The Meow Solution

Oh sure, Jet looks innocent enough here, Black Blob that he is, snuggling up against the dear portly Popeye. But at 2 am he insists that one of us get out of bed and do something...let him out? feed him? What else could it be? Often we thought he just wanted us to sit on the couch so he could be petted.
I am not happy about getting out of bed at 2 am, just to pet a cat. If his meow were merely a meow, that would be one thing. Jet's meow is HUGE, DEMANDING AND LOUD.
He's a deaf 17 year old and truly loved, most of the time. Yet when I am home, busy in the studio he comes in and demands SOMETHING for hours. I can't find out what he wants, even when I beg him to speak English.
Presently, we had to buy some more cat chow, and in the bag there was a small free sample of canned cat food. I gave it to the boys and they gulped it down and I had a nice afternoon, sans demands. Being somewhat dim, I missed the big clue here.

Eventually I began to think that perhaps Jet may find crunchies too crunchy on his old teeth and he may be starving for lack of enough soft food. I decided to add water to his crunchies to soften them. That worked for a short while, but he really wanted something a little more tempting.
Three nights in a row of midnight howling and I decided to go for the gold. I went to the Jewel and bought 30 cans of cat food, plastic disposable bowls, so I wouldn't have to wash the smelly bowls, and presented the boys with the goods.
Voila!! Miracle of miracles. Not one peep during the night. I woke up at 4 worried that he died in the night...but no he was pushing the empty bowl around the floor trying to get at that last little morsel. Triumphantly I opened another can. We are very happy now aren't we Jet? I am his beloved.
I worked all day without a single complaint from him, and at five thirty he came into the studio prepared to shreik, but I raced up the stairs and beat him to it.
I'm being trained to his satisfaction.