Being woken at 3am by a cat who wants something is one of the most common complaints from cat owners. It is rarely naughtiness. Cats sleep a lot (around 12 to 18 hours a day, in short naps), and many are naturally lively in the quiet hours around dusk and dawn. If the house has been dull all day, that energy can land right on your bedtime. The good news is that a few changes to the evening usually help, and none of them involve telling your cat off.
A cat's day is built around a loop: hunt, catch, eat, groom, sleep. Indoor cats often get the "eat" without the "hunt". If your cat has had little play or company during the day, it may come looking for both at night. Cats can also shift their active hours to match when people are home, and a cat who gets fed or cuddled after crying learns that crying works.
Welfare groups also say that trying to keep your cat awake all day so it sleeps at night doesn't work and just stresses the cat. The aim is not less sleep, it is better-timed activity.
Give the hunt in the evening, end it with a meal, and keep the night boring.
Tell the planner when you go to bed, when your cat wakes you and how old your cat is. It lays out a day and evening plan. Check the times against your own life and adjust.
When does your cat wake you?
How old is your cat?
Is this new, or has it always been like this?
Medical problems can cause restlessness, extra crying and changed sleep, and thyroid disease is one example that vets mention. Older cats can also become more vocal at night. We can't tell you what is behind your cat's behaviour, and we don't suggest any treatment. If the night waking is new, sudden, or comes with changes in eating, drinking, litter box habits or mood, or if your cat is a senior, book a vet visit before you change the routine. Neutering can also reduce roaming and calling in cats that are not yet neutered, so ask your vet about it.
Never punish a cat for waking you: no shouting, spraying with water or locking it out while it cries in distress. Punishment frightens your cat, damages trust, and does nothing to meet the need behind the behaviour. Also avoid feeding a "quiet snack" in the night. It works for one night and makes the next one worse.
If ignoring the crying isn't possible (a baby is sleeping, say), some behaviour advice is to mark a quiet moment with a calm word, then reward it, and slowly ask for longer stretches of quiet.