How long Can You Leave Your cat Alone?
a lot of cat parents get stressed at the thought of having to leave their cat, even if it’s only for a couple of days. and while you might be tempted to leave your cat for a weekend and just leave enough food and water for her, this is simply not a good idea.
Dr. Mikel Delgado, a feline behaviorist, owner of Feline Minds, and a post-doctoral fellow at the school of Veterinary medicine at UC Davis, recommends not leaving your cat alone without someone pertaining to check on her for a lot more than 24 hours. ““Cats may overeat due to stress, knock over their water dish, or get injured — so it’s not fine to just leave them with a big bowl of food and keep your fingers crossed,” Delgado told Inverse.
For a lot more information, please read how long can I leave my cat alone on Inverse.
If you don’t have a trusted pal or family member who can care for your cat while you’re away, it’s best to hire a professional cat sitter. You can find my ideas on what to look for when hiring a sitter here.
Photo by Chen on Unsplash
Ingrid King
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13 comments on how long Can You Leave Your cat Alone?
Dana says:
November 29, 2021 at 7:56 pm
I went away for the weekend for a wedding, leaving my spouse to care for my cats. He wasn’t one to do a head count at mealtimes or bedtime. When I came home, one of my cats was not around. I found her down on the cold basement floor, her head pinned under the leg of the folded ironing board. No idea why she went down there poking around, but there you are. She was in shock when I got her to the vet and her heart stopped and she was gone.
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Ingrid says:
November 30, 2021 at 5:27 am
Oh Dana, what a horrible way to lose a cat! I’m so sorry.
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Marybeth says:
December 1, 2021 at 7:25 pm
Oh my god. I am sooo sorry that happened to you. Hugs from another cat lover and her cats.
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Nancy says:
November 29, 2021 at 4:48 pm
I don’t have any family and have no pals who could help me out with petsitting. I’ve had several very bad experiences with petsitters when I traveled which includes at least one who stole from me and resented my asking her for a text update after visits. Last March I had an injury and to be in the healthcare facility for a week so I called my vet for a recommendation and got the most terrific petsitter I’ve ever had. They installed a lock box on the side of my house so if I have to be gone unexpectedly, I can call them. and they did a terrific job and texted me with updates and pictures after every check out without my asking. I also have cameras so when I have to be gone I can check up on my cats and I even do that when I’m out for a couple of hours. It gives me peace of mind considering that they are a lot more crucial to me then anything else in the world.
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Theresa Anspaugh says:
November 29, 2021 at 4:43 pm
When I was in the healthcare facility for 6 days, and my brother came in from Chicago, I still had a cat sitter come 2x day to take care of my little girl to give her meds and clean the litter box and feed her. My brother is a pet dog person and I would not depend on him to take care of my little girl.
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Debi says:
November 29, 2021 at 10:54 am
I was fortunate to find a very good cat sitter who I paid to come twice a day, but I still stressed when I had to leave them. no one can take care of your babies like you can! also best to have at least 2 kitties so they always have company.
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Nancy Faulkner says:
November 29, 2021 at 9:47 am
No matter what… would not leave the kids home alone. Cats can fill a potty box fast. then leave for a weekend! NO! Cats need their parents! If like to go places, take them along, get a reputable caretaker for daily home visits. Or don’t get fur kids!
Nancy
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Darlene says:
November 29, 2021 at 7:06 am
I would never leave my cats alone. I haven’t been on holiday in years I won’t leave them in a kennel or a stranger too take care of them. Something you could happen and I would feel guilty if it does and I don’t depend on any individual with them.
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Janine says:
November 29, 2021 at 6:53 am
I hate thinking about leaving my cats alone. I don’t even like to leave the house for long and leave them alone. They are all so attached to us. I don’t like disrupting their routines.
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Julie says:
November 29, 2021 at 2:28 am
I just could not leave my cat alone for a lot more than 8 hours. even that seems far too long especially now after spending so much time together during the lockdown. I try to take her with me when I travel but when I can’t I have a trusted pal who pertains to feed her. I know at some point I will need to hire a cat sitter to come once a day while I am gone. Her litter needs to be cleaned, her water needs to be changed and she needs a little attention too!
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