Early morning yowling.

I usually wake up around 4:00 am to go to the bathroom. I then go back to bed and sleep until about 6:30 when I really get up. Unfortunately, over the past week or so my getting up has stimulated Zane to start yowling. He doesn't want me to pet or play with him, for he ignores/resists when I try, but he won't let me go back to sleep--as soon as I start to doze off he'll start up again. He has a very penetrating yowl; if I shut him in another room, I can still hear him. Also, I live in a duplex, and I'm afraid he may be disturbing the people in the other apartment (they haven't said anything, but they may just be being polite.)

The advice I've received from vet behaviorists is the only thing to do is "ignore" him until he gets the message that you won't respond. But, as you note, you're afraid of annoying the neighbors.

I live in my own home, but I still can't ignore my boy because as long as he carries on, I'm AWAKE! Be glad he waits until you get up to go to the bathroom. My boy starts around 2 am! By 3 am, I feed him (I know; I'm reinforcing, but this is self-defense). I get up early [3 0r 4] some days, but others I try to go back to sleep. If he's in the mood, after eating, he'll take a nap and I can get more sleep. But sometimes he continues to bother me until I get up. Then once I've had my coffee and am up for good, he often goes to sleep!!

Don't advise me to keep him out of the bedroom because the train has long left the station on that one. He is extremely attached, and when I've tried to keep him out, he cries so piteously that I have to let him in.

See how easy you have it:-)

I own the building, so I can tell the tenant that if she doesn't like it, she can move, but any landlord will tell you that good tenants are not so common that one can afford to alienate one.

Just ignore him. Excessive yowling isn't a charming habit and giving him attention just makes him do it some more. Maybe you could give him more toys to give him other outlets for his energy.

Originally Posted by fattykitty

Just ignore him. Excessive yowling isn't a charming habit and giving him attention just makes him do it some more. Maybe you could give him more toys to give him other outlets for his energy.

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If it were just me, I would, but as I said it may be disturbing my tenant.

He won't play with toys unless I play with him. He loves 'DaBoid', but any toy that doesn't involve interacting even indirectly with me, he ignores.