Leaving Kitten Alone

[Gfwilkinson05]

We got our 10 week old kitten on Monday and I return to work full time on Friday after having spent four days with her.

I'm just looking for some reassurance that she will be ok when I go back to work. I leave for work at 8, and my husband gets home about 5ish, and me half 5 if I don't work late.

I spent all day Monday and Tuesday with her and she's enjoying sleeping on my lap a lot. Today I nipped out for half an hour, and although I heard her cry when I left she was having a 'scat cat' energy craze when I got back. I had to open the door for a delivery afterwards and could hear her meowing behind the lounge door.

She uses her litter tray fine, is eating and drinking, has a bundle of toys, several places to sleep, scratch post and a window to look out.

She should be ok left alone for that time right? I'm going out longer tomorrow to see my elderly grandma so hopefully she will grow accustomed to the alone time (she also gets shut downstairs at night, which she cries at and is still getting used to).

My husband says she will be fine, and my parents have always worked full time whilst having cats.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

I think she should be ok. As long as she has plenty of entertainment and sleep spots (which she does), she should be fine during a regular workday. If you're able, maybe you could go home on a lunch break and see her or something like that? I understand that isn't always possible due to how far away you live from where you work.

 

[Kieka]

If you can, do an early morning play session before you leave. Cats are naturally inclined to hunt, chase, catch, kill, eat, groom, sleep so if you do a play session followed by a meal that should trigger a grooming session and nap. She'd end up sleeping through a good chunk of the day and not even notice your absence. Leave plenty of toys around and you could even leave some hidden treat balls for her to find.

 

[StefanZ]

Have her in a kitten safe room! While you are away.

 

[danteshuman]

I agree with StefanZ.

Also I would let her sleep with you. Snuggling with their sleeping humans during the time is valuable attention time. I’m a month or two you can start training her that if she wakes you up, she gets locked out of your room. Right now she is to much of baby to be denied that comfort (& to learn. Once she is 4-5 months old you can teach her to let you sleep.) I like to keep the toys out of the bedroom so my cat does not asdociate that room/the bed with pl

 

[danteshuman]

With play.)

 

[Gfwilkinson05]

We have her downstairs confined to the kitchen and living room as the safe space, as unfortunately we do not have a door between the two rooms, just an arch way. We've managed to seal off most gaps that she could squeeze in, but she's still managing to find more. We can't move her to the upstairs rooms either

 

[Gfwilkinson05]

We snuggle on the sofa during the day whilst I've been home, so we have been bonding, and she will be allowed up to our room during the day eventually but not during the night. The last family cat when I lived with my parents was shut downstairs from the start at night and after a week crying she was used to it. She was a very vocal cat and would cry outside your bedroom door at night if closed, or if open just play with your face an keep you awake all night haha

 

[Kieka]

When Link was a kitten, he was locked in my bedroom during the day while I was at work. As long as the space is kitten safe and you do what you can to tire her out before you leave and when you get back she will be fine.

 

[Gfwilkinson05]

We've tried to make it as kitten safe as possible, and yet she's still finding nooks and crannies we've been unable to block up.

My main concern is the oven. Our oven doesn't meet the counter tops so there's about an inch/2inch gap. We've blocked that off from the front so she can't go down, but now she's making attempts to jump up onto the hob, and I'm worried she will jump up, try and get down the gap, fall down and then not be able to get back out again as we've blocked it from the front...

 

[Kieka]

We've tried to make it as kitten safe as possible, and yet she's still finding nooks and crannies we've been unable to block up.

My main concern is the oven. Our oven doesn't meet the counter tops so there's about an inch/2inch gap. We've blocked that off from the front so she can't go down, but now she's making attempts to jump up onto the hob, and I'm worried she will jump up, try and get down the gap, fall down and then not be able to get back out again as we've blocked it from the front...

Could you put a heavy book, strip of duct tape or something else over the gap on top? At least while you are out. Also, don't forget a child safe cover over any gas knobs or a piece of cardboard over oven buttons.