How many days can you leave a cat alone?
All veterinarians have a clear answer; they recommend leaving the animal for no more than 3 days. It is during this time that the pet does not have time to get bored, feels cheerful, and is ready to restore the relationship.
How many days can you leave a cat alone?
- What to do if you need to leave your cat for a week? Basically, almost all pet owners are planning their vacation and looking for hotels that can provide rooms for pets.
- However, there are also unforeseen situations when there is no time to find an appropriate hotel, so you need to think about who to leave your pet with. Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to give an animal to a shelter, hotel, relatives, or close friends.
- It happens that there are not enough close people who could take care of the pet. In this case, the only possible option is to leave the animal at home.
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Safety first
Inspect the apartment with the most critical eye possible - as if there is a child left here who can climb anywhere. What can happen? It will swallow a bead, knock over a ficus tree, get tangled in a scarf left on the back of a chair, get stuck between the wall and the cabinet...
Usually the owner comes to the cat's aid, but when no one is around, even a simple tangle in the curtains can turn into a disaster. Remove everything small, breakable, and fragile. Close the cabinet doors. Make sure that objects that can damage the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract are not hidden behind the chair.
How to leave a cat alone at home for a week?
It is worth noting that a week’s absence has a negative impact on health, not only physical, but also mental. She may begin to get sick, and her relationship with her owner will deteriorate significantly.
How to leave your cat alone at home for a week:
- Often an animal that has been left alone at home for a long period of time becomes very aggressive towards its owners. That is, the once affectionate pet becomes simply unbearable. He scratches, bites, and shows negativity in every possible way.
- Thus, he takes revenge on his owner for leaving him alone for such a long period of time. Try to have a well-known person come to your house during your absence.
- This could be a neighbor or an acquaintance who often visits your house. It will be easier for the cat to communicate with a familiar person. The fact is that the temperament of cats is different; some enjoy contact with unfamiliar people, can jump into hands, and show tenderness in every possible way. A lack of communication has a negative impact on the cat.
- But there are pets that, on the contrary, are quite wild, and at the sight of an unfamiliar person they hide in a corner, under the bed and do not come out until the person leaves the house. That is why it is necessary to invite a person who is familiar to your pet and from whom he will not run and hide.
The point is not that a person cannot give the animal food; it is necessary that the cat communicate with someone at this time. After all, loneliness is not good for anyone. What to do and how to leave the cat for three days? As stated above, this is the optimal period for which the animal can be left alone.
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Complete destruction
Experienced cat owners say that, in principle, most cats, being introverts and big sleepyheads, endure separation from their owner. They are not used to being alone all day while their owner is at work. And, according to the rules of the international organization WCF (World Cat Federation), it is safe to leave cats alone at home for 24 hours. But this is quite a bit. What if you had to leave for two or three days or even a week?
“I once had force majeure, and I had to leave my cat Maryska alone in the apartment for a whole week, for all seven days,” says Kiev resident Marina Nikitenko. – I put two more additional trays (toilet), added three more bowls with water and two with dry food. She put a lot of cat toys and a large cardboard box in a prominent place to be torn to pieces. When I arrived home, I realized that my cat was very bored, offended and even a little wild - she avoided me. The apartment smelled like cat litter. All the trays were “dug up”, there was sand around them, and “heaps” lay on top of them, although usually the cat carefully buries them. Water was spilled from all the bowls, and there were puddles on the floor. The spilled food soaked in the water. A blanket was pulled from the sofa onto the floor, the doors in the closet were open, some things were thrown down from the shelves. The picture of destruction was completed by disassembling a vase that stood on the window sill in the room. I was shocked and didn’t know who to scold – Marysia or myself.”
But that's not all. Having examined the cat, Marina saw cuts on its paws - it looked like she had been injured by fragments of a broken vase. After treating the wound with a disinfectant solution, the woman saw that it had almost healed, and a visit to the veterinarian was not required. But it took several days to restore the previous friendly relationship with the cat. This is, of course, a thing of the past, but she made clear conclusions. Firstly, when leaving a cat alone at home, you need to hide everything that can be easily broken. Secondly, all doors, including those in closets, must be securely closed. And, thirdly, seven days is too long for a pet to live alone unattended in an apartment. Even if only because he can injure himself, like Marysya with fragments of a vase, and there is no one to help.
Is it possible to leave a cat for 2 weeks?
Can't be left unattended. That is why we recommend making sure that your pet has enough water and food. It is best to purchase an automatic feeder and an automatic drinking bowl. These are special devices in which water and food are stored, and when you press a button, a new portion is poured out.
Is it possible to leave a cat for 2 weeks:
- Don't be afraid to leave food in open containers. Almost all cats never eat everything you give them at once. They usually eat until they are full, and then come to the bowl when they feel hungry.
- It makes sense to pour food into bowls and place them in different rooms of the house. You should do the same with water. Please note that there should be much more liquid than the cat can drink.
- After all, it is unknown, perhaps the pet will experience a feeling of thirst. Of course, there is no talk of natural food; mostly dry food is used. After all, canned food, natural food, can spoil, thereby causing poisoning in the animal. Although many veterinarians recommend leaving pieces of hard cheese and milk. Even after 3 days the milk will turn sour, but cats eat yogurt with pleasure.
- The same thing happens with hard cheese. It weathers in the air, but does not spoil and remains quite edible.
At the doctor
Preparing for host absence
Before departure, it is necessary to take care of sufficient food and water, hygiene, safety and comfort. For your own peace of mind, it is better to equip your apartment with video cameras to monitor what is happening even from a distance.
Food supply
If the cat is left alone for a day, then it is enough to feed it twice: before leaving and immediately after returning. In case of a longer absence, it is necessary to pour food in reserve in one place or in different parts of the apartment. The second option is suitable for obese animals that do not feel full.
The most reliable option is an automatic feeder. She pours out the required portion of food at a certain time, eliminating starvation and gluttony
Food from an automatic feeder retains its freshness for a long time, which is especially important for picky pets.
When feeding “natural” it will be more difficult. Such food spoils quickly. Remembering to feed your pet before leaving, put frozen pieces of meat in her bowl. It will take half a day to defrost them, so the cat will remain full for a day. She will have to fast for the next 12-24 hours, but such a break is not dangerous for predators. You or your friend must return by the end of the specified time.
Drinking water supply
Water is much more important than food, so it must be poured in plenty. Place several bowls of water around the house and connect a drinking fountain. These devices will last for 2-3 days. After the specified time, water supplies must be renewed. Otherwise, bacteria will begin to develop in them.
Do not use water directly from the tap. It is full of salts and heavy metals, which is fraught with the development of ICD. To clean, use a filter or just buy bottled water.
Keeping the Tray Clean
Most cats are reluctant to repeatedly go into a litter box filled with feces. For this reason, there should be 2 times more trays than usual. For 2 days you will need 4 trays, generously filled with high-quality filler. Good odor absorption increases the likelihood of keeping the floor, sofa and other places in the apartment dry.
It is worth taking care of fixing the door. Without reliable support, a cat may accidentally slam the door to the toilet and be left without trays.
If the period of absence exceeds 2 days, you will have to invite an assistant. He must take care of changing the filler and washing the trays.
Safety and comfort in the apartment
Place all breakable, sharp, unstable and poisonous objects out of reach of the animal. Place medicines, household chemicals and flower pots in a separate room or hide them in a closed closet. Additionally, it is recommended to remove the curtains so that the cat does not tear them off on his own out of boredom.
Open windows are dangerous, but without regular ventilation, a pet can die from stuffiness. Summer time is especially dangerous, when the temperature in the apartment rises above 25°C. The safest thing to do is to install protective nets - “anti-cats”. Unlike a flimsy mosquito net, the “anti-cat” net can easily withstand the weight of an adult Maine Coon. This strength prevents falling from a window and lack of oxygen.
Leisure and toys
Interactive puzzle toys will help diversify your mustachioed pet's leisure time. Most of them can be used to hide food. After such an exciting hunt, the cat will remain full and satisfied.
Of your favorite toys, those that do not contain feathers, laces, bells and other small parts are safe. Left unattended, the animal can swallow them and choke. The safest toys are cardboard boxes. They will brighten up your leisure time and give you a feeling of security.
CCTV installation
Buy several webcams and install them in different parts of the apartment to capture all possible areas. The image from the cameras is transmitted directly to the phone. Thanks to this, you can watch your pet online.
Cat alone at home for a week: consequences
Use exclusively purified water for drinking bowls, not from the tap. The fact is that the water in a regular water supply leaves much to be desired, and after a few days it can begin to rot. This does not happen with purified or distilled water.
Cat alone at home for a week, consequences:
- The fact is that a few days after the owner’s absence, the pet may begin to get angry, experience rage, and therefore want to take revenge, and perhaps shit in the shoes. For this purpose, shoes are put away in a closet or on a shelf.
- Also, be sure to provide toys and entertainment for your pet. These can be large and small shoe boxes, candy wrappers, and all the animal’s favorite toys.
- These can be either special toys that you can scratch and play with, or something improvised. It is worth taking care that your pet does not misbehave. That is why it is necessary to hide all easily breakable items in a closet and shoes on a shelf.
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How to leave a cat while on vacation?
The main task of the owner is to prepare the home in such a way that nothing happens to the cat. That is, it is necessary to remove all easily breakable items and potentially dangerous things. It is best to hide them away, in a closet, or a place where the cat cannot reach.
How to leave a cat while on vacation:
- This is due to the fact that some animals like to look for adventures, especially if there are few activities and there is no one to spend time with. The number of toilets is based on one tray per day. Some animals do not go to the same litter box repeatedly.
- Therefore, if your cat is like this, calculate the approximate number of trips to the toilet, and leave the same number of trays. After all, if the cat does not find clean litter, it may go past it, or onto the carpet.
- Use expensive, high-quality filler that perfectly absorbs odors. In any case, if you have indoor plants on your shelves, place them as high as possible. After all, cats' favorite pastime is eating indoor plants and turning over flower pots. Therefore, if you do not want to see mountains of earth on the floor upon arrival, be sure to take care of this.
Games
Let's sum it up
Vacations are usually planned in advance, at least in most cases, so if you want to take your cat with you, or leave it with relatives, then prepare the animal for future changes. Some principles of preparation.
If necessary, do the necessary treatments, vaccinations and complete documents in advance.
If the trip happened unplanned and you need to leave tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, then leave the cat at home, under the supervision of a friend. This will be the best option for a cat.
During the holiday season, many people are wondering what to do with their pet? Is it possible to leave a cat at home alone while on vacation? How many days can you leave a cat alone without harming it?
The answers to all these questions depend on the individual characteristics of the cat and the degree of attachment to you. On average, it is generally accepted that a cat can live comfortably alone at home for three days. Three days alone will pass without harm to the cat.
How long can you leave a cat alone?
There are peculiarities in the behavior of cats and cats. Breeders believe that cats are more affectionate and peaceful. They need affection and support more, so they try to establish contact with a stranger at the first meeting. If a stranger comes during your absence and the cat likes him, she will definitely make friends with him.
How long can you leave a cat alone?
- Cats usually don't mind sitting in the arms of strangers to be petted and fed. Cats, on the contrary, are selfish and consider themselves masters of their homes. Accordingly, strangers in the house will be perceived as strangers. Therefore, the cat will hiss, growl or hide.
- Cats are very loyal and reliable, but in order to receive affection from them, you need to prove your good attitude and earn trust. If you leave your cat behind, note that the main problem upon return may be smell. Cats can really mark their own territory and thus take revenge on their owner for loneliness.
- Please note that it is better not to leave your pet in splendid isolation during sexual hunting. It is during this period that they become aggressive, they can damage furniture and mark everything around them. Cats, on the contrary, are more dependent on people.
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Male and female: who tolerates loneliness better?
Cats cannot be divided into “good” and “bad”. They have different characters, behavioral characteristics and tastes.
When you decide to leave a cat with a stranger, consider the characteristics that distinguish females from males. So, cats are more peaceful and affectionate. They are playful and will try to make contact with the person they like the first time they meet. Each individual is individual, but in the majority, cats are drawn to outside affection and love to be pampered themselves.
Cats can do this
Cats are more wary of strangers. As the “king” of his home, he will growl when you try to get to know him, be uncommunicative, and even hide. Males are very gentle and loyal, but for this a person must earn their trust.
Cats and cats, despite the well-known myth of natural aloofness, remain dependent on people. This manifests itself regardless of their gender or breed.
How to leave a kitten for 2 days?
Many breeders note that after a long absence of owners, cats can change their behavior. Be prepared for the fact that after your arrival your pet will hide away in a corner or under the bed and will not want to communicate with you for a long period of time. Thus, the cat shows his resentment that he is angry with you.
In addition, some cats, on the contrary, after the arrival of their owners, may react very violently to the return of their owners. They can scream, meow and scratch their owners for a long period of time, expressing their displeasure.
How to leave a kitten for 2 days:
- Please note that some cats, especially those who are accustomed to a natural diet, have a very bad attitude towards dry food. Therefore, if you plan to leave for several days, get your cat used to food about one week before the trip.
- You need to train it in the same way as a dog, adding a small amount of water to the food and mixing it with natural food. It is necessary to gradually increase the amount of food in the food until it completely fills the entire bowl.
- Thus, before leaving, you will switch the animal to dry food. The fact is, if you do this abruptly, that is, before leaving, leaving the animal a large amount of dry food, it may refuse food for several days, which will negatively affect its health.
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What to do if an animal has a disease?
Sick animals should not be left alone under any circumstances. For chronic diseases, treatment is continuous, and a break can aggravate the condition. For a couple of days of absence, seek help from a veterinary clinic with a paid hospital.
In other cases, the responsible person who decides to babysit your cat will have to be provided with all the necessary medications and familiarized with the treatment plan. Just in case, leave him the phone number of the nearest veterinary clinic and the attending physician, as well as money for possible force majeure.
Try not to leave your pet for more than 2 days. If the departure is long, look for a reliable human company that is ready to take care of your pet on its territory. Consider all alternative options only as an exception, since an unfamiliar environment is the least preferable option for a cat family.
How long to leave a cat: reviews
This is why it is best to accustom your cat gradually. Many owners try to save money, so they purchase the cheapest food for the duration of their trip. This should not be done, since a cat without an owner is in a state of stress, has no one to communicate with, and may experience strong emotional distress.
If, along with stress, there is poor quality food, this can affect the physical condition of the cat. That is, after the owners arrive, the animal may begin to get sick. Below in the reviews you can find out how cats cope with long and short separations.
How long to leave a cat, reviews:
Victoria . I have a 3-year-old cat, I regularly go on business trips for about 3-4 days. Unfortunately, I live alone, so there is no one to look after my cat. A cat experiences separation for three days quite painfully. Often after my arrival he becomes aggressive. After a week, the behavior is restored.
Olga. We have a cat who is 7 years old. Left for 6 days only once. Every day a neighbor came and poured food and also cleaned the trays. Everything is fine with the cat, after arriving home she tried to catch up, and spent a lot of time in her arms, being caressed.
Alexander . I have a cat who is 8 years old. It is quite aggressive, so I don’t leave it on often, about 4-5 days. I have a job that involves traveling on business trips, so I have to leave the cat alone. I don’t trust anyone, so I don’t invite anyone into the house while I’m away. I leave plenty of dry food, water, and litter. A huge drawback is the very heavy smell that appears in the apartment after my absence. A cat can really shit in the corners, even if there is a lot of litter, it is clean and dry. Then you have to do a general cleaning with substances that kill the smell of cat urine. He tolerates separation painfully, does not crawl out from under the sofa for 24 hours, hides, does not want to communicate.
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The cat abandoned the kittens and does not want to feed them. How and what to feed newborn kittens without a cat: formula recipes, reviews
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There are cases where, during the long absence of the owners, it got to the point that after the owners returned, the cats went blind for several days, or vice versa, they marked the territory and relieved themselves on the owners’ things.
Alternative options
If your own apartment is not suitable for some reason, then there are several other options where you can leave your cat during your vacation. The most comfortable of them is the one that involves living with a familiar person. Despite this, other options are also acceptable, since they all provide for regular feeding and safety.
Give the cat to relatives or friends for a while
The main disadvantage of such a solution is the possible presence of other pets at the receiving party. Once on foreign territory, the cat will experience severe stress, and additional aggression from the four-legged owner will aggravate the situation.
It is better to introduce pets in advance on the cat’s territory. If the acquaintance went smoothly, then you don’t have to worry. If the future neighbor is aggressive even on someone else’s territory, then the animals will have to be kept in different rooms.
When choosing from possible candidates, give preference to the main favorite of your pet who loves cats. This will prevent mistreatment and reduce the stress of temporary relocation. Be sure to give your cat's personal belongings to your relatives or friends. A familiar smell will help him calm down faster in new conditions.
Another option is for someone to live in your apartment with the animal or to periodically spend the night here. For many cats, this is enough to feel comfortable.
Give the cat to a zookeeper or for foster care
A pet sitter is a person who cares for pets in their own apartment while their owners are away for a fee. You can find a pet sitter through a large company or private advertisements.
In the first case, the cost of overexposure will be higher, but you can be sure of the safety of your pet.
The main disadvantage of a pet sitter is the high probability of keeping several pets at the same time. This is fraught with conflicts and infection, so agree in advance that such an action is impossible or contact a pet hotel.
Hotel for pets
A pet hotel is a more reliable option than a pet sitter. Guests with mustaches are guaranteed veterinary care, so there is no need to worry about their health. All cats are kept in separate boxes or enclosures and are checked for mandatory vaccination. This eliminates territorial conflicts and contamination.
Owners can watch their mustachioed guests online via web cameras installed in each box or enclosure. Thanks to the video surveillance system, you can check the correctness of feeding and the condition of your pet.
All premises undergo mandatory disinfection, and a contract is concluded with each owner. Despite this, be sure to read reviews of each pet hotel you like. There are scammers in every field. Beautiful pictures on the site are not an indicator of comfortable conditions. Before giving your pet away, check its future place of residence for cleanliness and spaciousness.
Shelter or volunteer help
Volunteers working in shelters care for homeless and abandoned animals. Their main goal is to place the “foundlings” in good hands. They can only be contacted in case of force majeure: emergency hospitalization or other urgent circumstances.
If you live in a foreign city without relatives and friends, and are also experiencing problems with money, then turning to a shelter is the only possible solution. However, do not forget that it is temporary. Cat shelters are always overcrowded, and the living conditions of the animals leave much to be desired. Try to get your cat home as soon as possible.
