How Long Is Too Long To Leave Your Cat at Home Alone?

Most owners don't like to leave their dogs alone for too long. Cat owners, however, generally give the issue less thought—after all, cats are known for their independence.

However, their owners should be thinking about it, a feline behavioral expert has told Newsweek. Despite the stereotype about their supposedly aloof nature, there is a limit to the length of time cats can spend at home alone.

Stephen Quandt, a cat trainer certified through the Animal Behavior Institute, said that this varied depending on the "cat's age, temperament, and medical history."

To start, Quandt rules out any concerns about cats being at home alone for less than one night. "That doesn't really count in most cases so I'm going to talk about cats being left alone at least overnight or longer," he said.

Factors To Take Into Consideration

Quandt, who went on to found his own firm, Stephen Quandt Feline Behavior Associates, said that owners thinking of leaving their cats alone for longer than overnight need to consider their feeding schedule. He himself makes sure that his cats are fed on time and advises his clients to refrain from leaving cats and kittens alone if they're to miss meals.

"As a cat parent and professional, I would feel fine leaving them at home alone after they have had dinner, so long as I get back in time to give them breakfast the next morning," he said.

He added that most cats should be okay on their own for a maximum of two nights, provided that their meals are being delivered by a cat sitter. However, he said that senior cats, medicated cats or cats with health conditions should never be left alone for that long. He drew the line at three nights alone entirely for all cats.

Quandt said that while most healthy cats would fare well on their own for two nights or less, this really does depend on the temperament of the cat.

"Cat owners ought to take the cat's temperament and emotional needs into consideration too, as well as their meal times," he said.

"I'd say two nights max is okay, provided your cat gets all the meals they expect and isn't being medicated. But even in this case two nights could be too long depending on your cat's temperament and emotional needs," he added.

Cat owners who can't find pet sitters or that need to head out at the last minute should invest in timed auto-feeders and water dispensers. These devices will be able to provide fresh meals for pets at scheduled times, so that cats staying home alone can still eat when expected.

"It is very disruptive to your cat if they start missing meals when they're used to scheduled feeding. A timed auto-feeder with a chiller pack could give them access to wet food," Quandt said.

He has urged clients to make sure their cats were used to the automated feeder before leaving them alone with it. Water dispensers can be applied to solve the problem of pet cats being subjected to old water bowls, but they also require a bit of time to prepare.

Once all automated devices have been set up, cat owners planning to leave their pets alone for a period of time should safeguard their homes as well. This looks like clearing away wires, medications and any other potential hazards.

It Depends on the Cat

According to Quandt, the best way to assess how long a cat should be left at home alone depends on their age and general well-being. The behaviorist told Newsweek that he'd always refrain from leaving a young kitten at home overnight. Senior or sick cats need a similar level of care.

"I think being a responsible pet parent to a cat means taking their cat's physical and emotional health seriously and treating them like a family member whom you love," the behaviorist said.

"Leaving some cats alone for a night or two give or take might be ok, but I don't recommend it. Other than overnight if I'm returning in time for breakfast the next day I won't do it," he added.

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