I adopted a cat a few months ago. She's around 7 years old. She's a bit overweight so we're watching what she eats and all. The only problem we have with her is that she'll meow at 6 o'clock in the morning until she gets fed, which is usually around 7:30. It's difficult to sleep with non-stop meowing and it seems as if the routine feeding time isn't soon enough for her. Although we can't jump out of bed to spoil her either. Anyone else ever have this problem? Can the meowing be stopped?
2006-08-20 08:10:49 · 28 answers · asked by sales 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
You need to find her alarm clock and reset it! Ha! And thank you for taking an older cat, giving it protection and love.
Like all cats she is "training" you to get what she wants, when she wants it. Is the bedroom door closed at night?
You have to train the cat. This means you NEVER get up or open the door when she meows. If you do it even once you are giving her the most powerful reinforcement you can for this behavior -- intermittent reinforcement! Psychology has proven this by experiment.
Cats are devils with their insistence on getting their own way. It's a hell of a time to go through and ignoring her demands will make you the "winner" in the end.
2006-08-20 08:26:08 · answer #1 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I will ignore the cat until I am ready to feed it. It might take a few days, but she will learn. Because if she can meow and make you feed her in the morning then she will start doing it at other times of the day. I divide the amount up into two portions and feed after I get dressed in the morning and when I get home from work. Good luck.
2006-08-20 08:16:51 · answer #2 · answered by bcringler 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I also have a seven-year old cat. I feed her about 2 oz. of can food everyday when I come home from work. I also leave water and dry food all day so she has something to snack on when she gets hungry. Seven-year old cat is considered senior, so you should give her food labeled "senior". Her meowing should stop as soon as she gets adjusted to the new feeding schedule.
2006-08-20 09:39:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes i will try to help you your cat seems a bit old at 7 years so i cant say she's in heat!!
you say she's a bit over weight she may naturally just be that big and i would not try to change this - If there is nothing medically wrong with her and if there is no concern by the animal's doctor (veterinarian)! If she has been seen by one.
here is what many suggest!!
Always have dried cat food handy for them! and plenty of fresh water!
and it may be that night and a new home and new people is what has here howling or she just may miss y'all and is frightened til she sees yall up and about!
So many things could be going on!
I have 2 cats and they drive me Mad and i love them both!!
yea!
everything takes a little love and time and this too shall pass!
2006-08-20 08:27:48 · answer #4 · answered by wise 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would feed her just before you go to bed. I would give the cat one day's supply of food, so there would be only one feeding per day. She will probably not want more food until midday and she can learn to wait. You should be able to get a full night's peace and quiet.
Be sure to use food for fat old cats, so she doesn't gain any more weight.
I did this with my cat and it worked fine. Of course I had to put the food dish high up so my dog wouldn't get it. We had a high and wide window ledge where our cat liked to look out at the world.
2006-08-20 08:22:28 · answer #5 · answered by James S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry but it does sound like a joke. Kill it the night before.....
You are being trained cats are not stupid they pick people they can manipulate. Recent lived with a couple who had been trained by their cat in the same way. If they went away and I had to feed and control the outside time she only twice tried to get me to do what she wanted. She needs to know that you are in control. The man in the couple is very possessive of the house as he is building it himself. The cat wants attention she sharpens her claws on the exposed studs does not do that with his wife or myself she knows it does not work.
it is not just negative reinforcement it is that you have to be in control and the cat needs to know it. It is not a partnership. the two humans need to communicate so that one gives in and does not tell the other, the cat will use that leverage.
2006-08-20 08:37:52 · answer #6 · answered by IRISH 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could consider getting a new cat.
You could lock your cat somewhere where you couldn't hear it meowing.
I wouldn't suggest hurting the cat or cutting out its meower although you may want to.
You could feed it dinner later and later and change its schedule so that maybe you feed the cat before bed and you don't get woken up by a hungry cat in the moring.
2006-08-20 08:19:15 · answer #7 · answered by Nicholas C 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Feed her just before you go to bed. Then, hopefully, she won't be asking for food at 6am. You just need to adjust her schedule around you and your family. Keep in mind that cats meow for various things, happy, sad, hungry, scared, lonely, etc, etc. So she could be meowing for attention and not food...
2006-08-20 08:30:40 · answer #8 · answered by ohiochik28 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Buy an automatic feeder that will open at her desired breakfast time and fill it with a small amount of food. Most cats, even the heavy eaters, will be content with a light snack and will leave you alone in favor of a predictable after-breakfast nap.
2006-08-20 08:20:08 · answer #9 · answered by My Evil Twin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was going to say that she will stop by herself, but apparently it doesn't work since you don't feed her. It happenes to me with my mum's cat: she used to wake her up at 6 (or even before) to feed her. She did that to me once. I didn't realise how early it was. I just ignored her the second time! She stopped. Maybe you can try to wake up, look at her, say "NO", and go back to bed! That's what I did!
PS: I love cats, but there's no way I'm going to wake up early just for them!
2006-08-20 08:18:56 · answer #10 · answered by Offkey 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋