Thread: Problems with kitty waking early!!!

I really need advise on how to handle this situation.

I think we now have one very spoilt kitty and because we live in an apartment have to thread carefully in case we wake up any neighbours.
Winston generally sleeps in our room and has always been an early riser generally around 5am.
The problem is he has not been content with getting up, and heading down to the sitting room to play on his cat tree. Oh no! he has to jump on my head, pull my hair, talks incessently and basically makes sure that I get up and attend to his needs. It's pretty much like having a 12 mth old baby in the apartment. Think Simon's Cat!!!
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ffwDYo00Q]YouTube - Simon's Cat 'Cat Man Do'[/ame]

Again the reason I get up is to allow my husband to get some more sleep and to stop the cat making any more noise then is necessary. He only talks at this early hour of the morning.

So yesterday morning I was woken at 3am!!!!! I was really annoyed so I decided that I would put him in his cat carrier basket and lock him in it to prevent him from coming back into the bedroom,scratching doors etc.
Last night I noticed that he slept through until 6.30 this morning however when we were eating our breakfast I noticed him walk into his cat basket and do a "pee"
I couldn't believe it as he has never done this before.
I am also pretty sure that he has been spraying this morning too

So do I really need to step up to the plate and stop this behaviour.

How do I now undo the behaviour of this very cute but rebellious little kitty?

Don't you just love that Simons cat,I had the book bought me for Christmas & like the film clips you can just associate with it,makes you giggle how ever often you watch them.
Do you think he might be broken of the "habit" by the time he comes back from the cattery or perhaps that is when you will have to once again "try" to be strong & ignore him for a couple of days,just warn the neighbours & hide anyhting he could hit you round the head with....!

Oh that video is sooo funny and yes like jckkerison said very much like how it is. That is good advise. I'd use that reason to hubby for getting him a playmate ;)

I can't help... we used to lock the cats in the laundry during the night and Gryfn and Charlie are ok... they go off and wake the kids...

I love Simons cat he must be a MC

Winston's a bit young yet to start spraying I wonder if something is upsetting him maybe get a Feiliway pulg in if you have'nt got one already that may also make him chill more & sleep more, we dont have that problem with Louie he either sleeps through or takes himself off into the yard Simba on the other hand ARG! he stomps all over untill I lift the quilt for him then he goes to sleep.

Heheh, glad to see its not only me thats having / had this problem.
What I have learned is:- If they wake you, and you then go downstairs to feed them / play with them / show them attention etc... They will view this as a reward. This only leads to more 'wake ups' as they think they will get something each time woken up. I ended up having a permanent furry alarm clock for 1am & 7am and every hour inbetween.

Storvenn, the heavyweight wakeup call that he is, liked to jump onto my chest and meow into my face. I used to ignore him, but this only lead to me then getting pawd, then paw'd harder and then nipped on the ear/nose/face until I couldnt ignore him.
What Ive started doing recently (a month ago), and which is gradually working better and better is to blow gently in his face. He doesnt like it and after 2 or 3 blows either lies on the bed next to me or goes off to do 'something else'.

Now..my current problem is that sometimes during the night we awake to the now familiar sound of THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP as two cats accelerate up the stairs at mind blowing speeds, only to traverse the open bedroom door in a kamakazi like leap of faith towards our bed.
Usually ends up with my wife getting her head 'run over' in an instant as Loki, chased by Storvenn, career over the top of the duvet and then over her head, only to disappear out the door before you can say "whats the noisOW!!!".

I think you may have to think about getting him a playmate. I'm not sure what time Simba wakes up. His favourate place to sleep at the moment is in my son's room, second choice my room. Daughter has banned him from her room and shuts her door. Son throws him out some mornings as he keeps grabbing his feet, with claws But generally when I wake he is playing with Elsa or Maggie or both. When I set the alarm during the week I have to be up early and I am awake before him or the dogs - these are generally quiet mornings as they stay asleep while I have a shower and then follow me downstairs bleary eyed. It must be hard for you if you are trying to let your husband sleep and not wake neighbours but I think generally ignoring him will work best. If you hold out, he will get the idea eventually but you will have to prepare yourself for some kitten tantrums. Not sure what the peeing in his cage is - maybe he wants to make sure you don't put him in there again

Originally Posted by jckkerrison

Don't you just love that Simons cat,I had the book bought me for Christmas & like the film clips you can just associate with it,makes you giggle how ever often you watch them.
Do you think he might be broken of the "habit" by the time he comes back from the cattery or perhaps that is when you will have to once again "try" to be strong & ignore him for a couple of days,just warn the neighbours & hide anyhting he could hit you round the head with....!

I've always loved Simon's Cat, it's amazing how real it actually is

I was actually thinking that a good break in the cattery might help with his habit of getting up early. Unfortunantly we don't have a spare room to put him in at the moment. We had hoped to move to a bigger place but with the state of the Irish economy and property prices plunging, we won't get too much for our gaff. so we will have to wait for another while

Getting him another playmate is a great idea but again we probably don't have enough room for a second bundle of fluff.

Anyhow it's good to hear I'm not the only person whose kitty wakes early. Now if I can just get him to lie it until 6.30 am I'd be very happy

My 14 yr old dog is doing the same thing....................up and ready to go at 5ish!

Originally Posted by tealtree

My 14 yr old dog is doing the same thing....................up and ready to go at 5ish!

Our Holly goes off at 6am eveyday to