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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.

Help!! Cats want feeding at 5:30am and being quite aggressive

60 replies

CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 06:11

What do I do? They're driving me mad. Problem is I have IBS so sometimes I wake up around 5:15 desperately needing the toilet so I get up but then go back to bed as I don't need to start getting ready for bed until 7am. But then because they know I'm awake they start going mad. We've tried locking them out of our bedroom but then they just scratch the door and meow really loudly.

The other thing is when I do get up to feed them (whether that's at 5:30 or later), one of them rather painfully jumps on my leg and clings on. He does this at other times of the day too and it bloody hurts. How do I get him to stop this?

OP posts:
Stormwhale · 26/03/2019 06:18

Spray bottle of water by the bed. They will soon get the message.

Monty27 · 26/03/2019 06:19

Put them outside if you can.

CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 06:24

@Monty27 do you mean outside the house? If so sadly they're still too young Sad

OP posts:
adaline · 26/03/2019 06:27

That's what cats do I'm afraid - needy buggers!

We shut ours downstairs completely at night, so there are two doors between us and them. If I have to get up for the toilet they get a fuss and then I go back up stairs and ignore them.

user1493413286 · 26/03/2019 06:30

Do they have access to food? Ours have dry food to eat when they want; they sometimes meow for food if we’ve slept in a bit but we don’t let them upstairs.

doxxed · 26/03/2019 06:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

MaybeitsMaybelline · 26/03/2019 06:33

I have this too, cat number 1 age 12 needs to go out at 5, won’t use a tray and will meow or tap you on the face to get up. Cat number two age 2 takes this to mean food time so then sits on you and keeps turning around on you until you feed him.

It never used to be a problem as I could leave a bowl of biscuits out for nibbling on if hungry, but cat number 2 will demolish a full bowl if left out and he’s huge and a bit chubby so I can’t do that now.

They are a bloody nuisance.

BlackCatSleeping · 26/03/2019 06:42

My cat has a food bowl near the toilet, so I just fill it up when I go to the toilet. There's a box of pouches there.

Yes, I know my place.

TheQueef · 26/03/2019 06:45

4.45.
Mine want wet food at 4.45.
After they trash the stairs and landing.

CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 06:46

Yes both kittens. When he jumps on me I'll remove him, put him on the floor and ignore him but he jumps straight back up. If I can at feeding time I'll put him out of the room until I've sorted it.

They don't have access to food as they eat it all the second I put it down.

They used to associate DP's alarm with being fed. However if I wake up earlier due to the IBS they think that's feeding time and I'm not sure how to get them out of this.

I think because of the layout of our downstairs, the only way we'd be able to lock them downstairs is by locking them in one room and I'm not sure if that'd be cruel?

I'll definitely look into a timed feeding bowl, thanks! Any recommendations?

OP posts:
CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 06:46

Oh gosh @TheQueef I feel your pain!!

OP posts:
Megan2018 · 26/03/2019 06:47

If you think that is “aggressive” you have no business iwning cats. How utterly ridiculous, that is just kitten behaviour.

How old are they and how long have you leftvthem without food? Kittens need regular small meals. If they are hungry, feed them. They are probably bored and just want attention. You can’t ecpect them to understand why you don’t want to interact!

BlackCatSleeping · 26/03/2019 06:51

It's really not cruel as long as they have their stuff in there. When he was younger, I used to shut my cat in the kitchen. He had a toilet, bed, food, water and cat toys. He was fine.

CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 06:53

Thanks @BlackCatSleeping

OP posts:
smurfy2015 · 26/03/2019 07:11

When I got my cat at approx 6 weeks old, come 7pm in the evening it became her "bedtime routine". A energetic playtime for about 15 mins to wear her out, then wet food and water put down, check litter tray was clean, insert cat carrier into the large dog pen crate, put puppy pad inside the carrier or check clean one, another puppy pad over the top of the carrier, add toys to large crate, close over the mesh cover on the large pen and radio on low to keep her company overnight and ignore totally after.

Come 7am, she got attention again and the first night she cried most of the night, after a night or 2 she realised she had food, water, toilet, music, somewhere quiet to sleep and that I was coming to her at 7am. more food and lots of cuddles and attention.

Now 3 years later, she doesnt disturb me until after 6.30am or will only before in extreme circumstances, less than 2 months ago she cried most of the night and couldnt be comforted, quick trip to vet revealed mastitis which was causing her pain. She now sleeps on the end of my bed. She still has access to tray, wet / dry food and water and toys. she knows to play quietly and attention comes at 7am with food, cuddles and play.

Waking you - I would go for the spray water bottle as she went thru a stage of trying to hump my leg during the night after spaying, (it was months after) and all I had to do in the end was show her the bottle, it doesnt hurt them

Yes to kitten climbing legs, this is a phase and will pass as they get bigger, during the kitten stage my legs were covered in little nail marks and also my back and shoulders. aka Needle Nails as they are so sharp at that point in time

Monty27 · 26/03/2019 07:12

Yes. Everything they need elsewhere and away from hearing distance Grin

EngagedAgain · 26/03/2019 07:15

I used to have cats and they did like to congregate in the bedroom in the morning, waiting to be fed. In your case I would do what a pp said and keep a bowl and some dried food in the bathroom. As for the leg clawing, some kittens at some stage will climb up ones leg. In the days of thick jeans it didn't seem much of a problem! That and wanting to come into the bedroom is par for the course of cat ownership. I never used to mind cats in the bedroom, but if I did and had kittens, I'd start getting them used to another room, well away from bedroom. It should improve once they can start going out.

EngagedAgain · 26/03/2019 07:31

Also as Megan said perhaps they are not eating enough. The automatic feeder is a good idea. So put them in another room with it, and only try the bathroom idea if that fails. From what you say you don't want them in the bedroom at night regardless of the food and leg clawing, or is it because of that? You are best off getting them used to staying in kitchen or better if you have a utility room or conservatory. Make sure they are warm and have everything they need. They have each others company, so don't worry about them.

ohcarriemathison · 26/03/2019 07:34

Outs have constant dry food in their bowls so if they are really hungry there is always food there.
We now lock ours in the living room so they can't scratch our door and wake us or kids up at 5am. Works much better.

CrookshanksGranger · 26/03/2019 07:53

From what you say you don't want them in the bedroom at night regardless of the food and leg clawing, or is it because of that?

It's because of the food. I love having them in our bedroom most of the night, it's just the morning then where they're getting us up so early

They're already on the maximum amount of food recommended on the back of the pack so I'm not sure it's a not enough food issue. It may just be the timing though as we feed them after work and then again in the morning. Although we tried splitting their food more and it didn't make the blindest bit of difference to the morning wakings. I'll definitely try and auto feeder and see if that helps.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 26/03/2019 08:05

Mines in the kitchen overnight. 4:30am is his get up time. He’s 10.

WatcherOfTheNight · 26/03/2019 08:10

Crook ,the amount on the back of the back of packets is just a guideline,some will need more ,some less . They are babies & if hungry should be fed.
You haven't said what food they are on but if they aren't in one already,you could try grain free,high meat content food rather than a carb heavy one.

doxxed · 26/03/2019 08:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for privacy reasons.

ShannonRockallMalin · 26/03/2019 08:14

My cats are about to turn 1 and we shut them in a downstairs room at night. They have water, litter tray and their beds. We’ve trained them to stay in there quite happily because they get a treat before we shut them in.

However, now the mornings are getting lighter they are starting to scratch the door from about 5am. It’s annoying but I don’t mind too much getting up, letting them out, bit of dry food and then back to bed.

I think you’ll find the leg scratching eases off as they get older. Mine have calmed down so much in the last few months. The were climbing everywhere as young kittens but know the rules now!

ShortPlumpLadyWithBadHair · 26/03/2019 08:17

Welcome to my world! I have 2 cats, aged 14 and 15, they want feeding from 4am onwards and walk on me in bed, lick my face, arms, elbows, sit staring at me purring very loudly so I get the message. Lie-ins are a thing of my past Grin