The Oak Court Cats are early risers; usually awake long before I get out of bed around 6 in the morning.  I don’t even know if they sleep throughout the night.  With their strange sleeping patterns (cats average 16 hours sleep within a 23 hour day), these guys are up and down all night.

Regardless of the fact they are not on the same sleep cycle as the human inhabitants here, they expect to be fed when the first human wakes up in the morning.   It’s as if they assume the human gets out of bed just to feed them.  If they don’t get fed, they take it upon themselves to make noise, create havoc and wake someone up.

This morning was no different.  I worked late last night and decided to sleep in.  I didn’t set the alarm clock.  Never gave it a second thought.

They did.

At 6:05 Missey hopped up onto the pillow.  a few minutes later the Predator, who was sleeping on my bureau, jumped off and onto my legs. The tabby followed a few minutes later, chased in by the big guy.  At 6:15 I gave up, put the glasses on and got out of bed.  The four of them followed me out to the kitchen and waited patiently as I cleaned the bowls and filled them with  wet food.

It’s the daily routine; doesn’t change at all, day in and day out.  It’s been the routine for over 18 years now.   I don’t know what happens when I’m not here;  not sure who they wake up.

Now, just in case you might think that the switch to daylight savings can put them off their schedule, you’re wrong.  I need to find out which of them can read the clock.  A few weeks ago, on the morning of the time change, they were just fine, waiting for me at the appointed hour.  Scary, isn’t it.

So, when I go to bed tonight, I’ll not set the alarm.  I know the feline alarm clocks will wake up up for breakfast.  Now, if I could only teach them how to make the coffee….

John