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

[CrookshanksGranger]

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?

Perhaps the food in the bathroom is the best idea for you, with the automatic feeder, so they don't associate you with the food. Have you had cats before? Perhaps try different things now while they are still small but things should naturally change. I'm not keen on giving cats too much dry food. I presume they have plenty of water - I'm just wondering if they are thirsty rather than hungry. I'd put dry in the bathroom feeder, for easier cleaning of feeder and wet food in kitchen/utility.

I was going to suggest a puzzle feeder as well (our current cat is too dim to use one, but our old huntress beastie like to work them out).

@WatcherOfTheNight they're on Ava dry food.

Good to know he'll grow out of the leg climbing. Any suggestions on how I can encourage him to stop?

Ummm... wear waders? (Always a good look at 5 a.m.)

Sorry I didn't see there was a page 2.

@EngagedAgain they have lots of water. There are 3 bowls placed at various places around the house. They can only have dry food as wet food gives them a bad tummy.

@ShortPlumpLadyWithBadHair sheesh and I thought 5:30 was bad

Are the puzzle feeders those little balls you can get in Pets at Home?

Get a timed feeder abs set it for 5.30.

Er, is the other kitten a girl? Only funnily enough, out of my two it was the boy that liked to climb up my legs, and the curtains! The girl weren't as playful. I did have other cats that were older though when I got them.

Mine's the same atm I think it's the brighter mornings.
I'm hoping the clock change at the weekend will put me. Back on cat time sort it out!

Nothing cruel about keeping them in a room downstairs. All my kittens are always kept in a locked conservatory overnight. They love it. It is safe, and warm and all their stuff is in there. As adults they still migrate there as it is their safe place.

As they get older, they have the run of the house during the day, but at nighttime they are shut in the kitchen, with all their comforts. They will learn your routine, and shouldn't bother you until you come downstairs.

Ava grain free ? If so it has a decent meat content.
Nothing to with your op but do they have wet too ? Kittens (and cats) rarely drink enough . Mine is still terrible at 2 ,I resorted to adding a little extra water to each wet meal.

My Eevee has always eaten more than the recommend amount,and is a big cat ,her sister Libby eats less than recommend and is very delicate looking ,she rarely finishes a meal .
They both are up at the crack of dawn & will make nuisances of themselves until someone is up.
As they've gotten older though,most of the time they are happy to be let out & not fed until a more reasonable time!

@EngagedAgain they're both boys. The other seems a bit more docile, at least in that respect.

@TeamDizon that's a good point about the clocks change.

@WatcheroftheNight yes the grain free one. They can't have wet food as it gives them quite a bad tummy sadly.

Wasn't the point of my post but how do they normally respond to clock changes and feeding times, especially for those who have an auto feeder?

Are the puzzle feeders those little balls you can get in Pets at Home?

Yes but you can also get a used water bottle and a big knife. Stab holes all over it and put i dry food.

This is why I fed mine in the evening from the off. So it's not expected in the morning.

That's a shame Crooks but quite common.
If you ever fancy trying wet again, you could try something like Thrive or Cosma,they have ranges of single protein foods with little added .
I've just realised ,where is the Pic ??
It's the rules!

You get used to it. .
My first cat insisted on being in at night - but demanded to go out at 3.30 every morning. (He was very persuasive being built like a brick shithouse and miaowing with a Glasgow accent).

Sorry I can't judge on your kittens' behaviour without a photo.

AH kittens! They get away with murder because they play on the cuteness.

You need to develop powerful ignoring skills so they give up. Eventually they do learn.

Anything you think is really really not on needs telling off - imagine you are their mum. So clearly the leg-climbing is painful and you would like it to stop now - spray bottle of water, being forcibly thrown off (think of the force they use when playing and scrapping with each other and you will be right), tap on the nose. Will only need telling once or twice and it will be over.

You need to enforce the rules. We have v few rules for cats here basically we are their slaves but they do need some.

You will probably find the one that's seems to be the problem (he's got character) will calm down when he gets neutered and older.

Sorry I can't judge on your kittens' behaviour without a photo.

That's a very good point!!

They just need to get used to a new routine that works for you!

Absolutely shit them in one room downstairs overnight.

Lots of playtime in the evenings, last feee when you put them to bed.

Either timer bowl feed if you wish to or just completely ignore until you go downstairs to start your day.

What wet food have you tried feeding them out of curiosity? Surely they're not intolerant to all of it?

Set a timer bowl before you go to bed

My elderly cat used to do this. I leave biscuits out overnight but she'd still play merry Hell early morning.

I now leave her a few spoons of wet food as I go up to bed. This has done the trick and seems to tide her over until I go downstairs now.

5.30am for my two as well and at weekends. They are shut in during the night so can be very vocal in the mornings. And both still run up my legs - they are nearly 3.
Off to find a cat feeder with timer!

Leave a bowl if biscuit down for them and a bowl of water. Make sure it's got plenty of food in overnight. If they're having a growth spurt they'll need more than what's recommended on the back of the tin and as they're young, as soon as they think you're awake they will of course want attention x

I give 1 pouch of food at 10pm & close lounge door.

Puss cat has access to her bed, litter, water, sofa, scratch post etc all night.

Then she has around 80g of high protein biscuits through the day.