Trouble in paradise.

The more that I'm home (which is more often now that I'm not in school) the more our cat seems to think that she controls us. She wakes us up in the morning, usually around 6am (joy!) or earlier (double-joy!); she is excessively whiney but all together much more vocal than she ever was if we're doing one activity for  a long period of time (reading a book, watching a movie, etc.) that doesn't directly involve her; she has a habit of doing what Josh calls "getting it" whereupon if something across the room tickles her fancy she'll tear-ass over to it and pounce, be it lint or string or someone's foot. I don't know what to do about this animal.

Any thoughts or suggestions about cat behavior would be much appreciated!

"Why don't you ever wanna play?

I'm tired of this piece of string.

You sleep as much as I do now and you

Don't do much of anything."