# Early Morning Naughty Cat



## Sambalina (Dec 15, 2016)

So my cat is about 8years old. 
Every morning when my husband gets up for work at 5am it wakes her up too. 
After he has left she comes into the bedroom and starts scratching around under the bed, behind the wardrobe anywhere until I get up and feed her. Then she does it again till I get up n let her out. 
Within 10 mins of her being outside she is knocking on the door to come back in. (yes, she knows how to knock on the door) 
Bear in mind this is all before 6am. 
I can't close my bedroom door cos she starts the scratch at that. 
If my husband feeds her and lets her out. She knocks on the door then scratches round the bedroom till I get up. 
I'm at my wits end now. I'm not getting any sleep between her and the kids n she's driving me mental. 
Any suggestions on what to do?


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## Lurcherlad (Jan 5, 2013)

Can you fit a cat flap so she can let herself back in?

Will she settle with you for a cuddle when she comes back in?

Can she be restricted to the kitchen with bed, food, catflap?


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## Sambalina (Dec 15, 2016)

Lurcherlad said:


> Can you fit a cat flap so she can let herself back in?
> 
> Will she settle with you for a cuddle when she comes back in?
> 
> Can she be restricted to the kitchen with bed, food, catflap?


She's not an affectionate cat so no cuddles. 
We have a double glazed back door and don't want to put a cat flap on the front. 
If I try to restrict her movement by containing her to one particular room she howls and scratches all night


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Giving your cat some independence is the way to go. You can easily have a cat flap fitted into an outer back wall, instead of in a door. I have done this in my enclosed back porch as my door is glass, and it is fine. Took a builder about an hour and a half maximum to fit and cost about £70 in labour. It is also very easy to reverse if you were moving house - a builder would fill in the hole with bricks and mortar and then replaster that small area. 

Your husband can feed her and unlock the cat flap every morning, and close the kitchen door so she can't come and disturb you.


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## Sambalina (Dec 15, 2016)

chillminx said:


> Giving your cat some independence is the way to go. You can easily have a cat flap fitted into an outer back wall, instead of in a door. I have done this in my enclosed back porch as my door is glass, and it is fine. Took a builder about an hour and a half maximum to fit and cost about £70 in labour. It is also very easy to reverse if you were moving house - a builder would fill in the hole with bricks and mortar and then replaster that small area.
> 
> Your husband can feed her and unlock the cat flap every morning, and close the kitchen door so she can't come and disturb you.


Fabulous suggestion but I have no wall space to put a flap in! I am gonna have my kitchen renovated in a year or two so if I have a few options thank you. 
I'm also thinking that maybe I need to keep her awake more through the day. She's lazy and sleeps about 19 hours. She's unsocial and grumpy. 
If I force her to be awake eg: putting her outside more often: would that help do you think? 
I'm going to declutter the bedroom today and get rid of temptation and hopefully she doesn't find something else to annoy me with


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Cats who sleep a lot no matter what the weather's like may be bored, lonely or unwell. The fact she is 'unsocial and grumpy' with you could definitely be a sign she is unwell and at her age I would get her health-checked by the vet, including a dental check up. 

If she gets a clean bill of health from the vet, you could coax her to wake up in the daytime but only if you have the time to give her attention, make a fuss of her etc. I think to wake her up just to put her outside to sit in the cold would be unkind and pointless as it would not achieve what you want. In the summer months of good weather it might be different. 

Cats are crepuscular by nature (at their most active at dawn and dusk), so it is in fact natural for her to want to sleep in the daytime. Dusk is early at this time of year (around 4.30 pm) so you could get into a routine of feeding her at that time with a dish of tasty wet food, so she gets to know it is worth her while getting up at that time. Once she has eaten she will probably want to go out anyway for a while. 

If your hubby feeds her half her brekkie at 5 am, lets her out for a while, but gets her back in before he leaves, and then gives her the other half of her brekkie before he leaves that should keep her quiet until you get up a couple of hours later. 

Most cats are by nature very food orientated. In the wild their lives would centre basically around catching prey. So giving your cat actual meal times and feeding her tasty wet food will give purpose and structure to her day, and is a much better way of managing her than just leaving dry food down all the time as some people do. If food is always available there is no incentive for her to get up and be active at the times you want her to be.

Incidentally microchip cat flaps can be installed in glass doors, even in windows, including double glazed ones. You would be best to get a professional Sureflap installer to do it.


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## Sambalina (Dec 15, 2016)

Fabulous reply thank you. 

She has always been grumpy. It's just the way she is. Recent health check suggested she's slightly overweight but otherwise healthy for her age. 
Vet suggested putting meals out for her at certain times to control her weight rather than just having dry food down all the time, like you said, so we have been doing that for the last few months. 
I will look into getting a cat flap that will work for just her, I don't want random cats coming in. 
I have suggested to hubs that he needs to help out in the morning. I know he's up and out for work, doesn't mean I have to be especially when I have the kids all day and work night shifts too. 
You have given me plenty to think about. Thank you.


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