How Long Can You Leave a Kitten Alone?

There are many ways cats and dogs are different, but one of the main ones for pet parents is how much less often cats actually need human stimulation. However, while cats seem to rely on humans for emotional fulfillment less than dogs, they do still enjoy your company and require your care. If you have a cat, particularly a new kitten, you may be wondering how long you can actually leave them alone. With our guide, you can learn how long to leave a cat alone and how you can best set them up to be cared for while you’re gone.

Main takeaways

• While cats need less human interaction than dogs, leaving them alone for too long can cause anxiety and stress.

• If you are going to leave your cat or kitten alone, you need to make sure that they have everything they need.

• Kittens under six months old should not be left alone for more than three to four hours per day.

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How long can kittens be left alone?

How long a kitten can be left alone at home depends on many factors, including their age, medical needs, temperament, etc. As a general rule, kittens under six months old should not be left alone for more than three to four hours, while cats older than six months should not be left alone for more than eight hours. Cat behavior expert Dr. Mikel Delgado says that, “ideally kittens are left alone no more than four to eight hours per day depending on age. The younger the kitten, the more frequent care and checking they will need.”

How long can adult cats be left alone?

If you have an adult cat, they can be left alone longer than a kitten. However, you still shouldn’t leave your cat alone for longer than 12 to 24 hours at the absolute maximum. If you cannot be at home for your cat, you should get a trusted person to come by and check on them and offer them some human interaction. 

Dr. Delgado says that if you are going away for more than 24 hours, “you should have a cat sitter come to check on the cat at least once a day. On a routine basis, I don't recommend leaving a cat home alone for more than eight to 12 hours a day, as any more than that makes it hard to meet their basic physical and emotional needs for attention, play, and basic care.”

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Guidelines for leaving cats and kittens by themselves

If you are going to leave your cat or kitten alone, you should follow our guide to ensure they are taken care of in your absence.

Cats and kittens without medical issues in 24 hours

Up to eight hours (cats and kittens)

A young kitten without medical issues who is under six months old should only be left alone for three to four hours if they have everything that they need. If the kitten is older than that, they can potentially be left for up to eight hours.

Up to 12 hours (adult cats)

Adult cats who are trained, have everything they need, and don’t have medical problems can potentially be left for up to 12 hours at a time; however, you shouldn’t make a habit of it. 

Up to 24 hours (adult cats limit)

At the absolute top limit, you can leave an adult cat alone for up to 24 hours, but you shouldn’t if at all possible. Your cat is used to human interaction and misses you when you aren’t around, and being left alone for too long can cause stress or anxiety. There are also other risks, such as them running out of food or water. 

Leaving your cat or kitten alone for several days

Leaving cats alone for four days

You should never leave your cat alone for longer than a single night. Four days is far too long, even with automated feeders. Dr. Delgado says “it is not sufficient to leave them with a big pile of food and assume they will be okay being alone without any care or social interactions for extended periods.”

Leaving cats alone for 10 days

Even the most independent adult cats have needs in terms of interaction, food, and water. You should never leave a cat alone for as long as ten days. 

Risks of too much alone time

There are some risks to leaving your cat alone for too long, even just from an emotional standpoint. Leaving cats or kittens alone for extended periods of time can cause anxiety, stress, and other issues. They may also get into dangerous situations or run out of food and water if you are not there to take care of them. 

Dr. Delgado says that “you may stress out your cat as they will not understand why you have left them alone for so long. Cats are very much creatures of habit, and changes to their routine can be very stressful.” They may get injured, spill their water, or, at the very least, miss out on their social needs. “You risk setting up your cat for severe stress and separation-based issues if they do not have predictable interactions with safe humans for extended periods.”

Why kittens need more socialization than alone time

While cats are very independent creatures, kittens need more socialization than adults. Kittens thrive on playing and learn a lot of the things they need to know from playing with and observing you. Most cats are okay with being alone for a while, but kittens need extra socialization as they are young and have tons of energy. Playtime is essential for kittens.

Related article

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What does your cat or kitten need when left alone?

Dr. Delgado says that “cats need access to fresh water, food, and a clean litter box. They may also appreciate having safe solo toys to play with as well as other things to keep them busy, such as food puzzles or music or videos made for cats. They also need cozy places to sleep, and the environment needs to be comfortable for them – not too hot or cold.”

Food or automatic feeders

If you are leaving your cat or kitten alone, you need to ensure they have access to either food or an automatic feeder that they know how to work. Kittens especially need feeding regularly. 

Water

If you are leaving a cat or kitten alone for any amount of time, they need access to clean, fresh water. You can also try an automatic water dispenser that gives them running water. 

Clean litter

It’s essential that your cat has access to fresh litter at all times, which is part of why you should never leave them for too long. You can also try self-cleaning litter boxes.

Climate control

Cats get hot and cold, too, and if you’re leaving them alone, you should make sure that the environment of the home is climate-controlled so that they won’t get too chilly or overheat.

Engaging toys and games

Cats get bored easily. Kittens, especially, need to play as often as possible. While they love to play with you, you can also ensure that they have engaging toys and games at home that they know how to play with alone. 

Audio and/or visual stimulus

As well as toys and games, you can consider audio and visual stimuli. Some cats really love watching videos of mice or other animals on the TV while their humans are gone. 

Removal of dangerous or valuable items from their environment

Most importantly, you should leave your cat in a space free of dangerous or valuable items. Maybe limit how much of the house they can explore and ensure that you remove anything breakable from that space. You never know what a kitten is going to get into.

FAQs

What happens if you leave your kitten alone too long?

If you leave a kitten alone in your home for too long, they may become stressed and anxious. At worst, they may also run out of food and water, destroy your furniture, and potentially get into more serious trouble if they don’t yet know how everything works.

How long can you leave an eight-week-old kitten alone?

Even if they have access to food and water, you shouldn’t leave an eight-week-old kitten alone for more than a few hours at a time. If nothing else, you never know what kind of trouble they might get themselves into!

At what age can you leave a kitten unsupervised?

You can leave a kitten unsupervised when they are completely comfortable in the home. This usually happens when they are a few months old and have been weaned and settled into their new space. However, you shouldn’t leave them for too long. 

References

• Bowen, Jon. “What Every Kitten Owner Needs to Know.” Companion Animal Behaviour Problems, 12 Sept. 2022, pp. 105–119, https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800621312.0009.

• “Helping Kittens | Orange County, NC.” Orangecountync.gov, 2024, www.orangecountync.gov/2378/Helping-Kittens.