|
|
Post by charlottelhall on Apr 10, 2013 11:28:56 GMT
Hi,
We sleep with our bedroom door shut at night (because otherwise our cat comes in during the night to play/generally wake us up). This used to work well, but recently she has started waking up around 4.30/5am (perhaps because it is starting to get light outside) and meow loudly outside our bedroom door and scratch the door until we get up and let her out. We do not have a cat flap, but we do leave a litter tray down for her (which she used to use, but doesn't since she started going outside). Does anyone have any ideas as to how we can stop her doing this (other than putting a cat flap in), as it starting to drive us crazy?
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Post by tonib on Apr 10, 2013 12:12:57 GMT
Welcome to the forum Charlotte. I hope we can help you. You may well be right about the light change being the trigger for the scratching.
I suppose the first question is how old is your cat and second how long has she been allowed out?
I know some have suggested mixing earth in with the litter to help a cat adjust to using the outside rather than the tray but I wonder if that would encourage her to use the litter tray when indoors, if that is one of the reasons she wants out.
Hopefully others may have some good suggestions.
|
|
shadrak
Newbie
Posts: 13 
Pets I own: Misfit - a black cat
Lando Catrissian - a ginger tabby
Finn - a beagle
|
Post by shadrak on May 29, 2013 16:21:28 GMT
If she's a young cat, she might need more play/exercise. If you guys wear her out thoroughly the night before, you could even leave your bedroom door open and she'll sleep through the night.
Do you guys have her on a feeding schedule? That would help with the following strategy:
Cats have a natural instinct to hunt, kill, eat, groom and sleep. If you start playing with her about an hour before bedtime, let her catch/chew on her "prey" after about 20 minutes, feed her 10 minutes after that, she should start grooming and winding down pretty soon. If she looks like she still has a lot of energy, increase the play time to 30 mins or more.
Misfit, one of our cats, wakes us up at about 5:30 on weekends, because that's when I feed them during the week. I usually wait until he stops whining before I open the door. That helps a little to break the association "I make noise - they give me what I want".
|
|
|
|
Post by munchkins on May 30, 2013 16:16:13 GMT
we had that problem with our indoor cat, so we in the end had too shut her up in another room for the night, she has her toys food water, litter tray etc, and she's used to that now, she even goes in there at the end of the day for her final feed, she's happy, also my partner works shifts so sometimes has to get up at three in the morning and she has no bother with that
|
|
wildcat
Newbie
until you love a cat you have not loved.
Posts: 45 
Animals I love: I love all animals.
Pets I own: two cats and a newfie
|
Post by wildcat on May 31, 2013 19:58:02 GMT
I know how you feel, my female cat Tilly meows at our bedroom window ( we live in a cottage no upstairs) around 5am to get in. But if she stays in at night we don't shut any doors and she just goes to sleep in her bed which is under our bed. When she wants out in the morning she nuzzles my face. Such a pest good job we love her.
|
|
|
|
Post by gladys on May 31, 2013 23:41:43 GMT
Both my cats do this odd nights at odd hours. I have to admit I ignore and just make sure there are two doors between us, we live in a bungalow so no stairs which means they are just down the hall from us. I make sure I put out all their toys before going to bed and some boxes to play with too. That usually stops it for a while. But I really do think ignoring is the best way to stop it becoming a habit??  |
|
