my cats are driving me crazy!

I have an overweight girl that I put on a diet. I also have 2 boys that are VERY active that love eating. The boys are mostly eating canned food, Wellness. They nibble on dry throughout the day as a snack. The fatty girl will only eat dry. I put out 1/4 cup dry in the morning and 1/2 cup at night. My problem is that all cats act like I'm starving them and won't leave me alone at night when I'm trying to sleep. I would close my bedroom door, but my sons sometimes like to come in my room if they can't sleep at night and are told not to open the door if it's closed unless it's an emergency. Does anyone have suggestions? I look like a zombie, and I'm so tired in the daytime.

have you discussed this with a vet ??

How much do the cats weigh ?

Yes, she has gone to the vet, and she needs to lose 2 lbs. She weighs 10lbs and is considered obese. The vet actually wanted me to feed her 1/8 cup 2x per day. I figure I'd slowly lessen her feeding to 1/4 2x per day. I know I'm not following the vets advice , but 1/8 c is barely anything. I was free feeding before,and I think a slow transition is better IMO. My problem really is my boy cats that snack on the dry food. They hate that the dry food is gone in the evening and snacking is not an option anymore.

Originally Posted by Shashagirl

I have an overweight girl that I put on a diet. I also have 2 boys that are VERY active that love eating. The boys are mostly eating canned food, Wellness. They nibble on dry throughout the day as a snack. The fatty girl will only eat dry. I put out 1/4 cup dry in the morning and 1/2 cup at night. My problem is that all cats act like I'm starving them and won't leave me alone at night when I'm trying to sleep. I would close my bedroom door, but my sons sometimes like to come in my room if they can't sleep at night and are told not to open the door if it's closed unless it's an emergency. Does anyone have suggestions? I look like a zombie, and I'm so tired in the daytime.

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My 3 are an exact clone of yours. Lilly needs to lose weight and Zachary and Forrest need all the calories they can consume. I went almost a year 1/2 with lack of sleep. It was HORRIBLE and I started to look and feel bad because of it. I totally understand what you are going through.

Here's how I solved the problem in my house:

I leave kibbles out for Lilly to free feed, but only put out a measured amount each day. (1/3 of the measured kibbles I put out before bed) They boys will occasionally get into her kibbles but not too often. I give the boys canned 3 x's a day. Once in the morning when I get up, late afternoon and then right before we go to bed at night. This seems to solve the annoying "wake-ups" at night saying that they are starving to death.

Only Forrest was a pain in the neck at night with the constant noise making and trying to get our attention. I solved that by putting him in the guest bathroom in the middle of the night if he starts whining for attention. I keep a small litter box, food and water in there just for him.

Forrest seems to really like his "special room" and although he wont go in there on his own, he will gently wake me up, and I follow him to the other side of the house and shut the door behind him and then go back to sleep.

Even though I still have to wake up, walk across the house and put Forrest into the bathroom it is SO much better. My husband opens the door in the morning when he gets up and lets him out.

Hope this helps.

It does sound like the same cats! Captain is my pain in the neck at night, he will use my scalp as a scratching post. I like your suggestions and I'm setting up my bathroom just for Captain right now. I don't know if he will agree to be in there alone. He likes to sleep with his person (me). We'll see what happens. My little fatty hates being on a diet. She likes to complain when I'm just falling asleep. Meow,meow,meow the same story. Thank you!

Captain got out of the bathroom. I think one of my sons forgot to close the door. When he was in the bathroom, he meowed like we were torturing him. He kept everyone awake,too! I tried another solution and that was to close my bedroom door. My bedroom has double doors, and he was able to push it hard enough to get in! Captain kept me awake all night. I tried ignoring him but he kept it up until 5am! I tried the ignore tactic for 2 nights ,and he got more aggresive the second night. I'm trying another solution tonight. I'm closing my bedroom door, but Captain can stay with a full bowl of dry food. The difference tonight is that my fat cat can't come into in my bedroom. She actually sleeps with my sons. I hope this is the soultion, wish us luck!

Originally Posted by Shashagirl

Captain got out of the bathroom. I think one of my sons forgot to close the door. When he was in the bathroom, he meowed like we were torturing him. He kept everyone awake,too! I tried another solution and that was to close my bedroom door. My bedroom has double doors, and he was able to push it hard enough to get in! Captain kept me awake all night. I tried ignoring him but he kept it up until 5am! I tried the ignore tactic for 2 nights ,and he got more aggresive the second night. I'm trying another solution tonight. I'm closing my bedroom door, but Captain can stay with a full bowl of dry food. The difference tonight is that my fat cat can't come into in my bedroom. She actually sleeps with my sons. I hope this is the soultion, wish us luck!

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Oh dear... I thought he might howl. Forrest howled a bit the first few nights, but then I think he remembered that the bathroom was where he stayed at night when he was a little kitten. He now loves his special bedroom.

If it doesn't work out with Captain in the bedroom with you at night you could also try the vacuum trick. Before bed, put the vacuum just outside your closed bedroom doors. Turn the switch to "On". Run the cord for the vacuum under the doors and lay it near an electrical outlet by your bed. When Captain starts pawing and whining at your bedroom door - plug in the vacuum for a few seconds. It will come on and scare him away from the door. If he comes back later and starts making noise outside your door just plug it in again. After being run off by the vacuum noise a few times Captain "should" leave the bedroom door alone.

The vacuum trick only works for cats that hate the vacuum.

Good luck. I hope you find a trick that works for you. Lack of sleep is horrible to have to endure for a long time.

Captain is not afraid of the vaccum! I can't really think of one thing he's afraid of. If I gave Captain away, he would probaly sleep with his new family like he has been with them since kittenhood. I know this because we got Captain when he was 4 years old, and he had 3 homes before us and slept with us on the first night like he was fine and happy. I will try the vaccum trick with my fat cat though, thanks again!