Shift workers and cats

Pixie81

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Hello

I'm a cat mom who is a shift worker... I do 12 hour shifts and its a weird cycle as sometimes they will be a day shift 7am to 7pm or night shift which is 7pm to 7am. I live on my own at present, plus my two fur babies. Just curious as to how many other kitty owners have shift work and how do your cats respond to it? I I am a casual so it means I don't have a set schedule at the moment. I know cats LOVE consistency but its super hard to get that in my work schedule at the moment. I was wondering how other people's cats get used to their owners being at home sometimes, and then other times not? On my days off I always try to play a lot with my cats and be around for them, but I always get anxious when I am leaving them for work, thinking are they gonna be okay?

Its my first time being a cat mom of two furbabies where I am in a situation where I am living alone and having to go to work while the cats are home. When I come home, one of them sometimes meows, but sometimes is indifferent... the other cat never seems fussed and doesn't make a big deal that I have been away... I just hate that my schedule isn't consistent but its kinda out of my hands at the moment..

Any thoughts?

Tina
 

ArtNJ

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Its true cats sync up to their owners to some degree, but as long as the cat's food is at semi regular hours, the cat will be totally fine. If you can't manage semi-regular hours for feedings, investing in an automatic feeder might be a good idea. Remember, cats sleep a lot more than 12 hours, in mostly little bits, so it will never be a problem for a cat to get up for at least a little bit an interact with you. They are very adaptible that way. At worst, if you get home when they are in the middle of one of their few deep naps, they may ignore you for a few hours.
 
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Pixie81

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I try to get it as regular as I can to a degree. The cats get give wet food before I leave for work and I usually fill up their kibble for inbetween, then soon as I am home I give them their second wet food plate of the day. Its usually similar when I am on a night shift.

When I am home however I try to lessen the kibble and up the wet food to three times a day.

I think I am just questioning everythinggg after reading a bunch of cat behaviour books, am paranoid that perhaps my kitties are anxious or stressed in any way because my hours are not routine and consistent!
 

ArtNJ

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Nah, cats are the perfect pet for someone like you. I never had exactly that type of schedule, but I certainly worked long irregular hours as a lawyer, and my wife worked 3 x 12 hour nights every week for years, so we had plenty of schedule irregularity. Cats adapt that that very well.
 
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Pixie81

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Ahh am glad to know I am not the only shift worker with irregular hours with cats! Your answer is reassuring so thankyou. The cats won't always be alone, my husband will have more regular hours once him and I are back living together (Temp seperation due to getting his PR visa for Canada) so once that happens in a few months , the cats at least will have him there at night times. I did also think of getting an automatic feeder but I noted the majority of the ones I looked at online were for kibble, and I was hoping I could find one for wet food. I don't want to leave wet food just sat out as it goes off (the cat ate some once that had gone a bit stale and her litter box and her paws were a state lol)
 

Sylvia Jones

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I think having two cats is key here They have each other while your gone Would love to see pictures
 
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Pixie81

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I will try and upload some pictures just have to figure out how on here lol
 
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