How to stop cat waking me up at 5am?!

[User292]

This is a new thing. He is 5 years old and we have had him for 4 years. Since the day we got him he has slept downstairs, we have a door at the bottom of the stairs so that he stays down there. I work from home so I get up at 8 to feed him. That’s always been the routine.

Recently he has started waking me up at 5am on the dot! He cries so loud that it wakes me up from upstairs. I sleep with ear plugs and still can’t sleep through it. The first few times I got up to see what he wanted and turns out he wants to go outside. I stopped jumping up at the sound of his meows and instead have been trying to ignore him. Today he was meowing from 5 to 5:40 when I finally gave in and went to let him out. He’s never done this before! Why is he doing it now and how can I get it to stop? I suffer with insomnia so once he wakes me up I can’t get back to sleep

Get a cat flap? Our cat likes to go out around Dawn (he's not a hunter) and has a flap so that he can come and go as he pleases. He goes out, comes back and then has a snooze until breakfast.

Fit a cat flap and let him out.

3 weeks of stubbornness from you should do it.

I assume they have access to a litter tray?

You could also get a timed feeder for his breakfast.

He may be spotting other cats outside at that time.

We have a cat flap already! He won’t use it, he’s scared of it

Ahhh 3 weeks! Yes he does have a litter tray and I fill his bowl full to the brim with dry food for overnight so that he has something if he’s hungry. Looks like there’s nothing to it but to keep ignoring it. I’m knackered 😴

Why is he scared of the flap?

Get up at 4.45 and feed him.

He is scared of most things unfortunately. Not sure about his background, we got him from the RSPCA but there’s almost nothing he isn’t frightened of

You gave in? Massive mistake, he will remember this until the end of time.

Do you have the curtains/blinds shut down there?

Big playtime before bed.

Automatic feeder for the food issue - they prefer “freshly delivered” food to food that’s been sitting out

Cat flap, I’d say work on it with him. Can you bribe him with cat treats to go through? Prop it open for a bit so it’s easier to get through at first, then try with the flap shut? Is it a microchip one or just standard??

Get a timed feeder to give him wet food at 5am maybe?

Mine has started waking up at 5 as well. He seems to go through stages, he only does it during the week though - I'm not sure how he knows that I would be more annoyed at the weekend!