Can You Leave Cats Alone At Home?
If you have cats, or perhaps you are thinking of getting a cat at some point in the near future, you might be wondering whether or not it’s actually plausible to leave them at home – while you go to work, for instance, or even overnight if you are going away for a brief trip. Cats are a lot easier than a lot of other pets in this regard, and it is generally possible to leave them alone at home as long as you have provided for them. Let’s take a look at this and see what you might need to consider.
How Long?
This is one of the most important questions if you are going to leave a cat – you need to know how long you are going to be away for. Most healthy adult cats can be left alone for up to 48 hours quite comfortably, as long as they have access to everything they need. Anything beyond that can start to get a little tricky for them emotionally. And of course, if they have health conditions or anything like that, it might be that you can’t really leave them at all.
Putting Food & Water Down
Before you go, you should make sure you have provided plenty of fresh food and water for the duration you will be gone. The best way to do this is to use gravity feeders or automatic feeders like the FurBabyFeeder. That way, they can have the food they need to at the right intervals, which means that you are going to have a much better faith in them eating properly while you are away. Ensure there is plenty of fresh water – you can use a cat fountain for this to help keep it clean.
Litter Box
If your cat does not go outside, then you will need to provide them with a litter box – and perhaps even if they do go outside, if you want to just give them the option. Make sure you have scooped it right before you leave, and if you are going to be gone for longer than 24 hours consider providing a second litter box as well. Your cat won’t be happy if they don’t have the option to go to the toilet in the normal place – and you might find they have left it for you somewhere else instead, perhaps in protest, upon your return.
Entertainment & Comfort
Cats can get bored, especially those who remain indoors. You may want to leave some toys, scratching posts and a perch with a window view so that they can keep themselves entertained. For up to 48 hours, this should probably be enough. Cats can also enjoy having a little music or TV in the background, so you might want to consider that too. This is really going to help a lot, and you’ll find that you are much more likely to feel comfortable leaving your cat if you have thought about these things.
