How Long Can You Safely Leave a Cat Alone in White Bear Lake, MN?

When you’re deciding on what kind of pet fits your lifestyle best, many people will tell you that for someone with a busy life a cat is the best option. Dogs can only be left alone for several hours at a time since they need to be taken out for the bathroom and have certain times that they are fed. For a cat, the litter box is inside the house and many of them free feed rather than have mealtimes. This makes them a great low maintenance option for someone who works longer hours or have an especially stressful job that they can’t leave during the day.

Home Alone Cat in White Bear Lake, MN

But How Long Can You Leave a Cat Alone in White Bear Lake, MN?

Truly, it depends on your cat, the litter box, and their water supply. When you first bring home your kitten, you shouldn’t leave them alone for longer than four or five hours. They need to play and be checked on regularly to help develop properly. Once they’re six months old and older, you can leave them for eight to twelve hours without worry.

When your cat is an adult, you’ll be able to leave them alone overnight. The general rule is that you shouldn’t leave an adult cat alone for longer than 24 hours. However, most cats are ok on their own for the weekend as long as they have ample water, food, and litter. Consider getting a water fountain and putting out a bowl. That way the water is being filtered as it goes through the device, but if it malfunctions there’s still a source of water.

You should also put out double the amount of food out from what your cat should eat. Last, the dreaded litter. If you’re going to be gone for the whole weekend and expect your cat(s) to fend for themselves, you might want to consider getting a second litter box. No one wants to have to go to the bathroom in a full toilet.

Keep Your Cat Busy While They Are Alone

If you’re planning on leaving your cat alone for 24-48 hours in White Bear Lake, MN, it’s important to put out an ample amount of toys. One thing I recommend is to rotate toys on a weekly basis anyway to keep them from being bored and to avoid buying a thousand different little mouse toys and balls. When you’re going to be gone, put out the toys they haven’t seen in a while. Your cat will be more entertained by the “new” toy and won’t be as sad that you’re gone. You can also invest in a Furbo or similar product that allows you to see a video stream of your kitty and send treats.

How Cat Sitters Can Help

The negative of leaving your cat alone for longer than 24 hours is that if there is a medical emergency, you likely won’t find out about it until it’s too late. This is not meant to scare you, but just as a cautionary tale. You might want to consider getting a cat sitter or having a friend stop over to check on things in White Bear Lake, MN. You need to leave contact information for your emergency vet and all of the details about how you care for your cat if you have a sitter from a website come over. As I’m sure you’re aware, all cats are different and have specific wants and needs. For instance, my cat Gracie only likes to be pet on the head and my other cat Willie needs to be picked up and held as a greeting.

Deciding How Long to Leave Your Cat Alone in White Bear Lake, MN

Overall, you need to just decide what’s right for you and your cat as far as leaving them alone in White Bear Lake, MN. Some cats really can’t be left alone for more than 24 hours because they get too lonely and sad. Others can go a couple of days and not even be bothered to show excitement when you come home. The keys to leaving your cat alone are fresh water, plenty of food, and ample litter. Add some fun toys to the mix (and possibly a second cat) and you’ll be surprised how content your kitty can be!