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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

Can I train my cat to stop waking me up?

108 replies

maggiethecat · 26/10/2020 23:19

We're new cat owners and have had our 2 yo rescue cat for about 6 weeks and she's lovely. However I've never been so sleep deprived for a long time!

She sleeps in dd's top bunk bed but gets out at about 6am, or earlier, and insists on someone escorting her downstairs for breakfast which someone usually does and then they go back to bed. But after she's had breakfast she'll go back upstairs, sit on the landing and meow until someone pays some attention.

If she wakes me up too early I'll go on to the landing and say "No Lola" and then go back to bed but tbh I don't think she stops meowing, I think someone else has just been getting her so she stops the racket Grin

Any hope at all of trying to get her to stop waking us up Confused

OP posts:
FlippinNoah · 30/10/2020 02:05

One of mine cries the most pitiful, heart-wrenching miaow at anytime between 2am - 6am, not for food but for attention. To the point where you have to get up because she sounds like there's something up with her. There isn't. There never is. Ever. A quick stroke, a head bump and a couple of belly rubs and the servant's work is done.

In the daytime she is the most aloof, standoffish cat ever, gives me dirty looks and turns her head away or gets up and walks off if I try to stroke her.

Cats are ace.

cuparfull · 30/10/2020 02:46

My cats are put to bed in our utility room when we go off to bed. They have a litter tray in there, water and Royal Canid dry crunchies ad lib. And a last meal each (teaspoon) of wet food. They settle down and rise with us in the morning.
Both were adult rescue cats and never any noise nighttime but plenty of daytime backchat. They have a routine just like kids. Couldn't bear it if they were to disturb us or the neighbours.
During daylight hours both are very chatty and interactive now that we're having to spend more time at home.

jessstan1 · 30/10/2020 02:58

Enjoy this!

cuparfull · 30/10/2020 03:10

Cats are such characters, so individual and will turn you into their servant if you're not firm.
Upon rising, one will request we open the back door so he can do a very quick 10 min recce round the perimeter. The other jumps onto the kitchen table ready for his teaspoon of milk as soon as the kettle is switched on. He proceeds to cuff our backs reminding us he's waiting until the saucer is placed. Often he's so eager, he headbutts the milk container so ends up with a larger portion.
I always thought that cats were self regulating with their food intake, not this guy, he'll finish his own and trawl his mates aswell. At 5.6kg he's a big guy but his mate, on the same food, is only 4kg.

SilkieRabbits · 30/10/2020 03:33

We have a 15 year old cat who can howl in the night - she's been health checked a lot and fine, she just has staffing issues.

She was delighted when the country was locked down so she could have 4 staff 24/7 but still has issues as only 2 staff (DH and DD) are chosen as suitable and sometimes they sleep, use the bathroom or even go out Angry cat.

DH often gets up in the night to feed her, cuddle her or give her water. If he's asleep I'll say Silkiecat Papa is night-night, Silkiecat go night-night and Papa will see Silkecat in the morning and she usually goes back to sleep realising only the useless staff are available. She can't stand being shut in (and would be terrified shut out) and scratches and howls. A room instantly becomes inresistable if shut.

silentpool · 30/10/2020 06:40

My last cat was pretty good at night. But I never allowed him into the bedroom and never acknowledged howling or scratching outside the door, so he gave up on that. I also never fed wet food in the morning, only in the evening. So, I'm an early riser anyway but I would come out, get the coffee going and see to him next. With cats, any change to routine is the new normal, so I tried not to do it, unless I could live with it forever!

FiddlefigOnTheRoof · 30/10/2020 07:14

We shut our cat downstairs at night. She has access to utility, and large kitchen-diner, several sleep spots and woollen blankets, scratching posts etc. She’s two closed doors from anyone else but as soon as it’s 7am we hear a loud miaowing and someone is despatched to rescue her. She runs straight up and nuzzles hands and pounces on our feet.

She has access to the same space (plus cat flap) when we are away so it used to it - ever since we rescued her. It means any chaos (frogs, mice etc) is contained in a known space.

Not all cats will put up with it but ours seems fine. We’ve done this since we got her. I can’t deal with consistent sleep deprivation.

She only has wet food in the evening. Makes her slightly less desperate in the morning and means she comes in at night.

YorkshireParentalPerson · 30/10/2020 08:08

@minipie

Bedside clocks are blue tacked to bedside tables, because he fires them across the room if you ignore him. Now he can't do that he walks all over you, howling loudly and if you ignore that he starts scratching up the carpet and if you ignore that he nibbles up the inside of your arm. You cannot ignore him as he just escalates his behavior.

Your cat sounds amazing 😂

All I can say is, it's a good job I love him!
ShalomToYouJackie · 30/10/2020 08:21

Welcome to owning a cat Grin

One of mine sits on me at about 6am, puts his face really close to mine and stares at me until I wake up so I'll get up and feed him. There's always food in the bowl but I have to pretend to pour some out for him so he'll sit down and eat.

Original poster
maggiethecat · 30/10/2020 09:21

Second morning, and she didn't wake us up Shock
Do you think she's ok?

OP posts:
jessstan1 · 30/10/2020 09:57

Yes, she is adjusting and enjoying a lie in.

LittleApronsSeekAGoodHome · 30/10/2020 13:16

My cat does this...she's a little fucker. I can't leave her downstairs on her own at night as she is really stupid and is always getting stuck or falling off stuff (I'm not exaggerating, I've never met such a dim cat. Even the vet agrees (in a more tactful manner Grin) When she does this she cries so loudly I have to get up anyway.

When DH is here it's fine, he will get up and feed her (usually between 4.30 and 5.30am) but when he is not here it really annoys me. I don't want to get up that early! I can't shut my bedroom door at night so I can't shut her out. If I don't get up quickly enough for her, she scratches my (divan) bed or knocks my sky box off the table, or gets stuck on top of the wardrobe and cries Hmm

I genuinely can't see a way to solve it. The hoover sounds like it would work but I don't think I could bring myself to do as she is absolutely terrified of hoovers (and the tumble dryer and the doorbell and the washing machine when it beeps)

She's basically just a high maintenance cat and even my DC weren't this much fucking trouble...

MillieTheCat · 30/10/2020 19:29

MEOW ... maybe your cat reads Mumsnet?

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/10/2020 21:20

@LittleApronsSeekAGoodHome she's a little fucker, I think you meant “much loved family pet” 🤨 😀

Original poster
maggiethecat · 30/10/2020 21:45

LittleAprons - sounds you really do love herGrin

OP posts:
emmacat · 30/10/2020 22:44

I'd love to help but I've tried every trick to get my Dcat to sleep through. As shes got older its got worse. Shes 21 now and has zero independence due to being abs spoilt rotten. She has to sleep on me and will wake me up to watch her eat, if she needs the toilet her tray is now not good enough so she has to be escorted in the garden and should she just decide she wants petting. I love the bones off her but the hourly wake up call is akin to having a new born.

If there is a positive ive totally got used to the broken sleep ha

TroysMammy · 31/10/2020 09:55

Haribo started fussing at about 5.30am which is around the time I get up for work in the week and my partner said "Haribo, lie down". He did, on me for the next couple of hours. He's such a good cat at night.

TikTakTikTak · 31/10/2020 10:04

@madcatladyforever

My 19 year old cat just woke me up by smacking me in the face. Its 2.25 am and she wants me to get up and wash her shitty paws. She accidentally trod in poo in the litter tray in the dark and hates it. I had to get up, wash her paws in the sink. So she's gone back to her bed and is fast asleep and I've had to clean out the litter tray, change my bed sheets that she walked over and now I'm lying here wide awake.
I cackled at this, and then you posted the same thing the next morning!
Oldraver · 31/10/2020 11:32

The problem we had with Ernie was OH is up at 4am for four days then off for 4. Ern never realised that we wanted a lie in and wanted to go out at 4. We just gave in

Col is going that way as well. Wakes me at 4am when he hears Dad downstairs, will come and wail at me if Dad goes outside for a smoke and races back off when he hears him. Luckily he stays and plays downstairs when he goes to work and usually leaves me to sleep

He's not to bad at waking us on days off, though we ignore ant attempts to 'love' us into submission

SilkieRabbits · 31/10/2020 11:37

Our cat tend to be worse when people make noise at night as she thinks anyone awake should be serving her.

Last night teenage DD was awake and talking and cat heard and started howling her so DD gave her a stroke and came back upstairs. That started more howling, DD ignored it, so the cat started getting louder and knocking over boxes and we could just hear howling and boxes crashing.

LittleApronsSeekAGoodHome · 31/10/2020 11:55

We definitely need a Cat Cry It Out method. I'm so tempted to start an AIBU saying I'm going to do CIO with my cat and does anyone have any tips? Grin

At them moment my little fucker much loved family pet Wink is on my bedroom windowsill crying. This is because she uses the radiator underneath the window to jump up onto the sill - I've just put some socks on the radiator to warm up. The wind (outside the closed window Hmm) is scaring her and she can't work out how to jump down as there is a sock there. I'm making comforting noises in an attempt to delay getting out of bed to lift her down...

I wouldn't mind but my bedroom is freezing because I have to keep the radiator temperature low so the cat can use it as a a springboard! So it's her fault my cold socks have to be warmed up and I'm under a duvet.

Also, we do this all the time HmmI've shown her and shown her how to jump down. She can jump up over the sock no problem...

I actually do love her lots and lots, she's my favourite child Grin

Oldraver · 31/10/2020 12:21

Colin is so noisey (just heard him wailing in the kitchen over something) thta I think I would crack if we had to go CCIO

jojomolo · 31/10/2020 12:24

She is training you all to feed her.

SilkieRabbits · 31/10/2020 12:30

Our cat responds to CCIO by going round everyone in turn and howling at maximum volume 5cms from their ears, its a very effective technique for getting attention. We also have the howl and try to dig your way into the next room if the door is shut taking half the carpet with you. And the knock as many items over as you can and howl technique. DH is also very weak and often feeds / cuddles / strokes her in the night.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 31/10/2020 12:48

If you can't train her to stop waking you up could you at least train her to bring you a cup of tea when she does it?