Feeding Behavior, The Dreaded 4:30 Am Wake Up

[Luvntaters]

I hope you cat experts are going to be able to help me out. I recently took in two very sweet cats for my cousin who is going to be traveling for a year. The problem lies with the 4 year old female.

The female has gotten into the habit of waking me in the middle of the night to try and be fed. I know this is pretty normal behavior. But it's the way that she does it. First it begins with butting my head and vocalizing to wake me. However, as they have specific feeding times, I don't give in and feed her. Thus begins a passive aggressive game that leads to me getting no sleep for the rest of the night.

I refuse to get out of bed and feed her as I've been told that giving in will reinforce that her strategy is working. That i'm best off ignoring her. I also changed their feeding time so they are fed in afternoon and then again later at night right before bed. The thought process being that she knew she was being fed in the morning before I left for work which is why she was waking me.

She continues to wake me usually the first time at about 4:30 in the morning. When I refuse to get out of bed and feed her, it has become her habit to go over to the corner of my door and begin to scratch.

Believe me. She knows exactly what she is doing. She has multiple scratching posts, she uses them regularly. It is not a "texture thing". She only does it when she is trying to get me to feed her. The moment I get out of bed to get her to stop scratching my door post or the wall, she runs over to her food bowl and turns to me expectantly.

She does this off and on until I leave for work. This keeps me up pretty much from whenever it starts in the morning until I go to work. It's costing me much needed sleep and my patience is wearing thin. I have tried everything that has been suggested to me. I put the bowls away so that they cannot knock the bowls around causing noise. I have tried a spray bottle for when she scratches the wall to deter behavior. I have covered the door post with double sided tape to discourage the scratching.

I even tried to kennel her when she does this despite my wishes. that won't work either as the noise and commotion persists and is louder and more troublesome than even the scratching.
Nothing is working. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can try doing differently? Here's to hoping.

 

[Pjg8r]

What type of food do you give her? Could you use a timed feeder set for 4AM?

 

[Neo_23]

Are you feeding her enough during the day? Perhaps she could use some more food before going to bed.

 

[Luvntaters]

Both cats are fed twice per day. They get one scoop each per feeding. It is a grain free cat food, not sure of the brand off hand but I can check when I get home. This was what I was instructed to feed them based on how much exercise they get. But I have no idea how accurate that is.

I used to feed them before I left for work at 7:30, and then when I returned from work at 4:30 PM. I adjusted the times so they now get fed at lunch around noon, and again at night between 9 and 10 PM based just on a groomers suggestion.

 

[Neo_23]

I think waiting from 9pm to noon to get fed is a long time. That’s more than 12 hours. I wouldn’t let me cat go more than 8, maybe 9 hours without food. Does she have kibble to feed on in the middle of the night?

You can use this weight chart to judge her weight. If she’s not overweight (or at low risk) maybe try giving her a bit more food at night.

http://www.baysidecatresort.com.au/images/bfi-risk-chart.jpg

 

[Luvntaters]

There is nothing to feed on between the times that I feed them. From what I was told she had a weight problem which is why they are fed twice a day strictly. I just got the cats in August and haven't adjusted anything other than the times of the feedings. I can certainly go back to feeding them morning and night, but that schedule before was 7:30 AM, then 4:30 or 5: PM. still a long period in there without food.

If you wouldn't recommend going 8 hours without food, am I better off feeding 3 times a day but lowering the amount each time?

 

[Neo_23]

There is nothing to feed on between the times that I feed them. From what I was told she had a weight problem which is why they are fed twice a day strictly. I just got the cats in August and haven't adjusted anything other than the times of the feedings. I can certainly go back to feeding them morning and night, but that schedule before was 7:30 AM, then 4:30 or 5: PM. still a long period in there without food.

If you wouldn't recommend going 8 hours without food, am I better off feeding 3 times a day but lowering the amount each time?

Yeah I would probably do the 3 feedings just because I would be uncomfortable with not feeding for more than 12 hours. But I’m not sure if that will solve your early morning wake-up issue.

 

[Kitty Mommy]

My Tiger used to do this. It would usually start about 3:30am with a lot of meowing. If I ignored him he would jump around on the bed and stomp all over me. If I still ignored him he would bite my fingers. I don't think he was starving as we always leave dry food out at night. I think he was just anxious to get his canned food in the mornings. I just learned to live with it

 

[Kieka]

I'd agree with the three smaller meals. Or go back to the two meals on the old schedule.... but three would probably be better. The key to ignoring the cats in the morning is you have to 100% fully ignore. No getting up to close the door, no saying their name, no acknowledgement at all that you heard them, the most would be pulling up blankets to cover your head if she is head butting your face. It could take up to 14 days but if you show absolutely no acknowledgement they will stop. I promise. The hard part is not acknowledging even if she is scratching the door. For that hang a piece of cardboard before going to bed so her scratching doesn't actually damage anything.

Another option would be to set up an auto feeder to open at 4:30am. If they eat dry it is a real simple thing and can be done with a cheap timer auto feeder. I know some others have reported success with auto feeders.

 

[Luvntaters]

Yeah I would probably do the 3 feedings just because I would be uncomfortable with not feeding for more than 12 hours. But I’m not sure if that will solve your early morning wake-up issue.

It's almost amusing, but I feel like she's holding me hostage. Discouraging the scratching is really a big concern. I rent an apartment and don't want her tearing it up. I'm also confused because my cousin, who i've taken them in from, says she didn't have this problem. I thought maybe behavior was being affected by the move, but it's been a few months now, so I would imagine she would have adjusted.

 

[Kieka]

It's almost amusing, but I feel like she's holding me hostage. Discouraging the scratching is really a big concern. I rent an apartment and don't want her tearing it up. I'm also confused because my cousin, who i've taken them in from, says she didn't have this problem. I thought maybe behavior was being affected by the move, but it's been a few months now, so I would imagine she would have adjusted.

Maybe your cousin is a heavy sleeper? Or since you've acknowledged the behavior it gets a result so she keeps doing it?

 

[dahli6]

We already wake up at 4:30 every morning so it makes no difference. Weekends they let us sleep until 5 or 5:30 though.

 

[Luvntaters]

I'd agree with the three smaller meals. Or go back to the two meals on the old schedule.... but three would probably be better. The key to ignoring the cats in the morning is you have to 100% fully ignore. No getting up to close the door, no saying their name, no acknowledgement at all that you heard them, the most would be pulling up blankets to cover your head if she is head butting your face. It could take up to 14 days but if you show absolutely no acknowledgement they will stop. I promise. The hard part is not acknowledging even if she is scratching the door. For that hang a piece of cardboard before going to bed so her scratching doesn't actually damage anything.

Another option would be to set up an auto feeder to open at 4:30am. If they eat dry it is a real simple thing and can be done with a cheap timer auto feeder. I know some others have reported success with auto feeders.

I'm going to try the 3 meals first. I really appreciate the input. I put a hanging scratch post on the door knob. but she ignores it. I will certainly look into the auto feeders as well. I hope it pans out. I feel bad because she's very affectionate and playful, but this one thing is straining our relationship.

 

[PMousse]

I feed mine twice daily with a combo of wet and dry food. It works for a couple of reasons:

1. The twice daily feedings (which are wet food) are equal time intervals apart. That is, I feed her at 8am and again at 8pm.
2. I also feed her dry food once a day and I leave it out all day/night. That way she has something to munch on if I didn't get home early enough for the evening feeding or if she wants to eat something at night.

Jackson Galaxy (a cat guru) has a video on Youtube talking about this exact issue you have. One of the tips is to play with your cat before going to bed (or before the last feeding if it's right before you go to bed) to tire her out. Video link:

 

[Luvntaters]

I feed mine twice daily with a combo of wet and dry food. It works for a couple of reasons:

1. The twice daily feedings (which are wet food) are equal time intervals apart. That is, I feed her at 8am and again at 8pm.
2. I also feed her dry food once a day and I leave it out all day/night. That way she has something to munch on if I didn't get home early enough for the evening feeding or if she wants to eat something at night.

Jackson Galaxy (a cat guru) has a video on Youtube talking about this exact issue you have. One of the tips is to play with your cat before going to bed (or before the last feeding if it's right before you go to bed) to tire her out. Video link:

Thanks I'm looking into that tonight for sure. I usually cuddle with them but not so much play. I have a few toys but they are typically disinterested. Unless I pull out cat nip.

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't think your "I'm not gonna give in" strategy -- usually the right strategy -- is going to work at this point, because your cousin probably gave in.

Why not switch to moist food, which has more volume for the same calories? Should make them feel more full, and I believe moist food is generally recommended for cats with a weight issue. Or go free grazing, but with diet dry cat food. That should solve your problem, and you can do weight checks to make sure things aren't getting too out of hand.

 

[Luvntaters]

I haven't looked

I don't think your "I'm not gonna give in" strategy -- usually the right strategy -- is going to work at this point, because your cousin probably gave in.

Why not switch to moist food, which has more volume for the same calories? Should make them feel more full, and I believe moist food is generally recommended for cats with a weight issue. Or go free grazing, but with diet dry cat food. That should solve your problem, and you can do weight checks to make sure things aren't getting too out of hand.

I haven't looked into wet food before as I know little about the topic in general. Is wet food particularly more expensive of an alternative?

I certainly thought about free grazing but she in particular will eat until she gets sick and then throw up and continue eating. The male cat that I have monitors himself and used to free graze until she was adopted. I was told she was a barn cat and I suspect she used to have to compete for food.

 

[ArtNJ]

Yes, wet food is vastly more expensive. For 2 cats, supermarket brands from say Walmart, you might be looking at 3x5.5 oz cans a day, which is like $1.40. You could try just a 5.5 oz can at night for the second (or third) feeding.

Its too bad you don't have a finished basement. My cats sleep either down there or outside.