Meowing......in the early AM

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Good Morning everyone!! Well I have read of others having this same problem and it seems to be that getting a second cat is the easiest solution, but I dont think its an option for me. Stormy is a little over 4 months old now and we love her to pieces but the biggest thing that drives me up the walls is the early AM crying. Now we have a dog too that needs to be fed around 7am and let out, so when she cries around that time I get up or my husband,daughter whoever and feed both her and the dog and let Daisy out. Then I like to go back to bed. Well Stormy doesnt like that.lol She will meow everywhere until someone gets up. You dont have to get up and play with her you just have to be UP. lol I will come down and try to lay on the couch.......wont work.lol She will still meow everywhere but if Im up and at the computer or doing something then she is OK. On the weekends where we'd like to sleep in a little later. Cant happen....Daisy could make it until about 8am (thats our dog) to be fed and let out, but Stormy starts up at 6:45 or so in the AM. I tried moving her food dishes upstairs last night but she TOTALLY ignored them. lol I brought them back down this AM and she totally finished the whole bowl. Crazy cat.

I had tried to get my husband to agree to another kitten but truthfully I dont think I could handle two right now.lol She is so crazy and hyper and we really are hoping that the dog and her will be best buds down the road. Right now they are both babies and the dog isent allowed free run of the house yet. We have just started allowing the dog into the downstairs of the house when someone is up but normally she lives in the kitchen. Shes still too puppish and chew everything up when left unattended. Shes gotten very very good with leaving the toys and stuff alone when we are up.

So I have a couple questions.............1. Is there anything else I can do to help encourage Stormy not to meow up a storm in the early AM?? 2. HAs anyone ever got two cats after having problems with the one to give it a buddy and it gone WRONG?? Thanks so much!!! Ive thought about using the spray bottle when she is crying but its such a normal thing for her to do that I dont want to mess her up by doing that....I get up feed her/love her and lay back down but NOPE not allowed.

Shes usually up alot during the night BUT no crying.lol She will be in bed with me and is soooooo loving during the night and will cuddle right by my face and kiss me and go right back to sleep but come that 6:45 am shes having nothing with the cuddling.lol Then shes biting and we defiently dont want that.lol
Thanks everyone for reading this far and for any and all advice or imput.

stampit3d · Dec 17, 2005

Our first one did this too...and I mean LOUD YOWLING! (Vet said nothing was wrong with him except her wanted us up with him) So he got "his own room' with bed, litter, food, water and toys.(Put a fan in YOUR room for the first few might as cover noise so you won`t hear him trying to get your attention.)
Then Tedy came along a few months later and would probably have been a snuggle bunny in bed, but he has joined Toby just so they have someone to keep them company in case they want to play all night...which they usually don`t, but end up sleeping in their little bunk beds. (Not much extra room in our bed anyhow since Hubby and I are neither one what you`d call " twinkle-Toes" size.
Linda

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Thanks Linda for replying......

Ok for her "own" room would the bathroom work? We would have to move everything all the time though. It couldnt stay in there all the time just at night and I wonder if that would confuse her? The litter box is in our bedroom right now and the food downstairs and she has beds wherever.lol She sleeps on our bed/the couch/whatever is soft and warm.

So would that mess her up to move stuff into the bathroom at night AND would it confuse her to have people come use the bathroom at night while shes in there? Wouldnt that just start up the meowing as soon as we walk out of the bathroom? Or shes be trying to sneak by us. lol
The bathroom is the only room though. We have five children and we are pretty full.

I talked to my hubby again about another cat and hes a firm NO. I think if I could find a little older cat already fixed/shots then maybe but we spent alot getting this baby and I know thats a biggy on his mind. Plus she drives him batty...lol But I know he loves her.

Ill give the other room a try tonight and see how it goes.

Thanks
Liz

maverick_kitten · Dec 17, 2005

she will grow out of it when she realises it wont get her attention.

maybe it will be easier when shes friends with the dog?

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Originally Posted by maverick_kitten

she will grow out of it when she realises it wont get her attention.

maybe it will be easier when shes friends with the dog?

So the best bet is to continue to ignore her when she is meowing? I do get up the first time and feed her but once I lay back down thats when it drives us nuts.

She just wants attention or up in the eves (attic) she must smell the outdoors because she will climb on the highest thing and look towards where the ceiling can come in to let us into storage up there.

And meow like its going out of style....

Thanks!!

hissy · Dec 17, 2005

Liz,

Sounds to me like this cat is training you quite easily.

Any time she demands something, she gets something. This puts her into a routine making her Alpha in your home..."look at me, I can command those big people with one small meow.."

You need to establish that you are Alpha before it is to late. Establish a schedule with your cat and stick to it. Food at certain times every day, play time scheduled (interactive) litter pans scooped etc. Make your bedroom off limits. You don't have to confine her to just one room, just close your bedroom door. Park your vaccum out in front of the door with the switch on and the machine unplugged. Run the cord under the door and near an outlet. When she starts to meow- plug it in one second, then unplug. If she comes back, same thing.

Outside your bedroom make a big deal over her only when she is quiet. If she is crying, don't feed her. Once she is still, feed her. She will soon understand that though you love and cherish her, she can't control the house. You are Alpha, she can be Alpha when another cat comes into the home, but until then, you are it.

dawnofsierra · Dec 17, 2005

I absolutely understand your situation, Liz!

My girls and yours may have been separated at birth! Serenity loves waking me at all hours to play, usually with her favorite toy in my face Sierra wakes me several times during the night, as well. Her special way is to sit just under my neck. Then, she genty touches my face, one paw at a time! Until she gets all the love she can handle!

You've already received so mucha wonderful advice regarding this behavioral modification. Please do keep us updated on your little one's progress!

crittermom · Dec 17, 2005

2. HAs anyone ever got two cats after having problems with the one to give it a buddy and it gone WRONG??

Depends on what you call wrong.If wrong, you're referring to it turn out bad for the cat...........then NO.But, you're referring to "things" getting worse, such as less sleep....YES!!! Hope I make sense.

Blaze would meow to get into our room at night,it's off limits because I am a light sleeper and the constant up/down thing makes for NO sleep for Mom.So, we got Neela and they are sooooooooo close.We couldn't ask for two more perfect,loving kits.

But, if I thought sleep was little before.....it's less now.Neither girls are allowed in our room, because they PLAY all night long.They run through our house and I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think there was a square dance going on through out our house at night.

They run into walls and the doors chasing one another.Day time is sleep time for them.If we didn't have box fans going, there would be NO sleep for any of us.

I wouldn't change her litter box and etc., because that would/could only lead to litter box issues and problems.I would do like was suggested and keep your bedroom off limits and your childrens rooms off limits too.I have 4 skin kids and the kits are not allowed in there at night either.Ignore her meows and eventually she'll learn to hush.

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Ok now Im sad.......lol Keep her out of my room?? Thats some of my favorite time with her.

She is so cuddly at bedtime and whenever I get up to use the bathroom shes such a cuddle bunny. Shes not a big cuddlier so I cherish those times. I dont know that I can lock her out of our room. How long do you think it would take to break her and then if we lock her out and let her back in are we going to go through the whole thing again? Because I do want her to be able to sleep in our room.
Hissy.....thats so true what you are saying and I do not know why I didnt realize it. Its just like the dog. They want to be boss. I think what Id like to try for now is to ignore the cat when she cries. With the kids being on Christmas break now would be a good time so that even if we are woken by her it wont be too big of a deal if she wakes us up. I really adore her being in bed with me so I really dont want to miss out on that.
What do you think?? Ill give it a try and if in X amount of days its still going on then we will lock her out of the bedroom and give that a shot.

This brings a whole new question.......lol
We have the litter box in our bedroom. We live in a three story house. Will it be too confusing to move her litter pan from the upstairs bedroom to the basement?
Thanks

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Originally Posted by crittermom

Depends on what you call wrong.If wrong, you're referring to it turn out bad for the cat...........then NO.But, you're referring to "things" getting worse, such as less sleep....YES!!! Hope I make sense.

Blaze would meow to get into our room at night,it's off limits because I am a light sleeper and the constant up/down thing makes for NO sleep for Mom.So, we got Neela and they are sooooooooo close.We couldn't ask for two more perfect,loving kits.

But, if I thought sleep was little before.....it's less now.Neither girls are allowed in our room, because they PLAY all night long.They run through our house and I swear, if I didn't know better, I'd think there was a square dance going on through out our house at night.

They run into walls and the doors chasing one another.Day time is sleep time for them.If we didn't have box fans going, there would be NO sleep for any of us.

I wouldn't change her litter box and etc., because that would/could only lead to litter box issues and problems.I would do like was suggested and keep your bedroom off limits and your childrens rooms off limits too.I have 4 skin kids and the kits are not allowed in there at night either.Ignore her meows and eventually she'll learn to hush.

LOL

Thats what I was afraid of....less sleep.lol And as for changing the litter box it would have to be moved somewhere since its in our bedroom right now. We have to keep the litter box away from the dog and the dog has free run of the first floor now so its either our room or the basement??
Thanks for the advice.

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

**serial poster** lol

I forgot to mention that we live in an old house and non of our doors "close" all the way. Kinda a pain because Stormy defiently knows how to push them open. Which has just started being a problem with my 2 year old because Stormy is NOT allowed in there and she just figured out how to push his door open which is a little harder then the other doors.;( My bedroom door when closed has a 1 in crack in it.lol Old house big time.......the girls have blocked their door from the inside before but I dont like doing that because then I cant get in there either.
Anyhow.........thanks for all the advice.

I truly appreciate it.

hissy · Dec 17, 2005

Don't put a timeframe on changing the behavior, it is ingrained and it is going to take some time for the cat to break away from it. I know what you mean about sharing time with your cat in your bedroom. We have about 10 furry bodies on our bed at night. We can barely move, but would prefer it no other way.

rockreno · Dec 17, 2005

I agree with Hissy . . . cats can take a long time to grow out of behavior. But if you ignore her, she will figure it out. My Lexi used to wake us up at 4 a.m. every morning because she wanted attention. We ignored it after a while, and she stopped doing it. I don't remember how long it took, but I had her for 22 years, and I barely recall the 4 a.m. wakings, so I'm pretty sure it didn't take very long, if that makes sense.

lizk729 · Dec 17, 2005

Thanks ladies!! I think I will just ignore the meowing (to the best of my ability)lol and see how she does. No time frame......just lots of patience.

Which we have to have with her anyways.

I defiently could not miss out on cuddle time in bed.

Thats my most favorite times with her.

Thanks!!

hissy · Dec 17, 2005

Buy earplugs

Seriously, they do help, if she starts licking your face, wear a sleep mask. It takes time, but her behavior will stop when she realizes she is no longer "in control."

I highly recommend the book Outwitting Cats by Wendy Christensen. Wendy learned from her cats and we are lucky enough to have her share her wisdom with us in her on-going column Herding Cats for this website.

xocats · Dec 17, 2005

It's to late for me. My kitties trained me long ago. They are both head of household. They meow...I respond.

Good luck with your furkids.

lizk729 · Dec 18, 2005

Originally Posted by hissy

Buy earplugs

Seriously, they do help, if she starts licking your face, wear a sleep mask. It takes time, but her behavior will stop when she realizes she is no longer "in control."

I highly recommend the book Outwitting Cats by Wendy Christensen. Wendy learned from her cats and we are lucky enough to have her share her wisdom with us in her on-going column Herding Cats for this website.

Thanks Hissy.......I am going to get that book.

lizk729 · Dec 18, 2005

Originally Posted by xocats

It's to late for me. My kitties trained me long ago. They are both head of household. They meow...I respond.

Good luck with your furkids.

Thats how I was beginning to feel. lol And I didnt want it to be that way. ALthough I dont mind for some things, but she was was taking over with this morning "Call" .lol

ixheartxdarwin · Dec 18, 2005

We had to lock our old cat, Lacey, up in the basement every night because she would scratch the crap out of our furniture! Every morning, at exactly 6 AM... "REEEEROW! REEEROW!"

The best advice I can give you;; stay in bed !!!! Stormy will soon learn that even if she 'meows up a storm' (haha, sometimes I'm so clever I impress myself!

) she won't get what she wants.

Good Luck!

lizk729 · Dec 18, 2005

Originally Posted by IxheartxDarwin

We had to lock our old cat, Lacey, up in the basement every night because she would scratch the crap out of our furniture! Every morning, at exactly 6 AM... "REEEEROW! REEEROW!"

The best advice I can give you;; stay in bed !!!! Stormy will soon learn that even if she 'meows up a storm' (haha, sometimes I'm so clever I impress myself!

) she won't get what she wants.

Good Luck!

Very good.....well last night we ignored her. She tends to meow at night although its not as bothersome as in the AM and she did eventually stop.lol It went on longer than normal because I didnt answer her but it DID stop. She also didnt go to bed with me either. Normally she meows and I call her and she eventually comes into bed with me. But sometime around 3am she came up.

Then with this am being church morning I was up before her. lol So we shall see how it goes tomorrow.
Thanks again everyone!!

Meowing......in the early AM

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