Cats That Can Tell Time

[Riverstone]

Hi again all.

Well the peeing seems to have stopped, but now he (naps... a 5ish year old indoor cat) has come up with a new thing to annoy us.

Don't ya just love it?

Each morning for the past week, at around 4am, he decides that its time to meow, and meow, and meow and then meow some more.

He will not stop until either my wife and I get out of bed and spend at least and hour, out in the main room, during which time he will completely ignore us.

(yeah, he's fickle *lol*)

He has done it before, but only for a day or two at the most... this time it has gone on alot longer.

As far as I am aware, there is nothing automated in the house that is set to happen between 4am and 4:30 (yes, its the same time everyday), nor from any of the neighbours.

Especially since he will often start again at 6am.

Really, I am sure its just his way at getting back at us for completely changing his environment around (new flooring and re-arranged furniture), since this little guy is definately a creature of habbit.

However, the sleep deprivation is starting to get to us! lol

Any ideas or thoughts, would be greatly appreciated

[sunset05]

Oh my goodness. That would drive me nuts.

When my kitties start to bother us in the middle of the night, I never interract with them. I usually will just push them off the bed. If that doesn't work, I've put them outside the bedroom and close the door.
They eventually get the message. It hasn't totally cured them of pestering us but it has really improved.

Does you kitty have food during the night. If mine are out of food, they get pesty.

Good luck.

[vene]

I agree. Don't give in. Just ignore the meows. He sure knows how to voice his displeasure. Yes, make sure you give him a big meal before bedtime and lots of excercise too (an hour apart so you won't have to clean up . This way he'll be less likely to wake you up for food or attention.

[Riverstone]

LMAO yeah it is getting annoying and the lack of sleep is driving us insane!

He always has food and water (he does start to get vocal if it gets low), and he is never allowed into the bedroom.

The one time we did let him in, he just ran around and under the bed all night, while biting fingers and toes that were out from under the covers.

This cat has a wonderful personality, but he definately know that he is the boss and us humans are the slaves.

I guess we will just have to try and wait it out and buy earplugs or something lol.

[Bente]

Kyrre did just the same when he was a kitten... What worked best for us was to ignore him completely. Good luck

[Ginger]

One of my cats (Rags) used to wake me up at 6am every day for about a month, for food mainly but sometimes just for a fuss, unfortunatly I live in an open plan house with a bedroom with no door so didn't have the option to shut him out. He would wake me up by standing on my head/hair lol.

Everyone is right by saying ignore him, any reaction is letting him win, and I found that feeding the cats last thing at night and playing with them helped a lot, over time he's stopped doing it - cats are just sooooo stubborn and you have to be more stubborn to win this one.

[coppersmom]

Copper does that too! And if I ignore him, he aggrevates the dogs and he knows that gets me up!!

[Riverstone]

*an update.*

Well last night was the first night of ingoring him.

Waking up this morning, my wife says to me "i don't know which was worse, his meows or your snores"

Hmm its nice to know you're loved

[Chessmind]

Hi. Can the two of you wear earplugs? That may help. I also agree about not giving in. Eventually cats give up knowing that meowing will simply not work. I wish you all the best.

[Jamiya]

We have this problem sometimes, too. Ignoring is a good way to go. Sometimes, though, I will get up and put the cat in the basement (it is a finished basement and contains her food and water and litterbox). Then I go back to bed. You'd think she'd learn that meowing only gets her locked in the basement, but she doesn't.

[Riverstone]

[vene]

He's one stubborn, persistent kitty.

[Riverstone]

[ChloesMom]

I agree with the others, ignoring him will do the trick.

I had to finally resort to closing the door at night and leaving both cats out of the bedroom. We are in an apt. and my little guy's thing to get our attention was to scratch the wall. He would start the minute we went to bed. Once he stopped it would start again at 3:00 AM along with constantly licking my forehead until it was sore. Of course it is the wall where the neighbors are sleeping. I would have ignored him but could not since it would disturb others. Once I shut the door he would scratch for about 10 minutes and then stop but would start again around 3:00. We ingnored the door scratching since he wasn't bothering anyone else. It took about 4 days but now, once I shut the door at 10:00 PM we don't hear a peep until 6:00 AM when he knows we get up.

[Riverstone]

[vene]

[Riverstone]

[i_love_my_ollie]

i feel for you really i do iv had this problem befor and like the others not taking any notice does work. oliver still has morings where he will bug me but mostly hes ok. he dont jus meeow either he runs in my room clawring the side of my bed then licks ne part of me thats out of the covers!! he makes this wied noise i can only discribe as chirpping does ne 1 elses kitty make this noise?

[vene]

[Riverstone]