Help me communicate to my kitty that I don't want to get up with her at 4am!

[eastkygal]

It is really getting bothersome. Every morning without fail she comes into our room, but she usually is already there most of the night and begins walking on my face. It's 4am! I don't have to be up until 7 or 8. She does this trilling meow like she is talking to me, and she is persistent. I put her out of the bed several times over, I shut my bedroom door (she opens it). I have locked her in the bathroom too, she opens that door after unlocking it. I had the pleasure of watching her do that little trick. I need my rest (health issues) and I don't fall asleep easily. I don't want to wake up in the mornings mad either. What can I do to get her to stop this behavior without being angry. Would using a squirt bottle be too much? I've never had a cat this determinedly smart.

[sweetjasmine]

I have a cat who recently has been meowing and waking me up at around 5 a.m. Drives me crazy! He did that when he was younger then quit for years and now is back at it. I quickly snap my fingers at him a couple of times and he'll usually shut up. Is your kitty hungry that early maybe? I make sure he has food in his dish before I go to bed but that's not usually the issue. I think he just wants me up and paying attention to him! Like he's really starving for attention during the day.

Anyway, that sounds like one smart cat. Have you tried just plunking her down to the ground (not to hurt her) as soon as you wake and realize she is walking on your face? Maybe she'll get the hint sooner rather than later. Or I think you can also try the squirt bottle, just don't squirt in her face.

Good luck to you and kitty!

[azdesertrn]

I either drop the cat over the side of the bed (gently to the carpeted floor) or resort to the spray bottle if he comes back. Mine is a 1 yr old cat who comes in to try to wake up my 2 yr old DD who co-sleeps. I am very unhappy when she gets woken up early. He now tries to make a flying leap over DH or I to get to her so that we don't wake up to stop him, so she is getting suddenly pounced on while sound asleep. It was cute when he was a tiny kitten, but he's a full grown cat now.

I can usually just shake the spray bottle at him without actually spraying it. (or shake the lavender room spray or my DH's water bottle if I can't find the spray bottle in the dark)

DD gets her revenge when the cat is napping. "Look momma, Tazzie sleeping" Approaches cat. Poke Poke. "Tazzie awake now momma! Tazzie awake!"

They get along great when they are both awake. The cat prefers DD to anyone else in the house.