waking in the middle of the night demanding affection

Hi everybody,
I hope this is the proper section for this comment/question as it is a behaviour issue not a health issue. But I am posting it here in case some else has seen a similar behaviour which could be atributed to diabetes. My Kitiara is 13, a female and her crazy night years were LONG gone. By the end of her young years she started to adopt a a more "human" circadian cycle and started to play more during the day and sleep at night. However out of the blue about 4 months into the diabetes diagnoses she started crying in the middle of the night and demanding affection while eating (at 3AM she wants me up with her and petting her while she eats).
Has anybody heard or sean of any similar cases? Could it tangencially linked to diabetes? Or maybe it was just me inadvertedly rewording this behavoiur and now it is just a matter of managing her expectations. I don't know if in a was it clasiffies as separation anxiety because if she is awake and i'm not in a way I am not with her. Ideas thoughts and experiences are appreciated. Regards

 

Sometimes, this starts with cats as they get older. My Willow wakes me up to love on her multiple times every night. It's exhausting, but I can't bring myself to turn her away. I love that little girl so much, and who knows how much time I have left with her; she is 16. She starts kneading on me and expects me to pet her - non-stop. If I stop, she will meow loudly. If I do not respond appropriately, she will tap my face with her paw. It's really cute and funny, if only it was not so tiring. She NEVER did anything like this until within the last year. (She does not have diabetes.)

I have seen others post about their cats crying out and/or wanting their human to be with them when they eat. You may be able to search and find some of those. I'm sure others will comment as well.

 

Hi thanks so much for taking the time to reply. And you are right Willow's demands do sound cute and adorable. Isn't it funny the things we do for them? It makes me sad to think it is age related I am in such a huge denial about Kitty's age. I am glad to hear Willow is doing so great and with such a caring mama at 16
As of tonight I will bring Kitiara's food bowl to my room at night so at least I will not have to go to the kitchen when she wants petting during her night snacks. Same here it is particularly exhausting because it happens more than once it's like having a baby! But she is lovely and adorable too! Regards to you and willow and thanks

 

Jade also....middle of the night affection demands. Tiring, but so sweet!

 

My current kitties do it around 3/4 am when they get hungry. (but they've always been like that)
My older kitty (passed) started going/was def. So he couldn't hear himself so he'd CRY all night long as loud as he could. I'm not sure if something else was going on with him. Sometimes getting up and loving him would help calm him but other times it wouldn't.
So it might just be an age thing.

 

Phoebe does this now too. It's been a year of the sugar dance, but she is only 12. It is so cute. The little devils.they know it. I usually get up and feed her. Rewarding the behavior I know. So yeah she's got me trained too.

 

Baby usually begins meowing at me & stepping on me around 4:30-5:30. Sometimes it’s for more food & other times she wants to go outside. I leave food (freeze about an hour before bed) then it thaws so she can eat whenever I’m not awake yet. Sometimes she’s eaten all of that & wants more, so I sleepwalk & feed! If it’s after 5:30, she hears the birds & wants to go out! If she doesn’t stop buggin me, I just get up & start my day. No amount of petting, loving will do! I wish she did want loving!! I would probably love that! (Sometimes) But no... feed me & let me out...very vocal!