My cat meows loudly at 5am for food what can i do to break habit?

Question

My cat was a stray who lived in newsagents garden, they fed her 5am when papers came in. she was only there a while but is in habit of meowing n howling for food loudly at 5am. Shes well fed last meal at 6pm biscuits at 10pm shes got a fat belly! def not pregnant as shes speyed. How can i get her to keep quiet till i want to get up? serious advice only pls.

Answer 1

You need to train her. By getting up and feeding her you have taught her that if she meows she will get fed. Break the bad habit, it's going to be rough for a while until she learns she won't get fed but worth it in the end when she stops meowing at 5 am.

Answer 2

My cats were waking us up every morning at about 5 to 6 when they were kittens. We had been feeding them just enough for the night. By the time morning came they were determined to have more food. We started filling the bowl up so that it would last through the morning. The cats stopped waking us up and we were able to get some sleep. You just need to put some more food in the bowl before you leave for work or in the afternoon sometime and they will be fine. If that doesn't work I would consider getting an automatic feeder or if worse comes to worse ignore her until she learns that meowing won't get her her way.

Answer 3

Try leaving dry food in a bowl next to the water so if your cat is hungry she'll have food available. If she is crying for food bring her to the bowl for a week...she'll get the idea. After that, ignore her meowing for food.

I use 3/4 cup of dry food (Science Diet) in the morning before I leave for work (usually most is still there when I get home). Then I feed wet food when I get home.

Also, if you change your cats brand of food you must slowly gradute by mixing the old brand with the new brand to allow your cats stomach adjust. If you don't the cat will get sick and vomit.

Good luck!

Answer 4

You could put some dry food out for her when you go to bed. Then she can nibble on it when she's hungry.

It sounds like a "conditioned response" to me. One of my cats, who was a stray and starving when I found her, associated the sound of my voice with food. I would talk to her, then feed her. I would continue to talk to her while she ate, and afterwards, too. For the longest time, she would always run to the food dish when I talked to her in that special way.

It may take some time to modify the association, but if she has something to snack on between your bedtime and five a.m,, her belly may be full enough that she won't beg for food.

Answer 5

Well leave food out for him at night so he will have somthing to chow on. I have 4 cats and they dont meow but of you put out food they will be quiet so just try that

Answer 6

You are going to have to pick the time you want to feed her and only feed her then. The time to get the cat adjusted will be rough. Or consider changing your schedule and getting up then and doing things, glad I do not have this problem.

Answer 7

my cat does the same thing. unfortunately my family spoils her but when i'm taking care of her i normally leave dry food out for her (like the science diet pellet kind of things) but only a half a handfull normally she will eat that until someone wakes up to give her canned food. hope that helps!

Answer 8

feed your cat at a certain time every day and keep doing that then the cat will get into the habit of eating at that time.

this may take time but it works trust me

Answer 9

I could leave a helping out before I go to bed but I prefer to get up to spoon a helping of kibbles (least hassle) into its bowl. Then I treat myself to a drink of deepsea water and relieve my bladder. So I get up for kitty as much as for myself

Answer 10

i have a cat ,i feed her cat food, i keep her bowl filled at nite so she won't wake me up, maybe what your feeding your cat is not satifying ,try switching the cats food and make sure it has food all through the nite maybe that will help. i fill my cats bowl in the morning and it last sometimes two days.