Cat’s early mornings - need more sleep!

[4amisnotmorning]

Our Cat is usually inside between late evening and 6/6.30am-ish. For the last week he has been waking us at 4am to get out. I don’t want him out in the dark as there are lots of foxes around - but we really need more sleep. He usually sleeps with me or DC2.

This morning at 4.30 I have closed him in living room with door to conservatory open with a litter tray out there.

He is not happy though - and I’m not asleep because i can hear him but hoping the DC are at least getting better sleep.

Any tips to handle better please?

I don’t think foxes generally attack cats. But that’s not what you asked. He wants to go hunting in the half light. Maybe if you got him a timed pet feeder set to 4am he would eat then and forget he wants to go hunting.

Maybe I should just let him out of it isn’t risky (and hope he doesn’t catch anything!)
food doesn’t seem to distract him.

My 2 have free access to outside with their catflap. Foxes aren't really interested in cats and we have some that wander about in our area.

Although it’s rare about foxes attacking cats it does happen I’m afraid.
He has been neutered hasn’t he.

He has been neutered.

It’s the Spring. Mine have started going out much earlier-I hear the cat flap go just before sunrise every morning.

I have foxes that live in the garden and also several cats - they generally leave each other alone although the fox cubs often get curious about them and get close. They are urban foxes so not afraid of humans and often sunbathe on the grass during the day and use next doors kids trampoline 😂 - my point is they generally don’t both the cats and the other way around. I’ve known one incident with a neighbour and the foxes and the cat actually attacked the fox and got bitten and did unfortunately have to be put down but it’s really rare

If you can afford to throw some money at the problem, Sureflap have catflaps where you can set curfews. It won't fix the problem if they want to be out at night and you don't want them out in the dark, but does mean it can be automatically unlocked before you are awake if they like an early morning stroll or need to pop out for a wee when they wake up.
I've got ours set so it unlocks shortly after dawn and locks again just before dusk. As the days are lengthening, I have recently adjusted it again so it matches current daylight hours.

There are urban foxes in our neighbourhood, we know this from the turds they leave on our driveway, the footprints in the snow and the occasional sighting. Our cats have never had any bother with them in the nearly 30 years we’ve lived here.

We shut our cat in the kitchen overnight - he has plenty of sleeping spots, litter tray, food, water, and a basket of toys. I don’t want him out during the night, and I also don’t want him jumping on our heads at dawn wanting breakfast or cuddles, no matter how cute he is!

I just get up and feed her. The cat flap is open. She has a chair with a cushion on the patio. Mind you I’m sleep deprived.

I hate to say this, but foxes are about at all hours of the day - they aren't just nocturnal (although we are rural, which might make a difference). I always thought people shut their cats in at night because of the dangers of them not being seen on the road if they go out in the dark? My cats have always been out whenever, because the buggers would never come in of an evening, so the catflap was left unlocked.

Foxes aren't interested in cats. My late cat made friends with a fox and would play in the garden together.
Cats are their own person.. early dawn is " their" outdoor time... hunting time.
Mine has a cat flap and free run of the house.. this works for him and me.. just easier than the crying/ meowing and scratching .

In my experience, cats chase foxes off not the other way round!
Your cat is trying to do what’s normal for them - cats gotta cat after all! 😂 Just let him go out when he wishes. Do you have a cat flap or does he rely on you letting him out? We found our cat would wake us earlier and earlier as the mornings get lighter, often 4/4.30am, so this is probably at play for your cat too.

Ours are also shut in the kitchen/living room and have a timed cat flap set to be open from 6am to 9pm that recognises their ID chips (lots of other local cats). If we allow them access upstairs they shred carpets trying to get into bedrooms and then would wake us at stupid o’clock.

Timed feeder? Some food might settle him to go back to sleep

He has a cat flap and sleeps on our beds. Maybe I just leave it open. I like going to sleep knowing everyone is safely in bed. I guess he is a cat though!

I have a lovely video of my neighbour's young cat playing with a fox cub.

Actually you sound like my neighbour OP. She doesn't have a cat flap and lets him out very early and he just comes straight into ours!

Our cat does go next door a lot. I wonder if I let him out would he just be waking them up!

My cat generally sleeps until 5.30am when I get up for work but on a day off I say to him the night before "lie in tomorrow". More often than not he doesn't get up too early but if he is stirring I say "sleeps Haribo, lie down, sleeps" and he settles.😀 He was laying quietly on the bed at 7.30 this morning.

It’s exhausting and I wish I had an answer but I don’t, we’re currently going through the same thing. DP calls our boy ‘Little Pavarotti’, I thought the longer it went on the more we’d get used to it but that’s not working. If you find anything that works please let me know!

That is the sweetest thing ever

Just to counter all those saying foxes and cats are fine, we had a cat taken by a fox two years ago yesterday (late at night, lots of blood and never seen again). This time of year is the worst because they have cubs. I would never have believed it until it happened. I think most cats are feisty enough but you never know. We have a Surepet flap with curfews, it's great. Most of the year they can go out from first light but March - end May we are more wary and have it set up for well after it is light and curfew before dark. We just suffer the annoying meowing etc...

That’s really sad @BlotAnExpert .