Go Back   Pet forum for dogs cats and humans - Pets.ca > Discussion Groups - mainly cats and dogs > Dog training - dog behavior > Cat behavior forum - cat training

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old May 27th, 2008, 08:02 AM
guavajellyfish guavajellyfish is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2
Cat won't let me SLEEP

This is starting to become TERRIBLE. The cat wakes me up every morning around 6 AM. I think she does it on purpose because as soon as I get up, she stops, even if I'm just brushing my teeth and ignoring her. She's very needy and has some separation anxiety issues as well.... She wakes me up by running top speed around the house and jumping up in the air at nothing, which is okay with me as long as it's in the other room. Also she jumps on my face and meows insistently and constantly, which is not!!!! I've heard negative reinforcement doesn't work with cats but I am losing my mind and by the end of the week I am all strung out and sleepless. Oh if I take a nap during the day she doesn't care, this is only at dawn when she is feeling playful and obnoxious. I know some of this is normal cat behaviour.... it sounds crazy but I swear she just wants me to wake up and hang out with her for two hours before I go to work.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old May 27th, 2008, 08:09 AM
gstrwbrry gstrwbrry is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Coconut Creek, FL
Posts: 4
How old is she? Its funny cause I posted the same thing about my Oliver 2 minutes prior to your post. I hope to find a cure as well. goodluck.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old May 27th, 2008, 08:16 AM
want4rain's Avatar
want4rain want4rain is offline
Swift Tribe
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 2,445
weeeeell..... we turned on a box fan, stuck a baby gate outside of our closed door (so it would fall on them if they scratched the carpet.... im cruel, i know!!) and havent had any issues since then.

-ash
__________________
Pastafarians Unite!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z1buym2xUM

Swift Tribe-
Chris- Husband, 04/30/77
Cailyn- Daughter, 07/05/99
Jeffrey- Son, 03/24/06
Alex- Son, 03/25/09
Mister- Black LabX, M, 08/06(?)
The Shadow Stalker- Gray Tux DSH, M, 04/04
The Mighty Hunter- Black Tux DSH, M, 04/04
Baby Girl- Tabby DMH, F, 12/03(?)
Frances- Tortie, DSH, F, 2007(?)
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old May 27th, 2008, 08:45 AM
Stacer's Avatar
Stacer Stacer is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 1,808
It's just normal cat behaviour. Thank your lucky stars it's at 6 am, my 2 have a preference for 4:30 am. They wrestle on the bed while we're sleeping run around like maniacs and jump on our heads. Then almost as suddenly as it started, it stops.

How much longer do you need to sleep anyways? A 6 am wakeup call is perfect.
__________________
"One cat just leads to another." - Ernest Hemingway

Meowy Meowers - Angus n' Finn - 5 yrs old
Barky Barker - Skylar - 4 yrs old??
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old May 27th, 2008, 02:16 PM
ancientgirl's Avatar
ancientgirl ancientgirl is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 15,069
You have to realize, cats have different schedules than we do. They are more active during the late night and dawn hours. They have the luxury of sleeping most of the day so by evening time they really aren't tired.

If you do things to tire her out before you go to bed it helps. A playmate helps too, they play with each other and don't feel the need to wake you up to play. Of course, this doesn't help the zoomies. I live in a loft so there's no door for me to shut to A. not hear them or B. keep them out.

I have to say 6:00 am is not a bad time. I've got 4, and that's about the time Vlad, the oldest and first one I got, decided they should have their breakfast. I go to bed at about 9:30 or 10:00. At least 2 or 3 of them will eventually make their way up and get in bed with me. Oksana, will sleep elsewhere but start jumping up on the bed at round 4:30 or 5:00. She'll get up, ask for cuddles, then get down. This happens over and over again until I actually get up. I usually either fall asleep when she gets down or just pretty much stay in between sleep and awake until the alarm goes off at about 5:30. Once I feed them they really just go about their day.

On the weekends I sleep until around 7 sometimes, get up feed them and a lot of the time they stay downstairs playing quietly or jump in bed with me.

If you get them accustomed to going to bed at the same time you do, you'll get a lot more sleep. There is the odd night when they just won't go to sleep, usually I'll tell them to "STOP IT" several times and they calm down.
__________________
There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1.

http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old May 27th, 2008, 02:19 PM
phoozles's Avatar
phoozles phoozles is offline
proud to be a cat slave
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Posts: 1,420
Can you just close the door to your bedroom and wear earplugs? Is your cat crying to be fed? If you feed wet, you can get an automatic timer that will open for your cat around that time - maybe that will stop it?

Otherwise, you need to learn to ignore it or get up - sometimes their behaviour changes.. My older boy Jake used to meow outside my door early in the morning - now he'll sleep with me, or sleep in the other room .. of course, once the alarm goes off, he's climbing on me - no snooze button for me!

Alley, my younger one, used to be a toe biter - but she pretty much leaves us alone until we get up as well.
__________________
Taken over by:

Jake - grey DSH (Aug '98) Alley - spazzy grey tabby (Aug '07)
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old May 27th, 2008, 04:01 PM
chico2's Avatar
chico2 chico2 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 26,591
I would say,if this girl-kitty is alone all day,she probably sleeps and when you are home,she wants some attention.
My cats sleep with me and wake-up time is 5:30am
You cannot really change your cats behaviour,other than closing your bedroom door,or go to be earlier at night,6 am is really not that early.
Since you are really bothered by this little cat,maybe another cat is not such a good idea,otherwise I would have suggested a playmate to keep her busy.
__________________
"The cruelest animal is the Human animal"
3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old May 27th, 2008, 11:14 PM
guavajellyfish guavajellyfish is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2
Thanks for the advice... I love the kitty but I need 10 hours of sleep. I try to keep her awake at the same time of me but she just collapses into a coma.... The thing is that my roommate and I live in a double shotgun (our rooms are on either end of our side) so trapping her in the living room annoys each other and the neighbours. She shuts up when he putters around and shaves and stuff in the AM, but then he leaves around 6:30. She doesn't want anything from us!! She just wants me to be awake even if I just ignore her and brush my teeth! As soon as I get out of bed she just lies on the rug and watches me calmly. She is so obnoxiously sweet and terribly needy (or else she feeds off my anguish)! Perhaps I should get her an older lazy fat cat? She's about 9 months old and I had her spayed a couple months ago. Do you think a mellow fat cat would help with her spoiled separation anxiety and neediness? I don't really want two whiners, but maybe then she would depend less on me for early morning emotional support.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old May 28th, 2008, 07:47 AM
Love4himies's Avatar
Love4himies Love4himies is offline
Rescue is my fav. breed
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Boating in the 1000 Islands
Posts: 17,769
10 hours of sleep I would only dream of that . Sounds like your kitty is lonely. Another kitty may solve the problem but there are no guarantees, she may want human companionship.
__________________
Cat maid to:


Rose semi feral, a cpietra rescue, female tabby (approx 13 yrs)

Jasper RIP (2001-2018)
Sweet Pea RIP (2004?-2014)
Puddles RIP (1996-2014)
Snowball RIP (1991-2005)

In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats.-English Proverb

“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” Stephen R. Covey
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old May 28th, 2008, 12:01 PM
phoozles's Avatar
phoozles phoozles is offline
proud to be a cat slave
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Southwestern Ontario
Posts: 1,420
Actually, to be honest with you, 10 hours of sleep is really not good for you. I've read a bunch of studies lately that state that 8 is ideal - anything above or below is bad for you Sometimes I love to sleep in, though

In any case, I agree that a playmate MAY help - but please note that one may not. Now that I have two, they sometimes both jump up and bug me..

And a 'fat' cat isn't ideal - you'll just be dealing with health problems.. My Jake isn't very active, but he can still manage to wake me up in the morning. It would probably be best if you are going to get another cat to have it match your current cat's energy level .. the more mellow your new one is, the more angry it might be at your current kitty..
__________________
Taken over by:

Jake - grey DSH (Aug '98) Alley - spazzy grey tabby (Aug '07)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old May 28th, 2008, 06:58 PM
jiorji's Avatar
jiorji jiorji is offline
cat slave
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: montreal
Posts: 5,599
i don't see why you're saying this is separation anxiety. It's not. She's a kitten...kittens have energy. If you get another cat, there's a chance they won't care for each other. 6am is nothing, my kitten used to wake me up at 5 am...sometimes she still does. It's what cats do. They're nocturnal. You're lucky it sleeps at all during the night.

oh and....did i point out she's a kitten?!?! you're her caregiver. She needs you. She needs your attention because she doesn't feel comfortable on her own yet. She's only been in this world for 9 months and from waht you say, she's not getting much attention from you anyways. It's not needyness, it's a natural need to feel protected by someone bigger at such an young age.

SHe meows because she's probably sad. Why not take her and sleep with her? I'm sure she'll feel safer
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old May 29th, 2008, 06:29 AM
chico2's Avatar
chico2 chico2 is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 26,591
jiorji,nice to see you back
I agree with what you are saying 100%.
The thing is,once you become responsible for another little life,you have to take the bumps(early wake up)together with the love for a little creature.
Your life is not going to go the way you were used to without the kitten.
I get up at 5;30(Vinnie wake-up),open up the cat-food cans in a zombie-like state,distribute the food in 3 dishes,after that I can relax,have my coffee and read the paper and shake my brain in to alertness
But this is pet-ownership,you have to sacrifice some of your comforts,something I easily do for the love of my animals and nobody needs 10 hours sleep,too much time wasted
__________________
"The cruelest animal is the Human animal"
3 kitties,Rocky(r.i.p my boy),Chico,Vinnie
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old May 29th, 2008, 06:34 AM
Love4himies's Avatar
Love4himies Love4himies is offline
Rescue is my fav. breed
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Boating in the 1000 Islands
Posts: 17,769
Well said jiorji! and welcome back!!

This kitten needs is a baby and needs your attention.
__________________
Cat maid to:


Rose semi feral, a cpietra rescue, female tabby (approx 13 yrs)

Jasper RIP (2001-2018)
Sweet Pea RIP (2004?-2014)
Puddles RIP (1996-2014)
Snowball RIP (1991-2005)

In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats.-English Proverb

“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” Stephen R. Covey
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old July 15th, 2008, 10:42 AM
lm9012's Avatar
lm9012 lm9012 is offline
Albert's mommy
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Chicago, USA
Posts: 238
I have an 8 month old kitten...and just like everyone says...she goes bonkers early in the morning, late at night and sleeps ALL DAY! I'm not a morning person so in a way I'm grateful because I no longer risk hitting the snooze button and being late..she MAKES SURE i'm up!! As soon as my alarm goes off her and my dog are up trying to get my attention! My dog is older so he's a bit more laid back but she's just a nut! The running and flying up in the air, the 'hockey' playing....(she's OBSESSED with bottle caps). Or climbing on top of me purring, meowing, swatting at my nose, licking my cheeks... I am gone 12 hours a day...sometimes even longer. So I know that I can't be 'mad' at her for simply wanting some attention. She loves my dog, but he still hasn't fully accepted her, so they don't play much yet. :sad:

So she's going nuts in the morning, when I leave she is zooming back and forth playing with all her toys..and when i come home she's patiently waiting by the window for me to play with her, then she calms down around 10 PM and snoozes a bit (i take advantage and give her a good brushing or nail clipping then) and at like midnight it's hockey time again!! Luckily I'm a heavy sleeper so I just crash and eventually she'll find her way up to bed and curl up by my legs.

It's the joy of having furbabies...it's never a dull moment, you never feel lonely, and they are always there for you.

If sleep is crucial for you, you can tire the kitten out by playing with her when you are up...also make sure she has plenty of toys, even homemade stuff. My cat ADORES my dining room table..it's her own personal jungle gym..she jumps up to the table...jumps from chair to chair, dangles from the back of the chairs....LOL! Plus she has plenty of bottle caps, furry toy mice, balls, whatever.

If you are busy, and can't give her too much attention one night..which is understandable...you can get one of those laser pointers and you can be on your couch and just fling your arm around with the laser and make her run back and forth chasing it...she will get tired! Now they make motorized mice that you can just set free and have her chase. The wonderful thing about kittens is everything is an adventure, and they can entertain themselves with almost anything...I'm amazed how much joy my Khloe gets from a paper bag or a cardboard box...

as long as there are things to stimulate her, she will keep busy..but always remember nothing replaces the love you will give her. Pick her up and snuggle to her, talk to her...make her feel as special as she makes you feel.

I'm not sure about getting her a buddy, you may run into having TWO pets vying for your undivided attention. That's what I have now..I often wish I had four arms so I can give them equal love..i have to remember to give equal attention to both so neither feels left out. Just because you have two pets in the house doesn't mean they'll become best buds.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old July 15th, 2008, 04:54 PM
NoahGrey's Avatar
NoahGrey NoahGrey is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,438
My cats wakes me up at 3am and on till I get up at 7am for work. She is off and on waking me up starting at 3am. It sucks. I might sleep an hour, she wakes me up, fall back to sleep for a half hour wakes me up. I love her greatly, but she peeves me off sometimes *L*

ACO22
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old July 15th, 2008, 05:48 PM
szelynn's Avatar
szelynn szelynn is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Markham, ON
Posts: 45
cat wake up call

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post...but I thought it is very on topic

I love this video! And I can so see my cats doing this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS2qi63RxY8
__________________
Kali - 78lb 10yr old Yellow Lab
Tika - 7yr old Tuxedo DSH
Squeaks - 2yr old Calico DSH
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old July 19th, 2008, 06:47 PM
emmaryan emmaryan is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kaneohe, Hi
Posts: 1
Exclamation

im having the same problem with my cat! he's about 1 yr old, spayed, and spoiled. but at about 430 every morning (or earlier) he insists that i wake up in the worst sorts of ways.. primarily by running at top speed back and forth across the head of the bed, meowing literally non stop, and knocking EVERYTHING off any shelf or surface he can find. i usually feed him and he stops while he is inhaling his food, but then continues all morning. it drives me crazy cuz i cant sleep and i cant leave anything out otheriwse he will break it. and during the day he cries liek crazy as if i starve him. even when i feed him he just goes right back to crying after hes done eating. and i unfortunately dont have any doors in my studio so i cant lock him in another room and i can hear him through earplugs. i try spraying him with a water bottle when he is crying in my ear or knocking things over, but it seriously only stops him for one second and then he comes right back and continues...
HELP!!! anyone have any advice for an uinbearbly noisy and destructive cat???? im getting pretty desperate here.....
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old July 19th, 2008, 07:58 PM
sugarcatmom's Avatar
sugarcatmom sugarcatmom is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 5,357
Quote:
Originally Posted by emmaryan View Post
HELP!!! anyone have any advice for an uinbearbly noisy and destructive cat???? im getting pretty desperate here.....
Ignore him. Every time you feed him or spray him or in any way acknowledge his existence while he's being noisy, you reward him. It's like playing a VLT: he may not "win" most of the time, but then that one time he hits the jackpot and gets fed or played with or picked up as a result of his crying, it reinforces the behaviour exponentially. So you have to be strong and have 100% compliance in your house or it won't work.

But really, there's a good chance he'll eventually grow out of it. He is a teenager, after all!!! So if you can be patient and let him get his ya-yas out, there may even come a time when you actually miss the shenanigans. Try to change your viewpoint and enjoy his exuberance. Play with him tons to tire him out before bed. Get him more interactive toys that he can enjoy on his own. Buy an automatic feeder so that he has something to nibble on at 4:30am. Or maybe he'd like a buddy!

ETA- Thought of something else: are you sure he's getting enough food? What and how much do you feed him?
__________________
"To close your eyes will not ease another's pain." ~ Chinese Proverb

“We must not refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies.” ~ Gretchen Wyler

Last edited by sugarcatmom; July 19th, 2008 at 07:59 PM. Reason: forgot something
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old July 31st, 2008, 10:01 AM
Sekel Sekel is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Western Cape
Posts: 10
Unhappy

hi i have read all of your opinions and thought that my deaf kitten was being out of control she wakes me at 5am and starts washing me all over my face even if i pushed her away ( for the record she isnt white and i picked her up near the river, she is about 7months old i think) its becoming a problem kinda cause she sees me as her mom and washes me and gets real frightened at anyone other than me. she and the old man (dopey) plays till one in the morning and wont stop, that does not bother me at all.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old July 31st, 2008, 11:40 AM
Jim Hall Jim Hall is offline
Kitty pimp
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: paterson new jersey
Posts: 4,788
i would pay good money to have my DU leap up amd wake me up your all very very lucky to have a cat like that no matter what time it is

i wake up almost evry morning hoping mY Du girl got up enough courage to come by me

your all very very lucky

and if they stop i bet anything you will miss it
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old January 12th, 2009, 03:03 PM
gkjones gkjones is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 54
Until a couple of weeks ago I had two cats. My little one had to be euthanised on Dec. 26th. For whatever reason, from the very beginning, she would wake me up a few times through the night. Never for a long time; just for a brief purr and contact. And for whatever reason, I loved it. It said to me that I was loved and that all was well with the world. She didn't bother anyone else through the night; just me. She did this for over 14 years, and I'd give anything to have her waking me up through the night still.

Saying this does not minimize the disruption you are experiencing; it's just another perspective from someone who didn't mind the through-the-night interruptions.

Last edited by gkjones; January 12th, 2009 at 03:11 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old January 12th, 2009, 03:24 PM
ancientgirl's Avatar
ancientgirl ancientgirl is offline
Senior Contributor
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 15,069
I'm sorry you lost your little one. I understand. I get super angry when mine are running around at night, knocking stuff down and generally driving me crazy! But the times when they are actually in bed with me and wake me up for cuddles and nuzzles, I allow it, for that very reason you have stated.
__________________
There are only two rules at my house: House rule #1. Cats rule. House rule #2. See rule #1.

http://nuriaandthegang.shutterfly.com/
Reply With Quote
  #23  
Old January 13th, 2009, 10:54 AM
catlover2's Avatar
catlover2 catlover2 is offline
Catlover2
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: GTA (Greater Toronto Area)
Posts: 1,031
guavajellyfish, I'll repeat what I said in thread "I'm the Midnight Snack":
"A good uninterrupted sleep is too important to one's health, and I've never allowed the cats to sleep with me at night, only for a siesta. Have a special room for them to go at night---a laundry room or spare bedroom, where they are given their evening meal or a snack, have water, litter box, and cat bed to sleep on. It should be in a warm and draft-free room. They will soon accept that this is their routine where they go at night."

Kittens are high energy, and adding another kitten would certainly help draw off energy from your girl as they will play together. I suggest you get another kitten of opposite sex, preferably younger, than your girl, but not over 1 year old. Good luck and keep us posted.
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old January 13th, 2009, 10:27 PM
kanis's Avatar
kanis kanis is offline
Slave to Tonks
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Beautiful British Columbia
Posts: 172
Our boys used to wake us up with scratching at the door and ripping up the carpet to wak us up at about 5:30am. We tried everything we could think of to stop it. Then my husband came up with an idea. We put our vacuum cleaner just outside the door. Plugged it into a power bar in the bed room. The next time they scratching at the door, he flicked on the vacuum for 3 secs. They haven't done it since. Now I get to wake to my 6:15am alarm instead of the ripping of carpet.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old January 13th, 2009, 10:35 PM
14+kitties's Avatar
14+kitties 14+kitties is offline
150% PRO S/N
Starcastle Champion, V:force Champion, UFO Shoot Out Champion, Parachute Panic Champion, Mission To Mars Champion, Disc Dash Champion, Crazy Closet Champion, Railway Line Champion, Penguin Pass Champion
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MYOB
Posts: 15,408
I don't know if anyone has noticed but this post originated back on May 27. The OP has not been back since.
Thanks for sharing the stories. They are humourous and very familiar.
__________________
Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Forum Terms of Use

  • All Bulletin Board Posts are for personal/non-commercial use only.
  • Self-promotion and/or promotion in general is prohibited.
  • Debate is healthy but profane and deliberately rude posts will be deleted.
  • Posters not following the rules will be banned at the Admins' discretion.
  • Read the Full Forum Rules

Forum Details

  • Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
    Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
    vBulletin Optimisation by vB Optimise (Reduced on this page: MySQL 0%).
  • All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:30 AM.