How do you create a routine for a cat?

[Puppylucky]

Particularly one who doesn't seem to want one! Marvie continues to settle in well but I'm slightly concerned with how bossy he's getting. Not aggressive but very assertive about getting what he wants. His attitude would be cute if he wasn't so strong and athletic - when he smacks you with a paw it hurts!
Talking about him to a more experienced cat owner she suggested that part of the issue might be a lack of a clear routine. Basically he doesn't understand what he's expected to do when - like eat / sleep etc. It makes sense due to his relative lack of socialization - he's used to doing what he wants when he wants, so we are trying to create more set points during the day but it's proving very difficult. For example, closing blinds/ shutters / doors at night to signal it's time to wind down doesn't work with a cat who can just open them again! Similarly keeping to a regular feeding schedule is very difficult if some days he's been up half the night and doesn't emerge for breakfast until lunchtime! Playtime also moves around based on how many other things he gets distracted by during the day. Our wand toy can't compete with a pigeon outside the window.
Does anyone have any tips to try and get him into more of a routine or are we trying to herd cats - literally! Cat tax attached of the boy still in his pit at lunchtime!

I think that your friend suggesting a routine is a bit delulu.

Have set feeding times that suit you, and if you keep them in overnight have a set time for that, but otherwise you are their slave for life!

So this is what I'm dealing with! I can't reach him to pull him out and treats aren't cutting it. I know this isn't about a routine but it would be nice to have a modicum of control occasionally 🙄

Have you posted a pic of him hiding somewhere? Not showing yet.

I thought there might be a little more routine involved as apparently cats need it to feel safe

No no no. They like you to have a routine. Them having one is entirely optional.

Beautiful cat! I love the regal pose on the fridge.

Image not loading - will try again later !

We have a routine - I didn’t realise other people didn’t until reading this thread!

First thing - whoever is first up feeds cat and sorts litter if needed
Lunch - 12pm sharp and campaigning for it starts at 1130
Dinner - campaigning begins about 5.30, usually served at 6.30
Brush - once humans have eaten - cat is furious if he hears the dishwasher being loaded and brush isn’t forthcoming, he will come and shout
Playing with one of many wand toys - immediately after brush
Bed - in the kitchen - audio cue to go through is me using my electric toothbrush, and it’s set up in advance is the radio in the kitchen/TV in the living room being switched off

Timings vary - on weekend mornings breakfast is a bit later, except today when DP didn’t shut the kitchen door properly and I was wakened by a cat on my head at 5am, joyfully telling me it was breakfast time. If no-one’s home for lunch then he gets the whole lot at breakfast (we started lunch with our previous cat during lockdown because it seemed mean that we were eating and she wasn’t, but it’s breakfast split in two really).

He tends to go out after dinner and again about 10pm at the moment, but will be out a lot more once the weather’s better. Sleeping spots are also rotated through the day - in the morning he usually sleeps on the back of the armchair in the living room bay window, keeping an eye on the street. Mid morning he’ll often hop on top of the fridge or on his cat tree in the kitchen. Afternoon on our bed, then evening in his cat bed by the living room radiator. If DP is working from home he’ll often nap on the spare bed because DP uses that room as his office. When I WFH I’m at the kitchen table so he’s more inclined to be in his cat tree then to keep me company. (he will also plonk himself on my laptop to tell me it’s lunchtime!)

We had broadly the same routine with our last cat but she was out a lot more regardless of weather, this lad is not a fan of cold/wet! He’s a big fan of toys (which our girl wasn’t fussed about) and has a basket of them in the kitchen - he goes and gets out what he wants and will play by himself or bring one to us in his mouth like a dog.

Does Louie still dance @Judystilldreamsofhorses

Of course he does! He does tend to mainly dance by the kitchen bin (his food cupboard is on the left here, and that’s his toy box in the corner) so it’s not the most aesthetic location for photos. This was on Friday when he really, really wanted a chicken lollipop out of the cupboard.

Sorry op this made me LOL! My cats make it very clear who is in charge and it isn’t me 😀

I mean tbf they do have a sort of routine in that they get the zoomies at the exact point the lights go off for the night then I can hear them galloping up and down stairs and chirruping at each other!

Serious question, and I apologise if I didn’t read properly, but why do you need them to have a routine?

I don't create a routine for my cat. My cat creates her own routine:

• Early morning for a few hours: Sleep on the nice, comfy blanket in my study.
• Then 'til about 10am: Sleep on the drum throne next to the radiator.
• Then 'til about 2pm: Lie on my desk next to the warm fan from my laptop and try to stop me working.
• Then 'til early evening: Nap on my bed.
• Rest of the evening: Hang around waiting to have a cuddle sitting on my chest.
• Late evening: Hang around the front door so she can go out for a bit.

Repeat with minor variations.

If Louie can get the hang of a routine why can't Marv?! @Namechangedforspooky I was questioning the need for a routine as a way of making Marvin feel more secure. My friend mentioned that his bossiness may be down to insecurity - basically we aren't giving him enough structure so he's seizing control. I think that theory has been poo pooed though - I think maybe we just have a bossy cat !

I don’t know what my cats get up to at night nor do I want to, but every night before I go to bed, I put our boy in his ‘nest’ (tower) and he happily settles down and goes to sleep. I think they DO like routine.. especially mealtimes!

They do need stimulation - that is supposed to stop them misbehaving - have you got water fountains for him? They like them

I’m loving the pics!

He looks ready for the catwalk here 😹

@Puppylucky I’m possibly totally deluded - but because Louie had had a lot of disruption (was a stray kitten, lady took him in, lady relinquished him to CP and he was in foster care, then he came here) I felt like it was important to get a settled routine going from the start. I’m sure audio cues are the key to it though, like the sound of the dishwasher tells him we’re finished dinner so it’s time for brush and so on. Also if he had his way the routine would be non-stop snacks on tap. It’s very sad for him that they have to be kept in sealed Tupperware boxes after he ripped open a pack of Dreamies, scarfed the lot and then puked then up one night.

He has the cat equivalent of Alton Towers @FishFingerSandwichs plus regular buggy rides so hopefully he's not short on stimulation. He just seems keen on world domination!

Same with Marvin - his first night here when we were still trying to maintain some sort of control, we tucked him up in the kitchen where he promptly ripped open a bag of freeze dried prawns. Its been downhill from there really 😐

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Omg buggy rides - Emperor Marvin on his chariot

Of course - what else is there 🤷‍♀️

My cat just slotted into my routine and that became hers. Workdays I wake up and let her out - I do chuck her out if she is not waiting. Only cause I work long hours and I never let her out if
if not home She gets fed in the morning at a similar time when I leave.

when I get home she is waiting at the front door, regardless if DP is home. Cuddle then out again. thats the main habits, but after 12 years it’s a habit. I do get screamed at if I late.

but other than habits she just does what she wants. Normally a fuss, open the door or stares at her treat tin until I notice.

in all my cat owning years it’s habits and some form of internal cat clock. A few times when I have been wfh in the office she had forgotten I was in. DP just laughs as as the cat will get up and the time I am due home to sit at the door waiting. Getting surprised when I walk down the stairs.

My DM’s cat used to hear my stepdad coming home from work at about 6pm, heard the car I think, and then the keys in the lock. Their cat is also like mine, waits for DM to come out of the living room and comes upstairs with her and does the opposite in the morning. She doesn’t like her routine being disrupted! When people stay over at my house my cat will look at them through the stair bannisters if they’re later than me coming to bed. She also likes hiding under the sofa bed downstairs if the door to that room is left open, might be hunting in house or just bored. As pp said cats are crepuscular animals.

I have an ex-stray who used to be a bit swipey/scratchy if I wanted him not to sit on my laptop or jump up on the counters etc. He's incredibly muscular and strong and a swipe used to hurt. I find a firm loud NO has helped. It has to be consistent and done every time you see behaviour you don't like (and just like toddlers you continue to say no and show you are not pleased until the behaviour has stopped), but he actually does understand no now and I can now say it still firmly but a lot more quietly, and he will desist from whatever undesirable thing he wants to do. I always cuddle and praise him when he stops doing the bad thing. They can learn.

With regards to routine, it's food twice a day at set times and that is it really. Mine will start to ask for food in the hour or so before food times so ideally make breakfast an hour after you get up rather than very first thing! We do around 9am and 7pm and that seems to work OK.

He's just a cat!

We leave food available, wet and dry, all the time and we've never had a fat cat yet in nearly 40 years of an average of over 2 cats at a time. That stops any food begging. Then they just do their own thing.

Here's mine 😁 She does it for attention, not food. It means she wants a head rub.