HOW LONG IS LONG ENOUGH TO LEAVE A CAT ALONE IN THE HOUSE?

vince

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2017
Messages
2,172
Purraise
3,540
Location
metro Detroit
I will leave mine alone overnight without a sitter, and that's the longest I can safely go. I have cats that can't be left to free-feed. They'll eat until they puke! So, they can go without one meal once in a while, which is what a day trip or short overnighter entails.
 

neely

May the purr be with you
Veteran
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
19,638
Purraise
47,809
A lot of people ask "How long is too long?" and this is one opinion:
Expert says cats should not be left alone for more than 24 hours, here’s why
I agree with this article completely - we've never left our cat(s) alone for more than 24 hours. In fact, we've never even left them alone that long. They are attached to us and used to someone being home to feed them, clean the litter box, and especially offer them cuddles and affection. :catlove: If we have to be gone for any reason we have a trusted soul come in to look after them.
 

klunick

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
4,363
Purraise
12,156
Used to leave our cats alone for a week but they only ate dry food so we would just fill up a large bowl for food and another one for water. They were fine. Not sure what we'd do with Boone and Gracie who eat wet food twice a day. Maybe have someone stop by to feed them? Maybe if our boys don't go, have them feed them? Board them? Lucky for me, I don't go on vacations nor have any desire to so it's a mute point right now.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
Used to leave our cats alone for a week but they only ate dry food so we would just fill up a large bowl for food and another one for water. They were fine. Not sure what we'd do with Boone and Gracie who eat wet food twice a day. Maybe have someone stop by to feed them? Maybe if our boys don't go, have them feed them? Board them? Lucky for me, I don't go on vacations nor have any desire to so it's a mute point right now.
Me too. I don't enjoy travelling anyway, and I've done all I'm going to do. Baby Su and Elvis don't even like it when I go grocery shopping or to the dentist.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
I once was browsing the state's animal welfare laws (not great in this state!) and one that surprised me said that a human must check on any domestic animal at least once every 24 hours. Now, I doubt that's enforced unless something goes wrong, and it was probably written with farm animals in mind, but I thought it was interesting anyway. Might be the same in other states.
 

klunick

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
4,363
Purraise
12,156
Me too. I don't enjoy travelling anyway, and I've done all I'm going to do. Baby Su and Elvis don't even like it when I go grocery shopping or to the dentist.
Well, Boone and Gracie aren't that bad. They are fine while everyone is at work or school during the day. I come home, feed them and they hang out for an hour or so with me and then go downstairs for several hours. Will come back upstairs about an hour before I go to bed and hang out again. On the weekends, I feed them in the morning and then won't see them the rest of the day. I usually have to go look for them to feed them dinner 12 hours later.
 

Tik cat's mum

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Messages
2,732
Purraise
8,271
Location
UK
I have never left the boy's alone for longer than a few hours unless we are on holiday. But we are lucky because my youngest still lives at home. We have a holiday booked for 2 weeks in May, the boy's will be with my son he's looked after them before while we went away. He was even saying that he wants to book time off work so he can look after the boy's properly and not change thier routine. In a emergency I would just get a family member to come in and feed change the litter daily.
 

noani

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Oct 3, 2021
Messages
455
Purraise
483
If I'm traveling alone, my partner usually comes twice a day. If he can't, I have a good friend who often cat sits for me (and vice versa). I really do prefer twice a day but occasionally it might be just once a day.
I already feel guilty if I go for some drinks straight after work and get home late for dinner :lol:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

tarasgirl06

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
24,708
Purraise
64,894
Location
Glendale, CATifornia
If I'm traveling alone, my partner usually comes twice a day. If he can't, I have a good friend who often cat sits for me (and vice versa). I really do prefer twice a day but occasionally it might be just once a day.
I already feel guilty if I go for some drinks straight after work and get home late for dinner :lol:
*You should* (signed, YOUR FELINE FAMILY):flail:
 
Top