what's the longest you feel comfy leaving your cat alone?

venusgirltrap

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I'm going away for the weekend. Approx 48 hours, and I just moved out on my own. Do you think it's okay to leave my girl without getting someone to watch her?

My plan is to leave out 2 frozen cans of food and then a bowl full. She also has a fountain and then I'll leave out an extra bowl of water.
 

hwc

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I don't think that's a problem. Leave out an extra bowl of water just in cast the fountain gets tipped over.
 

goldenkitty45

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We show cats - we usually leave on Friday and return home late Sunday night. Ling stays home with a big bowl of dry food and we will feed her canned food before we leave. An extra bowl or two of water is left.

Never had a problem no matter how many cats are left for 2 1/2 days - everyone was fine when we returned.

Its the dog that's the problem as we have to either leave her with friends to care for during the weekend or a neighbor is willing to come over to let her out to potty and feed her
 

phillygal

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I never felt comfortable leaving my tabby boy (now at the Bridge
) alone for that period of time. I was lucky, though, in that everyone he met practically stood in line to take care of him! (I'm exaggerating, but he was pretty lovable!
) One of my friends who lives close by would stop by to check up on him and spend some quality time with him. Especially when he got older, I worried about him falling off the couch - he loved to lie on the very edge!!
- and break a bone. But I am a worrywart to the nth degree.
 

balstadohana

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We have left a cat for the weekend (2-3 days) alone. As long as there is plenty of water and food your cat will be fine. (My mother-in-law also leaves her 3 cats alone for the weekend many times and she calls them and talks to them on the answering machine.
)
 

nanner

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I had to leave Larry in June for about 2 1/2 days. I got a neighbor to come in. Then, when I had surgery in September, I stayed at a friend's for two nights, and the same neighbor came in.

But Larry's so freaked out by strangers, both times it took a couple of days for him to get back to "normal"....that is, hanging out, relaxed, playing, etc.

I'm going away again Friday morning, and coming back Sunday evening. I'm thinking, this time, I'm just going to leave plenty of dry food, and lots of water out. I'm thinking it'll be easier to leave him on his own than traumatize him again with "strangers".
 

enuja

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Two days should be fine, but I'm not sure about the wet food. I can imagine the wet food going bad, and then your cat deciding to eat it, even though dry food is available. So if I were you, I wouldn't leave out the frozen wet food. I'd put away all of the wet food before you leave.

If your cat doesn't do well on dry food alone, then you should have someone come in to put down (and pick up) wet food.

I make a Signs-style mess out of my house when I leave my cats, putting water in something like 10 tupperware containers that are not normally on my floor. It's probably not necessary, but it makes me feel more comfortable.
 

twokatz

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I agree on the frozen food, it should not be left out for very long, it can go bad and make kitty sick. If your kitty doesn't eat dry you need to have someone come in and feed, then pick up what is not eaten after a while, they usually charge per trip. If you have a friend or relative close by it would be easier.

Cats are actually much easier to leave for a couple of days if they have enough food and water, they do just fine. Most hired sitters will stay for a short period of time and mine would be too busy hiding under the bed in a panic as there is a stranger in the house, I have to feed dry and wet
I also close windows and places they could get into trouble.
 

laureen227

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i've left mine for up to 5-6 days w/plenty of kibble, full fountains, & clean boxes [automated]. but the boxes won't last longer than that, so that's pretty much the limit unless i get a sitter who'll come in & empty them [which i have done in the past].
when Firefox was really small, my nephew came every other day so she could get some KMR [was trying to fatten her up!] but otherwise i don't bother.
 

tuxedokitties

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It really depends on your cat & what you feel comfortable with - does your cat get into a lot of trouble, or is she pretty mellow? Will she eat dry food? I don't think canned would be OK to leave out. If she can only eat canned, I'd have someone come in & feed her once a day.

I can't leave mine alone anymore because of their age/health, but when they were younger I used to leave them for 2 or 3 days at a time quite frequently. I would leave out plenty of dry food in bowls & take the lid off the container so they could tip it if they needed to just in case I got delayed coming home. I usually put out 2 extra litterboxes as well (for 3 cats). I'd also do this:

Originally Posted by Enuja

I make a Signs-style mess out of my house when I leave my cats, putting water in something like 10 tupperware containers that are not normally on my floor. It's probably not necessary, but it makes me feel more comfortable.
Me too



And if you don't use any type of chemicals in your toilet, you can take the lid off the toilet tank (the top part where the filling mechanism is), so if something happens and the bowls get spilled, they can still drink from the tank, which will continue to fill automatically so long as the water is on.

I also tie up all the window blind cords, just to be safe.

Make sure to check in & out with someone who lives in town & knows you'll be leaving the cat, just in case something happens or you get delayed.
 

cococat

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A weekend is fine, leave lots of water and some new toys and shower with lots of affection upon coming back, as kitty will need that. Make the house cat safe and put out an extra litter box. We thought we had the food things alllllll figured out. Not anymore. Our cat has figured out the automatic feeder
Talk about a mess upon return. We might have to find a pet sitter to come in to feed if we ever leave the cat for a weekend again.
 

meowers

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One day is about all I leave mine alone, but only cause of litter box.

All cats are so different in their needs. Mine are extremly picky about the litter box...it must be clean at all times! Until we can get an automatic box, mine have a sitter (usually my mom)
 

sharky

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I have young boys ... I try to only leave them on their own for about 6 hours ... I have a sitter come in for an overnight as needed
 

althekitty

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I have left Al for max two nights alone. We have an automated feeder with the freezer blocks that keep the wet food fresh and opens at the times we set it to. We also have a water fountain and put out another bowl of water. I also leave down dry food so that he can have that too. I give him a treat every night when we are all in bed and so I leave the treats on the bed for him so that he doesn't miss out!!! They have always gone when I get back
We have a neighbour from further down the track and she will come in and see him every day too. I wouldn't like to leave him for more than two nights, too be honest, on the sunday when we are coming back we are usually desperate to get back to see him!!! Bless him.
 

dave_l

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My work schedule usually requires leaving Slasher and Ripper alone from Wednesday morning through Friday evening. So far, it hasn't been a problem.
 

faith's_mom

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I wouldn't leave canned food out at all...feed her a serving before you leave, then pick it up before you head out.

Leave dry out instead, then she can browse as she pleases without the worry of her getting ill from spoilt food
 

happilyretired

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I'm clearly in the minority here, but for the 20 years that I've had cats, I've never left one alone more than overnight--i.e., 12-15 hours. Any longer than that, I've always had sitters.

My cats are used to having the litter box cleaned daily, and they eat wet food. I would also be concerned that they might have an accident and need attention.
 

usameisje

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My cat gets so lonely and pines away for affection if I leave longer than that. Even with someone stopping by the house it's not enough attention and she gets destructive and refuses to eat. She is a Siamese so I am not too surprised. For two days I just make sure the ScoopFree is clean, and leave out enough frozen wet food. The water fountain is full too.

So I found a wonderful kitty boarding facility for when I have to be away for long and she is just fine! I pay extra for her to have daily extra playtime besides the usual twice a day feed/scoop box attention they give. It's probably once a year that I am gone longer than two days - I'm a homebody
Of course they have indoor/outdoor cat condos, have 24 hour a day care attendants, and will handfeed any animal that stops eating when away from owner. They don't charge extra for special foods or the extra time to feed the stressed animal either. It costs me 12 dollars a day.
 

twiilight

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The longest I feel comfortable leaving my two kitties alone for is 1-2 days. My old female is battling a urinary infection and my 7 month old kitten gets crazy hyper.
 
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