My sweet boy has gotten into the habit of waking me up at the ungodly early hour of 3:30am to feed him and my other two cats (the other two never wake me up, there must be some unspoken kitty rule that Emerson is the one to do so). This is relatively new (started after Christmas) behavior. He used to wait until around 5:30 to want to be fed, bit this 3:30 pattern has been going on now for several weeks. I've tried ignoring him, feeding them a hefty snack before my husband comes to bed around 1, swatting at him...NOTHING is working. I even tried just letting him cry for a night, which he did for a solid hour before I broke down and fed him because I obviously wasn't sleeping. I have to be awake at 5:30 for work, so I can't have him keeping me up for hours. He scratches the wall above my head, and if I don't respond to that, he scratches the wall behind our door.
Even on the weekends, when I'm off, he expects to be fed at 3:30. Then, he will crawl up next to me around 6 am and chortle, purr, knead, etc. all over me. I'm glad he loves me, but please, let me sleep!
The only change is that I am transitioning them to pine pellets. Their litterboxes are currently half pine/half clay litter. I have seen him use the box before without issue.
Is this stress behavior? What else can I do? He plays and eats well.
Even on the weekends, when I'm off, he expects to be fed at 3:30. Then, he will crawl up next to me around 6 am and chortle, purr, knead, etc. all over me. I'm glad he loves me, but please, let me sleep!
The only change is that I am transitioning them to pine pellets. Their litterboxes are currently half pine/half clay litter. I have seen him use the box before without issue.
Is this stress behavior? What else can I do? He plays and eats well.