Merlin is a morning coonie *yawn* and I also think he was raised by dogs

You know those Friskies commercials, the ones for their "morning" cat food that says "Cats are morning people"? I used to think that was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard...Until we got Merlin. I have never had a cat wake me in the morning for anything. The most Mandy ever does is chirp and then come up for rubs and cuddles, and she generally doesn't disturb my sleep. Merlin is a different story! He steps all over me and DH, will lay on top of us or right next to us, fussing and turning around over and over again until someone gets up to give him his breakfast. Yesterday he got right in my face and drooled on my mouth! (Merlin drools a LOT because he doesn't have any teeth). It was the same thing again today, sans drooling, and I was completely awake by 6:30am, even though I'm still on break and have absolutely NO reason to be conscious at that hour. It will come in handy when school resumes, however.

I'm also convinced that Merlin was raised by dogs. He scratches with belly with his back feet like a dog, he LOVES having his belly rubbed...like a dog, he makes strange noises that do not sound like meows (typical for MC's I know, but he howls in the basement...like a DOG!) Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to Merlin howling away at nothing in particular, the moon I guess LOL!

Hi Mandy, I think your Merlin was maybe started in a early schedule. Ginger was always fed by the OH when he got up at 4:45 and now that he is off work for recovery from hip replacement, she still wants to eat at that time. She will scratch at the door frames and lick my face and hands, new thing she does is pull my hair with her teeth. Until one of us rolls out of bed and feeds her this does not stop. Once she is up then the beagles have to go potty and its almost impossible to get back to sleep. Ginger also likes to have her belly rubbed. My beagle Rex licks his paws and washes his face like a cat, so cute. So I have a dog that acts like a cat and a cat that acts like a dog hahahaha

I jinxed myself last night! I brought a dish of kibble to our bedroom so Merlin would be less likely to bother us in the morning... He ate some and I thought he'd fall asleep. Right after he ate, Merlin started howling at the top of his lungs and racing up and down the stairs. It was around 1:30am, DH was not impressed LOL! Our 8 year old son was up early and fed him breakfast, so I was able to sleep in.
There seems to be a connection with food and howling though. He will sometimes eat, then head for the basement and howl before he uses the litter box. Perhaps it's a territorial thing? "I am Merlin Coon, hear me roar!!!"

Mandy, that is so funny! I can't imagine listening to Ginger crunch on her food all night long! :) I put a dish of dry food on the kitchen table so the Beagles don't get it. My husband was absolutely appalled by that! I am like what ever.... She still wakes us up for canned food at the crack of dawn. She runs around every morning like a crazy girl. The first time she did it,I thought there was something terribly wrong with her. But no that is just how she is. She stampedes around the house like a wild boar, running up and down the hall at full speed! She will stop just long enough to dump one of the many trash cans and move on! Gotta love the little monster!