My Cassie wakes me up by placing her front paws on any available paper in the room and tearing it with her teeth. She knows that will awaken me and I will then be able to respond to whatever she wants (food, petting, play time, whatever). If I awaken first, she will find her way to me when she hears the sound of the cat food can snapping open, or sometimes not at all. She is in charge of our flat.