Alrighty I’m sure this is asked a lot but I have some questions. My 6mo old cat has been nonstop meowing from about 6am-10am which is when I wake up. Sometimes it’ll start sooner or last longer. I ignore her completely, don’t open my door, don’t yell at her. If I have to go to the bathroom, I make sure she hasn’t been meowing and then go. But it seems like the meowing for four hours nonstop BEGGING for attention doesn’t stop!
And I’ve noticed that sometimes she will meow her head off and when she is finally quiet and I go out to see her, she wants some petting maybe but then it’s as if I could go back in my room and she’s better, doesn’t meow as much.
But the waking me up at 6am and howling like crazy has got to stop. So I know I can reward positive behavior and ignore negative. So I tried one morning to sit by my door as she meowed but as soon as she’d stop for a few seconds I’d open the door and reward her, then shut the door again. I also later in the day would ignore her meows but if quiet give her attention, or I was purposefully walking up to her and if she meowed I would go to the other room, and repeat. If she was quiet, I’d reward her. But through all this I don’t think she’s making the connection that it’s her being quiet that’s doing it?
Soooo, should I not do any reinforcement when it comes to the door, or how should I modify what I am doing? And how do I make sure she knows she’s getting rewards throughout the day for not meowing when I think she is so absentminded about it??? Sorry for long post but THANKS!
And I’ve noticed that sometimes she will meow her head off and when she is finally quiet and I go out to see her, she wants some petting maybe but then it’s as if I could go back in my room and she’s better, doesn’t meow as much.
But the waking me up at 6am and howling like crazy has got to stop. So I know I can reward positive behavior and ignore negative. So I tried one morning to sit by my door as she meowed but as soon as she’d stop for a few seconds I’d open the door and reward her, then shut the door again. I also later in the day would ignore her meows but if quiet give her attention, or I was purposefully walking up to her and if she meowed I would go to the other room, and repeat. If she was quiet, I’d reward her. But through all this I don’t think she’s making the connection that it’s her being quiet that’s doing it?
Soooo, should I not do any reinforcement when it comes to the door, or how should I modify what I am doing? And how do I make sure she knows she’s getting rewards throughout the day for not meowing when I think she is so absentminded about it??? Sorry for long post but THANKS!