Furry Alarm Clock

Good morning, cat people. I love both of my cats with a passion; however, one of them has the habit of waking me up in the mornings (too early, 5:30 a.m.) by sitting on the pillow as close as he can and licking on my face and sucking on my hair. I shoo him away but he slowly worms his way up there again. I don't mind him waking me up, but 5:30 a.m. is much, much too early. I do want them to sleep with me, so I won't shut them out of the bedroom, so if anyone has a suggestion on how I can train Pinky to leave me alone in the mornings, I would be very happy to hear from you. Thanks

Unfortunately cats do tend to be active that time in the morning! I really think the only thing you can do is make sure that you don't react to his attempts to get you out of bed - do whatever it takes, earplugs, covers over the head etc. then he will hopefully learn over time that you won't get up at that time and leave it until later!

Our 3 month old is managing to wait until between 6 and 7am so it's not too bad - but he wakes me up by dropping a ball of paper onto my face because he wants me to throw it for him - and if I don't immediately comply, he starts tugging at my t-shirt and managed to bite me on the back this morning

Thanks for your quick reply. I think I'll try the covers over the head trick. Problem is, once I'm awake, I can't seem to get back to sleep!!!

Welcome to the world of owning an active cat. Sadie is also my personal alarm clock - she is "full of beans" at 5:30 am and believes that everyone else in the house should be up with her. I haven't yet been able to teach her to sleep in; so, until that happens, I get to see the sun rise everyday (I guess it could be a lot worse -- she could wake up at 5!)

I have to chuckle a bit at your reply. I've expected the cats to start getting active earlier as the daylight starts earlier, but here in North Dakota it is still pitch black at 5:30 a.m. But I guess I'm just going to have to accept it. What's strange, though, is the other cat will stay asleep until I wake him up by getting out of bed. How two cats from the same litter can be so completely opposite is a mystery to me.

Originally Posted by lazylady

Thanks for your quick reply. I think I'll try the covers over the head trick. Problem is, once I'm awake, I can't seem to get back to sleep!!!

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I know that feeling well. This morning I gave up and had my lie-in on the sofa instead

You can train them to wait until you wake up. It takes a lot of patience and determination, and a bit of time. Basically, you should establish the bed as a place where you don't interact with the cats. They can jump up and sleep there, but you don't pet them, talk to them or even scold them while you're lying down in bed.

Then, when they try to wake you, you lie absolutely still and pretend to be asleep, for as long as it takes and no matter what they do. It may take a few minutes before they get bored and stop. They will probably try a few more times each morning. But eventually they'll learn that they get no response from you with that behavior, and they'll give it up.

Also, never get up to give the cats food in the middle of the night. Only feed them once you've woken up.

I was able to accomplish this with my cat in a month or two. Now my schedule is pretty irregular and I wake up at different times. But he waits patiently and quietly on the bed until I get up.

Thank you, Emmylou. Sounds like good advice and I'm going to give it a try tomorrow morning. It will be a battle of wills and I'm very curious as to who will win. I know Pinky is trainable as he minds very well to other commands, such as "down" and "come here, Pinky," so perhaps there's hope. Thanks again.

It sounds like you're living my life, right down to the "sucking on the hair" bit (only mine sucks on my ear/hair and he tends to get me up at about 4:30...). I'm afraid I don't have any brilliant advice for you but wanted to say that you have my sympathy. Just repeat after me: "at least he's cute". I swear that's the only thing that keeps me from getting seriously mad at my little one.

I have the same thing here, but now instead of one waking me up at 5am they decide hey lets take turns. So Zoe will wake me up at 5, then stop at 5:30 then at 6 the other starts and this goes on till 7:30!

Originally Posted by Pekoe & Nigel

Just repeat after me: "at least he's cute". I swear that's the only thing that keeps me from getting seriously mad at my little one.

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They are aren't they? and they know it.

Tomas wakes me up for his breakfast too.
"purr sniff purr mrreow mreooww purr "
Then it's wet nose to the face/mouth, followed by climbing on me so he can get at my face better. As cute as it is, I do not want wet nose kisses to the mouth, gross. I've been able to sometimes get him to give up, but I feel guilty for it. I'll either shove him off the bed and roll over or toss him down to the foot of the bed and roll over. He huffs off after this, clearly offended. Other than that, getting up and giving him his wet food gets him to leave me alone. I'm just glad he's waiting till 8 am now to bother me.

lol @ all the stories. MY monsters tend to wake me up on accident- they play together (theres 4 of them) and it sounds like a herd of elephants. Since they don't get wet food, dont go outside (yet) and their food and water dishes are always full, they dont need to try to. However, Mama used to spend her nights wrapped around my head, and would wake me up randomly while she licked my forhead with one paw (claws out) used to hold me still. In hindsight its hilarious......


The outdoor cats on the other hand... drive my grandmother nuts. And one thing ill definitely say is DO NOT GIVE IN. She is ABSOLUTELY trained to get up at any hour of the night to let htem in and out. One, the young male, will sit on the alarm clock and "prrrowwww?" at her, and if she doesnt get up he YOWLS at her.... and eventually hell climb on her chest and do it. As i said... she's well trained.


Teni

Be carful with the covers over the head part. I tried that with Karma and she went into attack moe, on my head. Not plesant at 6 am. After a few weeks of me just shooing her away she stopped only to switch to a different method. Now she stands on the window sill, cries and then jumps right on me. It seems like no matter what we do they always want us up. Just be patient someday they will fiqure it out. Just be prepaired for many different methods to get you up.

I feel your pain Saki always finds it necessary to come and purr in my ear and lick my earlobes while making a 'nest' in my hair Its AWFULLY cute but not at 6:00am an hour before I'm supposed to get up

Dulcinea sleeps in Fr. Miguel's room...and if I'm not up and about by 6 AM...she comes to my door and meows in a quiet low level meow...until she is either let in or I come out into the kitchen. If she gets to come in to my room...she crawls under the bedding and lays there purring and purring until she gets petted. After she gets the attention she desires, she jumps onto the window ledge in my room and sits of the ledge and watches for birds and other flying creatures...her head following their every move. She's such a happy cat!

Fr. Gregg

I just need to say a thank you to my furry alarm clock. My alarm did not go off this AM and about 15 minutes after I was suppose to be at work there was Karma. Landing on me. So thank you little one. Sometimes the furry clock can pay off.

Both my babies have their special ways of making sure I don't get enough sleep. Clyde is a lot like your Tomas, SW -- relentless kisses of increasing intensity until I get up and crack open a can for him.

Pearl's interest is not food, but love. She climbs on my chest at any hour of the night, snuggles down with her front paws tucked under, and tilts her pretty little face to one side as if to ask, "Chin scritch? Please?"

So I comply, of course... but I often fall back to sleep in the process, and Pearl then wakes me with a soft little pawpat to the mouth. ~ sigh~

I don't have the heart to train such sweetness out of them! So I just scritch her until she's satisfied, then get up and wash my face...

Hi!

An other solution is to get a food dispenser that opens at the time you chose. THis is what I have and it works wonders : I set it for 6: 00 and my cat has her meal... and lets me sleep!
N.

My cats wake me up at 3:30 am. How do I reset them to a later time?

Woo Hoo, Sadie slept in until 6:30 am today vs her usual 5 am wake up call.