cat

[Tillymint]

Why does my cat wake everyone in the house every morning by plucking at the carpet on the stairs until someone hears her and gets up. This is not just a one off thing, its every morning at the same time, which is very early and still dark outside.

Can someone help as this is drivimg us insane!!

[brionyw]

My cat does that too!  I think she does it to try and announce to us blobs on legs that she's awake and would quite like some food!  I covered the stairs in orange peel rubbings (poked a pin into an orange and wiped it on the stairs) and she stopped it.  I did have to clean my carpet though so maybe a less sticky suggestion from someone else.....

good luck

B

[Tillymint]

Thanks for your reply, we dont have a cat flap, normally I get up to her and she wants fed first and then half an hour later its starts again but this time to go out.  We have tried leaving it until as late as possible to let her in at night but this doesnt work, she still wakes everyone at 5am every morning!

[Shire]

Our cat did it until we fitted a catflap, as he was doing it to get us to let him out.  Now he just comes and goes as he wants, and has learnt what time we get up, so that he can start howling for food as soon as the alarm goes off!

[Eastender]

Hi, we have 4 cats but our cats also do this, usually its at the carpet in the bedroom.  We get them all in of a night, then are woken by the scratching at the carpet, this means they want to go out.  First it would be one, then get back to bed to doze off, and another will start scratching again, its a right pain!!  No we do not have a cat flap, but I wish we did.

[Eels]

She plucks the carpet every morning because you get up when she does it!

I suggest a cat-flap and ad-lib dry food overnight, and try your best not to get up when she asks you to!

[cat woman]

Hi Tillymint, I have 3 cat's but only one cry's insistantly in the morning at 5 for our attention, its a good job I'm up for work around that time!..........   :-)

[Tillymint]

Thanks for your reply, I have tried leaving her but she just continues to pluck, she plucks for about 10 mins and then stops, almost like she is listening to see if anyone has heard and then she carrys on, we left her half an hour one morning and she just carried on until someone got up to her!  This is also the time when she want me to fuss her, she is a very unsociable cat and only comes to you to be petted in the middle of the nite were she will butt you until you are awake!

[drgnrdr]

Cats are naturally dusk and dawn hunters. You need to change the clock (their cat clock). Keep her awake during the day and after a few weeks of this she will adjust to your schedule, but she has a HABIT of this, so it's always harder to break a habit, If you can not do that then try a strenuous interactive play session with Kitty just before bedtime. Fishing pole-type toys allow you to relax in a comfortable chair while Kitty runs off some of that pent-up energy. Ten to fifteen minutes is all it usually takes to wear Kitty out. Don't stop until she is lying on her side batting at the toy (too tired to chase after it). If you still get that early morning wake-up call, Kitty will have to have her own bedroom for awhile. This is not a punishment, just an evening routine that Kitty will learn to accept. Kitty's room should be a comfortable temperature with a litterbox on one end and her food and water on the other end. A favorite bed, some toys, and a window perch (to watch the early morning wildlife) would also be nice. Give her a special food treat each time she is put in her room so that she soon will look forward to bedtime (and you will look forward to a good night's sleep). Don't react, when you don't react after awhile the cat thinks..mm this has worked before maybe I need to be more persistent...lets really get going on this carpet, until you give in, Eels is correct, don't give her what she wants, you need to not get up and do her bidding. But you must be more persistent than she is and be consistent in your response for her to learn her behavior is no longer acceptable. This is the short version, hopefully you can see what you need to do, if it's still a bit hazy let me know and maybe I can give you more detail info. if you'd like.

[helpme!]

Apparently white pepper in the carpet where they scratch does the trick.... never tried it though....

[Tillymint]

Thank you for your reply drgnrdr.  I think she does know that I respond when she calls.  She is not a kitten, she is 6 years old and we used to have a dog aswell and they got on realy well, at night they would both be locked in the kitchen together and she had her own bed.  The dog died last year and she was very affected by this, because of this though we probably spoiled her, she wouldnt sleep in her bed in the kitchen, and she was allowed to come and sleep upstairs on the bed, until the passed 6 months this hasnt been a problem, and then she started this waking us up.

[saffstar]

Well, to paraphrase the safari park ranger in the Simpsons (the episode with 'Stampy' the elephant):

"...animals are a lot like people; some of them are just jerks."

[drgnrdr]

Tillymint, glad I could help. Just start working a plan, maybe put her back in room and make sure she has everything she needs. Cats and dogs like routine, when it gets messed up, they are not sure what to do and act out, she probably was quite affected by the absense of her canine friend, and the extra attention on her really threw her for a loop. Then once she noticed doing this woke someone up, she just went to town with it. Why be up alone if she can get one of you to cater to her every need. Buckle down and get tough and get her back on track, that's the only way you all will get any sleep. Again, if you need more help just let me know.

[Brinjal]

I just leave a window open for our cat but he is somewhat portlyand sometimes meows to be lifted up to the window in the middle of the night then arrives backwith a crash sometime later.