To not be enjoying my cats?

[msalex]

I’m not going to rehome them. And I do love them in a way.

But I realised this morning I get no pleasure out of them at all and to be honest I wish I’d never got them.

They demand food as soon as I get up but it’s somehow not enough. After I’ve had a shower and am trying to get ready they are mewing round my feet wanting a second breakfast

One of them miaows so loudly - a real yowl of a sound and he does it at 2/3 am for me to put him out (can’t put a cat flap in - it’s a bottom floor apartment in a listed building) and it really disturbs my sleep terribly.

The eating, they just never stop. Even when their food bowls are full every time I stand up they thunder through to the kitchen and stand over their bowls miaowing.

I feel horrible as I feel irritated by them.

[msalex]

I might be a bit actually. I feel a bit overwhelmed by everything and mithering cats just feels like the icing on the cake!

[QuiteLikely5]

Why not rehome them? There are people who would surely get a lot of enjoyment from them.

Sounds like a hassle keeping them. Don’t feel bad

[msalex]

I love them princess, I love all animals but yes if I could press rewind I would never have got them.

[thetemptationofchocolate]

6 pouches between two cats is not really a lot, but if it's each then they are indeed greedy :)

Maybe the meowing after breakfast is just wanting to be with you, rather than wanting more food. Our cats like a cuddle after their feeds, before they settle down for their daytime nap :) :)

If ever I find myself feeling annoyed about their clinginess I remind myself that they are NOT as demanding as a toddler...

[msalex]

But one is really old and one is black. I can’t put them in a rescue centre

[OliviaStabler]

Do they have lots of toys to play with? Do you get a chance to play with them each day? Sounds as if they want attention, not food.

I do sympathise. Mine can be exhausting as well as very messy!

[Emillee]

Have they been wormed?

[msalex]

Each!

It does worry me. I want children but if I can’t cope with cats how would I with a child

[lljkk]

Are they very overweight?

[Valerrie]

Poor cats.

If they are meowing when their bowls are full, it's not hunger.

My siamese did this. There are many ways to stop the constant mewing if you Google. A lot of cats are just vocal.

I hate the thought of someone not liking their pets. I'd have them if I didn't already have three.

[msalex]

My elderly cat is quite a heifer. The black one isn’t.

[msalex]

Yes they are worked, sorry.

[msalex]

In all seriousness Valerie you are welcome to them

[lljkk]

I don't mind if you don't like your cats or other pets, as long as you treat them kindly you're in my good book. Sounds like they want more cuddles & attention.

[IMightMentionGriddlebone]

Reading it all back, you really do sound overwhelmed.

It's not great to play armchair psychologist, but I think finding the cats burdensome is a symptom of your low mood.

[JustAnIdiot]

One of mine nags & nags about more & more jelly food, even when there are plenty of crunchies available. She likes the crunchies, just prefers the jelly food.

I tell her she's a fat animal (she isn't) & she can eat the crunchies for now. DH thinks I'll make her anorexic by telling her she's fat

They are nagging you because it gets them what they want. Ignore!

[AlpacaLypse]

If your flat is ground floor you could put a cat flap in somewhere other than a door. I've seen them in windows and there's a fantastic one in a conservation area locally to here that's a cat tunnel through a wall and into a courtyard.

[MikeUniformMike]

I don't think Wolf was starting a bunfight and neither am I.
Pets behave in a way that you let them. My cat is a nightmare at times
because that's how he trained me, and I enabled him.

[MargaretCavendish]

Please don't beat yourself up about this, especially if you're feeling generally low. You're looking after the cats perfectly diligently, so they're just fine - I agree with other posters that if there's any cause for concern here it's about what you're feeling at the moment.

[problembottom]

My cat yowls like a banshee, usually when I'm in the middle of an important work call. It's for attention.

One way I have to calm him down is to chase him, pick him up, smother him in cuddles and kisses, very heavy-handed stroking. He'll usually settle down after that.

He also likes it when I put a Dreamie in a cup on the floor and he has to try to get it out of there by rolling it around and sticking his paw in etc. Can you get them to work for their food a bit more?

And he loves it when I put a cat movie on my iPad or iPhone for him to watch... if you google free cat videos there's some great squirrel and bird ones... and iPads are surprisingly resilient.

[msalex]

Thanks. That helps.

There’s no way of using a cat flap because of the layout of the building.

Maybe no bunfight then but the cats are far from being starved :)

[nannybeach]

I was also, like,mightmention going to say you sound depressed, its funny because people always suggest getting a cat, if you are at work, etc. beause they need less tending than dogs. My DD has the same problem with her 2, she cannot have a cat flap installed so they insist on waking her in the night by going in and out, we have 2 dogs, I always had 2 cats as well, but unfortunately my DH wont let us have any more cats.You said in all seriousness you are welcome to them, so maybe you should think ofgetting them re-homed, as you obviously not enjoying them.

[HappyLabrador]

My cat does this. He’s fed first thing, first by Dh with some biscuits then by me an hour or so later with wet food. Cat still follows me every single time I get up and as you say, thunders through to where his food bowl is, expecting me to give him something. It’s bloody annoying.

He has dry food down at all times but I suspect he does it because what he really wants is wet food all the time. But he’s not getting it. He gets wet food at certain times only. So outside he goes before he drives me totally nuts!

We also put him out at night to stop him waking us up at 4am.

Could you do the same? Just plonk them outside at night and at periods during the day when you know they’re fed?

[WhereIsThisGoing]

Have you considered getting an automatic/timed feeder?

My friend had this issue with her cats and the automatic feeder at least meant they no longer associated her with the provision of food, because food appeared without her being present. It took a while, but it did stop them from (loudly) begging her for food.

[ScipioAfricanus]

One of my cats is an incessant miaower. With him it’s attention - he’s very needy. Also miaows for about two hours before his supper. Maybe more games with them and getting them some things to do (like treat balls) will help them and help you enjoy them more too.