How long can your cat actually be home alone?
The answer depends. Factors such as age, personality and their level of trustworthiness all play into it.
If you have a kitten, elderly cat or a feline who thrives on chaos by snacking on houseplants or knocking things off the counter, you probably don’t want to leave them solo for long.
But if you have a calm, adult cat, they can handle it... For a certain amount of time.
Watch this video to learn more about how long you should leave your cat alone for.
Leaving your cat alone
Whether you'll be gone for 10 minutes or 10 hours, the key to safely leaving your cat home alone is to prep properly.
Before you go, make sure they have food, fresh water and a clean litter box.
Pro tip: Use an automatic feeder and a bubbling water fountain
to keep their meals consistent without overfeeding your cat or leaving them hungry later.
Leaving your cat with things to do will also help keep their brains and bodies busy when they get restless, so leave out some of their favorite toys or scratching posts.
Cats can be left alone for eight to 12 hours, according to PetMD. For an outing over 24 hours, they recommend arranging for someone to come check on your cat.
If you’re going to be gone for longer, call in backup in the form of a friend, family member or a pet sitter. They may not see your cat, but they can still check their food, water, litter box and make sure nothing’s gone sideways, literally.
Find a pet sitter
Some cats won't do well being boarded or watched in other people's homes. Fortunately, many of the same services that offer overnight pet sitting also offer daytime drop-ins.
Apps like Rover and Wag! can assist in finding sitters who will care for your cat. The sitter profiles include information about them and any details about experience with multiple pets, elderly pets, pets that need medication or extra attention. You can also read reviews from other pet owners to help you find someone who will love your animal in your absence.
Word of mouth is also powerful. Ask your friends, or reach out to your community on Nextdoor, Reddit or your social media for recommendations. This may be a cheaper option, too.
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Preparing for a pet sitter
A detailed schedule is a must for any pet sitter. There are a couple of ways you can do this:
- Make a digital calendar of your pet’s daily routine and share it with your pet sitter. This makes it easy to see that breakfast is one scoop of food at 7 a.m., dinner is served at 5 p.m. and the zoomies happen around 11 p.m.
- Write a detailed schedule and print it out. Make sure to include important contact details, like the phone number and address of your pet's vet, as well as general information like their favorite activities, weird quirks, if they like to cuddle and any do’s or don’ts.
You can also simplify life for your pet and their sitter by consolidating everything your pet will need while you're gone. Putting it in one, easy-to-find spot means your sitter doesn't have to search for it or they risk grabbing the toy your pet doesn't really like.
Create a “pet basket” and include items like:
- Extra litter
- Favorite toys
- Food and food scoopers
- Stain remover
- Treats
- Towels or rags that can be used to clean the pet and/or their messes
- Waste disposal bags
You might also consider preportioning your pet's meals. This is especially helpful if your pet is being looked after outside your home. Fill and label food containers or resealable plastic bags.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What you should know about leaving your cat home alone
