Cat keeps waking me up unusually early

[d3szczowo]

Some may remember my previous post about my cat's destructive behaviour, which luckily managed to calm down after everyone's advice(thank you all 🫶). But for several days now, my cat has been waking me up unusually early. I'm used to her jumping around way before my alarm but now it's gotten worse where it's not even 5am(today it was 4:30) and she's already causing ruckus. She keeps nuzzling onto me, which she did before but now I feel like it has gotten more intense/frequent?? And she tries to get my attention by pulling on the shades and trying to scratch them, so there no way for me to just ignore her and go back to sleep. Is there any reason for this? Nothing about my sleeping routine changed for her to start waking up this early

 

[Caspers Human]

Both of our cats come up on the bed while I'm sleeping or trying to go to sleep.

My solution is to enforce some rules about bedtime:
If the cats want to come to bed, they have to behave. I'll make a spot for them to lay down next to me. I'll pat my hand on the bed, inviting them to come over for some attention. They'll circle the spot until they find a comfy spot. I'll pet them. They'll purr and, finally settle down for some attention. They'll lay there until I fall asleep. Then, when they decide to do something else, they'll get up and go about their business, elsewhere.

Elliot, the younger cat has his spot by my pillow. Casper has his spot down near my waist. As long as they pick a spot and don't cause trouble, they can stay as long as they want. If they don't behave themselves, they get picked up and put out of bed. If they get three strikes, I pick them up, put them out in the hallway and close the bedroom door.

Those are the rules and, if the cats want to snuggle up and sleep with us, they are welcome any time. If they misbehave or cause a ruckus, out they go. It's as simple as that.

Both our cats are well behaved in bed. I rarely ever have to do anything more than shoe them aside while I get into bed. Once I'm in bed and covered up, one or the other of them will come up for some snuggle time. I usually go to sleep with Elliot next to my pillow and I usually wake up with Casper sleeping beside me.

As to why the change? I'm not sure. How long has this early waking been going on? You said it was especially bad in the last few days, right? Could there be any outdoor cats or other critters that are coming around the house at early hours?

If a cat isn't spayed, she'll react to the pheromones from other cats coming around your house. Cats do prowl most after dusk and before dawn. It doesn't have to be just cats, either. Raccoons and opossum might have the same effect on an indoor, house cat, and it doesn't matter whether the cat is fixed.

Do you think there has been any change in the routine, goings-on in the neighborhood around your house? It could be something as simple as the sound of a garbage truck moving down our street, picking up garbage bins. Both our cats do wake up to the sound of the garbage pick-up. On weeks where pickup is delayed on a holiday, they react on the different day.

Are there anythings like those? Animals? Other cats? Noises?

Both our cats know the sound of the thermostat clicking on when the central air calls for heat. They'll run over to the nearest air vent, lay down and wait for the warm air to come up. In the summer, when it's hot, they'll go for the AC.

Point of all this is that there might be something subtle, going on around the house, that's triggering the cat's behavior.

What do you think?

 

[catdad61]

In addition to Caspers Human post; it may be, at least in the northern hemisphere, daylight is coming earlier. Cats are crepuscular animals. Instinctively they are most active at dawn and dusk, when their 'prey' is waking up or settling down.
Our cat Lunar also likes to try to get up in our bedroom (east facing) window in the morning even with a shade, mini-blinds and a curtain in her way. Apparently the east facing kitchen window without anything in her way isn't acceptable when she wakes up, although it's perfectly fine the rest of the day for her lounging enjoyment.

 

[Alldara]

Some may remember my previous post about my cat's destructive behaviour, which luckily managed to calm down after everyone's advice(thank you all 🫶). But for several days now, my cat has been waking me up unusually early. I'm used to her jumping around way before my alarm but now it's gotten worse where it's not even 5am(today it was 4:30) and she's already causing ruckus. She keeps nuzzling onto me, which she did before but now I feel like it has gotten more intense/frequent?? And she tries to get my attention by pulling on the shades and trying to scratch them, so there no way for me to just ignore her and go back to sleep. Is there any reason for this? Nothing about my sleeping routine changed for her to start waking up this early

She's an only cat right? So she doesn't have any other cats to occupy her during one of two busy times a day (cats are most awake at dawn and dusk as noted above).

You could set up a birdfeeder outside that should occupy her, an electronic toy or even some cat tv on your phone.

 

[Caspers Human]

She's an only cat right? So she doesn't have any other cats to occupy her during one of two busy times a day

Yes! That reminds me... Do you play with her before going to bed? Sometimes, it helps if you "play her out" at night, before bed.

By "play out," I mean to play with her until she's too tired to continue.

Cats often need that kind of stimulation. That's why A Alldara suggests having another cat because they often play each other out at night while you're sleeping.

 

[Alldara]

Yes! That reminds me... Do you play with her before going to bed? Sometimes, it helps if you "play her out" at night, before bed.

By "play out," I mean to play with her until she's too tired to continue.

Cats often need that kind of stimulation. That's why A Alldara suggests having another cat because they often play each other out at night while you're sleeping.

Yep! If they have the same energy level. We get the 530 wakeups with Magnus though. Neither other cat wants to be playing at that time.

I keep some food in the bathroom upstairs at night with some clean bowls. Feed him at 530, open the curtain and put on a sleep mask and go back to sleep. Ghost doesn't even eat he just watches the birds and Magnus joins him. The ignoring doesn't work. Magnus broke 2 baby locks in one morning with thay method.

 

[Cat McCannon]

Simple. Cat wants your attention. Your reactions (negative or positive) to her antics rewards them, thus encouraging her to continue. To her, it's all just a fun game.