My fucking cats are driving me to breaking point

[fuckingtwatcats]

I don't want to rehome them.

But I do feel at times like they are ruining my life. Exaggeration but it feels like that.

Black cat is incredibly loud, has a yowl that sort of goes through to your insides. He yowls when he wants to come in. Then when he wants to go out. This can be anything up to ten times in an hour. I can't relax and do anything. You can't watch TV or even eat. Won't use a cat flap. Worst of all he thinks five am is time to go out. I am exhausted.

Ginger cat hates black cat. Ginger cat hisses and yowls if black cat goes anywhere near him. Ginger cat also does the in, out, in out trick.

We have had black cat since July and it sounds awful but I so regret getting him.

Honestly, I think you need to start ignoring the yowling. He's rewarded every time he does it because you open the door. Ignore him at 5am when he's demanding you get up. That's the only thing that stopped our two getting us up at that time! Teach him to use the cat flap, then make him use it. One of ours would happily let you open the door for him! He soon gives up and goes out the flap.

God I sound like a cow

I've tried jane but he doesn't stop and it disturbs everyone. Then i have ratty exhausted children. By letting him out i get to try to go back to sleep myself!

Defiantly ignore one of mine is a loud cat that stands outside bedroom window at 5am and yowls until dh let's her in.

I just shut the window and go back to sleep.

Is he old?

He has you very well trained!

You may have to grin and bear it for a few days and ignore. You haven't had him long, so he's possibly still feeling quite insecure and doesn't really know how your routine works. Lay out some interesting cat toys, and feed at the same times every day. Then blank the negative behaviour. Wait until he's quiet and settled before giving him cuddles and attention.

You need to ignore the yowling. One of mine went through a phase of trying to get us up at the crack of dawn by standing yowling in the door way. Dh went and fed her once or twice and it got worse and pissed me off so much that one 4.30 am I threw a pillow at her so she ran off and the shut the door with her on the other side and put my earplugs in and went back to sleep! She hasn't done it since and still appears to adore me.

The way people pander to their cats on here baffles me completely. All animals take the piss if their owners let them.

You need a cat flap and some self restraint 😂

I just can't sleep at all through the yowling, and it wakes everyone else up.

Do they have a cat flap? I'm confused as to where you are letting them in/out of?

It's annoying, but shut your bedroom door and give it 3 or 4 nights of hell and he will get the message. He's just learned that is how he gets your attention, and it works!

Dogs have masters.....cats have maids.

I don't dislike cats but I would never have one, Just reading your post makes me Shudder.

I duck-tape our cat flap open for idiot cat who can't work it out.

You don't own a cat a cat owns you.

Sorry op sounds like it in your case.

Teach him to use the cat flap then when he goes out, leave him out, he'll most likely come back through the flap when he gets hungry and you rattle some dreamies.

Seconded recommendation for feliway, plug ins and also wipes.

and i sympathise OP. We have one lovely cat who is sweet, affectionate and no trouble at all. And one idiot cat who is loud, demanding, aggressive, occasionally violent, messy, unfriendly and honestly brings nothing good to family life. If we didn't have him life would be nicer. But... eh, we're not going to get rid of him. He's our cat, for better or much, much worse were stuck with him.

I found that a water-pistol has the ability to turn off yowling very quickly if you do it every time. Like a mute button.

Or there's that, yes

Cats are bastards!! I have 5 of them, I feel your pain, shutting doors only result in scratched door frames. Door opens means one wailing, one purring, one sitting on my left shoulder and one on my chest. It really makes for a great sleep haha...5th cat is an outdoor only one thank heavens.

We've got a metal framed catflap from Amazon so the dog couldn't wreck it, and it's got a very soft closing rubbery plastic door that's quiet. Our cat will actually condescend to use this one, unless someone's stupid enough to stand at the living room window to let him in and out....!! I know that he didn't like the noisy plastic one we had before. This one doesn't do the clattering noise. Maybe worth a go??

How old is black cat? Is there any chance he is hyperthyroid?

We had one yowly cat we were good at ignoring who progressively got more and more yowly, especially in the early hours of the morning. Only when she lost weight did we take her to the vet and get her diagnosed - yowling ceased immediately when treatment started. To our shame she'd probably been ill about 2 years.

Other than that you have 2 cats who are very very unhappy living together. Have you tried Feliway to see if it cheers them up? Plus also how many litter trays - should be at least 3 so no bullying over litter tray usage between cats. Get a cat behaviour book - Vicky Halls is great and sorted my two out when they were being weird.

I would 1) Feliway 2) Every thing Cat behaviour book says 3) Vet 4) Serious campaign of ignoring demands to have doors opened by either cat. Plus teach black cat to use cat flap. They must know that you will not cave under any circumstances to yowling.

If at the end of this cats clearly were still loathing each other, I would consider rehoming black cat. You are then just making 2 cats and your family miserable.

I know you've said you don't want to rehome, but I wanted to share my experience as I had a yowling cat a couple of years ago who disturbed everyone like this.

I felt ridiculous rehoming her for being loud, but it was upsetting everyone and we weren't enjoying her which can't have been the nicest environment for her either. I also felt having a pet was a responsibility for life.

But, we rehomed to a friend who loves the cat, has her photos all over Facebook, has a bigger property in the countryside etc so cat is delighted and I can't say we missed the yowling although we did miss the cuddles from time to time

If there was someone to take him, i probably would. But there isn't.