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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.

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Original poster

My cats are making me miserable

21 replies

Tellmewhatyouknow · 27/06/2017 05:18

I adopted 2 cats last summer.

I work full time so the RSPCA advised getting older cats. The cats are 10 years old.

As a family we really love them but I'm starting to regret getting them. They wake me up at 4.30 every morning!

I have tried every piece of advice I have found on the internet.
-playing with them before bedtime to tire them out
-given them easy access to outside during the night
-ignoring their cries in the morning
-buying timed feeders set for when they wake

Nothing works!

When they wake up, they want me up. I've tried shutting them in the kitchen so they are away from my bedroom but I'm such a light sleeper and their cries are so loud it still wakes me.

I am now going to bed before 9 o'clock at night to accommodate the cats.

Please help me find a way dealing with this. It's like living with an early riser toddler who will never grow up

OP posts:

user1497480444 · 27/06/2017 05:21

what do they want from you at 4am? our cats frequently wake us up, but it isn't a problem as such, I would go back to sleep again after a few minutes. Sometimes they are just getting onto the bed, or getting off it. The bedroom door is open so they come and go as they please.

Original poster

Tellmewhatyouknow · 27/06/2017 06:53

They just cry until I'm awake because they want attention.
All their other needs are met

OP posts:

HotelEuphoria · 27/06/2017 07:08

My cats do this especially in summer, it's the first crack of light and the birds starting tweeting.

They know its day time, want to play, want feeding. Ignore, ignore, ignore. I do and eventually mine either go back to sleep or sit on the landing and wait, and wait and wait.

Maybe their previous owner pampered to their early morning starts?

Newjob12345 · 27/06/2017 07:12

Get some ear plugs.

MinkyWinky · 27/06/2017 07:21

My DH has earplugs to block out Fluffcat who wants feeding as soon as it gets light. I don't notice...

Asmoto · 27/06/2017 07:22

I agree with Euphoria - hard though it is, you just have to ignore them until eventually they learn that you will not be up at that time. Have your cats got access to your bedroom? If you don't mind them on your bed, you could try letting them in - they might parade around your bed for a while but then they'd probably settle down to sleep with you until a more reasonable hour. The timed feeder is probably sending the message that it's 'daytime' so I would set it for around the time you actually want to get up, rather than when the cats wake naturally.

Calyx72 · 27/06/2017 07:26

I used earplugs and kept the bedroom door closed. Now he only does it once every six weeks or so. He has learned it gets him nowhere.

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/06/2017 07:27

I lock mine in the utility all night. He doesn't mind.

Yogagirl123 · 27/06/2017 07:27

Sounds like you have tried everything that I could suggest, pet feeder a great idea, the only other thought I had could you leave a radio on low where they sleep, blackout blind/curtains anything is worth a try OP! Have you approached the RSPCA for any advice.

My cat recently passed away he was 18, as he got older and became the only pet left, he always woke us up, rather like a demanding toddler!

If he couldn't get attention by crying in the house, he would go into the garden and make this awful noise, louder than a meow, outside our bedroom, almost like I will get you up! I think more for attention, than the food. I felt sorry for my neighbours quite honestly!

It is only since we have lost him that I have realised how noisy he was, I miss him loads. I would love another cat, but DH says no, our DS' are getting older now etc. I know he is right, but I really miss my lovely cat.

I hope things improve soon. Xx

IrritatedUser1960 · 27/06/2017 07:30

One of my cats Smoky practically sits on my face at the crack of dawn, I turn over and ignore him. He knows I'm not getting up until 7. Do you have a cat flap?

thisiswhatyou · 27/06/2017 07:32

Mine are spending lots of time outside now it's warm(er) and I must admit sleep wise it's blissful.

Would yours go out?

Hulder · 27/06/2017 07:35

Ignore like you have never ignored before.

Eventually it sinks in.

They still try it on occasionally to see if you have cracked though.

Moose23 · 27/06/2017 07:36

You could buy an automatic cat feeder and set it to go off at 4am?

Or shut them in the kitchen overnight (with litter tray, water and their rug or whatever they have).

LazySusan11 · 27/06/2017 07:52

I have no advice but completely sympathise, 1 of ours stomps all over the bed, chews hair, claws you gently and head butts you at first light.

We've tried everything! The carpet outside our room is now shredded where we shut her out of the bedroom. She doesn't want anything she just wants you up. I'm a light sleeper and once I'm woken it's very hard for me to go back to sleep.

Wish I had the answer op, if you find a solution please pass it on!

caffeinestream · 27/06/2017 11:00

Earplugs, and several doors between you and the cat! It's the only thing that works in my experience.

Ours are banned from the bedroom at night because the chase each other around and use us as a climbing frame. I appreciate some people are okay with that, but I need my sleep and I'm not very tolerant of being woken 2-3 times a night by a cat!

problembottom · 27/06/2017 11:38

Yes you need to play dead, don't even open your eyes. Took my cat a few days (DP was slowly going insane in the process) but he eventually cottoned on it wasn't worth his effort. A year or so on and he doesn't bother me until 9am but still tries it on with DP occasionally as he knows he's a soft touch!

Telling our cat off, chucking him off the bed, shutting him out of the bedroom etc were all a great game to him, he used to purr like a train in the process and then yowl and scratch and make a racket wherever he was.

CremeFresh · 27/06/2017 11:44

I feel your pain - mine wakes me up at about 3am. If I don't respond she bites me. If I cocoon myself in the duvet ( menopause sweats allowing) she starts to knock stuff off the dressing table. I put her outdoors now when I go to bed.

HipsterHunter · 27/06/2017 11:50

Its because it is dawn and there are all kinds of fun things going on outside - cats are at their most active at dawn and dusk.

Shut them in the kitchen and wear ear plugs and ignore!

HipsterHunter · 27/06/2017 11:51

Mine has been waking me up about 4am but I take him downstairs and shut him in the kitchen and go back to sleep easily.

EastMidsMumOf1 · 27/06/2017 13:52

I have to shut both of mine in the kitchen, its not their cries keeping me awake though its their failed attempts at trying to get into food or jumping at the door handle to try and open it. Although when my 1st was an only cat he would cry at the crack of dawn, try and get yourself some catnip spray and before you go to bed spray it on their sleeping places and toys, I found it helped to keep mine abit more content in the morning instead of wanting attention or feeding.

Original poster

Tellmewhatyouknow · 27/06/2017 20:16

Thanks for all the suggestions.

They have definitely got worse in the summer months.
We have a huge cherry tree in the garden that attracts lots of birds. As soon as the birds start tweeting the cats are wide awake.

They have a catflap but they were indoor cats for 10 years prior to us adopting them so they are nervous to go out alone. They will happily sit in the garden if I am with them.

I will try putting them in the kitchen and using earplugs. Hopefully, I can train them out of it. Not knowing their history, I'm fearful that their previous owner as allowed this early morning waking for the last 10 years so it may be ingrained.

OP posts:

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