Getting circles under my eyes.

[silverweb]

It's a conspiracy, but for what I don't know.

I have 4 cats:
Sudi, a 1-year-old male;
Isadore, a 1-1/2-year-old male;
Sable, a 2-1/2-year-old female; and
Mischief, an almost 18-year-old female.

The three young ones had me up early again. I'm not sure why, but they started it early this week. What has been occurring at 7 a.m. each day is this:

-- Sable sits on my chest, puts her face close to mine, and meows with her little baby-girl mew until I open my eyes and then gives me her gorgeous emerald, slant-eyed "smile";

-- Izzy gallops repeatedly around the bedroom, including thumping over the bed and me in his circuit; and

-- Sudi wraps himself around the top of my head, plants one paw on my forehead and snuffles in my ear, which tickles like crazy.

Mischief leaves me alone, but probably only because she's sleeping herself.

I've tried rolling over and putting the pillow over my head, but it doesn't help.

Sudi reaches his paw under the pillow and flexes his claws, and tries to stick his nose under, too; Sable just sits on whichever side of me is up and keeps mewing; and Izzy seems to suddenly get 5 pounds heavier as he gallops over me.

Once I'm up, they all move out to the living room and go to sleep, proving that they don't just suddenly want to be fed at 7 o'clock. It's some kind of evil feline conspiracy, but I'm not sure what the point is.

I have been getting more accomplished earlier, so I guess that's okay, but I've also been getting sleepy during my evening work shift. For someone who doesn't go to sleep until 2 a.m., this is not a great schedule.

Any ideas about what this felonious feline fellowship may be up to are welcome.

:silly:

[Why Syzygy]

1. Do you play with them after you get home from work?

Get them UP at 2 AM?

[silverweb]

2. I work at home, but on a regular schedule.

When I'm at my computer with the keyboard on my lap, they know I'm working (or on DU, but I don't tell them that! ;) )

They have 24-hour access to a fenced, cat-safe yard with both sun and shade. They have a fountain and dry food available at all times, and are fed a little bit of canned food twice a day on a schedule. We have plenty of interaction and play and lap time, pretty much on the same schedule every day. When they're not sleeping, they follow me everywhere -- inside, outside, even to the bathroom.

I generally read between about midnight and 2 a.m., and that's when they usually would do their crazy running around, playing chase and whatever. When I'd wake up around 9:30 or 10 a.m., they'd be asleep, too, and would get up when I did. That was until this past week, when this 7 a.m. thing started.

It was funny the first couple of mornings. Now I'm almost ready to kill for an uninterrupted 8 hours of sleep.

I know they talk to each other at a frequency I can't hear. They act in concert too often not to, even out of line of sight and from different rooms.

This morning thing is definitely a coordinated effort, but I don't understand why the radical change in schedule -- and especially then going to sleep themselves after they get me up.

If I could just go back to sleep again, it wouldn't really be an issue -- but I'm trying to figure out why they're doing this. Otherwise, they're just as affectionate and playful as usual. The morning wake-up conspiracy is the only change.

Maybe I need a kitty psychic... :D

[Why Syzygy]

3. lol..

It's funny, that's for sure.

[silverweb]

4. True.

These guys are worth a fortune just in entertainment value, though I must say I appreciate the humor in this situation much more after a post-lunch siesta -- and it occurred to me this morning that that may be the point.

For the past couple of days, instead of working while they nap in the afternoon, I've started taking an afternoon nap before work... and they all pile into bed with me, nesting around me, happy as can be.

Maybe that was their plan all along??

[silverweb]

5. By the way...

I love that you have the Care2 click-to-donate page in your sig line -- and somehow don't think you'll mind if I steal the idea and add it to mine. :D

On edit: I just need to pick a new sig quote and work on the arrangement a bit... lol

[Why Syzygy]

10. Please do!

Any help is appreciated.

[yellerpup]

6. What we do to solve this problem

is put the cats out of the bedroom and shut the door. ;)

[silverweb]

7. HA!

You think so, huh? :rofl:

[yellerpup]

8. Or, you can wait until they all get middle aged

and know how to work you better!

[silverweb]

9. Right.

I've already adapted, as one of my earlier posts notes.

The path of least resistance dictates that my adaptation is greatly preferable to the scratching and yowling that would follow closing any interior door, especially if I'm on the other side of it.

I'm now taking a siesta between lunch and starting work, which seems to please all concerned. It would seem that may well have been their goal all along.

Who says "dumb" animals can't plot and plan ahead??? :D