Cat Meowing in the morning

[softandelegant]

So I haven't been here in a while because Boo has stopped her loud meowing in the middle of the night. But as of the last week she has started to meow at us around 5am, also jumping and scratching at the door molding, and scratching the couch(she only does that when I'm home and wants attention from me, never when its just my bf at home). We both ignore ignore her so it doesn't enforce negative behavior  but its starting to get really annoying, is there anything we can do, or is there any reason she might be doing this? I make sure her water and food bowls are full(we free feed her) and that her littler box is clean. I don't want to have to close the bedroom door at night keeping her out because I'm sure she'll just do all this at the door, and I feel bad keeping her out because she's an only cat.

 

[mani]

I have one word for you... Play! Wear her out.  She's young and she's bored and she wants fun!

Regularly play with her, and have lots of toys she can do stuff with.. dangly things, boxes, mice etc etc.  And don't have them all out at once, especially her favourites, or they won't be 'special'.  I don't mean do it at 5 in the morning, of course.

  Just as much as you can when you're around.

Does she have a place with a view?

 

[callista]

Yeah, don't give in--it may take her a while to learn, but that's okay.

BTW: Have you tried Sticky Paws to stop her scratching at your doorframe? It is essentially double sided sticky tape with an adhesive that comes off more easily than regular tape and it should be annoying enough to scratch that she won't scratch the door frame. If she's hurting your carpet, a plastic carpet protector (the sort you put under desk chairs and similar) would keep her from scratching that.

Cats who are bored at night should be given some toys and things to do, and ignored whenever they try to rouse the humans. Hopefully she will learn that you are not interesting at night, and she should amuse herself with something other than calling for you to come play.

 

[softandelegant]

She has 8 million little mice all over the apartment to play with. And I'll give that sticky tape stuff a shot, esp for the couch. With the door frame its kinda a jump and scratch on the way down thing, so she isn't doing any damage

 

[softandelegant]

She sleeps on the radiator right at window height so she looks out that window a lot, and before bed i play with her with the laser pointer till she seems bored with it, but that hasn't helped