How Long Can I Leave My Cat Without A Litter Box?

[iheartlife]

my sister is wanting me to come visit her. I haven't decided if I'm going to because of how far away she lives/how long I'd be gone. She lives 3 hours away. I figure I'll be gone around 9-11 hours (including driving time). Is this too long to leave my cat without a litter box? I have to leave him in a kennel when I'm gone because he has PICA where he eats plastic, paper, cardboard, carpet pieces, etc. so I will definitely have to leave him in a kennel while I'm gone. Is 9-11 hours too long to leave him without a litter box? I'd like to go see my sister since I haven't seen her in awhile, but I don't want to put unecessary strain on my cats bladder or force him to have an accident trying to hold it in. I've never left him in the kennel for more than 6 or 7 hours and I'm not sure if he can make it 9-11 hours.

 

[epona]

Seems unfair to leave a cat for any amount of time without somewhere to go to the toilet.

 

[iheartlife]

Seems unfair to leave a cat for any amount of time without somewhere to go to the toilet.

Well it's either put him in a kennel where he is safe or leave him out to where he can eat indigestible objects and cause obstructions in his stomach/intestines which has happened and was thankfully able to be fixed without surgery. I'm not putting him in a kennel to be mean or unfair; I'm doing it for his safety.

And I said in the original post I wasn't decided on whether or not I was going to see my sister bevcause I didn't want to strain my cats ladder or make him have an accident (read as: I will stay home if I need to).

 

[epona]

Do you not have anywhere you can leave him where there is nothing he can inappropriately ingest while still having room for a litter tray? One of my cats has pica and I've never had to leave him without a litter tray.

 

[iheartlife]

Do you not have anywhere you can leave him where there is nothing he can inappropriately ingest while still having room for a litter tray? One of my cats has pica and I've never had to leave him without a litter tray.

Most of our rooms are carpeted and he pulls the fibers out to eat them. The only uncarpeted rooms in our house are the kitchen and the bathroom. The kitchen has open access to the dining room which is carpeted so the kitchen isn't an option. I don't feel safe leaving him in the bathroom because of the bathroom cleaners. I have a large dog kennel, but by the time I put a litter box, his food/water bowls, and him (he's a large cat) there is barely room for him to lay down. Also, is it safe to have a litter box 2 feet away from the cat's food and water? If you have any other suggestions, I'm open to them.

 

[epona]

You could move the bottles of cleaning stuff and anything else dangerous out of the bathroom, couldn't you? Your cleaning products and cosmetics have less need of space than your cat. I once gave temporary refuge for a few hours to a neighbour's outdoor cat in my bathroom (during a really bad and unexpected storm), with litter tray and bowls.

 

[iheartlife]

And where is it I should move the toxic cleaners, over the counter and prescription medications (also toxic), shampoos/conditioners/face cleansers/soaps (toxic depending on the amount ingested), the toilet bowl cleaning want and toilet plunger (covered in germs), toothbrushes and toothpastes (can be toxic), first aid products (also toxic)? If I take them out of the bathroom to quarantine the PICA cat, then they are out in the open with the other animals; even though they haven't exhibited PICA, I don't want to take a chance on poisoning my other pets. If I leave them where they are, they are safely sealed behind a closed door which can be locked thus ensuring no pet can get in. I personally feel the safest option is to put my PICA cat safely in a kennel where I know he won't be able to eat anything dangerous (and where I won't have to move toxic things in with my other pets).

Please either answer my original question (can he hold his bladder for 9-11 hours?) or my secondary question (is it dangerous to have his litter box in a cage less than 2 feet away from his food and water i.e. is it dangerous to have fecal matter and urine so close to his food/water that he will also have to breathe in because he will have to lay right beside the litter box containing said focal matter/urine?)

 

[epona]

No, do not leave a cat that long without somewhere to go to the toilet. You can't expect him to cross his legs all day.

Do you not have any inaccessible cupboards where those things in your bathroom can be stored? For a lot of people it is normal to store those things elsewhere in the first place and allow their cats access to the bathroom, one of mine particularly enjoys laying in the cool porcelain sink in summer.

 

[iheartlife]

No I do not have any latched cupboards or cabinets anywhere in my house and the bathroom is the only sealed off place besides my bedroom.

So my only option is to stay home (which I will if I need to) or like the second question you still did not answer asked, would it be safe to use the larger dog crate and put the cat, his food/water and the litter box in it together? The litter box will be less than 2 feet away from the food and water bowls and I'm not sure if it will be safe to have food/water that close to fecal matter/urine. I'm also not sure if it will be safe for the cat to be laying right beside the litter box all day breathing in the fecal matter/urine particles that are released into the air.

 

[epona]

Making a pica-cat-proofed room for when you cannot supervise would be the best solution. However, although it is not ideal for at home if better accommodation can be arranged, many cats spend time at cat shows, or in recovery after surgery at the vet, in a large cage with a small litter tray and food and water bowls without suffering any long-term issues that I am aware of.

As long as it is occasional and not a daily occurrence of course.

 

[iheartlife]

Making a pica-cat-proofed room for when you cannot supervise would be the best solution. However, although it is not ideal for at home if better accommodation can be arranged, many cats spend time at cat shows, or in recovery after surgery at the vet, in a large cage with a small litter tray and food and water bowls without suffering any long-term issues that I am aware of.

Thank you. I know this wouldn't be a long-term solution; I was just looking for something temporary while I go see my sister. So for this time I will use the large dog crate and put all of his things in there. In the future, I plan on sealing off one of the smaller sections then rip up all the carpeting and replace it with tile so that it's just a solid floor room with nothing but the cat's necessities, but that will take a considerable amount of time.

 

[Pjg8r]

I would leave him in the dog kennel with a litter box. Feed him and provide water before you leave. In my opinion 11 hours without access to a box can be unhealthy and certainly uncomfortable. Adult cats can be fasted prior to surgery for 12 hours.

 

[duckpond]

another thing you might check into is boarding? Our vet will board a cat for $10.00 a day. they feed, and play with the cats while they are there. They are really good with cats they keep for a day or a week. I know larger areas also have specific boarding options for cats, and dogs.

I would not want to do it often, but 2 or 3 hours without a litterbox might be ok. I would not go 10 hours or so.

If the crate is the only option i would definitely go with the large crate. Not ideal to have food and water that close to the litter box, but i think it would be better than no litter box at all!

 

[iheartlife]

I would leave him in the dog kennel with a litter box. Feed him and provide water before you leave. In my opinion 11 hours without access to a box can be unhealthy and certainly uncomfortable. Adult cats can be fasted prior to surgery for 12 hours.

I don't want to leave him without food all day. He doesn't have set feeding times; I just leave dry food out for him to eat whenever he's hungry. Is there any reason I can't leave the food/water in the same crate as the litter box? Is it dangerous to have them close together like that or something?

 

[iheartlife]

another thing you might check into is boarding? Our vet will board a cat for $10.00 a day. they feed, and play with the cats while they are there. They are really good with cats they keep for a day or a week. I know larger areas also have specific boarding options for cats, and dogs.

I would not want to do it often, but 2 or 3 hours without a litterbox might be ok. I would not go 10 hours or so.

If the crate is the only option i would definitely go with the large crate. Not ideal to have food and water that close to the litter box, but i think it would be better than no litter box at all!

I live in a very rural area. Our local vet will board animals but for weekends you have to drop off on Friday and pick up on Monday. Plus all they do is have a technician come in and feed them twice a day. If it's bad to leave the food and water in the same place as the litter box then I think I'll just skip visiting my sister. I don't want to risk him getting sick from having the food and water with the litter box or hurt his bladder by making him hold it all day.

 

[duckpond]

if i could not board him, and had to use the crate i would leave a litter box, with fresh clean litter. and put the food and water on the other end of the crate. I have never liked having food and water anywhere near the litter box. But i know many people that do. they put everything for the cat in the bathroom or utility room, wherever. and their cats seem to be fine with it. i would much rather do that, than have him go without either box, food or water. I really dont think it all together, in a large dog crate for the day will hurt him.

 

[iheartlife]

if i could not board him, and had to use the crate i would leave a litter box, with fresh clean litter. and put the food and water on the other end of the crate. I have never liked having food and water anywhere near the litter box. But i know many people that do. they put everything for the cat in the bathroom or utility room, wherever. and their cats seem to be fine with it.

So if I get a totally fresh litter box and put it as far away from the food and water in the crate as possible (as in on opposite ends like you said), you don't think it would pose any danger to him?

 

[duckpond]

I live in a very rural area. Our local vet will board animals but for weekends you have to drop off on Friday and pick up on Monday. Plus all they do is have a technician come in and feed them twice a day. If it's bad to leave the food and water in the same place as the litter box then I think I'll just skip visiting my sister. I don't want to risk him getting sick from having the food and water with the litter box or hurt his bladder by making him hold it all day.

i know sick cats at the vet must stay caged, they have a litter box, and food and water in the cage. Pet stores do it all the time. sometimes rescues have to do it as well. I dont think it will hurt, as long as the box is clean, and your not leaving him for days with no one to clean the box, or put out fresh water and food. 11/12 hours i do not think would pose any danger to him. He may not like it.. but i think its safe enough!

 

[maggiedemi]

That sounds fine, since it's only for one day. Just put the food and water on the opposite end away from the litterbox.

 

[Furballsmom]

would it be safe to use the larger dog crate and put the cat, his food/water and the litter box in it together

yes