Alarm Clock Kitty
How to Stop
Early Morning Meowing
 

Our initial reaction, after caving in and feeding her several nights/early mornings in a row, was to put her in the laundry room before my wife and I went to sleep at night. This, however, was not the best solution in the world, our cuddly little black mass didn't seem to like it very much and after a while she wasn't the warm and cuddly cat we knew before.

There must be another solution to this dilemma. Fortunately, there is. What your cat is, is what has been termed as an "alarm clock kitty", what that is, is a cat that wakes up very early (or stays up very late) and begins to meow at approximately the same time every single, bloody day in expectation of being fed. Unfortunately for those of us who enjoy sleeping at night this is a natural behavior in cats and while the problem may not happen to every cat owner it happens to many. So what can you do? Even though cats have been domesticated animals for thousands of years now dating back to ancient Egypt, they still have retained most of their wild instincts and this is a cat's natural instinct; hunt and feed. Cats are predatory animals, they hunt, and the cat's natural time to hunt generally falls between dusk and dawn because most of the prey they hunt are nocturnal (rats, mice and other rodents).

So, if you can't or don't want to let your cat out at night to hunt on her own what

should you do? Training your cat to stop this behavior may be fairly easy, but be warned, it will take a little patience on your part but a good night's sleep may be the reward. What you need is a cat toy, preferably a mouse or something similar, a piece of string and a stick. Attach the cat toy to a string and the string to the stick. While you are watching your bedtime TV -- or doing whatever your before bedtime ritual is -- take your cat toy and play a hunting game with her. Cats love to chase things because of their hunting instinct. Play with your cat for about 15 minutes, enough time to tire your cat out and give her the satisfaction of having hunted. During your game create as realistic a hunting scenario as you can, make noises like a mouse (or whatever animal you are emulating) squeaking or scurrying through the brush. Let your cat catch the toy from time to time so that your cat will feel as if she was involved in a successful (rather than a frustrating) hunt. Towards the end gradually slow down the game drawing your little hunt to a close. Your cat will probably be sufficiently tired by this time. At the end of the game feed your cat something you know she likes. You don't need to feed her a full sized meal, but feed her an amount sufficient enough to satisfy her hunger. A handful of cat treats or a little piece of left over pork chop may be sufficient. Then go to sleep. In all likelihood your cat will be satisfied and will not continue her ritual of waking you up every morning.

You may need to continue your hunting game with your cat for a week or two

before the early morning meowing goes away, and even after it does its a good idea to play this game with your cat from time to time in order to keep the behavior from returning and to keep your cat feeling like an accomplished hunter. But if you follow this routine you should be able to satisfy your cat and get a little shut eye at the same time.

Andy Markison is an illustrator, graphic designer, animal lover and pet owner living in Germany. His website, ZapGraphix.com, sells fun and humorous pet related merchandise