As cats have a reputation for being low maintenance, people tend to think of the felines as ideal pets for those with relatively busy schedules. In fact, certain cats even enjoy solitude which means if they have access to necessities, the pets pay no mind to the absence of humans. That being said, in contrast with their adult counterparts, kittens need to be checked upon every once in a while. "So leaving a kitten alone for 8 hours is out of the question?" a lot of pet owners wonder to themselves. Well, the best answer to that question is "It depends".
You must leave the house and your fluffy friend to take care of some business? If that is the case, this article shall prove handy. Check out the information down below to learn what needs to be done before leaving a kitten alone for 8 hours.
Age: An Extremely Important Consideration
Similar to human babies, most kittens need someone around to check up on them to ensure that everything is normal. As the felines grow older, the time that people could safely leave them alone increases.
- If your cat is younger than 4 months then it could be left alone from 2 to 4 hours
- If your cat is between 4 and 5 months then it could be left alone for 5 hours
- If your cat is older than 6 months then it could be left alone for 8 hours, sometimes a full day
Of course, different cats have different personalities so it's possible for adult felines to feel depressed if left alone for a couple of hours. That is why it's of utmost importance to take the character of your furball into account before heading out.
Leaving Kittens Alone: Potential Problems
Usually, the mind and body of kittens grow rapidly from the moment they enter the world until 6 months of age. During that particular period, the pets learn critical skills including socialization with humans which shape their mentality in the future. Hence, cat parents need to interact with kittens from time to time just to get them used to people's touch. By leaving your kitten unattended for extended periods of time, you would obstruct its development. Most of the time, kittens don't grow up to be healthy cats if left to their own devices.
Considering the curious nature of cats, they often get themselves into trouble without human supervision (climbing to high places, getting stuck into narrow spaces, chewing electrical wires and so on). At best, your furball is going to leave behind a trail of mess for you to clean when you return. At worst, the pet might sustain life-threatening injuries while roaming freely through the house. So all things considered, leaving a kitten alone for 8 hours is a serious compromise to the safety of the pet unless you make proper preparations.
Last but not least, kittens on occasion resort to excessive vocalization in the case they fail to locate their owner. By doing that, your fluffy friend hopes that you would come back to the house. Unfortunately, the ceaseless meowing sometimes proves too annoying for people living next door to bear. Of course, you may ask your neighbors to understand that you have no option left but you need to think of their position as well. Even cat lovers find the disturbance unbearable, let alone those that don't like animals.
Check us out for further detailed cat's health guide!
Setting Up The House Before Heading Out: Tips And Tricks
Leaving a kitten alone for 8 hours is something that cat parents should avoid, especially if the pet is too young. Nonetheless, if you absolutely have to leave your furball on its own, implement these arrangements.
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Prepare Sufficient Foods And Waters
Kittens require a lot of nutrients to support their repaid growth which is why it's essential that you keep your fluffy friend well-fed. Before you leave the house, fill the feeding bowl of your pet so it could eat while you away. In addition to that, you have to give your kitten enough fresh water to drink. Dehydration causes all sorts of health issues to kittens so it's widely advised that cat parents set up a water bowl for the felines. Purchase cat fountains if it seems that your cat likes to drink from moving waters.
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Check Our The Litter Box
After having their fill of foods and waters, it's only a matter of time before the pets have to answer the call of nature. Because of that, you should scoop up the litter in the litter box to make sure that the pet is able to use it comfortably. Due to the fact that kittens tend to wander, it's a good idea for you to place more than one box in the house. That would allow your furball to relieve itself without much difficulty as it moves around. But as kittens have limited mobility in most cases, cat parents must be careful while positioning the litter box(es).
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Restrict Access To The Outdoors
The outside world contains a lot of danger for kittens so it's necessary to keep your fluffy friend indoor. Still, cats happen to be resourceful creatures so if pet owners leave a small opening, the felines make their escape. As a result, experts recommend that you secure all exits to the outdoors before leaving. Without protection from humans, kittens have extremely low chances of survival in the great outdoors. To avoid unfortunate incidents, you must ensure that your fluffy friend is essentially unable to get out of the house. You can either set up some scratching posts, cat trees or provide your furball with a comfy bed and satisfying toys. Put on the cat a collar with a bell so that you always know where he/she is.
Taking Care Of Kittens Without Actually Having To Be Around
- Consider Hiring A Cat Sitter: If you hate to leave your furball alone then you should get a cat sitter to come by to keep it company in your absence. For a small fee, you could keep your kitten entertained.
- Invest In Cat-Specific Toys: Overall, kittens have lots of energy so it's hard for your fluffy friend to just sit around doing nothing. By getting your pet a couple of toys, you could help it release pent up energy by itself which minimizes potential damages to the house.
- Adopting A Few More Kittens: In case you have to be away often, it's strongly recommended that you adopt another kitten or two. Generally speaking, the kittens would entertain each other and they don’t have to rely solely on humans for affection.
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