How long can cats be Home Alone?

brokenheart

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
589
Purraise
31
Location
NYC
How long would you feel comfortable leaving two grown cats (around 9 each) home with plenty of food and water while you went away?Normally I'd have a cat sitter but now the little one's gone sort of psycho.
 

laureen227

Darksome Duo!
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
19,260
Purraise
387
Location
Denton TX
i've left mine for up to 5 days... which is about how long the automated litterboxes will stay 'fresh'. after the receptacle gets full, they don't work as well. i leave lots of dry kibble [i measure out how much i give on a daily basis, & leave that much for each day] plus make sure the fountains are completely filled & running.

i did get a 'cat sitter/visitor' last year when Firefox was a kitten so that she'd get her supplemental formula [my nephew visited & would give her the formula]. he also checked on the boxes to make sure they weren't too full [we were also gone more than 5 days that time].
 

lee

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 4, 2005
Messages
103
Purraise
1
Location
caribbean
I wouldn't leave without someone checking on them every day, at least every 24 hours. Even if kitty is psycho, can the sitter come in and feed/water them without interacting much with them? Just to make sure they haven't turned over their water bowl or hurt themselves while you're gone?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

brokenheart

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
589
Purraise
31
Location
NYC
Originally Posted by lee

I wouldn't leave without someone checking on them every day, at least every 24 hours. Even if kitty is psycho, can the sitter come in and feed/water them without interacting much with them? Just to make sure they haven't turned over their water bowl or hurt themselves while you're gone?
No, it's a small apartment, so I have to leave them with the run of it.
 

zane's pal

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
1,059
Purraise
1
Location
Charleston, WV
I've left Zane over a long weekend, but I have a neighbor come in and check his water bowl and generally see that he's OK.
 

rapunzel47

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 20, 2003
Messages
30,725
Purraise
8
Location
Lotus Land
I'll leave them overnight, if I don't have anyone to see to them, but more than one night and I'd be beating the bushes -- or changing my plans. Fortunately, it's never come to that, because some combination of coverage has always been possible.
 

emmylou

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
May 2, 2006
Messages
960
Purraise
10
Ideally, once a day is best. But in cases where you can't get someone, I think two or three days at the outside.
 

jack31

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
1,819
Purraise
15
Location
Cincinnati, OH
We've gone for 3 days at the most.

Unfortunately since Harley's arrival Jack has become much more litter box picky and even with extra boxes would not so much as dream as allowing any box go longer than 18 hours without being scooped--otherwise he stands outside it hollering and then pees on the mat in front of the box.

We now have someone come at least once a day.

Leslie
 

madara

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
192
Purraise
1
I have babysat for about 3 dozen cats and find that on the fourth day they all show signs of missing their owners at very noticeable level. Four days is the max I ever left my cat as well.
 

happilyretired

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
564
Purraise
264
Location
Upstate New York
Personally, I have never left either of my cats without a sitter for longer than a brief overnight--IF I were coming home by 6 a.m. Normally, I always get a sitter. In fact, my current boy is VERY social, and if I'm going to be away for an entire day (i.e., 12 hours or longer), I have a teenage neighbor who comes in to play with him and pet him, even though I've taken care of all the cleaning of the litter box and feeding. My former cat was very anti-social; nevertheless, my sitters told me that she sought affection from them when I was gone, so I know that cats need that human contact.
 

yam102284

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
1,392
Purraise
2
Location
New Hampshire
We've left ours alone for a long weekend before. We've left Friday morning and back Sunday night. They are totally fine by themselves. We just leave plenty of fresh water and food bowls and make sure the litterbox is clean, and they're fine.
 

goldenkitty45

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Aug 29, 2005
Messages
19,900
Purraise
44
Location
SW Minnesota
We've gone to cat shows from Friday night to Sunday evening with no problems. I just give them a full bowl of food and 2 extra dishes of water and a clean litter pan
 

momofmany

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jul 15, 2003
Messages
16,249
Purraise
70
Location
There's no place like home
When I was young, single and traveled a lot for work, I used to leave mine home alone for 2 days every week and occassionally 5 days. The cats had no health issues and got used to the routine of me being gone each week. I didn't like to leave them alone, but that was how things were back then.

Now I have cats with health problems. I have people checking on them twice a day with a vet tech out every other day to administer medications.

I think it all depends on the physical and mental health of the cat.
 

jellybella

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 10, 2007
Messages
2,314
Purraise
3
Location
UPNY
Two to (maybe) 3 days would be tops with a fountain and auto feeder available. Basically a weekend trip...after that the litter box situation gets critical
 

gailc

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 18, 2004
Messages
11,567
Purraise
13
Location
Wisconsin
I concur with about a long weekend. I always put out way too much food which they really don't seem to touch and lots of water. An extra litter box too. But Bobber will be a bit antsy by then and show her displeasure by peeing somewhere in the corners of the family room.
 

clpeters23

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 25, 2005
Messages
1,920
Purraise
1,368
Location
Chicagoland, Illinois, USA
Originally Posted by Brokenheart

How long would you feel comfortable leaving two grown cats (around 9 each) home with plenty of food and water while you went away?Normally I'd have a cat sitter but now the little one's gone sort of psycho.
I may be biased, cuz I used to own a sitting business, but I've seen too many goofy things happen to leave cats alone for more than a day. One cat I used to care for got stuck behind a heavy corner desk and could not get out. I moved the furniture and lifted him out and closed off that room for the duration. One other time pipes burst in another customer's home and flooded the room where the food and water was kept and all the food was ruined.

Just my opinion!
 

zane's pal

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
1,059
Purraise
1
Location
Charleston, WV
Originally Posted by clpeters23

I may be biased, cuz I used to own a sitting business, but I've seen too many goofy things happen to leave cats alone for more than a day. One cat I used to care for got stuck behind a heavy corner desk and could not get out. I moved the furniture and lifted him out and closed off that room for the duration. One other time pipes burst in another customer's home and flooded the room where the food and water was kept and all the food was ruined.

Just my opinion!
Oh, I always tell my neighbor and have him check in every day. As I said, Zane usually spends the day doing the same thing he'd be doing if I were at home--sleeping.
 
Top