Wake up tactic today was AWESOME. I am awesome.
For the first time ever, I decided to incorporate the dresser into my wake up strategy. Normally I don’t make the effort to get up there. It’s pretty high. But, the staff had some boxes stacked up next to the dresser so of course I’m going up there. Right? Right.
Once I was up there, I realized – OMG – it’s the perfect avenue straight to sleeping staff! It was a little far but I was pretty sure I could make it.
And so, I jumped.
Flew through the air.
Reached out my paws.
And….THUNK!
Landed right on the staff’s hip and stomach.
You should have seen the look on her face! It was incredibly amazing. Again, I’m awesome. She was so surprised that there was no way she was going to deny me BREAKFAST. And she did not!
Shortly afterwards…Pugsley and I were going nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom!
Humans, how did your managers wake you up today?
Cats, any good tips for wake up strategies?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Romeo
I just found your blog – love it!
I like to wake my female staff by jumping up onto the bed at 6am every morning (without fail). First I will meow right in her ear. If she’s lying on her back I will walk and/or lie on her tummy. She tries to ignore me, but then I will paw at her arm or face (whatever is nearest). I start gently, but get my claws out if I don’t get a response! *scratch*
Sometimes she will roll over to try to ignore me, but then I just start pawing at her lovely long hair, kneading to get some good knots. She can’t *stand* that one!
I repeat any of these tactics until she finally gets up to feed me breakfast.
Good morning! nom nom
Clarence
>^,,^<
That is a great plan Romeo. We love to jump on the bed any time of the night and wake the Mom up. We jump from a bureau that is a little ways away, so the bed really shakes and wakes her right up. But she doesn’t always get up to feed us. We usually can’t get her out of bed until 5 AM. We like your technique Romeo.
Well, I don’t wake up staff – she wakes ME up! Sometimes I just wait until she gets to the top of the stairs and then like a flash I run from the bed, down the hall and down the stairs before she gets to the bottom. She is such a sore loser! She always says “you have four legs and I only have two so it is not such a big deal that you win because you are twice as fast!” Sometimes breakfast is delayed while she feeds the stray outside, but I just make up for the delay by eating like the wind and taking the food out of one of my siblings dish. Pretty smart of me, huh?
Wow! This is genius!
My boys really slacked off today- they let me sleep right through my alarm! I might need you to come school them, Romeo!
A few that have always worked for me are blowing my breath right in my Mommy’s ear, jumping on her head while she’s sleeping & throwing up a hairball right by the bed. They work everytime!
I usually wake my mama up with running up and down her at 50 miles an hour but this time I decided she probably could use the delicate approach this morning. I came up right next to her cause daddy went to work this morning early laid down next to her and started to paw at her nose. Best idea ever! she woke up smiled and breakfast was served. Tomorrow morning however Thundercat action will be in full force!
The girls have asked me to report that Tinky was in charge of wakeup tactics, as usual. She sat by the human’s belly and purred and meowed until staff opened their eyes. Once the human got out of bed, Ella made sure to look very beautiful, and breakfast was served to their majesties. Everybody wins!
P.S. Forgot to mention that I have a Persian sister named Opal. My staff thought your staff would like knowing that. She’s a rescue, too, just like us! Opal and I joined our new family about the same time. We came from the same rescue group. We’ll write later and tell you more if ya’ want. Carry on! Your pal, Tig
Hi, Romeo! My name is Tigger. (Such an original name for an orange tabby cat, I know…. NOT!) Tigger is the name my former staff gave me before she decided to return me to the rescue group that saved me the 1st time…after 10 years. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just a new male staff was coming on board, and he was allergic to me—or so my former female staff says. (Personally, I think she was getting rid of the wrong fella.) Anyway, old staff packed me up and returned me—just like that. I didn’t know what hit me. I was so confused. My new staff says it was their loss and her gain, as I have never been ANY trouble to her AT ALL. (I’ve been on my best behavior, don’t you know. Don’t want to mess things up here. As it turns out, I’ve got it pretty good in my new digs—maybe even better than before!)
The only things my new staff doesn’t care for are my wake-up tactics. Or, at least she claims she doesn’t care for them. I think it’s more a matter of she and I just getting used to each other. I am at a bit of a disadvantage, you see, because I am part Manx. Thus, no tail. Nadda. Zip. Zero. Zilch. I look like a rabbit from behind. It’s kinda’ cool actually—unless you want to wake up your staff for breakfast. Then it’s not so cool, as my lack of a tail does put me at a slight disadvantage, compared to dudes like you and Pugs. So since I cannot swish my tail in my staff’s face to get breakfast, I have had to get creative. Reading your blog has given me some new ideas.The dresser tactic you implemented today rocks!! I’ll definitely have to try that one sometime soon.
This morning, I sat on the pillow next to my staff’s head and stroked her face with my paw. Nothing. I did it again. Nothing. I stepped around her head and over to the nightstand. Knocked off a few things. Nothing. Went into the master bathroom (the door is very close to staff’s bed), and knocked off a small plastic bottle. Again, nothing.
Returned back to bed and decided to summon my inner Romeo. **What Would Romeo Do?** Voila! Got it! I’ll sit on my staff’s face. I may not have a tail, but I do have a nice little puff of fur that, if placed just right (this is key), this would surely get my staff’s attention.
It worked!! Breakfast for me and my three siblings was served in a flash.
Thanks for the inspiration, Romeo!
Rock on, dude.
Your pal,
Tig
What a wonderful gift you are to your new staff. I recived by Tiffie the same way. She was 11 years old and the new husband said out with the cat. It truly was his loss and my gain. I had Tiffie for another 9 years. I will never understand how you would give up a cat that old. But kudos to the new staff.
I may be 10-years old, but I still got it going on!
I do sleep a lot during the day, but what cat doesn’t—even the young ones? I ask you! But I am also very playful still. No retirement home games for me. I can still keep up with the young crowd!
I have this thing my staff bought for me and my sisters that has something I can scratch on in the middle (I think it’s made out of something called “cardboard”), and this awesome BALL that LIGHTS UP and spins on a track when I hit it. It’s spectacular! I feel like a kitten again whenever I interact with it. Sometimes I get it going and almost can’t stop. It’s so much fun! My staff is pretty good at it, too. Anyway, I digress….
It is wonderful to have a new home where I am loved by one and all. I feel younger than I used to, and the rescue group has commented on how much younger I look now, too! They say I look younger and have life in my eyes again. Sappy bunch, huh?
It is amazing what love can do.
To all the staffs out there willing to give seniors like Tiffie and me a second chance: THANK YOU.
Oh, staff wants to tell you that she does’t understand how anyone could give up a cat, either. And that she sends kudos back at ya.
And just so you all know: I plan to be around for a while more. Yes, I do. -T.
Oh…my staff thought you’d like this info: I was supposed to be a foster. But my new staff found she couldn’t part with me after all. So I’m what is referred to as a “failed foster”.
The Kid (Sammy) and Dru took point this morning, after my eviction yet again at 3AM for asking for food at sleep time. The two of them cuddled right up to Mama and applied Thunderpurr®. They can really knock it out of the park when they want to! So breakfast was served at the regular time… 4AM.