I have a six year old female cat named Rosie. She is wonderful. My only issue is about an hour prior to my getting up each morning, she start meowing and won't stop. I will call her, and she will come to my bed for a few minutes, leave and start meowing all over again. It is not because she is hungry or thirsty because there is always food available for her. Also the kitty litter is scooped each day to ensure cleanliness. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
By Karyn from Ottawa, Canada
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Does she get to go out when you get up? She's just on a different schedule than you. Sort of like my boys were. One wouldn't sleep past 5:30 no matter what time he went to bed and the other wouldn't stay awake past 8:30 no matter how early he got up. My advice: Just deal with it. It's probably not going to change.
Maybe this is just something older cats do? My former cat Missy, who's no longer with us, started this behavior later in life (she was 18 when we lost her), only she started the meowing at about 4:00 a.m. We just put up with it, but I used to feel bad whenever we had house guests and no one could sleep late because of the howling meowing at 4 in the morning! Cats, ya gotta love 'em, or you hate 'em.
Kamilah Marie (9 year old Maine Coon mix) likes to wake me up from a sound sleep at 3 or 4 in the morning. Why? So I can pet her. She'll get right in my face and *chirrup* at me. When I startle awake she'll roll around on the bed to signal that she wants to be petted, please. I do as well as I can in my drowsy state and that's usually enough to satisfy her.
Other days she'll wait until a few minutes before my alarm goes off and then begin howling. Why? Because she saw me set the alarm the night before and wants to make sure I get up. (I always tell her: "If I don't work, you don't eat.")
Make sure Rosie has a comfy place to sleep, food she likes, fresh water, snacks, toys, proper medical care and lots of love and attention. If she still wakes you up - oh, well, she's on her own schedule - get used to it!
Squirt the cat with water whenever it does this to break the habit!
Water pistol!
She also might be bored and has decided that you have had enough sleep so she wants you to get up! It's hard making them realize that you don't agree.
Cats are nocturnal, so her idea of morning is entirely different from yours! I have one kitty who will sleep as long as I do all night, and one who makes sure he is up by about 5 am. He won't disturb me until around 6 though because that's when the alarm goes off.
Is the cat a tortoiseshell by any chance? Torties are usually odd and a bit crazy. My Allie was. Your cat is just wanting your attentions and wanting you up to play. When Allie would do things like waking me I would wait til she was in her bed napping and wake her, she did not like it. It did nothing to change her but I felt better I loved Allie with all my heart.
Apparently your cat is being patient in training you to get up and entertain her. You might get a little more sleep if you have something else to entertain her in the am. My cats never did get much entertainment from anything other than us and the dogs but a catnip toy or one of those little motorized mice might be worth trying.
That's not good to suggest squirting the kitty with water just because it might be irritating that she wants her owner to wake up and be with her!
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