At wit's end

[hkellick]

I need help and I need help now.
I need to end this morning routine I'm stuck in.
Let me describe it and perhaps someone can give some ideas.

It starts either just before or just after 5 AM.
Either Mouse or Mystery comes into my room to wake me up.
If it's Mouse, he comes in with low whines, as if he's saying "I'm starving. I'm starving. Feed me."
If it's Mystery, she finds something to scratch. She's scratched posters off my walls, pins on the ground etc.
I'm sick to death of Mystery's destructiveness. It is NOT acceptable. I was squirting the shit out of her for a while, but mom got me to stop, saying I was HONESTLY traumatizing her.
So, anyways, I'm now up and dealing with one or another naughty cat.
Now if I get up and close my door, that's just as bad, because EVENTUALLY Bandit goes to the door and starts banging on it, so I still can't fucking sleep.

I've already moved their feeding time back to 5:30, which is nearly exactly 12 hours from when they get dinner.

But I am sick of the morning routine. It started before 5 today. I'm exhausted, I'm angry and I need to do something about this. Any ideas? Because I'm at wits end.

As a side note, this, among others, is the reason I'm honestly glad I'm taking Smokey and Cleo with me when I leave. I Love the others... but Smokey and Cleo I love 24 hours instead of hating at 4 AM because they won't LET ME SLEEP!!!

Comments

[doubletake.livejournal.com]

They make these things...I know you can get them at RealGoods (hippie California store which I love) and probably elsewhere but I don't know where...that can repel animals without resorting to squirting them. There's a citrus based spray that aparently smells bad to them, that you can put on furniture and stuff you're not hot on becomeing the next big thing in scratching posts, and there's those 'silent noise' units you place on an area they're not allowed (like shelves, or a door before 6 AM). My friend has used both and likes them, although she warns that the spray can mess up the wax polish on nice furniture. Or, you can place pillows in your bed, leave the door open, and sleep elsewhere for a few weeks until they get the thought into their heads that you won't feed them if they're being pills before 7. :)

[lite.livejournal.com]

I'll try the spray stuff.
As for keeping the pillows in my bed... I don't think even they are that stupid. I'm a big guy.. they'll SEE me sleeping somewhere!