adjust to that schedule.
6. Create a safe space for sleeping
Cats, especially kittens, need their place, specifically assigned for resting because they need to know they’re entirely secure and hidden from any kind of danger.
It can be a self-made bed with a pile of pillows or blankets, basically made from fluffy soft materials. It shouldn’t be too big as your cat might feel exposed and constantly on edge. Make the place cozy, warm, and comfortable, and then it is more likely they will fall asleep faster.
7. Make sure your room is cat-friendly
Cats are capable of doing many things. If you don’t trust what they might do during the night, you must take care of all the potential threats beforehand. Also, leaving on a light can help sometimes. It will prevent both your house and your cat from any kind of mishap.
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Where should I leave my kitten at night?
You can bring your kitten along with you to sleep. But you can also consider leaving it in another room. Your cat can prove to be a great learner and quickly adapt to living in a separate room. This also helps you achieve a good night’s sleep.
Tips for leaving your kitten downstairs at night
If you want to leave your cat alone at night, it will require some preparation. You have to make sure there is enough food and water and plenty of toys.
You can also set up a CCTV camera to keep a check on your cat at night. Consider training your cat to live alone when it is a kitten. That way, it will be in a habit to be on its own at night from the very beginning.
Conclusion
You can always sleep with your cat if you are not confident enough to leave it on its own, but if you want to have a good sleep, you can leave your cat downstairs or in another room, provided you take care of all of its necessities.
All will be fine if your cat gets what it wants. You just have to have patience, and eventually, your cat will learn to be in a different room at night.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.