Meowing At 5am

[sarahlou34]

hello

I posted on here a while ago - and got some advice but it's since been removed! So I'm back and in need of help!

My ragdoll (4yrs old) wakes at 5am/5.30am every morning meowing and sitting outside my toddlers room. He wants to get in there too look out of his bedroom window. The cat sleeps in with us (if we shut him out he goes MENTAL) and we've tried everything to try and get him to wake later...

-playtime right before bed
-ignoring the meows (hard with a sleeping toddler as we don't want the meowing to wake him)
-lots of play time and cuddles


The only thing we've not tried is a timed feeder as I'm scared if food isn't there when he wants it he'll meow more.

Any advice? I'm desperate. My hubby wants to rehome him but I can't do it!

Thanks

X

 

[di and bob]

Have you tried setting out a bowl of hard food before bedtime? It may help if he can eat. It is VERY hard to change a cats behavior once they get used to a routine, and he has learned that if he meows around your toddler it brings him attention. Even bad attention is better than nothing to a cat. Punishment never helps, it just makes them afraid. I have cats that got used to me getting up at 4AM for my nursing job and guess what? Now that I am retired I still get up at 4AM because I have furry alarm clocks that insist on being fed. I don't mind, I am a morning person and that is when I get on the Cat Site. The quickest thing to do is to get up and feed him, then go back to bed. I would try to find another window for him to look out too if at all possible, don't make the toddler's room inviting, put a cheap blind up so he can't look out. Take away the reason he wants to go in there. If that doesn't work then find a room he can sleep in at night and keep him in there for nights, he will cry badly for a while but will get used to it. I have two cats that sleep locked up, but I gave them their own heated beds and they actually run to the room now. Of course the handful of treats I give them every night helps too, they look forward to it. I pray you find a solution, good luck!

 

[sarahlou34]

Thank you so much for your reply! i really really appreciate it as we're at our wits end.

Thats a good idea about making the window less appealing, we do have another window at the front of the house too in our room but he prefers the one in my toddlers room as he can see birds in next doors garden! I wondered about spraying some lemon juice or something by my toddlers door to make him not want to go there? is that mean though?!

Ive just ordered a timed feeder and will try feeding right before bed after his playtime too.

Its so hard when all the advice is to ignore the meowing as ignoring it means our 15month old will be woken up

We did try shutting him in a room in our house but 5 months on and he would still run and hide before bed time meaning we spent an hour trying to get him in there and then he'd meow and scratch for hours so it seemed cruel. He loves to be near me at ALL times.

Your 4am start sounds awful!


Thanks again xx

 

[di and bob]

The secret to making bedtime more appealing in a separate room is to give treats right before leaving, they get used to those treats really fast. They hide for about a week, it takes them that long to figure out they get treats if they go. You might try varying the time a little at first too, approach and pick him up BEFORE he realizes that he is going to his sleeping room. You might have to give him a couple of treats then too. It takes a while, a couple of weeks, but when they figure out you will return at a certain time every morning and let them out, they stop the crying. I left the TV on in the room too, on a timer, so there was some background noise. It seems cruel for a while, but no more then him having to go to a new home, that would be his worst nightmare. Good luck!

 

[sarahlou34]

Just an update.. no progress. Playing every night and then feeding with a timed feeder right before bed time but he's still waking up at 5am.

Cant actually cope with it any more

Next step is some repellent on the toddlers door. And block off the window in there I doubt it will stop the meowing as it seemd in grained now but if he's steering clear of the door at least we can ignore the meowing a bit more easily without fear of my son being woken.

Failing that I have no idea what we'll do, last resort is a cat behavourist which will cost a bomb.

xx

 

[poppyheart]

I am not sure i can be much help. Is the issue because the door is shut and he doesnt like closed doors? My cat hates doors closed and meows at any door that is shut in the house. She is not allowed in our bedroom at night but i keep the door open a few inches (just enough that its not closed and she can see in) and this stops her meowing at the door. It is hard to ignore meowing when it is going to wake up your toddler so I hope you do find a solution not sure if you can try this or it is not possible with your toddlers room. Also, is your timed feeder set to feed him in the early hours of the morning as well as just before you go to bed.

Di and Bob have some great ideas is there a room far enough away that wouldnt wake anyone up? Is your toddler actually being woken up or are you worried if the meowing continues they will wake up?

I also want to mention he is a beautiful cat.

 

[sarahlou34]

thanks for the reply. And for saying he's beautiful!

I think even he doesnt know what the issue is! he's always been very vocal, i think he just wants to walk around wake us all up and when he realises that isnt working he then gets upset as he cant go to the window.

Ive just bought citronella spray and going to put some foil on the window ledge to deter him.

He hasnt actually woken up my son but with the door open he would definitely wake him up x

 

[kashmir64]

Is there another window on that side of the house he could look out? The sun now comes up at 5am and so do the birds. Maybe put his cat tree by another window with treats on it to entice him to use it.

 

[neely]

hello

(if we shut him out he goes MENTAL) and we've tried everything to try and get him to wake later...

I'm sure you weren't trying to be disrespectful but the use of the word MENTAL is insulting and offensive. Working in special education it is very difficult for me to see it used in this manner.

On the subject of your extremely handsome ragdoll waking you at 5 a.m. I can completely relate. And I can understand why you wouldn't want to leave the door to your son's room open part way. I can't think of one of our cats who have not woken us up at the crack of dawn. One cat who has since gone to the bridge used to wake us up between 2-3 a.m. We have tried to ignore the early morning head butts and yowling also but as di and bob pointed out sometimes it is easier to feed them and go back to bed. I know this is probably not what you want to hear but you have to find the solution that works best for you. Best of luck, if you solve your problem maybe you can share it with us.

 

[sunny578]

Maybe a fan in front of your son's door could help both encourage the cat to find a different window and also drown out any meowing so he doesn't wake him up.