It's Caturday- Post some cats (vol 3)
Discussion
[quote=BRISTOL86]Hey folks
After a bit of advice please. Dexter is settling in brilliantly with us, but is VERY vocal in the early morning when he is ready to get up (read ready to eat!)
This has so far been 4am, 5am, 5am and 4.30am !! I love him to bits but that definitely can't continue
He's sleeping on our bedroom floor, as I can't get him to use either of the different cat beds we bought for him no matter what!
This means leaving the door open as the litter tray is downstairs and if he's ever caught short he's not be able to access it. Unfortunately this also means a very early shaft of first light coming straight into where he sleeps from an uncovered window on the landing.
Options to try and encourage a bit more of a lie in?!
A) not let him sleep upstairs with us - not how I want to do it really as we love having him around us. Also I have no doubt that he'd just sit outside the door shouting at us relentlessly!
B) shut the bedroom door and hope the slightly darker environment helps. But probably means putting a litter tray in the bedroom which I'm reluctant to do (or would he let us know vocally when he wanted out?)
C) ride it out for a few weeks until he's able to come and go to the outside world from the house as he pleases, and hope that this makes a difference. At the moment he's confined to the indoors which can't be much fun. I believe he was only very recently neutered (he's 3 y/o) so this may also be a factor?
Any tips for Shouty McShoutface cats welcomed[/
You say "when he is ready to eat".
We dont let our five cats sleep together with us. That's the first thin I want to say. We need and want peace in the night. We feed them wetfood 3 times a day, and leave dryfood out for them to freefeed on. Cats cannot eat large portions and need to maintain a constant level of taurin which is essential to them. So they eat many times a day but small portions.
After a bit of advice please. Dexter is settling in brilliantly with us, but is VERY vocal in the early morning when he is ready to get up (read ready to eat!)
This has so far been 4am, 5am, 5am and 4.30am !! I love him to bits but that definitely can't continue
He's sleeping on our bedroom floor, as I can't get him to use either of the different cat beds we bought for him no matter what!
This means leaving the door open as the litter tray is downstairs and if he's ever caught short he's not be able to access it. Unfortunately this also means a very early shaft of first light coming straight into where he sleeps from an uncovered window on the landing.
Options to try and encourage a bit more of a lie in?!
A) not let him sleep upstairs with us - not how I want to do it really as we love having him around us. Also I have no doubt that he'd just sit outside the door shouting at us relentlessly!
B) shut the bedroom door and hope the slightly darker environment helps. But probably means putting a litter tray in the bedroom which I'm reluctant to do (or would he let us know vocally when he wanted out?)
C) ride it out for a few weeks until he's able to come and go to the outside world from the house as he pleases, and hope that this makes a difference. At the moment he's confined to the indoors which can't be much fun. I believe he was only very recently neutered (he's 3 y/o) so this may also be a factor?
Any tips for Shouty McShoutface cats welcomed
[/You say "when he is ready to eat".
We dont let our five cats sleep together with us. That's the first thin I want to say. We need and want peace in the night. We feed them wetfood 3 times a day, and leave dryfood out for them to freefeed on. Cats cannot eat large portions and need to maintain a constant level of taurin which is essential to them. So they eat many times a day but small portions.
BRISTOL86 said:
Thanks for that, unbelievable that people can do that. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see him licking his EMPTY food bowl and then sadly miaowing (sorry shouting!)
However on the other hand I don't want to be pandering to his every whim and he associate making a lot of noise with getting fed, as hard as it is to sit and ignore.
He seems a healthy weight and size, so I'd say he was doing ok food wise as a stray as he was only at the shelter for c. 3 weeks.
Even tough he is normal for weight and seems to be in good health, I would advice you to keep an eye on womit (if he does that ) and his poo. He has been Living a life as a stray cat, and so he could have worms thus partially explaining his constant crying for food. However on the other hand I don't want to be pandering to his every whim and he associate making a lot of noise with getting fed, as hard as it is to sit and ignore.
He seems a healthy weight and size, so I'd say he was doing ok food wise as a stray as he was only at the shelter for c. 3 weeks.
OH - A few more things Bristol
You have a carnivor animal in the house now. Canivors should not be fed with grains. So stay away from dryfood that contains grains. Grains are useless for cats and basisally just fodfolkets. Go for grainfree food. The Price for that kind of cat food is usually more exspensive (meat and animal fat is more exspensive Than grains). But in the end you' kl probably find out that he'll need less food, and use less cat litter (less pooping).
Good dryfood : such as
Orijen
Taste of The Wild
Acana
Feed him raw meat like chicken meat at least twice a week. If you give him a full chicken (incl. Bones) make sure that you freeze it first. Freezing prevents the bones from shattering. Raw meat is good for health, gums and teeth
You have a carnivor animal in the house now. Canivors should not be fed with grains. So stay away from dryfood that contains grains. Grains are useless for cats and basisally just fodfolkets. Go for grainfree food. The Price for that kind of cat food is usually more exspensive (meat and animal fat is more exspensive Than grains). But in the end you' kl probably find out that he'll need less food, and use less cat litter (less pooping).
Good dryfood : such as
Orijen
Taste of The Wild
Acana
Feed him raw meat like chicken meat at least twice a week. If you give him a full chicken (incl. Bones) make sure that you freeze it first. Freezing prevents the bones from shattering. Raw meat is good for health, gums and teeth
AMLK said:
Lily is feeling rather sorry for herself today. I took her to the vets yesterday and she has come home with a naked neck from blood tests. We get her results this afternoon, so fingers crossed. 
Results back - all bloods are fine, she appears to be very healthy. We are all a bit lost why she has suddenly lost weight. Vet thinks it might be down to stress - I was away last week leaving her in the care of my husband and daughter, first time I haven't been a home, and she is definitely MY cat!!!! Hopefully she will perk up soon. In the meantime lots of cuddles.
Thanks all for the advice, appreciated.
We have no problems with the cat sleeping with us, in fact we prefer it, hopefully he'll settle into his routine soon enough and be a little less 'hungry' (pardon the pun) for attention.
I think a lot of it is that he's so settled in terms of the amount of human contact he wants (he literally craves it - he is like my shadow, following me round at every turn!) that it's easy to forget he's only been here a few days and not a few years! In a few weeks he'll be able to go out and explore the big wide world and I'm sure that will help him with being less demanding in terms of attention.
We love to give him as much fuss as we possibly can, it's great that he's so settled with us already as I thought he'd be hiding under furniture and shying away for days!
There are no signs of worms and he has already been treated recently at the shelter for worms and fleas.
We have no problems with the cat sleeping with us, in fact we prefer it, hopefully he'll settle into his routine soon enough and be a little less 'hungry' (pardon the pun) for attention.
I think a lot of it is that he's so settled in terms of the amount of human contact he wants (he literally craves it - he is like my shadow, following me round at every turn!) that it's easy to forget he's only been here a few days and not a few years! In a few weeks he'll be able to go out and explore the big wide world and I'm sure that will help him with being less demanding in terms of attention.
We love to give him as much fuss as we possibly can, it's great that he's so settled with us already as I thought he'd be hiding under furniture and shying away for days!
There are no signs of worms and he has already been treated recently at the shelter for worms and fleas.
AMLK said:
Results back - all bloods are fine, she appears to be very healthy. We are all a bit lost why she has suddenly lost weight. Vet thinks it might be down to stress - I was away last week leaving her in the care of my husband and daughter, first time I haven't been a home, and she is definitely MY cat!!!! Hopefully she will perk up soon. In the meantime lots of cuddles.
AMLK said:
Results back - all bloods are fine, she appears to be very healthy. We are all a bit lost why she has suddenly lost weight. Vet thinks it might be down to stress - I was away last week leaving her in the care of my husband and daughter, first time I haven't been a home, and she is definitely MY cat!!!! Hopefully she will perk up soon. In the meantime lots of cuddles.
Great stuff 
BRISTOL86 said:
Another 5am furry wake up this morning 
He's lucky it is Caturday and I don't have to go to work....I swear a baby would have been less demanding
We've had similar problems over the years! It doesn't normally take long for us to be trained!He's lucky it is Caturday and I don't have to go to work....I swear a baby would have been less demanding
We have 1 cat, Charlie, who insists on waking us up between 5am and 6.30am - not for food, just attention. So annoying 'cos I know he can tell the time! He won't take no for an answer. At the weekend I tend to get up and go back to bed. We've never had much success in changing behaviour - they just never give up!
Another of our cats (we have 3) used to like to jump on and off the windowsill using my hubby as a springboard. We solved that be using temporary blackout blinds on suckers so he can't see out of the window so he doesn't bother, and the bedroom is lovely and dark.
We have tried shutting cats out of the bedroom previously - they just shred the carpet. And, like you, we love them being around.
It sounds like he's settled in really well, Good luck!
BRISTOL86 said:
Ha I did actually consider that! We get up at 6.30 on weekdays anyway so it's not a huge deal, but it'll get old fast being up at 5 on weekends I'm sure
I was lucky when I had my cat, he was far too lazy for that early morning wake up stuff.He used to sleep at the end of my bed, and I would frequently get up for work, get ready, and then be ready to go out and he still hadn't moved! Even if he did get up at the same time as me, he wouldn't make a sound.and would simply go and have a nibble before curling up back on my bed. I was very lucky to have such a considerate, and rather lazy, cat.
My Mums cat is a cracking big fellow but he really is a total nutter.
Crazy Cat by Imagine Sky, on Flickr
Crazy Cat by Imagine Sky, on Flickr
3am and 5am rude awakenings today with incessant yowling for food and attention
He's already showing a huge longing to get outside as well. I'm hoping in three weeks or so once he can go out he'll be more active during the days when he can come and go as he pleases and then sleepier at night!
He's already showing a huge longing to get outside as well. I'm hoping in three weeks or so once he can go out he'll be more active during the days when he can come and go as he pleases and then sleepier at night!
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