Leaving cats at home may have various consequences that vary from damage to the home to toxicity in the pet or other unwanted accidents. Even though cats spend a lot of time sleeping, when left by alone at home for many hours they can get hungry, bored, stressed or initiate destructive activities. The precautions you need to take may vary according to the time you spend away from home.
Automatic Cat Food Dispenser
An automatic cat food dispenser is important if you are planning to leave your cat at home for several days. The food dispenser will be programmed to administer food according to the feeding schedule of the cat. If the cat is left at home with no food, this can lead to starvation and dehydration. If the food is left outside and the cat is free fed, the cat may eat too much at once or even destroy the food when he gets bored.
Hide Toxic Materials
Cats are curious and may often ingest garbage or other non-food materials. You will need to hide the foods and chemicals that are harmful and can poison your pet. Remember that a cat can get poisoning from the following ingredients:
- Rat poison
- Antifreeze
- Chocolate
- Alcohol
- Xylitol (commonly used in sugar free gum)
- Onions and garlic
- Grapes and raisins
- Coffee and foods that contain caffeine
- Plants that are toxic for felines, which may include aloe vera, potato family plants and many others
Cover Cables
Cats may be drawn to cables and other electronics, especially when bored or curious. It's important to cover all the cables in the home, because if the cat chews on these, he may get electrocuted. You can cover the cables with metallic isolators or simply use some tape. You may also spray some cat repellent on the cables, because this will most likely keep your cat at bay.
Lock Your Bedroom
A cat left alone will investigate the home and may leave cat hair everywhere. You may want to lock your bedroom, to keep your bed cat hair and dander free and to keep your things safe. You may also want to consider keeping some dangerous electronics or clothes and shoes in the locked bedroom, out of the reach of the cat.
Leave Toys
Leaving toys outside for the cat to play is extremely important, because the cat will have something to do and won't get bored. Boredom in a cat is dangerous, because he may start destroying things around the house and experimenting or chewing on various objects that may be expensive or difficult to replace. The toys will keep the cat busy, but make sure that the cat has plenty of toys to play with, especially if you are away for several hours. You may also consider leaving a few games such as cardboard boxes and other interactive activities your cat can engage in while you're away.