Ignoring A Cat To Not Reward Bad Behavior, But...

[forthefreefood]

Hello! I am hoping you guys here can point my fiance and I in the right direction.

We brought a male 7 month old kitty into our home a few months ago. He is very vocal for what he wants, usually food or attention, so we are ignoring his meows and only rewarding good behavior. We also have another cat (female, 3 years). She hasn't really ever had an issue with too much vocalizing, except for maybe a week when we first got her.

We are having trouble figuring out a good nighttime routine that doesn't involve hurting our relationship with our first cat. Penny (cat #1) usually sleeps in her bed, next to our bed. During the night her and Ringo (cat #2) will often play around the living room and whatnot, which we love and we don't want to keep them separate.

Problem is, either cat is now meowing to wake us up in the morning. I don't want to kick them out right from the beginning of the night because then Penny can't get to her bed and I love when they occasionally cuddle us in bed. If we wait until the morning to kick them out, then we aren't ignoring the meowing. Would kicking them out in the morning be considered "rewarding the meowing" or will they not see it as a reward because they are then outside of the room they want to be in. We are getting mixed information. We want to set the right boundaries while still maintaining a close relationship with our kitties. I worry that all of this ignoring them and keeping them out of the room we are in is just mean and ruining the relationships that we have built.

Also, I have to get up numerous times to pee in the night, sometimes, and I feel it will be difficult to keep them out with the opening and closing of the door throughout the night.

Please, what is the correct course of action here? Your advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[rubysmama]

When my Ruby used to wait me up too early in the morning, I finally started putting her out of the bedroom and closing the door when she'd wake me. Eventually she got the hint, and stopped waking me before my clock radio came on. So I don't think putting them out of the room would be considered a reward for meowing.

Here's a few TCS articles that might have some helpful tips for you. Good luck. And remember, in a few more months your kitten will start to be a "bit" less energetic and mischievous.

Cat Behavior For Beginners
Cats And Night Crazies!
How To Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up At Night (step-by-step Plan)

 

[susanm9006]

No, kicking them out in the morning wouldn’t be rewarding their behavior. When you put them out, no cuddles or talking, just pick them up or shoo them out and shut the door. It is teaching them that if they want to be in the room with you they need to remain quiet. But before you shut them out you should try a warning word or phrase that you use consistently like “quiet”, “settle down”, “shush” and if they continue to meow then out they go. You can expect that one or both will then pitch a fit outside your door with howling and scratching that you cannot give in to. But if they are quiet in an hour or two you can quietly open you door and give them another chance to quietly be in the bedroom. If someone starts making noise then out they go until you get up.

 

[Timmer]

Well my opinion is it's neither a reward to leave them out nor is it a punishment, because I think the fact that you get up several times a night (as you said) to pee confuses them. I think cats just see us up and it's exciting for them. They don't connect the dots with "oh, she's up to pee, not for us." I would just ride it out and keep the door open at all times if you can stick it out and eventually as the new cat gets a little older things may settle down.