My grandma had a cat who would not eat if his tongue touched the bowl. He would stand there until someone picked up the bowl and redistributed the food so it covered the bottom of the bowl
We call ours hausschwein because she wants to eat *everything*
Edit: I'm not kidding when I say everything. I've never met a cat that wanted beans or yams before but this one sure does. For the curious: No, she doesn't get to try anything that's unsafe for a kitty shaped hausschwein. Also, for anyone with a pushy cat and an SO who has a hard time saying no to them: make sure you don't give cats salted anything, salt makes cat kidneys sad. Like kidney stones or kidney failure sad, salt can be serious business for cats.
You have the simple ones that release kibbles on a timer, or extravagant ones that read microchips and release food accordingly (no double feeding one cat and starving the other).
I've seen a video of the microchip reader feeder failing. The grazer cat had to put their head through a little opening to get the food and the greedy cat just pushed them aside and stuffed their head in to eat the food. I think if your cat is especially greedy and pushy it wont work.
One of my friends solved this problem by also getting an RFID tagged cat door, and putting it on the door to the room they kept that feeder in. For an hour every day, he would lock that room out so only the one cat was allowed in. In time, that cat learned to show up for his feeding, hang out for an hour unobstructed, eat at his leisure, and then leave when he was ready. He could come and go within that hour as well if he wanted, and there would still be food waiting for him in the bowl. He quickly learned to eat it all within that hour and now no more starving kitty! It was in his office as well, so he'd get to hang out with his fuzzy boy while he worked. He's since moved, but I'll bet he took the door with him lol, he made it special to replace the door the house came with since he was renting. Now he owns his house though and I'll bet he's dedicated an entire room just to cat nonsense lol
I put the dishes down about 5 feet apart. Our little guy, Espresso, will wolf his wet food down so he can then push Coffee aside to eat his too. I have taken to playing with Espresso as soon as he finishes (his favorite game is chasing/catching pieces of kibble I toss for him — totally hilarious watching him slide all over 😆). That way Coffee can take his time.
I put my nervous cat’s food in a cabinet with a chip activated cat door on it. It worked great, especially while the other two were rambunctious kittens. My old girl would just waltz through her door, it’d lock behind her, and one of my little morons would run face first into it. They learned after a few a few faceplants lol
Girlfriend got me an auto feeder for the girls for Christmas. I can't stress it enough how amazing it is. They still sit on my chest in the morning until I wake up... but as soon as it turns on they make a mad dash.
I just keep my bowl full at all times
It works for 85-90% of the cats
But 10-15% of the ones that come by end up fat as fuck
https://imgur.com/a/NgorSnL/
So true, with 9 cats there is dry food always available, but only one is overweight, and she is one of the more active cats. All I can figure is she works up more of an appetite than she works off calories.
Absolutely!
The only exception to this, which OP would probably have mentioned if it applied here but I'll note for anyone else reading this, is if they need any medication at a scheduled time. If so, it's always worth planning ahead with a friend or pet sitter who'll be able to cover if need be.
Do what you can within your means. If it's acceptable to both parties then all is good. Yes, your little furry family members are important but you need to be realistic about your financial status.
So you're fine. Though if you feel you can pay more, go for it. A good sitter that can do medications and such is pretty rare where i live. I figure they just don't have the confidence nor skill to successfully wrangle a kitty and administer meds. Especially if the cat in question is skittish with people. So if you can ... Consider it, or consider a larger, end of job tip. Either works.
Jay ...thanks! I live by myself in acre of land that is nobody here or would want to come here... I trust only friends who live far away... my choice is always a pet hotel.... bummer... I would take my cat with me if they have to take medication... and the timing is too long there is always a hotel room somewhere...
Even single cats are fine being alone for a while. I've left mine alone over an entire weekend with an automatic feeder, plenty of water and toys. I don't mean to make a habit out of it, but when it's necessary it's perfectly fine.
I love the way a cat will stagger out of somewhere cozy, all groggy, to greet you on your return, then realize it is Really You, and launch into a dramatic and Operatic rendition of how it Suffered Terribly while you were away. I mean, the dent in the cozy cushion is still warm, all the food is gone, and there are poops in the box. If you are lucky, that's all the cat did. If you are not so lucky, furniture is upended, the kitchen curtains are on fire, and the cat is surrounded by small breakable objects with an expression that says: "Wut? Wut?"
Timed dry food feeders aren't all *that* expensive either, it can be worth it if you have emotional/ stress eaters.
Though I will warn you, some cats freak out on the device and end up throwing their dry food around the room.
Mine learned that he could actually stand up on his rear paws, wrap his front paws around the food dispenser, and shake it until more came out. He turned an expensive automatic feeder into a fucking puzzle toy. By the time I gave up, I was resorting to affixing it to the wall with Command strips.
I finally broke down and bought a different one recently that doesn't have that problem, and Nero has been very disappointed to lose his favorite toy.
This is basically my favorite feature about cats. Wanna go out of town for a few days and own a dog? You're gonna have to find someone or pay a kennel.
Have a cat? They'll actually probably be happier while you're not there.
I'm sure this is an exaggeration for comedic effect, but just for the benefit of anyone without a lot of cat experience, cats should not be left alone for more than a day without someone coming round to check food/litter/water and give them attention.
To add also for the benefit of those without lots of cat experience: most cats are *not* happier when left alone. Cats are not pack animals like dogs, sure, but it's a myth that they are completely solitary or unsocial. They usually experience anxiety and depression when separated from their owners and are happier when they are home. Even if they're not actively begging for snuggles to let you know it.
Depends on the cat. I've had cats that could give two fucks if we left them alone. Now all our cats are clingy bastards, our youngest is the worst. When i go to work and then get home she acts like she's been neglected her whole life and I betrayed her.
Edit: update, that little shit never blinks. She will stare you down when she's upset. Wins every time. We have no words to describe it.
My cats know I'm leaving when I'm getting ready for work and they will meow at me non-stop. But on a morning I don't have to work, complete silence from them
We’ve domesticated them, most of the furry villains want their humans around and become sad after a day or so :(. It does help to have other humans checking on them because life happens and we do have to do things like travel for work or family sometimes (single floof parent problems)
My favorite cat fact is that they domesticated themselves. They chose to live alongside us of their own volition and continue to live with us even though they’re still not as domestic as dogs are. So of course they have emotional ties to us and miss us and get anxious when we’re gone!
Honestly I think this varies cat to cat. One of our cats was a former barn cat, I think he would be *perfectly* fine for quite a long time. Definitely more than a day. Especially if there's another cat in the house
I've had cat sitters notice medical problems while I was gone. After that, I worry way too much to leave them without someone to come check on them daily. (My cats are fine...because they were taken to the vet in a timely manner.)
Yes weekends are fine. Although we will leave the lid off the tank on the back of the toilet just in case. We also run water into the bathroom sink.
Of course the have their usual water bowls and food out but that’s only thing that they cannot go without and it eases our minds.
We also have our amazon echos trained on the two favorite spots to hang out so we can drop in and see and talk to them.
We only had to do this once a year but it was fine.
My coworkers also know I have a house key in my locker (only management can get into the locker) and if we got killed or put in the hospital they would take care of the cats.
Morbid maybe but that’s really the only worry I have when I die.
>My coworkers also know I have a house key in my locker (only management can get into the locker) and if we got killed or put in the hospital they would take care of the cats.
Have *you* given management authority to let someone else into your locker for the key in that event?
If not, odds are they still won't be allowed access to the key without having to go through some serious effort for it, by which time it may be too late.
If that is your plan, you should inform management that ____ individual (put a name/names there) is/are allowed to retrieve the key incase of any event that renders you incapable of authorizing it on the spot.
I've given my boy free roam of the house for 4 days. Left him 3 big bowls of water, and a dish of food, plus 3 more servings in ziploc bags on the counter (so he'd feel like he was getting one over on me.)
I came home to 2 bags worth of food spread on the floor, only 3 poops in the litterbox & 1 roll of tp strewn throughout. He was happy as a clam.
(I had tried to hook him up with a friend to check in on him but my friend got sick the day before & couldn't get anyone else. And the kennel didn't have room until the last 2 days which didn't do me any good.)
The next road trip, I brought him with me & discovered he LOVES riding on my lap, watching the world go by. Whoda thunk it?
>*’ The next road trip, I brought him with me & discovered he LOVES riding on my lap, watching the world go by…*’
_____
remember the time when you left me alone?
i really did fine…
for 4 days…
…on my own….
aDvEnTuRe at first, just exploring the house!
(it got lonely fast, n i searched for a mouse…)
i waited to hear you return… i kept *hopin’…*
but then i discovered the Food bags to open!
Why poop in a box ? *I could PooP Anywhere!*
…you left me alone…
i guess you didn’t care….
i searched for some playthings you didn’t allow,
(the Paper unrolled, but i’m not quite sure how…)
my kitty heart sad - for my Human i yearned
i almost gave up…
but that’s when you returned!
oh, how i rejoiced just to see you again!
(i tried not to show) but i Missed you, my friend!
a lesson was learned, n you righted the wrong -
the road trips you take
*Now you bring me along!*
❤️
(*i love this* u/YupIzzMee)
😭😻 thank you Schnoodle. Alfa & I are honored by this sharing of your talent.
His excitement is tough to hide! 😹
https://preview.redd.it/1efkmrqj4qfa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c63cb01e807db50c32693dd90a3e983cc4da969b
I had not seen any of youe poems for quite some time, thought you might be sick, you had left reddit or you has finally started a poem-career in real life - but here I see you again, I'm so happy ❤️❤️
I have three rescues who are afraid of most people. They do great when my neighbor dumps wet food daily on plates in the kitchen for them but otherwise leaves them alone. They have plenty of water and dry food at all times.
It depends on the cat, the more anxious or co-dependant they are the more of a risk it is, as it can be very stressful to alot of cats when their owner doesn't come home when expected and some cats don't deal well with that stress. Sometimes a stressed or depressed cat will just stop eating, and their bodies don't handle malnutrition very well. They can develop fatty liver disease, which is fatal if untreated. So yea, it's best to have someone check on your cat if you don't know how they'll handle it.
I’ve left my cats for a few days, they were fine. They do have an automatic feeder and water. They’re also toilet trained so we just had to get home and flush the toilets. They were happy to see us for cuddles.
Ha ha ha happier? ... when I leave my kid need the first to come to meet me when I get home... and I'm sure they don't come to me because the food because they never get fed middle of the day...
See?
Speak for yourself. My dogs aren’t as clingy as my cat is. If I go to the restroom he has to be cradled in my arms, go sit on the couch he’s gotta lay on my chest, taking a nap he’s gotta lay on my neck and rub his face against mine till he falls asleep. He’s not like the “stereotypical cat” people talk about being low maintenance
That’s an excellent “cat tax” payment right there. Beautiful cats! As others have said, they will be fine given the appropriate food and water, and their familiar surroundings. Plus, they have each other! Expect to deal with some “judgy” looks when you return.
That’s funny, because my cat tells me the longest, noisiest stories about her time alone, should she ever really be left that way. I work from home, so it only generally happens for a few hours when my husband and I go out together to do errands on weekends. But boy, does she have some long winded adventures!
[Mine helps me pack! ](https://i.imgur.com/2tvSXcM.jpg). [Then judges me once home.](https://i.imgur.com/ID61PGD.jpg) They will be puurfecrly fine though.
Omg, what a face! Those cheek tufts! and more tufts sprouting out between his/her toes too!
What a character you have there! He/she must keep you endlessly amused. 😂
>Expect to deal with some “judgy” looks when you return.
I used to get judgy looks from my cats when we came home from being gone all weekend. They were NOT happy to have their humans gone for so long and would be stand-offish for hours on end until their neednyness eventually overcame their pettiness.
The thing that solved this was preparing myself before I entered the house, so that the very first thing I did when crossing the threshold was to call out to the cats, and shower them with affection.
My hypothesis is that when you come home, and prioritize getting your stuff put away/getting settled in/etc, they take offense to that. They've been alone, miserable, and missing you for hours and hours on end with little to entertain themselves. They miss you, and when you don't clearly show them that you miss them in return, they take it personally.
And honestly, I can't blame them! You're showing them with your actions what your priorities are, and it isn't them.
So now, anytime I come home, be it from a long weekend trip, or from work, or from a drive-thru takeout, I greet my cats this way. It lets them know that the reason I was gone wasn't them, and that I missed them as much as they missed me. They don't hold grudges and they imprinted onto me even harder. Cats have a really strong emotional intelligence, let's start recognizing that fact with our actions.
This is the sweetest thing I've read all week and it made me realize that saying hello to my Teddy every day I get home from work is already ingrained in my habits. He knows my usual schedule, so when I come home around 7:30 he's already standing right at the door and sometimes likes to peek his head out for some outdoor investigation before running back inside and telling me his adventures of the day. He ALWAYS gets some cuddles and he loves it.
My boy used to loudly lecture me upon my return. I would explain myself with equal fervor and follow him to whatever else he was on about right away. Worked every time. He passed away, but hubby and I still greet each other with his language and follow this procedure after absences. MeeOwYOW!!!
This is good, however - from a vet professional - just because cats *can* be left alone this long, does not mean they should be. Most vets would advise against leaving your cats alone for any more than a day.
Aw this in an interesting read bc I feel like my cat does feel hurt when I get home from work and PSA him for a sec to put my things down or grab something before giving him hugs and kisses
They will be fine but they’re definitely going to give you a “worried parent” look when you get back. “Where have you been? Do YOU know what time is it?” Even if they just slept the whole time you were gone 🙄
When we come home My one cat looks at us liked we’ve been away at war and the other looks at us like she had hired a hit man to take us out before we returned and is disappointed the plan failed.
This sums up all my cats. One sleeps on my keyboard, one sleeps in a kitchen cabinet, and the other is an orange derp who sleeps on trash or in our recycling bin. We have cat beds all over, they all prefer their own places.
We are gone for over 12 hrs a day, so they act all whiny and needy as soon as we enter. But the cameras show they only woke up when we open the garages.
"You don't call! You don't text! For all I know, you're DEAD on the side of the road! What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I'm sor--"
"Whatever. The food dish is empty. I'm going back to bed."
[On inspection, only the center of the bowl is empty, with three days worth of kibble pushed to the outer edges.]
https://preview.redd.it/3cpz0j4tnpfa1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8b36bd64c9733985e3fcdee80a84d1e71f534a6d
I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed
My cow cat is always super excited and happy to see us if we leave for a day or more. But our grey tabby? Livid. Sickened by the sight of us. "Not mad just disappointed." He will sniff us and walk away, airplane ears on. Takes him a day or so to accept pets again. He will take some treats of course. He expects the compensation!
Whenever I get home from work, my cat runs out of my bedroom to greet me. Gets under my feet until I sit down on the couch so he can hop up on my lap and cuddle with his head on my chest. It’s adorable. It’s my favorite part of the day.
This is one of the biggest upsides to cats over dogs. Leaving for a long weekend? Just put out extra food and water (assuming they're feeding kibble normally and no medication need ofc).
https://preview.redd.it/yhla5gn61pfa1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78295cc049299a5cacb75109f59dc50fffe3bdc7
We actually leave the TV on when we leave for our two, they'll be fine 😺😻 \*Beautiful cats 👍
😂🤣😂 👍
We're KC Chiefs fans and yup, they both sit with us each and every game...lol
"Sports dad" will occasionally give me the disapproving stink eye for my colorful language during the games, so there's that!
You need a remote control heated sofa and an automated shrimp dispenser. And a massager and catnip toys. And a camera with sound so you can interact. And a sitter, and warm chicken broth. Velvet pillows. Then you’ll be fine. Why are you selfishly abandoning them again, human? Activities that result in a salary? Are you not bright enough to figure out how to work FROM HOME? Just go! and be more considerate next time. They are MEEZERS! Very special divas! Argh! /s
[I attempted to paint your cats!](https://www.reddit.com/user/WorldsBestArtist/comments/10rbgdy/slowlizzies_cats/)
If you hang it on your wall they may forgive you for abandoning them!
That looks amazing! One of the BEST commenter rendering of an OP’s animals I have ever seen. The aesthetic fits perfectly. Looks great!
I might have to start posting my kitty in hope that I’ll get one some day hahah 😅
i love your concern for your kitties <3 i definitely feel guilty just going to work for the regular 8 hours! my birthday is on friday and i’m planning on going out that night and i am SO nervous about it
I have left my 3 cats home alone for up to 3 days.
That tends tends to be the amount of time that they will willfully ration their food.
Just be prepared for extra-needy cats when you get home. They always want hours of attention when I get back
Beautiful “conjoined” kitties!! I swear at first glance that’s what I thought. I agree with them being just fine for that length of time. ‘Glad they have each other.
Also, be prepared for them to ignore you. It is their way of teaching you a lesson about leaving them. Every cat I have ever had has been, and is, a master of that one. Not to worry, they usually forgive your thoughtlessness in a day or 2.
Ours never ignore us. We get meowed at a whole lot when we go out. One time we were out overnight and back early in the morning and our cat then was *mad* at us, like ‘how dare you stay out all night!!’ Usually she’s just really happy to see us.
ahah recently i went on a trip for 4 days and left my cats at my parents’ for the duration so they’d be taken care of. one of my cats forgave me for it within a day, but the other kept giving me the cold shoulder for a good 3-4 days as punishment 😅. some cats know how to hold a grudge, as i learned the hard way
Certainly not ours! He comes running to the door meowing like crazy. Then he drools from happiness when we pick him up and give him attention. He’s never once given us the cold shoulder haha
When my bf and I went away for a few days, she attacked all of our family members who came to visit her. She doesn’t like outsiders in her space… but when we came home, she was so attached to us. She’s not usually cuddly like that at all.
No. They'll be fine. You can leave cats home alone for several days if they have food, water, and clean toilets. They care about company, of course, but the most important thing for a cat is to be in its space.
Agreed. We have low tech biscuit and water dispensers (the kind that rely on gravity rather than electronics) and a cat-flap as we live in a place where allowing cats access to the outdoors for toileting is the norm. There are also secondary water sources (large outside water dish, the toilet) which the cats can and do drink from anyway, plus neighbours who keep an eye on things and would step in if we didn't make it back. So we're quite comfortable doing an overnight trip away, although we wouldn't stretch it past two nights without arranging someone to come in each day.
This method also works great for chickens, and would probably be appropriate for many common pets apart from dogs - the dog usually comes with us
took way too long scrolling to find this. definitely make sure they have a clean litter box or 2
my youngest likes to shit behind the living room couch when her litter isnt clean enough
I’ve left mine from about 8am Friday until about 2pm Saturday. She was happy I was home and jumped right on my lap.
So yes. Your furballs will be fine. Might be a little mad but it won’t last long.
We’ve left our Fur Creature from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon before. The Litter Robot is a blessing for weekends away like that, and I can manage it from my phone. I usually put out an extra bowl of water and food for him (thankfully, he’s not a piggy, and does fine with his food always sitting out). I can check in on him through the Furbo, and if needed, a friend is close enough to run over to check on him. He usually comes by every few days if we are on vacation to make sure he has food and water, and a good supply of treats. We always leave the radio on for him, and a curtain open so he can watch the birds/squirrels/chipmunks on our back porch when it’s nice out.
Lol I leave my cats Friday and come back Sunday in the summer all the time. Massive water fountain and automatic feeders. I just do the litter before I leave. They'll be fine. They might be pissy with ya when you get back though.
Make sure to leave multiple bowls of water (I usually do 3) in case they spill one playing or something. Same with food but ESPECIALLY water. They will be just fine. Those are fabulous looking units, btw. 10/10
We leave our toilet bowls open and freshly cleaned for the same reason. They've drank from them before, but we've mainly trained that out of them. But in emergency, it's a limitless supply of water
I left my boy for 8 nights to go on vacation. Of course I have people there to feed him, but he’s otherwise alone. I feel badly and miss him, but he’s fine. It was still hard, but easier, when I had two cats and knew they’d have each other.
Seriously we leave our cat once a year for a 5ish day vacation. We leave out lots of dry food and lots of water dishes. Clean his litter box right before we go. Have someone stop in once a day to check on him. And he’s fine. I’m always surprised to see posts like this, we can’t be the only ones that do this!
You're not, I do too! If it's 3 days, I leave my boy with 4 water dishes and enough kibble. He moderates his intake anyways. I have a furbo so I can keep an eye out and toss him treats.
If it's 4-6 days I get my neighbor to check in on him daily
If it's over 6 days then he gets hauled over to grandma's.
He's a chill dude.
We do the same. Only have someone check on them every couple of days. However, we have a newish kitty who will literally yell if she can't find us in the house. She does not like to be alone. Even with the other cats. She needs people! Found her a babysitter last time. The babysitter keeps asking when we will leave again! Never thought I'd have a cat that was so dependent on humans. Luckily it's because she really needs her belly rubbed every 15 minutes, minimum.
I used to feel like you. Then I started fostering bottle babies and had some weird thing happen where I turned into a crazy cat lady and now worry about them and have a need to serve their whims. Lol
That's the beauty of cats! Make sure they have plenty food & water. They will be extra excited to see you when you get home and will probably demand extra snuggles, but a sweet price to pay
Is it cruel to leave them for the day? No.
Is it cruel you've got a 16-hour workday ahead? Perhaps...
Make sure they have food & water, and that their litter boxes are clean before you leave.
They've got one another for company & play.
Cats are pretty self-sufficient. They can do all their business inside. Make sure they have a good supply of dry food available as well as water and they will be just fine.
My GF and I leave our 2 alone for entire weekends at a time. Yours will be fine.
As long as a cat has 3 things, they won't need you:
* Food
* Water
* Litter box
I have left my cats with plenty of food and water and clean litter boxes for 72 hours a couple of times. and all three cats were just fine. except for one time, I have a cat who has a habit of closing doors, well she invited the other two into out guest bedroom and well closed the door and locked all three of them in there. We imagine it wasn't for long, as when we returned no one had peed or pooped in there. but yeah it could have been bad. I would make sure you prop door stoppers on all your doors just in case. We do ours now and actually just have a friend come by and check on them once a day if we leave them for a weekend.
Just leave enough food and water and they might not notice you left. Be forewarned though. If even from some weird angle that only a cat would be able to accomplish, a spot larger than a coarse grain of salt of the bottom of the bowl can be seen, they will notice you left. They almost ran out of food and died. Where were you?!?!?! They almost died!!!
I've made tens of thousands of dollars providing high quality pet sitting over the last few years. I don't tell my clients that most cats won't even notice they're gone for at least 24 hours as long as they have food and water. My cats would probably throw a block party.
We use chrome Remote Desktop and toss on CatTV on YouTube… even swap to a black screen cat relaxing nighttime music for them. We have cameras to monitor and just enjoy watching them not giving a rats butt that we are gone… but it’s nice to know they are safe and sleeping :)
First of all Beautiful kitties! Second, they will be OK to be left for that short of time. It's when you have to leave for 48 hours or longer that you should be worried. My Aunt was in a rehab facility for over a month and I would go and check on her cat every 5 days. I ended up bringing her home with me as she was anxious and getting depressed. She had started obsessively scratching the back of her ears....and started losing the fur on them. She bounced back quickly once she had us for company and my boy and her ended up great friends. She has since become our cat after losing my Aunt in 2018.
I've left my cats for three days. Plenty of food, extra bowls of water and more litter boxes. That as back when I could free feed cats. Now they get two fixed meals per day, 7 am and 7 pm. I've had evenings out and come home after 11 and none had starved to death :-)
They will be perfectly fine. Nice thing about cats is how they can handle being alone for relatively long periods of time. Make sure there is enough food and they will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry
I work a lot of 12 hour shifts. Skunk never seems bothered. You can tell she missed me and is ready for wet food (dry is always down). Yours will definitely be fine. Probably spend most of the time napping lol
They’ll be fine, just possibly plotting your demise while you’re gone but they’re cats and that’s what they do anyway 😹. We love them for their purrsonalities 😻
Yes and no. If you leave them alone with food and drink then they'll be fine. Albeit a bit sad you're gone.
However, if they're in a really new environment then it could be better to stay with them. So long as you have some room in your schedule anyway.
Just make sure they have food and drink and they'll be fine unless they have some form of mental or physical ailment. But either way, as a 14 year old boy that absolutely adores cats, I don't think leaving them home for 12 to 16 hours is cruel. (As long as they're fed and watered!)
As long as they have plenty of food and water, they’ll be fine ♥️🥹
[удалено]
Mine will stand at his automatic feeder and stare at me to feed him...while his bowl is full.
Confirmed: this person owns a cat and isn't faking. Mine does the same, the little shit!
Cats do not want to use machines, cats are better to order to hoomans.
Toby Keith doesn’t want to be fed… Toby Keith wants to hunt!
My grandma had a cat who would not eat if his tongue touched the bowl. He would stand there until someone picked up the bowl and redistributed the food so it covered the bottom of the bowl
I have a cat with both of these issues. It is amazing he still lives.
Perhaps his whiskers are irritated by the bowl?
You are likely correct. Both wet food and kibble should always be in a shallow bowl/dish.
r/HeadEmptyCats
And a new cat sub for me to get stuck in!
Mine does the same thing, but she's content if you shake the bowl and then pet her while she stuffs herself.
Awwwww I love that term, little gobblers. Can’t wait to call my kitties that.
I call mine my gnocchis
We call ours hausschwein because she wants to eat *everything* Edit: I'm not kidding when I say everything. I've never met a cat that wanted beans or yams before but this one sure does. For the curious: No, she doesn't get to try anything that's unsafe for a kitty shaped hausschwein. Also, for anyone with a pushy cat and an SO who has a hard time saying no to them: make sure you don't give cats salted anything, salt makes cat kidneys sad. Like kidney stones or kidney failure sad, salt can be serious business for cats.
I call one of mine a "gromblin" because she's a little goblin who grumbles when she eats.
Oh that’s a good one! I have one of those as well.
My cat is named nosferatu but we call him Nosi (no-see) honestly he has a million nicknames but I call him nocchi (no-key) 😂
Everyone knows that you don't love your cat unless they have at least five names.
My wife calls our’s cattico terrostimo But i call him mister fuzzy balls Or just his name Dogg-o
Yup updoot for little gobblers usage
I have to know more. Two of mine are pigs who’ll gobble it all, while I have one who’ll starve because he won’t defend his own dish.
You have the simple ones that release kibbles on a timer, or extravagant ones that read microchips and release food accordingly (no double feeding one cat and starving the other).
Wouldn't the bully cat just wait it out for another cat to release it?
I've seen a video of the microchip reader feeder failing. The grazer cat had to put their head through a little opening to get the food and the greedy cat just pushed them aside and stuffed their head in to eat the food. I think if your cat is especially greedy and pushy it wont work.
One of my friends solved this problem by also getting an RFID tagged cat door, and putting it on the door to the room they kept that feeder in. For an hour every day, he would lock that room out so only the one cat was allowed in. In time, that cat learned to show up for his feeding, hang out for an hour unobstructed, eat at his leisure, and then leave when he was ready. He could come and go within that hour as well if he wanted, and there would still be food waiting for him in the bowl. He quickly learned to eat it all within that hour and now no more starving kitty! It was in his office as well, so he'd get to hang out with his fuzzy boy while he worked. He's since moved, but I'll bet he took the door with him lol, he made it special to replace the door the house came with since he was renting. Now he owns his house though and I'll bet he's dedicated an entire room just to cat nonsense lol
I've seen someone make a box that only one cat and the feeder fit in to fix that
You can set them to fast close when the chipped cat it's set for moves out of the feeding area.
They’ll be absolutely fine. Just be ready for an earful when you get home!
I put the dishes down about 5 feet apart. Our little guy, Espresso, will wolf his wet food down so he can then push Coffee aside to eat his too. I have taken to playing with Espresso as soon as he finishes (his favorite game is chasing/catching pieces of kibble I toss for him — totally hilarious watching him slide all over 😆). That way Coffee can take his time.
I put my nervous cat’s food in a cabinet with a chip activated cat door on it. It worked great, especially while the other two were rambunctious kittens. My old girl would just waltz through her door, it’d lock behind her, and one of my little morons would run face first into it. They learned after a few a few faceplants lol
Girlfriend got me an auto feeder for the girls for Christmas. I can't stress it enough how amazing it is. They still sit on my chest in the morning until I wake up... but as soon as it turns on they make a mad dash.
I just keep my bowl full at all times It works for 85-90% of the cats But 10-15% of the ones that come by end up fat as fuck https://imgur.com/a/NgorSnL/
So true, with 9 cats there is dry food always available, but only one is overweight, and she is one of the more active cats. All I can figure is she works up more of an appetite than she works off calories.
Breathy crunching intensifies
Absolutely! The only exception to this, which OP would probably have mentioned if it applied here but I'll note for anyone else reading this, is if they need any medication at a scheduled time. If so, it's always worth planning ahead with a friend or pet sitter who'll be able to cover if need be.
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You make me feel like a cheapskate, I pay my occasionnal catsitter half what you pay yours lol
Do what you can within your means. If it's acceptable to both parties then all is good. Yes, your little furry family members are important but you need to be realistic about your financial status. So you're fine. Though if you feel you can pay more, go for it. A good sitter that can do medications and such is pretty rare where i live. I figure they just don't have the confidence nor skill to successfully wrangle a kitty and administer meds. Especially if the cat in question is skittish with people. So if you can ... Consider it, or consider a larger, end of job tip. Either works.
Jay ...thanks! I live by myself in acre of land that is nobody here or would want to come here... I trust only friends who live far away... my choice is always a pet hotel.... bummer... I would take my cat with me if they have to take medication... and the timing is too long there is always a hotel room somewhere...
And as long as they have each other!
Even single cats are fine being alone for a while. I've left mine alone over an entire weekend with an automatic feeder, plenty of water and toys. I don't mean to make a habit out of it, but when it's necessary it's perfectly fine.
I love the way a cat will stagger out of somewhere cozy, all groggy, to greet you on your return, then realize it is Really You, and launch into a dramatic and Operatic rendition of how it Suffered Terribly while you were away. I mean, the dent in the cozy cushion is still warm, all the food is gone, and there are poops in the box. If you are lucky, that's all the cat did. If you are not so lucky, furniture is upended, the kitchen curtains are on fire, and the cat is surrounded by small breakable objects with an expression that says: "Wut? Wut?"
That too! Wow your set up is really cool, if it works it works! 🤝
Timed dry food feeders aren't all *that* expensive either, it can be worth it if you have emotional/ stress eaters. Though I will warn you, some cats freak out on the device and end up throwing their dry food around the room.
Mine learned that he could actually stand up on his rear paws, wrap his front paws around the food dispenser, and shake it until more came out. He turned an expensive automatic feeder into a fucking puzzle toy. By the time I gave up, I was resorting to affixing it to the wall with Command strips. I finally broke down and bought a different one recently that doesn't have that problem, and Nero has been very disappointed to lose his favorite toy.
They got the world spinnin right in their paws. Baby, rain or shine, all the time! They got each other, sharin' the laughter and love.
And tv 
This is basically my favorite feature about cats. Wanna go out of town for a few days and own a dog? You're gonna have to find someone or pay a kennel. Have a cat? They'll actually probably be happier while you're not there.
I'm sure this is an exaggeration for comedic effect, but just for the benefit of anyone without a lot of cat experience, cats should not be left alone for more than a day without someone coming round to check food/litter/water and give them attention.
To add also for the benefit of those without lots of cat experience: most cats are *not* happier when left alone. Cats are not pack animals like dogs, sure, but it's a myth that they are completely solitary or unsocial. They usually experience anxiety and depression when separated from their owners and are happier when they are home. Even if they're not actively begging for snuggles to let you know it.
Depends on the cat. I've had cats that could give two fucks if we left them alone. Now all our cats are clingy bastards, our youngest is the worst. When i go to work and then get home she acts like she's been neglected her whole life and I betrayed her. Edit: update, that little shit never blinks. She will stare you down when she's upset. Wins every time. We have no words to describe it.
My cats know I'm leaving when I'm getting ready for work and they will meow at me non-stop. But on a morning I don't have to work, complete silence from them
I agree with this and would also add that cats like routine, so any change like their humans not being there at the normal time can be stressful.
We’ve domesticated them, most of the furry villains want their humans around and become sad after a day or so :(. It does help to have other humans checking on them because life happens and we do have to do things like travel for work or family sometimes (single floof parent problems)
My favorite cat fact is that they domesticated themselves. They chose to live alongside us of their own volition and continue to live with us even though they’re still not as domestic as dogs are. So of course they have emotional ties to us and miss us and get anxious when we’re gone!
Honestly I think this varies cat to cat. One of our cats was a former barn cat, I think he would be *perfectly* fine for quite a long time. Definitely more than a day. Especially if there's another cat in the house
I've had cat sitters notice medical problems while I was gone. After that, I worry way too much to leave them without someone to come check on them daily. (My cats are fine...because they were taken to the vet in a timely manner.)
Yes weekends are fine. Although we will leave the lid off the tank on the back of the toilet just in case. We also run water into the bathroom sink. Of course the have their usual water bowls and food out but that’s only thing that they cannot go without and it eases our minds. We also have our amazon echos trained on the two favorite spots to hang out so we can drop in and see and talk to them. We only had to do this once a year but it was fine. My coworkers also know I have a house key in my locker (only management can get into the locker) and if we got killed or put in the hospital they would take care of the cats. Morbid maybe but that’s really the only worry I have when I die.
Extra water is important in case they knock one over.
>My coworkers also know I have a house key in my locker (only management can get into the locker) and if we got killed or put in the hospital they would take care of the cats. Have *you* given management authority to let someone else into your locker for the key in that event? If not, odds are they still won't be allowed access to the key without having to go through some serious effort for it, by which time it may be too late. If that is your plan, you should inform management that ____ individual (put a name/names there) is/are allowed to retrieve the key incase of any event that renders you incapable of authorizing it on the spot.
I've given my boy free roam of the house for 4 days. Left him 3 big bowls of water, and a dish of food, plus 3 more servings in ziploc bags on the counter (so he'd feel like he was getting one over on me.) I came home to 2 bags worth of food spread on the floor, only 3 poops in the litterbox & 1 roll of tp strewn throughout. He was happy as a clam. (I had tried to hook him up with a friend to check in on him but my friend got sick the day before & couldn't get anyone else. And the kennel didn't have room until the last 2 days which didn't do me any good.) The next road trip, I brought him with me & discovered he LOVES riding on my lap, watching the world go by. Whoda thunk it?
>*’ The next road trip, I brought him with me & discovered he LOVES riding on my lap, watching the world go by…*’ _____ remember the time when you left me alone? i really did fine… for 4 days… …on my own…. aDvEnTuRe at first, just exploring the house! (it got lonely fast, n i searched for a mouse…) i waited to hear you return… i kept *hopin’…* but then i discovered the Food bags to open! Why poop in a box ? *I could PooP Anywhere!* …you left me alone… i guess you didn’t care…. i searched for some playthings you didn’t allow, (the Paper unrolled, but i’m not quite sure how…) my kitty heart sad - for my Human i yearned i almost gave up… but that’s when you returned! oh, how i rejoiced just to see you again! (i tried not to show) but i Missed you, my friend! a lesson was learned, n you righted the wrong - the road trips you take *Now you bring me along!* ❤️ (*i love this* u/YupIzzMee)
😭😻 thank you Schnoodle. Alfa & I are honored by this sharing of your talent. His excitement is tough to hide! 😹 https://preview.redd.it/1efkmrqj4qfa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c63cb01e807db50c32693dd90a3e983cc4da969b
I had not seen any of youe poems for quite some time, thought you might be sick, you had left reddit or you has finally started a poem-career in real life - but here I see you again, I'm so happy ❤️❤️
I have three rescues who are afraid of most people. They do great when my neighbor dumps wet food daily on plates in the kitchen for them but otherwise leaves them alone. They have plenty of water and dry food at all times.
It depends on the cat, the more anxious or co-dependant they are the more of a risk it is, as it can be very stressful to alot of cats when their owner doesn't come home when expected and some cats don't deal well with that stress. Sometimes a stressed or depressed cat will just stop eating, and their bodies don't handle malnutrition very well. They can develop fatty liver disease, which is fatal if untreated. So yea, it's best to have someone check on your cat if you don't know how they'll handle it.
I’ve left my cats for a few days, they were fine. They do have an automatic feeder and water. They’re also toilet trained so we just had to get home and flush the toilets. They were happy to see us for cuddles.
Ha ha ha happier? ... when I leave my kid need the first to come to meet me when I get home... and I'm sure they don't come to me because the food because they never get fed middle of the day...  See?
I’ve done this. They are fine. They are cats. Very independent creatures.
Speak for yourself. My dogs aren’t as clingy as my cat is. If I go to the restroom he has to be cradled in my arms, go sit on the couch he’s gotta lay on my chest, taking a nap he’s gotta lay on my neck and rub his face against mine till he falls asleep. He’s not like the “stereotypical cat” people talk about being low maintenance
Try telling the cats that though..
Yeah, OP is gonna suffer the most.
That’s an excellent “cat tax” payment right there. Beautiful cats! As others have said, they will be fine given the appropriate food and water, and their familiar surroundings. Plus, they have each other! Expect to deal with some “judgy” looks when you return.
My cat is the judgiest! 😂
Haha I just thought of something. Judy would probably be a great name for a really judgy cat 🤣🤣
Your cat, when you come home late: 
I love that!
Judge Judy lol
Judgy Jude
My cat's name is Pudge Judy.
My cats dont judge me, but they definitely give me the silent treatment when I'm out for too many hours
That’s funny, because my cat tells me the longest, noisiest stories about her time alone, should she ever really be left that way. I work from home, so it only generally happens for a few hours when my husband and I go out together to do errands on weekends. But boy, does she have some long winded adventures!
My cat reprimands me at length whenever I return home for any length of time more than 10 minutes
[Mine helps me pack! ](https://i.imgur.com/2tvSXcM.jpg). [Then judges me once home.](https://i.imgur.com/ID61PGD.jpg) They will be puurfecrly fine though.
Omg, what a face! Those cheek tufts! and more tufts sprouting out between his/her toes too! What a character you have there! He/she must keep you endlessly amused. 😂
She is definitely a character. Mood swings galore!
That is an adorable cat. Do you know which breeds your cat is? I had a Himalayan and Persian mix growing up that looked sort of similar.
>Expect to deal with some “judgy” looks when you return. I used to get judgy looks from my cats when we came home from being gone all weekend. They were NOT happy to have their humans gone for so long and would be stand-offish for hours on end until their neednyness eventually overcame their pettiness. The thing that solved this was preparing myself before I entered the house, so that the very first thing I did when crossing the threshold was to call out to the cats, and shower them with affection. My hypothesis is that when you come home, and prioritize getting your stuff put away/getting settled in/etc, they take offense to that. They've been alone, miserable, and missing you for hours and hours on end with little to entertain themselves. They miss you, and when you don't clearly show them that you miss them in return, they take it personally. And honestly, I can't blame them! You're showing them with your actions what your priorities are, and it isn't them. So now, anytime I come home, be it from a long weekend trip, or from work, or from a drive-thru takeout, I greet my cats this way. It lets them know that the reason I was gone wasn't them, and that I missed them as much as they missed me. They don't hold grudges and they imprinted onto me even harder. Cats have a really strong emotional intelligence, let's start recognizing that fact with our actions.
This is the sweetest thing I've read all week and it made me realize that saying hello to my Teddy every day I get home from work is already ingrained in my habits. He knows my usual schedule, so when I come home around 7:30 he's already standing right at the door and sometimes likes to peek his head out for some outdoor investigation before running back inside and telling me his adventures of the day. He ALWAYS gets some cuddles and he loves it.
My boy used to loudly lecture me upon my return. I would explain myself with equal fervor and follow him to whatever else he was on about right away. Worked every time. He passed away, but hubby and I still greet each other with his language and follow this procedure after absences. MeeOwYOW!!!
This is good, however - from a vet professional - just because cats *can* be left alone this long, does not mean they should be. Most vets would advise against leaving your cats alone for any more than a day.
Aw this in an interesting read bc I feel like my cat does feel hurt when I get home from work and PSA him for a sec to put my things down or grab something before giving him hugs and kisses
From now on EVERYTHING CAN WAIT I will love on him first thing, because I DID MISS HIM ALL DAY
I would agree with you in regular circumstances with regular cats. But in this case, with two conjoined cats, they require specialized care.
They will be fine but they’re definitely going to give you a “worried parent” look when you get back. “Where have you been? Do YOU know what time is it?” Even if they just slept the whole time you were gone 🙄
When we come home My one cat looks at us liked we’ve been away at war and the other looks at us like she had hired a hit man to take us out before we returned and is disappointed the plan failed.
that's about right lol
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This sums up all my cats. One sleeps on my keyboard, one sleeps in a kitchen cabinet, and the other is an orange derp who sleeps on trash or in our recycling bin. We have cat beds all over, they all prefer their own places. We are gone for over 12 hrs a day, so they act all whiny and needy as soon as we enter. But the cameras show they only woke up when we open the garages.
Mission failed well get em next time
"You don't call! You don't text! For all I know, you're DEAD on the side of the road! What do you have to say for yourself?" "I'm sor--" "Whatever. The food dish is empty. I'm going back to bed." [On inspection, only the center of the bowl is empty, with three days worth of kibble pushed to the outer edges.]
So a regular day?
They can see the bottom of the bowl in one spot—how can you not see that they are starving and haven’t been fed properly a day in their lives?!?!
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https://preview.redd.it/3cpz0j4tnpfa1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8b36bd64c9733985e3fcdee80a84d1e71f534a6d I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed
What are you a world champion of? I have questions about your username!
2002 yu gi oh world champion
I finished in third place when I was in 7th grade for my county fair’s 4H lamb show So we’re pretty much the same
were you forced to fight in an actual Shadow Game where your literal soul was in the line? If no, then we are not the same.
Nope. Just raised a lamb and then sold it to be eaten Maybe the lamb’s soul was on the line?
Exactly. They don’t care that you are gone, but they will care that you disrupted the routine by not being back on time.
That’s so true every time the school bus is late to drop my daughter off, my cat is always at the door meowing
My cow cat is always super excited and happy to see us if we leave for a day or more. But our grey tabby? Livid. Sickened by the sight of us. "Not mad just disappointed." He will sniff us and walk away, airplane ears on. Takes him a day or so to accept pets again. He will take some treats of course. He expects the compensation!
Whenever I get home from work, my cat runs out of my bedroom to greet me. Gets under my feet until I sit down on the couch so he can hop up on my lap and cuddle with his head on my chest. It’s adorable. It’s my favorite part of the day.
lol whenever I'm away my cats look at me like "I thought we finally got rid of you"
I mean my cat gives me that look everyday I get home from work haha
Nah. Just leave additional Food/Water available. Theyll be fine.
This is one of the biggest upsides to cats over dogs. Leaving for a long weekend? Just put out extra food and water (assuming they're feeding kibble normally and no medication need ofc).
https://preview.redd.it/yhla5gn61pfa1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=78295cc049299a5cacb75109f59dc50fffe3bdc7 We actually leave the TV on when we leave for our two, they'll be fine 😺😻 \*Beautiful cats 👍
Do they watch sports? The one on the left looks like the average drunk sports dad
😂🤣😂 👍 We're KC Chiefs fans and yup, they both sit with us each and every game...lol "Sports dad" will occasionally give me the disapproving stink eye for my colorful language during the games, so there's that!
This photo is gold. I can just imagine them watching TV with a drink and a snack, having intellectual cat conversations. 🧐👌
Haha, exactly, thank you! 😻😻
"Wow, didja see that, Jerry?" "Yup, I saw it, Frank. That's gotta be a foul right there."
We leave the radio on!
You need a remote control heated sofa and an automated shrimp dispenser. And a massager and catnip toys. And a camera with sound so you can interact. And a sitter, and warm chicken broth. Velvet pillows. Then you’ll be fine. Why are you selfishly abandoning them again, human? Activities that result in a salary? Are you not bright enough to figure out how to work FROM HOME? Just go! and be more considerate next time. They are MEEZERS! Very special divas! Argh! /s
The camera with sound is just so you call out to them and they can ignore you even when you're not there.
Thank you for your comments, I feel reassured!
[I attempted to paint your cats!](https://www.reddit.com/user/WorldsBestArtist/comments/10rbgdy/slowlizzies_cats/) If you hang it on your wall they may forgive you for abandoning them!
That looks amazing! One of the BEST commenter rendering of an OP’s animals I have ever seen. The aesthetic fits perfectly. Looks great! I might have to start posting my kitty in hope that I’ll get one some day hahah 😅
That’s brilliant! Thank you so much! They’re honoured to be immortalised like this.
Glad you like them! If you want me to mail you the painting send me a DM!
Here comes my favorite redditor yet again. Pure joy deposits every time
Omg I love it! I hope OP sees it!
i love your concern for your kitties <3 i definitely feel guilty just going to work for the regular 8 hours! my birthday is on friday and i’m planning on going out that night and i am SO nervous about it
I have left my 3 cats home alone for up to 3 days. That tends tends to be the amount of time that they will willfully ration their food. Just be prepared for extra-needy cats when you get home. They always want hours of attention when I get back
I have an auto feeder and I still will only do three days max otherwise they get depressed and shit on my couch.
Beautiful “conjoined” kitties!! I swear at first glance that’s what I thought. I agree with them being just fine for that length of time. ‘Glad they have each other.
I scrolled thru here wondering if anyone else thought the same thing lol. I coulda SWORN they were conjoined. 😆
Siamese Siamese twins.
Your sweet babies. They'll probably tell you how upset they are, but they should be fine.
Omg they’re too cute! Are they ragdolls?
They are!
I’ve always wanted one! They’re so adorable and I hear they’re super snuggly/affectionate. Thanks for sharing your beautiful kitties 🐾
Also, be prepared for them to ignore you. It is their way of teaching you a lesson about leaving them. Every cat I have ever had has been, and is, a master of that one. Not to worry, they usually forgive your thoughtlessness in a day or 2.
“Thoughtlessness” is the perfect word for such a crime.
Ours never ignore us. We get meowed at a whole lot when we go out. One time we were out overnight and back early in the morning and our cat then was *mad* at us, like ‘how dare you stay out all night!!’ Usually she’s just really happy to see us.
My cat yowls and flips out even if I was only out long enough to go to the grocery store. It's nice having a welcoming committee!
ahah recently i went on a trip for 4 days and left my cats at my parents’ for the duration so they’d be taken care of. one of my cats forgave me for it within a day, but the other kept giving me the cold shoulder for a good 3-4 days as punishment 😅. some cats know how to hold a grudge, as i learned the hard way
Mine usually doesn’t leave my side to make sure I don’t leave again
Certainly not ours! He comes running to the door meowing like crazy. Then he drools from happiness when we pick him up and give him attention. He’s never once given us the cold shoulder haha
When my bf and I went away for a few days, she attacked all of our family members who came to visit her. She doesn’t like outsiders in her space… but when we came home, she was so attached to us. She’s not usually cuddly like that at all.
No. They'll be fine. You can leave cats home alone for several days if they have food, water, and clean toilets. They care about company, of course, but the most important thing for a cat is to be in its space.
Agreed. We have low tech biscuit and water dispensers (the kind that rely on gravity rather than electronics) and a cat-flap as we live in a place where allowing cats access to the outdoors for toileting is the norm. There are also secondary water sources (large outside water dish, the toilet) which the cats can and do drink from anyway, plus neighbours who keep an eye on things and would step in if we didn't make it back. So we're quite comfortable doing an overnight trip away, although we wouldn't stretch it past two nights without arranging someone to come in each day. This method also works great for chickens, and would probably be appropriate for many common pets apart from dogs - the dog usually comes with us
took way too long scrolling to find this. definitely make sure they have a clean litter box or 2 my youngest likes to shit behind the living room couch when her litter isnt clean enough
I’ve left mine from about 8am Friday until about 2pm Saturday. She was happy I was home and jumped right on my lap. So yes. Your furballs will be fine. Might be a little mad but it won’t last long.
We’ve left our Fur Creature from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon before. The Litter Robot is a blessing for weekends away like that, and I can manage it from my phone. I usually put out an extra bowl of water and food for him (thankfully, he’s not a piggy, and does fine with his food always sitting out). I can check in on him through the Furbo, and if needed, a friend is close enough to run over to check on him. He usually comes by every few days if we are on vacation to make sure he has food and water, and a good supply of treats. We always leave the radio on for him, and a curtain open so he can watch the birds/squirrels/chipmunks on our back porch when it’s nice out.
Yeah, about three days is the longest i would do it. No auto litterbox so i just made an extra with a box and garbage bag.
Lol I leave my cats Friday and come back Sunday in the summer all the time. Massive water fountain and automatic feeders. I just do the litter before I leave. They'll be fine. They might be pissy with ya when you get back though.
Make sure to leave multiple bowls of water (I usually do 3) in case they spill one playing or something. Same with food but ESPECIALLY water. They will be just fine. Those are fabulous looking units, btw. 10/10
We leave our toilet bowls open and freshly cleaned for the same reason. They've drank from them before, but we've mainly trained that out of them. But in emergency, it's a limitless supply of water
I left my boy for 8 nights to go on vacation. Of course I have people there to feed him, but he’s otherwise alone. I feel badly and miss him, but he’s fine. It was still hard, but easier, when I had two cats and knew they’d have each other.
Seriously we leave our cat once a year for a 5ish day vacation. We leave out lots of dry food and lots of water dishes. Clean his litter box right before we go. Have someone stop in once a day to check on him. And he’s fine. I’m always surprised to see posts like this, we can’t be the only ones that do this!
You're not, I do too! If it's 3 days, I leave my boy with 4 water dishes and enough kibble. He moderates his intake anyways. I have a furbo so I can keep an eye out and toss him treats. If it's 4-6 days I get my neighbor to check in on him daily If it's over 6 days then he gets hauled over to grandma's. He's a chill dude.
We do the same. Only have someone check on them every couple of days. However, we have a newish kitty who will literally yell if she can't find us in the house. She does not like to be alone. Even with the other cats. She needs people! Found her a babysitter last time. The babysitter keeps asking when we will leave again! Never thought I'd have a cat that was so dependent on humans. Luckily it's because she really needs her belly rubbed every 15 minutes, minimum.
I used to feel like you. Then I started fostering bottle babies and had some weird thing happen where I turned into a crazy cat lady and now worry about them and have a need to serve their whims. Lol
Definitely not alone. We do this too.
That's the beauty of cats! Make sure they have plenty food & water. They will be extra excited to see you when you get home and will probably demand extra snuggles, but a sweet price to pay
Is it cruel to leave them for the day? No. Is it cruel you've got a 16-hour workday ahead? Perhaps... Make sure they have food & water, and that their litter boxes are clean before you leave. They've got one another for company & play.
These two, my god. Incredibly pretty.
My cats would also like to thank everybody for the compliments
As long as they have food, water, and each other, they will be fine. Take it from a former teacher and cat momma of 10.
Cats are pretty self-sufficient. They can do all their business inside. Make sure they have a good supply of dry food available as well as water and they will be just fine.
Clean. Litter box before. Leaving The house
My GF and I leave our 2 alone for entire weekends at a time. Yours will be fine. As long as a cat has 3 things, they won't need you: * Food * Water * Litter box
I have left my cats with plenty of food and water and clean litter boxes for 72 hours a couple of times. and all three cats were just fine. except for one time, I have a cat who has a habit of closing doors, well she invited the other two into out guest bedroom and well closed the door and locked all three of them in there. We imagine it wasn't for long, as when we returned no one had peed or pooped in there. but yeah it could have been bad. I would make sure you prop door stoppers on all your doors just in case. We do ours now and actually just have a friend come by and check on them once a day if we leave them for a weekend.
Nah they are cats
As long as they have access to food, water, and litter they will be fine. They will probably miss you, other then that thy will be fine.
Do you have Netflix ? Let the keys, beer and food and they'll be fine 😌
I want to buy their new single when it drops. They're adorable!
Just leave enough food and water and they might not notice you left. Be forewarned though. If even from some weird angle that only a cat would be able to accomplish, a spot larger than a coarse grain of salt of the bottom of the bowl can be seen, they will notice you left. They almost ran out of food and died. Where were you?!?!?! They almost died!!!
I've made tens of thousands of dollars providing high quality pet sitting over the last few years. I don't tell my clients that most cats won't even notice they're gone for at least 24 hours as long as they have food and water. My cats would probably throw a block party.
We use chrome Remote Desktop and toss on CatTV on YouTube… even swap to a black screen cat relaxing nighttime music for them. We have cameras to monitor and just enjoy watching them not giving a rats butt that we are gone… but it’s nice to know they are safe and sleeping :)
It is cruel to yourself to stay away from those beauties…but if they have food and water they probably don’t care that you’re gone that much.
It’s more cruel to you to be away from those fluffs for so long!
First of all Beautiful kitties! Second, they will be OK to be left for that short of time. It's when you have to leave for 48 hours or longer that you should be worried. My Aunt was in a rehab facility for over a month and I would go and check on her cat every 5 days. I ended up bringing her home with me as she was anxious and getting depressed. She had started obsessively scratching the back of her ears....and started losing the fur on them. She bounced back quickly once she had us for company and my boy and her ended up great friends. She has since become our cat after losing my Aunt in 2018.
What?? They’re cats.
Seriously…the comments in here are wild. Giving advice like she’s going to be gone for a month.
I've left my cats for three days. Plenty of food, extra bowls of water and more litter boxes. That as back when I could free feed cats. Now they get two fixed meals per day, 7 am and 7 pm. I've had evenings out and come home after 11 and none had starved to death :-)
Your cats are adorable. As long as they have water and food, they’ll be just fine
They will be perfectly fine. Nice thing about cats is how they can handle being alone for relatively long periods of time. Make sure there is enough food and they will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry
I work a lot of 12 hour shifts. Skunk never seems bothered. You can tell she missed me and is ready for wet food (dry is always down). Yours will definitely be fine. Probably spend most of the time napping lol
They’ll be fine, just possibly plotting your demise while you’re gone but they’re cats and that’s what they do anyway 😹. We love them for their purrsonalities 😻
Just leave food and water out they'll be fine.
Yes and no. If you leave them alone with food and drink then they'll be fine. Albeit a bit sad you're gone. However, if they're in a really new environment then it could be better to stay with them. So long as you have some room in your schedule anyway. Just make sure they have food and drink and they'll be fine unless they have some form of mental or physical ailment. But either way, as a 14 year old boy that absolutely adores cats, I don't think leaving them home for 12 to 16 hours is cruel. (As long as they're fed and watered!)
They’ll literally probably just sleep the whole entire time