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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Getting up in the night and cats

22 replies

oceanstars · 19/02/2017 22:05

If I need a wee, my cats decide it is morning and thunder through to the kitchen in anticipation of breakfast.

I feed them to give me some peace but this means they are having two breakfasts! Do anybody else's cats do the same?

OP posts:
Potentialmadcatlady · 19/02/2017 22:07

I just 'hold' it in...if I got up there would be a stampede...

gamerchick · 19/02/2017 22:11

Mine gets fed on an evening. No breakfasts. No way I'm going down that road Grin

Wolfiefan · 19/02/2017 22:12

When we got our first cats over twenty years ago they would wake us up at dawn of before. DH fed them so they would shut up. I just picked up the offending kitty and put them off the bed.
Guess who they bothered for the next £&@ years!!?!
Don't get up. Or get up and don't feed them. Or else you have sealed your fate forever more.
You have been warned! Grin

WhoKn0wsWhereTheTimeG0es · 19/02/2017 22:12

I very rarely get up in the night but if I do I totally ignore them, no eye contact and straight back to bed.

TheWayYouLookTonight · 19/02/2017 22:14

Yes, Mr T will scratch on the bathroom door and meow if I go for a wee in the night! I just give him a scratch behind the ears and go back to bed. No way does he get breakfast until it's actually time to get up! He normally then paces around on the bed for a bit, purring madly, then gives up and wanders off.

Weedsnseeds1 · 19/02/2017 22:36

Mine will escort me to the loo, but the reward of coming back to bed with me seems to be greater than hanging around the food bowl downstairs.

Original poster
oceanstars · 20/02/2017 09:18

Mine have breakfast no 1, then come back in bed with me all full and content (until morning really comes and it is time for breakfast no 2!)

OP posts:
Londonjam · 20/02/2017 18:12

Ignore them! Do not feed. Do not let them back in for a snuggle. We used to do this and got into an awful habit of waking up at 5am every day, which I still sometimes do. He's got used to it now and doesn't bother us until later. Expect a week or so of them howling outside your bedroom door...

RubbishMantra · 20/02/2017 18:41

Oh God, MCat throws himself prostrate in front of me on the stairs! Down every single step. He's always on the lookout for food. (which is available all the time, but not the RIGHT food of course.)

Little M will usually stay snuggled under the duvet as long as I do. But now Spring's coming, he wants me to entertain him from dawn. And for a little 4.5kg cat, he can make a lot of noise thundering and death-walling about the house.

Fortunately for them I'm their dedicated slave...

RubbishMantra · 20/02/2017 18:47
  • and yes, definitely don't make eye contact.
Janey50 · 24/02/2017 19:54

Our cat tried this when we first had her. But we just totally ignored her,and she soon got the message that if it was before 7am,no food would be forthcoming! They soon learn!

QuestionableMouse · 24/02/2017 19:55

I wish mine would! She's such a fussy girl I can't get her to eat half of the time!

Fluffycloudland77 · 24/02/2017 19:56

I lock mine in the utility overnight. He thinks 4:30 is breakfast time.

JennyHolzersGhost · 24/02/2017 19:59

Erm stop feeding them then !

Trustyourself2 · 25/02/2017 22:34

My cats have food & water in the bedroom, so they don't bother me for nighttime snacks, just the odd pet.

Dailymaildailyfail · 25/02/2017 22:35

This really made me laugh- I try to sneak to the toilet as quietly as possible to not disturb the cat otherwise he would be wide awake and pestering for any food!

OnHold · 25/02/2017 22:39

My cat accompanies me to the toilet then dashes downstairs in anticipation of breakfast.

Pitchforktotheface · 25/02/2017 22:43

Mine have a bowl full of food at all times, but aren't greedy buggers so self regulate. We don't have a cat flap though so often wake us up in the night to be let in or out.

LowDudgeon · 25/02/2017 22:45

Mine are shut in back room/kitchen overnight. Could not possible have them roaming the house, scratching at doors & demanding food Shock

Toddlerteaplease · 26/02/2017 14:30

Mine have food and water down all the time. They Will come for snuggles if they know I'm awake, but usually just go to sleep.

Kiroro · 27/02/2017 09:53

My kitten is in the kitchen (it has a dining room attached and also a garden extension room and all his toys so he has plenty to do!) but even so I have stopped flushing the toilet because it makes him start to miaow thinking it is morning.

Char22thom · 27/02/2017 10:08

Mine has dry food available at all times, then wet food (pouches) in the morning and evening. Until recently we would almost feed on demand, until I get fed up of her pestering and then hardly eating and food being thrown away so set up the new routine, took some time (cats are terrible creatures of habit!) but she knows now. It may take some time but stick with it and it wil, work eventually. The problem I have with mine is wanting to be let out in the middle of the night then I need a wee and by the time I'm back in bed I can't get back to sleep! X

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