How long can cats be Home Alone?

[curaco]

But as a business owner and as a veterinary technician I have about 25 years of experience. I would never leave any cat more then 24 hours home alone. First is all the medical reasons. One in particular is that male cats can become blocked and unable to urinate. If left unattended they can and have been known to die in less then 48 hours. After 24 hours they become very lethargic and by 48 can be dead. I have a client now, she was not one when this happened but she left her cat for four days once and this had to have happened right after they left home. But the cat got its leg caught in the cords to the blinds and hung upside down in their home for several days. He tried to chew his leg off to get free. He eventually passed out and when the owners found him was close to deaths door. They rushed him to the veterinarian and he was in intensive care for 1 week and then 1 week in regular care. He is now, not all there, brain wise. He had to have his leg amputated. Another time, I went to house sit for a client for one night and when I got home the next day my siberian had tried to jump up on top of a book case and pulled it over on top of him. He was pinned under the book case. I got home took him to the veterinarian and he had three broken ribs. He is lucky he didn't kill himself.
So, go ahead, leave your pets home alone like that and pray that you don't come home to a very hurt, sick or even dead cat. I know that is very harsh to say but a pet sitter isn't that expensive to use. Better be safe then sorry.

 

[jeanie d]

I am thinking of leaving my 2 cats who are nearly 7 months old at home for 2.5 days I have a neighbour who is coming in twice a day to feed and check on them, do you think this is sufficient cover or are they too young

 

[LTS3]

 
I am thinking of leaving my 2 cats who are nearly 7 months old at home for 2.5 days I have a neighbour who is coming in twice a day to feed and check on them, do you think this is sufficient cover or are they too young

That will be fine

Be sure to show your neighbor around your house and point out where the cat food is stored, how much to feed and how often, what not to feed, where the litter box is, how to scoop the litter box and dispose of the waste, etc. Also leave detailed instructions on all that info in case the neighbor forgets something as well as the phone number and address of the vet just in case of an emergency and a phone number where you can be reached at if there is a question. I suggest pointing out hiding spots your cats like so if the neighbor doesn't see the cats, he or she can go look for them and make sure they are ok. If you can, close all the interior doors (bedroom, closet, bathroom, etc) to minimize the hiding places.

 

[al impallomeni]

I have two Ragdoll Cats 1 year old.  I've left them home for 4 days, with a cat sitter checking them in the morning and evening, AC's, lights, and radio on timers.  They do fine I've done it for 18 years with two other cats who are now at the Rainbow Bridge.

 

[neely]

Obviously every person and every situation is different but we would never leave our cat(s) alone overnight.  We always have a reliable pet sitter we know come in twice a day.  It's not just about feeding our kitty and cleaning the litter box, it's about giving him personal attention too.