Cats - Behaviour Change

[Gill635]

Hi Everyone

So, I have 2 cats. 1 is 12 and the other is almost 10.

They have always been house cats, and are more than happy with being in charge. They have never even tried to go outside, so I know that’s not what’s causing my current issue.

The oldest, despite being a scaredy cat in general, is the complete boss. He’s huge (bet thinks he may be crossed with a Siamese or Russian Blue or something if that helps), very vocal and very loving.

From being a tiny kitten, he has always slept spooned into me, which is fine.

I live in a terraced house, which gets very hot. I have tower fans everywhere this time of year to keep them cool. He still sleeps with me, but will occasionally go off to lie in the bath or something. Totally fine.

I do work shifts, and some of them require me to be up at 3am. Like the rest of the world, I’ve spent the last year and a hit swinging between furlough, working, part time working, furlough etc. I get that his routine would be messed up, but I don’t know if it’s that.

For the last few weeks, he’s taken to bursting in the bedroom anytime from 2.30am onwards. He jumps on the bed, and really aggressively bumps my hand and arm with his head as if he wants stroking. If I don’t wake up fully to do it, he will tap on my face, throw things off the bedside cabinets, or rip up any paper he can find and literally throw bits at me. I know it sounds like a joke

I’ve no idea what’s causing this problem, but I’ve only had 2 mornings in the last few weeks where it hasn’t happened.

He’s showing literally no signs of sickness, there’s always food left on his and his brothers bowls (wet and dry as they eat different most of the time). They have water and clean litter trays.

Every time I’ve told him off, put him out of the bedroom and got back in bed, but he is a clever bigger and can open the doors, cupboards and drawers in the house so gets back in.

My bedroom and the lounge are the coolest rooms on the house thanks to the fans, and he still sleeps soundly in both rooms.

Essentially, between work and him, I’m bloody shattered!

Any ideas what could be causing it, or how I can train him out of it? He’s never liked being told off, but he comes barging in like an angry teenager, so I have to. It literally makes no difference!

Thanks in Advance

A very tired Gill!

[cartoonp]

Hi Gill take a look at this might help

floridawildvethospital.c...vior-can-mean/

[marypoppins38]

He sounds gorgeous. I used to have four siamese so have a real soft spot. Could it be that he is sleeping very soundly when you are at work so is waking up early and wanting to play? Especially if it is very warm during the day it could be making him sleepy then the cooker nights are waking him.It does sound like his body clock could be messed up a little.

[Gill635]

Originally Posted by cartoonp

Hi Gill take a look at this might help

floridawildvethospital.c...vior-can-mean/

See more...

Thank you! I’ll have a read now

[Gill635]

Originally Posted by marypoppins38

He sounds gorgeous. I used to have four siamese so have a real soft spot. Could it be that he is sleeping very soundly when you are at work so is waking up early and wanting to play? Especially if it is very warm during the day it could be making him sleepy then the cooker nights are waking him.It does sound like his body clock could be messed up a little.

See more...

Aw thank you! He is completely gorgeous (I’m biased) although a bloody nightmare. He’s a charcoal silver with bright green eyes, but he’s absolutely huge. On his back legs, his front paws are on my hip.

He’s a nightmare at the minute though ha ha.

Yeah, that is possible. My parents recently gave me a sofa they were replacing as mine was broke. It’s barely used, and he is beside himself with it. He literally gets on the 2 seater, stretches and doesn’t move. My days are currently much shorter (it was a 12 hour day with a total 2 hour commute), but it’s so hot here through the day that he’s lounging a lot more. He’s never really been one to play, occasionally he will go wild on a catnip toy, or chase a ball, but he looks mortified when he realised what he’s doing. Totally doesn’t know he’s a cat ha ha.

Maybe I need to try and force him to play. The problem is, the younger one will play for hours, so if he hears us, he comes running and the older one then skulks off

[Loulou127]

Originally Posted by Gill635

Aw thank you! He is completely gorgeous (I’m biased) although a bloody nightmare. He’s a charcoal silver with bright green eyes, but he’s absolutely huge. On his back legs, his front paws are on my hip.

He’s a nightmare at the minute though ha ha.

Yeah, that is possible. My parents recently gave me a sofa they were replacing as mine was broke. It’s barely used, and he is beside himself with it. He literally gets on the 2 seater, stretches and doesn’t move. My days are currently much shorter (it was a 12 hour day with a total 2 hour commute), but it’s so hot here through the day that he’s lounging a lot more. He’s never really been one to play, occasionally he will go wild on a catnip toy, or chase a ball, but he looks mortified when he realised what he’s doing. Totally doesn’t know he’s a cat ha ha.

Maybe I need to try and force him to play. The problem is, the younger one will play for hours, so if he hears us, he comes running and the older one then skulks off

See more...

I think we need a photo! ❤️❤️❤️

[marypoppins38]

My Siamese would come alive around midnight/1am without fail. One of them was obsessed with ping pong balls so would bring it upstairs and drop it on your head to throw for him. From where our bed was I could manage to lob it out of the bedroom door, bounce it off the wall on the landing and it would bounce downstairs and he would chase it. He would then bring it up and the whole charade would start again. None of mine really liked too many toys. They loved a cardboard box to play in and loved a cat dancer which we attached to one of the doors. That used to thoroughly tire them out. He sounds amazing, although I love my doggies I really miss having a cat.🥰

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Sounds like he just needs a fuss.
We've all been there.
When it gets cooler and you are back in a more normal routine he'll probably go back as before.

[Gill635]

Aw thanks so much guys, you’ve really helped set my mind at ease. Although I’ve had these pair for so long, I’ve never been a “cat person”, and have never been around cats before. I know these pair, and they know my routine, so something like this has just threw me. I blame the tiredness ha ha.

I’ve come home today - my hours have been changed again due to furlough and Covid. Joys of working for an airline ha ha. So they were a bit confused when I came home. We’ve played under the fan though and had cuddles. So far so good!

I’ll attach some pictures, the one of him lying down with his massive feet is from his first Christmas. He was 6 months old! It’s my favourite picture of him though. There’s also one of him and his little brother taking over my bed, and some of him enjoying his new couch ha ha

[Gill635]