How long can you leave a cat alone?
A healthy adult cat can generally be left alone for 8 to 12 hours, according to a veterinarian writing for PetMD. For an overnight trip or longer, someone should check on your cat at least once a day, and many cat charities recommend twice. Kittens and cats with medical needs need much more frequent care.
I’ve been looking after cats in Woodland Hills since 2018, and “can I just leave them?” is one of the first things cat owners wonder before a trip. Here’s what the vets say, and where they don’t quite agree.
Cats have a reputation for not needing anyone. They’ve run a brilliant PR campaign, because the truth is a little more complicated.
How long can you leave a cat alone?
A healthy adult cat can be left alone for about 8 to 12 hours, according to Hannah Hart, DVM, writing for PetMD. Pet insurer Petplan says never leave an adult cat alone for more than 24 hours.
Eight to twelve hours is a workday. Your cat spends it asleep in the one sunbeam that keeps moving, then greets you at the door like you left them at a gas station.
Can I leave my cat alone for 2 days?
You shouldn’t leave a cat alone for 2 days without someone checking in. PetMD’s vet guidance says a sitter should visit at least once a day when you’re away overnight or longer.
Two days sounds short until you picture the water bowl at hour 30: tipped over, with your cat sitting next to it, staring straight at the camera like it’s your fault. The bigger worry is that nobody would notice if your cat got sick.
Both look independent. Both still need their water bowl refilled.
Leaving a cat alone for 3 or 4 days
Leaving a cat alone for 3 or 4 days isn’t safe, because two serious problems can develop in that time without anyone seeing the signs:
Neither of these is something an automatic feeder can spot. A person who visits can notice a cat that hasn’t eaten or is straining in the litter box, and call you or the vet the same day.
Can you leave a cat alone for a week?
No. A week is far past every vet guideline above. With a week away, your cat needs at least one visit a day, and more if they’re young, older or on medication.
Your cat will absolutely tell you they’d be fine. Your cat also tells you they’re starving every 40 minutes, so consider the source.
“She updated me not only whenever she was coming and going but when and how much he was eating.” Tillie S., about her cat, June 2021
Do automatic feeders make it OK?
Automatic feeders don’t replace a person. UK vet charity PDSA says your cat still needs someone checking in, “even if you have an automatic feeder or cameras throughout your house.”
An automatic feeder is brilliant at exactly one thing: putting food in a bowl. It can’t scoop a litter box, refill the water your cat knocked over, or notice the food from yesterday is still sitting there untouched.
Kittens, seniors and cats on medication
Kittens need far more care. PetMD says kittens still on milk replacer shouldn’t be alone for more than two to three hours, and weaned kittens no more than about four. Cats with medical conditions may need medication or more frequent checks, so ask your vet what’s safe for yours.
Kittens are small, adorable, and able to find the one phone charger cable you forgot existed. Four hours is plenty of time for them to get creative.
How often should a cat sitter visit?
A cat sitter should visit at least once a day, and many welfare groups recommend twice. PetMD’s vet guidance sets once a day as the minimum, while PDSA and Cats Protection recommend at least two visits a day.
Two visits splits the day neatly: breakfast and a check in the morning, dinner and a litter scoop in the evening. Your cat gets two chances to ignore someone instead of one.
What I do on a cat visit
Each of my cat visits covers the basics and the things a feeder can’t:
My cat visits are $17, and I take up to 4 drop-ins a day. Here’s how cat sitting with me works, and what a full week adds up to in how much a cat sitter costs.
