Changing the clocks? Pfft! Cats set the time
31.10.2025
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Darina Schweizer
I always used to enjoy turning the clocks back in autumn and getting an extra hour of sleep. But since I’ve had cats, it’s been a real nuisance.
«Meow!» Jasper the cat howls at me in annoyance as I walk past the kitchen. The message is clear: he’s hungry. «It is, indeed, high time, subject,» his accusing gaze tells me. «I’m on the verge of starvation here. I already see a light at the end of the tunnel…»
I switch on the kitchen light and look at the clock: it’s seven. One whole hour before he’s usually fed. So what’s with all the drama? Joy the cat is also chirping like a timer going off. And as it’s already starting to get light outside, it dawns on me: it’s because the clocks changed last weekend.
A curse for pet owners
I’ve often heard that putting the clocks forwards and back is a problem for livestock owners – especially farmers (page in German). They sometimes adjust their feeding and milking times in small increments a long time in advance. Otherwise, the abrupt time change can cause stress, especially in dairy cows. They could even produce less milk for a short time.
However, I wasn’t previously aware the time change could also be a problem for pet owners. I didn’t notice any changes when the clocks went forward in March. That’s no surprise: a bowl that’s filled earlier is no reason for a feline uprising. But, if the food arrives too late...
Jasper also loudly expresses his displeasure at lunch and dinner. The advantage of having fixed feeding times turns out to be a disadvantage after the clocks are changed.
Why not just leave it alone?
The animals aren’t the real problem. After all, these creatures of habit have a very precise internal clock. Jasper knows – almost before my kitchen clock – when a new hour begins. This is when he stands like an apostle at the kitchen door and proclaims the message of his people: «Don’t follow the clock, follow us!».
How do your animals react to the clocks changing? Let me know in the comments.
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love everything with four legs or roots – especially my rescue cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. I’m happiest following the scent of stories about police dogs and cat groomers – or cultivating thoughtful tales in garden flea markets and Japanese gardens.
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