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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask how long it's ok to leave a kitten for?

21 replies

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 07/01/2018 10:20

Mine is 12 weeks....I have been asked to an event tomorrow but it will mean leaving the kitten for 5 hours or a bit longer.

That's too long isn't it?

She's so small still and she sleeps...then wakes up and looks for me. If she can't see me, she squeaks.

I don't want to seem flakey but I don't feel happy leaving her...AIBU?

OP posts:

KarmaStar · 07/01/2018 10:24

Hi OP
It's lovely that you care ,it doesn't make you flaky.
She will need to learn you will leave her and return.
Try being in a separate room for half an hour leaving her with food water,litter tray and toys,she will soon adjust.and keep leaving her for longer periods.it's really hard to hear them cry but it's for her own good.
Good luck🐱

FluffyWuffy100 · 07/01/2018 10:24

Is it at a time she usually sleeps?

It’s a bit long for such a small one but if you have a really good play and run around with her, feed her then she should go sleep for a while.

KarmaStar · 07/01/2018 10:24

Really hard

Original poster

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 07/01/2018 10:28

Fluffy she sleeps on and off all day...but for short periods.

I got her and she had a tricky start so I'm wary of putting her in any stressful situations. She's so lovely....I read the NSPCA said that after 4 months it would be ok to leave them but younger wasn't advised.

OP posts:

MakeItRain · 07/01/2018 10:31

I think technically you're ok to leave a kitten for 5 hours at 12 weeks. Sounds like your particular kitten might find it tricky though. As a long term solution, is there any chance of you getting a second kitten? When I got my cats, I initially only wanted one, but all the advice seemed to say that two would be so much better so that they could play with each other and have each other for company when they were left. Our two were never apart when they were kittens.
I think in this case it's probably your decision about whether your kitten can or can't be left, but it wouldn't be unreasonable to say you're unable to leave her if you're worrying about what work would say. If you do leave her, is there someone who could pop in and check on her a couple of times?

ScreamingValenta · 07/01/2018 10:31

It can help to leave the radio or TV on quietly as it will make your house more like it is when people are there, from your kitten's perspective.

Original poster

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 07/01/2018 10:36

Makethanks...it's not work though.

I don't think I'll be leaving her....I just feel the weight of responsibility too much!

She's so small....Im sure she'll be fine when she's older though.

OP posts:

NancyDonahue · 07/01/2018 10:36

She'll be ok if it's a one off occasion. Have a big play before you go to wear her out. Pop a (warm) hot water bottle in her bed and yes it's a good idea to leave the radio on. Expect a lot of love when you get home!

Costacoffeeplease · 07/01/2018 10:40

I always have kittens in a dog crate type thing when I’m not with them. One big enough for bed, food dishes and litter tray. If you’ve got a similar set up I think she’d be ok to leave, my biggest worry is them getting trapped somewhere or chewing through electric cables etc

Branleuse · 07/01/2018 10:42

it will be absolutely fine. Cats dont need constant company like dogs do. It will just sleep or do its own thing.

Bindibot · 07/01/2018 10:42

Awwwwh

Mine is now a grumpy 17 year old.

Need a pic

Original poster

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 07/01/2018 11:29

Costa that's my worry....she's already got stuck on the curtains once and another time, she rammed herself down the side of a bookcase and then panicked.

She's a bit crap at jumping too and misses her target a lot.

OP posts:

Original poster

CheapSausagesAndSpam · 07/01/2018 11:30

Oh and she is an attention seeker...LOVES sitting on me or right by me.

OP posts:

ShiftyMcGifty · 07/01/2018 11:32

lol, it’s absolutely fine. I left my kittens (now 8 year old cats) alone for 8 hours 5x a day. I got up an hour early though and played with them the full hour. Repeated again when I returned to work. I kept it up on weekends and confirmed to myself the kittens basically slept the entire day :-)

AnnaMagnani · 07/01/2018 11:35

It's fine. When I got my first lot, I had to leave them 5 days a week to go to work. They were happy carpet not so much so

Current kittens are spoilt as they get DH's undivided attention but not really necessary he doesn't know that and the kittens aren't letting on

alimaggieleggie · 07/01/2018 11:39

Is there someone else who can pop in for a bit to spend time with the cat.
Mine is 2 and a half (house pet as I live by the motor way) and doesn't mind being on his own for a few hours

BigBaboonBum · 07/01/2018 11:39

My cat is super happy to be left alone, the longer the better, and he’s a super snuggly cat... Not my dog though - he would have a melt down.
I have to go to London sometimes and I just leave him an absolute tonne of food, water, treats, and I come back and he just looks up at me and stretches then goes back to sleep. Little shits imo, albeit lovable shits

wagil · 07/01/2018 11:49

I think it'll be fine for five hours, do you have a small room where she can't get into bother? A bathroom perhaps, with the lid down on the loo, and a blanket with some toys.

IntoTheFloodAgain · 07/01/2018 11:54

Aww what a sweet thread. I used to wish I could text our first kitten to make sure she was ok when first leaving her 😂

If you do go, you can get these little treat puzzle things that you fill with dreamies or whatever and they chase it to get the treats out. It kept mine entertained for a bit when they were younger.

ScreamingValenta · 07/01/2018 13:14

IntoTheFlood The idea of texting your kitten reminded me that I used to phone my first kitten, letting the landline go to answer machine (which was on a speaker) so that I could talk to her! Of course, I don't know whether she ever paid any attention!

spangles1963 · 07/01/2018 18:05

at texting your kitten! I've had cats all my life and thankfully haven't been in the situation where I've had to leave a young kitten alone at home for very long,as I've always lived with someone (up until recently). But I've always been advised by the 'experts' that a cat shouldn't really be left alone for more than a couple of hours until they're 16 weeks old. But I think it depends on the individual kitten. I had a friend who left her's on it's own for 4 -5 hours from when it was 12 weeks old with no dire consequences. She said she thinks it slept most of the time she was out. Is there no one you could ask to pop in for an hour or so to break the 5 hours up?

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