Any way of stopping my cat crying outside our window in the morning?

[YouDoVooDoo]

Apart from shutting him in? I've tried chucking water at him but he's really old and it just feels cruel! He's crying for food and as soon as he is fed he shuts up but he starts at 5 am and it's a nightmare all summer when the windows are open. There's nothing which will stop him is there? He's always had access to outdoors so I really don't want to shut him in all night, plus we have two younger cats so either they would be shut in too or he has to be separated from them which he would hate.
Gah! Bloody cat. Lucky we love him so much or he'd be out on his ear

[Bohemond]

Have you had him checked for hyperthyroidism - that could explain the hunger.

[Hassled]

Could you increase the amount of food you give him at bedtime? Are the younger cats eating his share of the food overnight?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

What about one of those automated cat feeders set to open in the small hours?

[YouDoVooDoo]

He does have hyperthyroidism and it is controlled with medication (he just had check up last week) - tbh he's always been a hungry cat. Whilst the other two will graze on their food all day, he always wolfs his down and then grazes on theirs all day!! Hadn't thought about the automated food bowl, that might be worth a try, thanks

[Fluffycloudland77]

Does he stay out all the time? Even in the winter?

[YouDoVooDoo]

Yes I am a terrible owner, I watch him shiver in the snow and I beat him every Thursday too...

No, they have a cat flap. They are restricted to the utility at night (because of the assortment of mice/rabbits etc they bring in) but have the run of the house and the outdoors during the day.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I only beat mine on Friday nights

Don't get the auto feeders that pop up, a determined cat can prise the lid up enough to slide the tray out and the food goes all over the floor.

[YouDoVooDoo]

Yes, rebel here. Dd has guides on a Friday though so it was just too inconvenient then.

Any recommendations on automatic feeders? One of the younger cats is particularly naughty and will prise open anything he thinks might contain food so definitely needs to be a good one!

[Fluffycloudland77]

The people who make microchip cat flaps do an autofeeder which only opens for that cats microchip & closes if any other cats try to eat out of it.

[Fluffycloudland77]

www.sureflap.co.uk/introducingsurefeed

[ZenGardener]

I just get up and feed mine .

Be grateful, mine wakes me at 4:30am. He nuzzles me with his nose and prods me with his paw. I wouldn't mind so much but I leave enough food in his bowl for breakfast, he just prefers me to come down with him just in case I forgot.

[nicename]

If the catflap is in the kitchen, could you close the door and have an opencatflap policy (and shovel up the dead half-eaten beasties in the morning)?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I've never actually tried the autofeeders, but have been impressed with the SureFlap catflap.