Leaving Your Cat Alone – For How Long?

Cats are social animals, and they quickly become attached to the owner, miss him or her, and feel sad  when not being cared for. When an owner needs to leave a cat alone because of a business trip or vacation, they can leave the pet in a hotel or ask friends or members of family to take care of your feline friends. And one of the most common questions that owners ask is for how long (3 days, 5 days or even a week) can I leave a cat and what are the dangers of leaving a cat alone?

It is proven that the state of being alone often causes stress in animals. A cat, that is missing an owner, often refuses to eat or drink water, even if relatives or friends take care of the animal. The situation becomes more complicated if a pet stays completely alone at home.

Leaving your cat for 3 days or even a week

All owners of pets are interested in the question: How long can I leave a cat alone at home? The correct answer is no longer than three days. For example, you leave on Friday, and come back on Sunday. A cat can live alone for three days in an apartment.  If you plan a longer trip, you cannot leave a cat alone at all. 

Even if neighbours supervise your cat, the animal will experience the greatest stress from being alone. In this case, you should find a hotel or friends who are ready to take the pet for this time.

Leaving a cat alone – what a cat owner should prepare

To make the situation when a cat stays alone as comfortable as possible, take care of everything your 4-legged friend needs.

Food

Of course, the most important thing is to leave food in sufficient quantity. If the bowl is small, buy a few more. However, remember to leave only dry food, as wet food will spoil. Do not be afraid to leave a bigger amount of food, than usual. As a rule, cats eat moderately, and will rarely try to eat everything at a time. If you are still concerned about your cat’s health, buy a feeder with a dispenser.

Water

While an owner is absent, a cat eats only dry food, that is why it is especially important to provide a cat with fresh water. Leave a few bowls with water or buy an automatic water dispenser.

Toys

Cardboard boxes, balls, toys and even simple candy wrappers, all this will brighten up the pet’s loneliness. The more entertainment you offer, the more likely a cat will keep the apartment in order. Remember: a bored cat can find entertainment by himself, but it’s unlikely that the owner will like it.

Trays

Remember to fill the tray with fresh cat litter and you might even need a second tray. Take care of your shoes or rugs, otherwise a cat might be tempted to “use them”.

Dangers of leaving your cat alone

Leaving a pet alone, take care of his/her safety:

• Close the windows, and open the doors. All windows should be closed, and the doors, on the contrary, should be open. First of all, this applies to the toilet. Put a kickstand or a door wedge on the door or tie the towels onto the door handle so that the doors do not lock them in.
• Remove fragile subjects such as vases, plates, small items, anything that can be accidentally broken. Even if a cat has never been interested in tables and shelves, one never knows how a feline friend will behave staying alone for a long time.
• Ask neighbours, friends or relatives to visit your cat, who will be delighted to communicate with them.

The number of days you can leave a cat alone, depends mainly on her/his temperament. Some animals can hardly survive even two days. However others are able to stay alone for three or even four days without any problems if they have fresh water and enough food.

When deciding on how many days you can leave your cat alone, an owner should consider the temperament and behavior of their cat, because individual characteristics play a huge role here.

Returning home from a business trip or from your holidays, try spend the maximum amount of time with your pet, giving them warmth and affection. And most likely, a bored cat will gladly show you their love and tenderness.

Credit: Nicolas Picard