How many hours can I leave my cat home alone?

It is said that as people spend more time at home, the number of people starting to live with cats, and those who want to live with cats, is increasing.

The daily life spent with a cat is irreplaceable. Cats are truly healing with their cuteness and free-spirited nature.

However, when you have to leave your cat "home alone," you might feel anxious, wondering if they are feeling lonely, if they will get into mischief, or if it's okay to stay out overnight.

Therefore, in this article, we will explain in detail about leaving your cat home alone, including how many hours it is okay, how many days they can be left alone, and precautions when leaving your cat at home.

Can cats be left home alone?

In the first place, are cats creatures that are good at being left alone?

Cats originally lived by hunting alone rather than in packs, so they do not easily feel loneliness as stress. Moreover, since they spend most of the day sleeping, they do not seem to feel lonely even if their owner is not by their side all the time.

Also, cats are very weak against changes in their environment. In fact, they feel more stress when taken to an unfamiliar place. They are likely to spend their time with less stress if they are left at home, which is their own territory, rather than being entrusted to an unfamiliar place.

From this, it can be said that cats are good at being left alone.

Do cats also feel lonely?

Even when you think about leaving them alone, you might worry, "What should I do if they feel lonely?"

Feeling strong anxiety when separated from the owner is called "separation anxiety." It is common for dogs to exhibit behavioral problems due to separation anxiety, but it seems to be rare in cats.

How many hours can you leave a cat alone?

A healthy adult cat can be left alone for up to 24 hours. Even for those who work at a company, leaving them alone from when you leave in the morning until you return should be no problem.

A cat's daily rhythm naturally comes to match the owner's pace, and some cats even have their meal times fixed to twice a day—morning and night. It seems that many cats spend most of their time sleeping while their owner is away.

However, long periods of being left alone are forbidden for cats with underlying illnesses that require medication, or senior cats with low stamina. Please make sure to have regular health checkups at a veterinary clinic and confirm how to care for them.

From what age can kittens be left home alone?

Kittens around 2 months old, before weaning, cannot be left home alone. They need milk every few hours, and you cannot let your guard down regarding litter box or room temperature management.

When they reach about 3 to 4 months old, their bodies become quite solid, so they can be left home alone for about 1 hour to half a day. However, since they are in their mischievous prime full of curiosity, measures against mischief and accidents are essential.

Once they pass 6 months old, they will have a body size similar to an adult cat, so they can be left home alone for 8 hours or more. There is no problem with leaving them home for the day due to work, etc.

How many days can a cat be left alone?

About 1 night/2 days to 2 nights/3 days, your cat can stay home alone. Rather than leaving them at a pet hotel, it will likely be less stressful for your cat to be left at home.

However, it is essential to prepare an environment with food, drinking water, and a litter box. If you have an automatic feeder or water dispenser, you don't have to worry about food going bad or the drinking water evaporating.

Depending on the living environment, considering the spoilage of food and drinking water, as well as dangers like heatstroke, the limit is 2 days in the summer and 3 days in the winter.

Ask someone to look after your cat for stays of 2 nights/3 days or longer

When you need to leave your cat alone for 2 nights and 3 days or more, it is recommended to ask someone to look after your cat.

• Ask a friend or acquaintance to come and check on them
• Use a pet sitter
• Use a pet hotel
• Have them looked after at your regular veterinary clinic

There are methods like these. Please consider your cat's personality and the presence of any underlying illnesses to choose the best method.

What is needed when leaving a cat alone

When you have your cat stay home alone, careful preparation is required. First, let's check what is necessary for your cat's home-alone time.

Plenty of drinking water

Drinking water can evaporate or get knocked over, so it disappears surprisingly quickly. Choose stable bowls and prepare one more than the number of cats you have.

Tap water, which does not spoil easily, is fine. An automatic water dispenser is recommended because they can drink fresh water at any time.

Food

Always use dry type (kibble) food during home-alone times. Avoid wet types as they spoil easily and are prone to bacterial growth.

When leaving them home alone, provide more than one day's worth for the number of days they will be left alone. If you are worried about overeating, an automatic feeder is reassuring.

Litter box

Cats dislike a dirty litter box, so they may have accidents while you are away. Since you cannot clean it while you are out, make sure to clean it just before you leave and fill it with plenty of cat litter.

It is ideal if you can provide one more litter box than the number of cats.

Cage

When you have your cat stay home alone, let them walk freely around the house.

However, when having a mischievous kitten or a cat in poor health stay alone, it is safer to put them in a cage. Let them stay in the cage for home-alone periods of a few hours.

Pet camera or monitor

For owners who are worried about how their cat is doing while left alone, a pet camera or monitor is recommended. You can check on your cat anytime, and some even allow you to feed them treats remotely.

Precautions when leaving your cat alone

When you have your cat stay home alone, you worry about unexpected troubles or accidents. You must not let anything happen that endangers your cat's life.

Let's learn the precautions when having your cat stay home alone.

Prevention of accidental ingestion

Store foods, plants, small toys, or strings that are dangerous if a cat eats them in a place where they cannot reach. Take thorough measures against electric shock, such as securing electrical cords and outlets.

Anti-escape measures

Unforeseen events such as thunder or earthquakes may occur while you are away. Check that all doors and windows are securely closed so they don't get startled by loud noises and run away.

In case of an emergency, don't forget a microchip, cat collar, or ID tag.

Cold weather measures for staying alone in winter

Cats are prone to feeling under the weather during the cold season. When leaving them home alone, use an air conditioner and set it to automatic mode to keep the room between 20-23 degrees Celsius. Do not use heaters as they are dangerous.

A roofed dome-type cat bed or a tube-type cat bed will keep them warm with their own body heat, so be sure to provide one.

Heatstroke measures for staying alone in summer

Although it is said that cats are resistant to heat, an air conditioner is essential for home-alone time in the summer. Since there is a risk of heatstroke, it is recommended to leave the air conditioner on.

Set the air conditioner between 26-28 degrees Celsius and leave it on automatic mode. Make sure your cat can find a comfortable place on their own, such as by being able to move to another room if it gets too cold.

Summary

It can be said that cats are good at being left alone, but there are still many things to worry about. As the time they are left alone increases, the number of things to prepare and measures to take also increases.

If your cat is not used to being left alone, try practicing with short periods of time. Gradually increase the time they spend alone while improving any issues.

Even if cats don't think "I'm lonely" without their owner, they might feel anxious or dissatisfied that "things are different from usual."

For the cat that tried their best staying home alone, be sure to convey your love through skinship and playtime.

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