How long would you leave a cat home alone for?

Artytarty

Maya on is a bet and he has to leave his own cat alone for up to thirty hours sometimes. He is fine. One large litter tray will suffice and he leaves fresh food and water out put additional food in a timed realise feeder. Cat truly doesn't seem to care!

FreeBear

I've left mine home alone for 24 hours. A bowl of dry food, plenty of water, an a fresh litter tray. She didn't come to any harm during that time - Also a very timid cat that will hide as soon as anyone comes to the door.

GwylimT

noelphobic wrote: »

If I didn't leave her alone for longer than 4 hours then I wouldn't be able to go to work to pay for her food, toys, litter, insurance and vet fees!

4 or 5 trays for a 24-30 hour period? How often do you scoop/clean/empty your litter tray? I generally scoop once a day and empty/clean/refill once or twice a week.

Everytime she uses it, you wouldn't flush a toilet once a day, so why should an animal be given a dirty toilet. We both work, we employ a pet sitter as otherwise we couldn't have animals as they would be alone too long.

Fosterdog

I would say it depends on the cat, growing up I had some cats that would cope well with on rare occasions being left and other that would get very stressed after the usual working/school day if they didn't have human company.

missbiggles1

GwylimT wrote: »

No, animals should not be left for long periods, the longest ours is left is four hours, in which case we put her in her room where she cannot get tangled in wires eg fairy lights and harm herself.

We have a pet sitter come in daily during the week to feed her and keep her company. If we went away for the night we would hire a live in sitter if a friend was unable to do this.

Not only will she be lonely, she would need four or five trays, otherwise she would be forced to use a very dirty tray.

I think that's really excessive. You could hardly go anywhere if you didn't leave a cat for more than 4 hours and heaven knows what's wrong with her tummy if she's getting through 4 or 5 trays in one day!

Don't you let her out?

kazwookie

Mine gets left for up to 12 hours per day, depending on mine and OH's shifts, he is fine, he sleeps, we leave food and water.

Any longer and we ask a neighbour to pop in and check, if we are away on holiday, then neighbour comes in at least twice a day.

catkins

Whilst I never leave my dogs alone for more than 4 or 5 hours I do occasionally leave my cat. The dogs have to be let in the garden and/or walked in order to pee and poo. The cat has a litter tray. The dogs also like far more attention during the day than my cat does. She just tends to sleep.


A couple of weekends ago I left my cat over a weekend as me and OH were going away for something that couldn't really be cancelled and I just could not find anyone who would come in and feed my cat and change her tray. I did have someone but something cropped up so they couldn't and that was the morning we were going.


I left 2 trays, a bowl with 2 pouches of wet food, 3 bowls of dried food, a bowl of treats and 2 bowls of clean water. When I got back the wet food had gone, some of the dried had gone and a small amount of water. The trays weren't that bad either.


It's not ideal leaving them but I feel they cope much better than a dog would and as long as it is not a constant thing

missbiggles1

catkins wrote: »

Whilst I never leave my dogs alone for more than 4 or 5 hours I do occasionally leave my cat. The dogs have to be let in the garden and/or walked in order to pee and poo. The cat has a litter tray. The dogs also like far more attention during the day than my cat does. She just tends to sleep.


A couple of weekends ago I left my cat over a weekend as me and OH were going away for something that couldn't really be cancelled and I just could not find anyone who would come in and feed my cat and change her tray. I did have someone but something cropped up so they couldn't and that was the morning we were going.


I left 2 trays, a bowl with 2 pouches of wet food, 3 bowls of dried food, a bowl of treats and 2 bowls of clean water. When I got back the wet food had gone, some of the dried had gone and a small amount of water. The trays weren't that bad either.


It's not ideal leaving them but I feel they cope much better than a dog would and as long as it is not a constant thing

In an emergency, even dogs cope.

My husband was very ill in hospital recently and I had to stay with him and didn't have the chance to get them into kennels. I left the back door open and friends came in a couple of times a day and when I got home 3 days later they were fine.

Obviously not ideal, but needs must.

Mrs_pbradley936

I think the cat will be fine.

chez22

My cats are fine to be left overnight, or occasionally even two nights. As long as the litter trays are clean, there's plenty of dry food and extra water bowls cats will be quite happy to be left. If the weather is going to be cold I generally leave the heating on a timer though as that is one thing my cats would never forgive!