tricks

[Catt31]

Arghhh!! I just posted a LONG post and it disappeared...grrrrrr!!

To make a long story short, my cat Tux (male, 6 years, neutered) has started crying and meowing at 3, 4 and 5 am. I have tried all the old standby tricks and am at my wits end. I have been a cat owner for many years and all of them have worked. With him, nothing seems to phase him!! He's driving us crazy and we are losing sleep!! Nothing has changed, his food & water bowls are always full, his litter is clean. I thought maybe he was bored because my other cat is older and doesn't play with him, so I got him some new toys. Nothing!!

Does anyone have any other tricks that might work??

I had a bunch of other details typed before, but am too tired and too lazy to retype it all!!

[chico2]

Well,no tricks,other than closing your bed-room door and get some ear-plugs.
If he is otherwise healthy,I think he has just discovered he can get you up at all hours if he mews loud enough.
Try to keep him busy a while before you go to bed,so he'll be tired,my new cat had a habit of sleeping between 5-11pm and woke up just in time for me to go to bed,hence also keeping my other cats up.Now I play with him while watching TV and it's worked,he sleeps all night in my bed together with the others..

[Lucky Rescue]

Tell me what you do when he wakes you up.

[Carina]

Buy a box of mice & let them loose in your house. Replace as necessary. That should keep him busy.

Haha! Sorry. Our cat does the same thing sometimes; he's about the same age as yours, too. I've thrown pillows at him but that doesn't work either!

I agree with Chico, he's just playing evil little cat mind domination games with us.

[Catt31]

Yep, he is liking this "Drive Mommy Crazy" game...the lil s#$@

We have earplugs!! UGH!! And we keep the door closed, but he has begun scratching at it! Plus I like it when my other cat sleeps with us, she is quiet!! I find her purring sooo soothing, it lulls me to sleep!!

We play all the time, I even wake him up when he's sleeping, just so he knows how it feels (I'm evil!) We've tried EVERYTHING!! His only saving grace some days is that he is sooo darn cute!!!

When he meows, we squirt him with the water bottle. BUT..... He has now discovered that if he stands around the corner or on the other side of the cathouse, the water won't reach him.

He has gone through these phases before, but never has one lasted this long!! He is very healthy, just had his check up!!

We only let him up on the bed when he comes up quietly...if he meows, we squirt him. So now he comes up quietly, then meows! Its like a never ending game for him...he's too smart for his own damn good!!

Thanks for your help though guys!! Guess I better get better ear plugs!!

[Catt31]

Here's a little picture of the little culprit!!!

As for the mice Carina, that thought is SOOOOOO tempting!! A little creepy but tempting none the less!! hehehhe

[homer]

This is a common one.

If the earplugs and IGNORING don't work, then a couple of blasts of water from a water bottle from under the door (make sure the cat doesn't know it's you) might do the trick.

When the cat associates a spraying with meowing and scratching, it should stop!

Best of luck,

Homer

[Carina]

Oh he looks so...innocent and sweet there!
I like those pillows in the background.

[chico2]

He's really sweet,good luck! Nite,Nite!

[Catt31]

Tried the squirting under the door, around the corner, hiding in the other room....its been sort of like playing paintball, but without the paint!! I felt like I should be wearing camouflage!!!

He is a sweetie, which is saving his cute lil butt right now!! LOL (just kidding!) He is preparing us for when we have a new puppy!!!

We had success last night...tired him out with Catnip before bed, and he didn't meow until 5:30!!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Thanks!!

PS. Carina - thanks!! The pillows are only part of the "safari" theme I have going on in my living room!! They actually came with the couch!!!

[chico2]

Carina,could not help but notice the pipes on the table,maybe your kitty inhaled too much

[chico2]

oops,sorry I meant CATT,not carina...

[wAggie]

I don't see a pic...


btw, just like a dog, ur cat will learn ur routine and calm down @ time... unless he's one of those "psycho cats"

[Catt31]

OMG, I didn't even notice that!! LOL My boyfriends buddies were over that night!! Dohhh!!!! Hope I didn't offend anyone!! Guess I should check the photos closer next time!!!

I think Tux is just a "psycho cat"...he's 6 and if he hasn't learned my routines by now, he is either REALLY dumb or just likes to be a pain in the ass!!!!

[marko]

Hi,

Just in case you didn't see it, there is a pet tip on this topic.

Here it is, although a lot of what was in the tip is in this post.

Good luck

Marko

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-43.htm

[chico2]

Thank's Marko,great site!

[chico2]

Catt31,I am sure no one was offended...I just thought it was funny,the cat with his eyes closed looked like he was somewhere in la-la land

[Catt31]

Thanks for the link marko!! I didn't see it in the tips section, guess I wasn't looking very hard!! DOH!!! What type of air compression device would you use?? That seems rather odd!!!

I guess it was kind of a fitting expression on his face considering eh?? Hmmm!!! LOL

And thanks everyone else for their tips and tricks!! Today's "alarm clock" went off about 5:10 am...so we're doing better!!! At least its not 3 am!!! Wheeeeeeeeee!!!