Leaving your kitten home alone

Your new cat or kitten has recently joined the household. You’re having so much fun together and settling into this new way of life. The thought of leaving your kitten at home alone may raise many questions.

However, teaching a kitten or cat to feel comfortable in their own company will contribute to your kitten's good health and well-being.

If you’ve adopted an older cat, they may well appreciate their moments of solitude. But kittens and younger cats need plenty of interactive play and socialisation. They also require constant access to fresh water and need to be fed the necessary kibble portions to support healthy growth.

Rest assured: cat-sitting is an option if you can’t take time off work for your kitten. This is still responsible pet care, so long as you choose someone who has experience and who your kitten takes a liking to.

Sure, with kittens, there’s no walking or toilet business outdoors like there is for dog-owners. However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking your kitten is independent from day one.

As your kitten settles into their daily routine, including their feeding and sleep schedules, you will need to be on hand for interaction and attention. A kitten who is left alone for too long before they are ready can contribute to loneliness and anxiety.

Every kitten is unique, so the following should be viewed as a general guideline.

Ideally, your kitten should not be left alone for more than a couple of hours during their early months (up to six months).

When they are older and fully settled into their environment, they can be left alone for up to a work day. During this time they should always have easy access to fresh water and appropriate food portions.

However, it is not our advice to leave your cat alone for longer than this as their social and mental well-being will be impacted.

Do kittens get lonely? In short, yes, it is possible.

Much like us humans, cats can be creatures of habit. They will benefit from a daily rhythm, peppered with playtime, meals, and cuddles.

Before delving into how best to prepare your kitten or cat for being left alone, let’s go over common signs of stress in cats.

• Stuck to you like glue. A clingy cat that constantly follows you around the house may be a sign of loneliness.
• Showing their teeth. If your cat suddenly displays aggressive behaviour, this may be a behavioural expression of frustration that comes from feeling lonely.
• Playing dirty. If your kitten or cat suddenly starts peeing on your belongings, i.e. anything with your scent on it, they don’t appreciate being left alone.
• Too invested in their appearance. Overgrooming in cats and kittens is a common sign of anxiety, which may stem from being left alone.

Start as soon as possible with kitten socialisation. Their first eight weeks are considered the most significant phase, which normally takes place with the breeder and their mum. But it doesn’t stop there!

If you adopt a kitten, speak to the animal shelter and try to assess if they have already been socialised or not. If they don’t know or if they suspect that the answer is ‘no’, that’s ok. It may just take a little more time for your kitten or cat to adapt to their new home and environment.

So, exposure to the outside world, other pets and people is an important part of your cat or kitten’s socialisation training. Of course, you don’t want to go too fast and frighten them.