Why Is My Cat So Affectionate In The Morning
If you’re a cat owner, you’ve probably seen that your cat is so affectionate in the morning. It might be purring, rubbing up against your ankles or asking for breakfast in a meow that sounds as if it’s coming from inside a blender.
Why does this happen? Well, there are many reasons why your cat could be acting so friendly. Understanding why it happens will help you better understand and nurture your animal companion so both of you can start each day off on the right foot!
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ToggleCats Can Be More Active In The Mornings
Some cats are especially affectionate in the morning because they’re crepuscular. Side note: cats aren’t actually nocturnal. They’re crepuscular!
Crepuscular animals are active at dawn and dusk (the crepuscular part), rather than during the day. Being crepuscular is conducive to your cat’s natural hunting instincts. It’s how they’ve survived for thousands and thousands of years!
This is also why cats go crazy at night!
You may notice your cat has a ton of extra energy in the evenings and in the mornings. This is perfectly normal behavior!
Your Cat Is Affectionate In The Morning Because They're Hungry!
Cats are masters of manipulation. They know how to be nice to you when they want something from you. Because cats are active at dusk and dawn, this means they’ll be hungry in the morning!
It’s part of their hunting and feeding instincts. They expend energy and hunt at dusk and dawn, they eat in the morning, and they can nap all day on a full belly.
Your cat is affectionate in the morning because they want you to feed them!
Your Cat Wants You To Return The Affection In The Morning
Cats are famous for their affinity toward humans, but they don’t only display affection when they need something. Cats can be very affectionate at times, such as when they’re feeling stressed or anxious. Sometimes cats might just be happy that you’re awake!
Cats are known to be appreciated by many people because of their loyalty and love toward owners, but there are some cats who show a little more affection than others. Some cats are very obvious with their affection. Other cats are subtle with it. As long as your cat is happy and healthy, they are showing you affection in their own ways.
Oftentimes they do this in the morning when you first wake up because they haven’t been able to hang out with you all night since you’ve been asleep!
You've Been Sleeping All Night And Your Cat Is Bored
A cat that is affectionate in the morning may be bored and seeking attention. Think about it.. you’ve been asleep all night and your cat has had no attention. You’re now awake and they’re happy to see you and want to get attention from you!
(Most) cats are very intelligent and require mental and physical stimulation . This might cause them to become bored when they wake up in the morning and want some interaction before going out for the day. You can mitigate this by ensuring your cat has plenty of stimulating toys to play with! Just don’t leave any stringed or feathered toys out for kittens unattended!
It is important to remember that some cats are more active than others. Those cats that are more active may require more playtime and more enrichment. It also helps to play with your cat before your bedtime!
If they seem less active than usual (such as sleeping on top of you), you may need to take into account other factors such as illness or age before making any drastic changes (e.g., adding walks).
Why Does My Cat Wake Me Up So Early In The Morning?
Cats are AMAZING at training their humans. Whether you realize it or not, your cat is training you. Even the laziest cats with seemingly no personalities are still training their owners in one way or another.
Your cat wakes you up so early in the morning because they’re trying to train you to feed them and/or give them attention on their terms. It’s possible your cat meowed and woke you up early one morning, saw how you responded, and decided that they were going to keep waking you up for more food and more affection from you.
How Do I Stop My Cat From Waking Me Up So Early?
Your cat isn’t waking you up just to be a jerk. They’re waking you up because you provide them with food and because you provide them with entertainment. Here are a few steps you can take to mitigate this behavior:
- Have a very busy play session right before you go to bed to help tire the cat out.
- Feed your cat right after the busy play session mentioned above.
- Ignore your cat’s attempt to wake you up. Don’t roll over and fuss at them, don’t get up and move them, just 100% completely ignore them.
- Positive reinforcement works VERY well with cats!
Getting your cat to stop waking you up early takes time, so don’t expect results overnight!