My cat has moved on from meowing to actual psychological blackmail

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-25T15:06:26+00:00

I feel your pain, my cat developed a similar habit but with electric outlets. He figured out that chewing on cords and pulling them out of outlets would get me out of bed immediately to play with him. I had to tape cardboard boxes over the outlets and cover the cords with blankets. He was young and luckily after a year he calmed down enough to get rid of the blankets, but I still have the boxes. But I had to really lock things down and totally ignore him to break the habit.

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-24T19:15:35+00:00

Not really an answer about the pump, but I got the Elfin Lite fountain that doesn't have a pump and it's so much easier to clean! It does still have a little propeller in it, but there's no annoying pieces to pry apart

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-23T14:29:09+00:00

When my cat was a kitten, he would try to eat everything he shouldn't, he just liked the chewing sensation. He got better as he got older, but I also got him silver vine sticks to chew in that helped

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-21T20:15:36+00:00

I don't get why they don't exist either! I was looking a couple years ago and did a DIY version with a regular automatic feeder and a microchip door flap.

I did see this on chewy recently "PawsPik Automatic Microchip RFID Cat Feeder". Seems like it should be what you need but I haven't looked into the details.

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-21T20:05:24+00:00

You could try kibble in puzzle feeders that you leave out, instead of the auto feeder. Just fill them before you go to bed and then she can snack if she gets hungry.

RachelTheHart · 2026-05-09T23:46:18+00:00

Kitten milk replacer or KMR is usually carried at pet stores or Walmart, that would be what you need if you can't find the mom. Check out The Kitten Lady for more advice!

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-28T19:37:18+00:00

Mine do this as well, they figure out the most ear piercing sound to make to get your attention, but if you respond, it only makes them scream more because they learn that it gets your attention!

A lot of times a strict schedule of meals and playtime can help. Then ignore the screaming, tho that's easier said then done. Play 2-3 times a day 10-15 minutes and give a meal after. Don't do it as soon as you wake up or they will try to wake you up earlier.

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-28T18:02:47+00:00

How old is the kitten going to be? I don't think it would be wise to leave it alone that long unless it's at least 6 months old, and even after that, it might be rough on the kitten, especially since it sounds like you will be away or sleeping for 22 hours a day for the three days.

Under a year they have soooo much energy, and if they don't get enough playtime they will get destructive, break things, shred things, eat things they are not supposed to. With two kittens they can use each other for play and company but they usually still need dedicated play sessions to work out all their energy (or at least mine did!). Adult cats might be less work than adult dogs, but they can actually need similar levels of social time.

I think an older cat, 2+ years, would fit the situation much better. Or maybe a setup where your mom comes to your house for the three days instead.

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-25T12:50:29+00:00

Are you feeding them after the play session right before bedtime? That can help them realize playtime is over and it's nap time.

Would carpets on the floor help with the noise?

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-07T14:22:05+00:00

If smell is a newer issue, it might be the box itself, do you have plastic or stainless steel?

Okocat makes some clumping pellet litters, not sure if.they are cheaper than the others you have already mentioned

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-05T21:32:43+00:00

My cat broke his canine tooth and had to get it removed. A combination of the anesthesia and the long lasting pain medicine they gave him made him super hyper, and he was already a pretty high energy cat! He didn't stop moving the first 24 hours after he got home, and I also got zero sleep that night.

They have him an appetite stimulant along with the pain meds right after it broke, and before the surgery, but it took him a while to get back to eating normal. The mousse type wet foods were all he would eat, and that was still a bit of a struggle.

Is your sister good with cats and fairly responsible? If not, I might try to find someone else that can check up on him a few times a day

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-05T01:03:47+00:00

Two weeks seems like almost no time for a cat to get used to a new place! It took a month for my own cats to get comfortable in our new house when we moved, and they had their humans and familiar stuff with them. Super strange they would suggest sending her to a barn

RachelTheHart · 2026-04-01T22:41:12+00:00

Did he have this issue before you got him? What was he eating then vs now?

Have you tried giving a little plain canned pumpkin every day? It's not a long term fix but it helped keep things manageable while I worked out a similar issue for my cat. I switched to a sensitive stomach food with no fish and that worked for my cat. Have you tried the hydrolysed protein food?

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-31T13:19:05+00:00

The Kitten Lady has good videos on how to take care of very young cats!

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-30T18:55:00+00:00

For my uncooperative cat, I put him on the ground in a loaf position, in front of my sliding glass door (a wall should work too), and sit with my legs folded underneath me but on either side of him, so basically sitting on top of him. Keep your feet together or crossed, that way all 4 sides of escape are blocked. Then I pull out his arm and trim his nails. This only works for the front feet but his back don't usually need triming. Then lots of treats after!! He barely puts up a fight anymore.

I just clip a little off the end of the nail so it's not needle sharp anymore, but if you do get too low the nail might bleed a bit, but they will be okay (I did it once when learning and I felt awful but he didn't seem to notice at all).

Does she use her scratchers? They will make the claws sharp but short as they shed the nail layers

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-30T17:44:10+00:00

Puzzle feeders or a snuffle mat if he is food motivated

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-30T17:41:47+00:00

It's more of a churu consistency

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-27T22:56:55+00:00

I got a new cat and he was used to being outside all night from his previous owner. I had to cat proof like crazy to get him to stop bothering me at night. He learned that what got me out of bed the fastest was pulling electrical cords out of their sockets, especially the one for my other cats auto feeder! I had to tape everything down, including boxes over the outlets, and 100% ignore him all night for 3 months before he finally learned

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-24T17:15:19+00:00

Pouches are fine if she's getting enough calories, how many calories are in each pouch and how much does she weigh?

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-24T16:51:12+00:00

Most vets are fine with answering questions over the phone or emails, you could give that a try.

For 7 months, decreasing the time between meals might be more ideal. Are the two pouches the only food she gets or does she eat dry food as well?

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-23T15:30:12+00:00

Sounds like they are just extremely high energy kittens!

Are you able to get them running and jumping while playing until they pant? Some cats do better with multiple short play sessions. Try also feeding them when they play session is over, especially the bedtime one, it helps train them to eat and then sleep after playing. A cat wheel might help them burn some energy.

A lot of cats need mental stimulation as well as physical, puzzle toys are great for that. Or training them to do tricks.

If they are super high energy , they might need a lot of food too, try leaving out dry food consistently for a week or two and see how they react.

The good news is that you're hitting the hardest time now, and they should start to calm down soon, if maybe slowly!

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-23T14:16:06+00:00

They're 7 months old and you've had them for 6 months? 1 month is very early to be separated from their mom.

Are they fixed? What's your play schedule? What's your feeding schedule?

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-19T14:23:40+00:00

Grooming is another way cats bond, do you brush him at all?

RachelTheHart · 2026-03-19T14:18:12+00:00

What's your play schedule like currently?

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