Senior Cat’s Way of Waking Owner up Early in the Morning Delights Internet

A senior cat waking his owner up before 5 a.m. with his incredibly loud meowing has left social media in hysterics, with some dubbing the cat a really “good alarm.”

The video was shared by TikTok user @iampuddingacheshirecat on June 5 and has already amassed over 970,000 views. It shows the 16-year-old cat, named Pudding, running up two flights of stairs to wake his owner up much earlier than they’d have liked. The cat’s raucous meows can be heard from a distance away as Pudding clearly isn’t afraid to make a scene once he’s up.

As aging is such a natural part of life, there are many signs for pet owners to look out for and be knowledgeable about. A study published in 2011 looked at the prevalence of behavioral problems in older cats and how cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) presents itself.

The study revealed that almost a third of cats aged between 11 and 14 develop geriatric-onset behavior problems, which then increases to 50 percent when cats reach 15 or over. The effects of CDS include confusion, spatial disorientation, dependence, eating loss, restlessness and increased vocalization. CDS can also impact a cat’s sleeping cycles, leading them to wake up during the night, being more vocal at unfortunate times and sleeping more during the day.

It’s important not to punish a senior cat for showing these signs and to nurture them through the difficulty. The animal could be in pain due to arthritis, which is keeping them awake. Perhaps their bladder isn’t quite as strong as it used to be, meaning they need to go outside more often.

If owners are concerned about their beloved pet, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends consulting a veterinarian who can offer advice or prescribe medication if necessary.

After being abandoned as a kitten in Cheshire, U.K., the senior cat is now very comfortable in his forever home and likes to keep his owner alert, regardless of what time of day it may be.

Sadly, for Pudding’s owner, this isn’t the first time the rescue cat has chosen to make such a scene in the early hours, and undoubtedly it won’t be the last. The poster has regularly shared videos of the cat’s antics and disruptive meows, highlighting how frequently Pudding causes such mischief.

Pudding’s early-morning antics have earned him many supportive followers who found his loud meowing incredibly humorous. The TikTok clip has already generated almost 1,000 comments from people insisting that he’s perfectly fine to wake his owner up so early.

One comment on the video reads, “that’s clearly cat speak for ‘GET UP, YOURE LATE,'” which amused Pudding’s owner, who replied: “He doesn’t understand we can’t just nap when we like during the day.”

Another person commented, “that’s a good alarm,” while another TikTok user replied: “Oh look out it’s zooming time.”

Newsweek reached out to @iampuddingacheshirecat via TikTok for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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