Alarm Clock Kitties

muslgrl · 11-12-2006

It's spring and Cats International Hotline is ringing with calls from sleepy cat owners. Early morning sunshine is convincing kitties that 3:00-5:00 AM is ideal for hunting. (Cats are naturally dawn and dusk hunters). Since many kitties are indoor-only cats, the prey becomes the nick-knacks on the dresser, Mom and Dad's feet, or the other cat in the house. All of the above get Kitty into a lot of trouble, so an early morning chase ensues. This isn't what Kitty had in mind, but it's just as good. Let's face it, any time a little 7 lb. creature can get a person who is 6 times his size and at least 20 times his weight out of a reclining position, then victory has to be claimed by the diminutive one. If he actually succeeds in getting a meal out of this fiasco, then his victory is complete and forever engraved in his memory.

If you are one of those sleepy people who are regularly awakened by a feline alarm clock, then give some serious thought to conducting a strenuous interactive play session with Kitty just before bedtime. Fishing pole-type toys allow you to relax in a comfortable chair while Kitty runs off some of that pent-up energy. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it usually takes to wear Kitty out. Don't stop until he is lying on his side batting at the toy (too tired to chase after it). If you still get that early morning wake-up call, Kitty will have to have his own bedroom for awhile. This is not a punishment, just an evening routine that Kitty will learn to accept. Kitty's room should be a comfortable temperature with a litterbox on one end and his food and water on the other end. A favorite bed, some toys, and a window perch (to watch the early morning wildlife) would also be nice. Give him a special food treat each time he is put in his room so that he soon will look forward to bedtime (and you will look forward to a good night's sleep).

vp311 · 11-16-2006

Great tips, thanks! I've often become the victim of the 5 am wake up.

wittykitty · 01-03-2007

Don't forget laser pointers for low owner activity cat exercise sessions. They will chase them to utter exhaustion. Your story about how some kitties think 5 am is the ultimate playtime reminded me of my Dad when I was a little girl. He would let out the cats at night, especially the males, in the summer saying: Prime Tom Cat Time!! We never told the kitties that they were fixed. Just let them follow their normal male instincts. Then when the 5 am wakeup call comes for the outdoor cats, they will be waking you up at the bedroom window to let them in, have a little breakfast, and settle down for a long daytime nap. Put down their food, and go back to bed.

mccats9876 · 01-03-2007

I have one cat, Junior, who follows me around the house, where ever I go, and even accompanies me to the bathroom, and sits outside the door. While on a course of medication, I found I had to get up to go in the middle of the night. Junior, of course was my guide to the bathroom. Now that I am off the meds, Junior will wake me up in the night, always around the time the meds would wake me up.

He is positive that I should be getting up each night.

wendywenpet · 01-03-2007

Great advice. My Egor girl... does meow around the apt at all early hours of the morning. My hubby can get really teed off at this as he gets up around 4:30am and if Egor is being vocal around 2:00 - 3:00... then I am the one in trouble. "Your daughter kept me awake all night."

We have tried to keep her very active during the day... but not as easy.

As far as the laser lights go... she was interested in them at first... but then I was doing most of the work, as usual!!

Generally though, she waits for me to move my foot or some other part of my body before she knows I am almost going to get out of bed.

stormy · 01-04-2007

My indoor girl,who almost never meows,moves her toys around at night. While she is carrying them,she makes strange'meows',like when a mamma is calling her kittens.She is fixed, and has never had kittens. Of course the meows wake me up. There will be a toy at the side of the bed. She does the morning 'crazy hour'...bouncing of the couch..running down the hall and sliding on the small rug,and attack the rug...then, as the sun starts coming in the living room, about 7:30am, she will find a sunbeam, and stretch out in it...beginning a long days work of napping, and hiding. If it is a nice day, I will open the windows, and then she can spy on the neighbors, and birds. If she is really lucky, a bug will come in. When we lived in Key West,FL she hunted lizards.