I Left My 2.5 Months Old Kitten Home Alone And I'm Freaking Out

[Gray Sama]

hi. today i had to visit my 5-hours-away-by-bus family to finish some business that was supposed to take a few hours. i was planning to be hugging my kitten by 9 pm 2nite (3:50 at this moment) but things got delayed and i must stay over and go back tomorrow around 3 pm, so ill be home at 8-9 pm.
now this is the very first time i leave my cat alone for longer than 9 hours (college period), and i had a week off that i spent loving and playing with him. right now im freaking out cuz i read that kittens shouldn't stay long without human contact. i cleaned his 2 homemade king size litter boxes (spoiled brat) and topped his food and water bowls.
was it a mistake? should i have taken him with me? 5 hours bus drive must be hard on kittens, would u advice me to take him aboard next time i go away for such a long time?
sry for the long post. i miss his warm fur already

 

[Pjg8r]

In my opinion taking him on the bus ride would have been worse. Don’t beat yourself up but be prepared if some things have been knocked off counters or toilet paper shredded etc., If you need to travel again maybe you can have a back up emergency person who could come over and visit the kitty if your plans change. I recommend that anyway because we never know when weather or illness can make us change our plans.

 

[verna davies]

I would definitely not take him on the bus ride, its too long and he's safer at home. As long as there is plenty of food, water and fresh litter he should be fine. As Pjg8r said, try to find a friend, trusted neighbour who could pop in to freshen food etc and maybe spend a little time with him. You have some serious making up to do to your kitty, lots of play and cuddles and a few treats.

 

[Gray Sama]

thanks for your kind replys. im already planning our upcoming play sessions and trying to sleep the day away.
since we are talking cat travel, what are some advices u can offer me when the inevitable day comes and i need to take him with me when i stay for a couple of weeks. the journey is 5 hours door step to door step and we get a rest mid road, and i can have him with me on board.
thanks again everyone.

 

[Furballsmom]

Is that your baby in the photo? What a sweetheart!! What about a few little short trips that gently introduce him to all the noises, smells, being in a carrier etc?

 

[verna davies]

I havent taken my cats on a long journey so I can't help sorry but Im sure there are lots of members that will be able to help you. Enjoy your time with your kitten tomorrow when you get home.

 

[Gray Sama]

Is that your baby in the photo? What a sweetheart!! What about a few little short trips that gently introduce him to all the noises, smells, being in a carrier etc?

haha thanks. he got a little bigger since then.

im planning on "car training" him. i already take him out in his carrier when i go shopping and he absolutely loves it, even races to the door when he sees me changing, and he walks in harness like a boss but im a bit over protective on taking him outside his carrier cuz he might catch something.
here'sa recent photo of him, warning: cute content.

 

[Furballsmom]

what a dollbaby!!

he walks in harness like a boss

See, you're way ahead of me, what an awesome cat!!

 

[orange&white]

As long as he has plenty of food, water and litter, he should be fine a home. It's probably less stressful for him at home than trying to take him on a bus trip. Most cats don't like a lot of changes in their environment/territory.

I go visit my elderly dad 3 times per year and am gone approx. 30 hours. The cats have been all right at home for that length of time, but I wouldn't want to go away for more than a couple of days and one night.

Your kitten is absolutely gorgeous!!!

 

[verna davies]

He is really gorgeous, such an innocent look on his face.

 

[Gray Sama]

Update 22/1/2018 - 11:45 PM

I arrived home at exactly 10:05 and Gray came running at me when he heard the door open, we exchanged hellos in form of vigorous kissing/petting & headbutting/kneading. His kneading & headbutts were hard, claws fully extending & retracting and wide finger spreading in a way I've never seen before, hard headbutts and meowing.

Grey rarely meows, he faintly moans as a way of talking or objecting, and produces the cutest short purr when he is done with the litter box or when I surprise him during hide & seek play, but never full long meows, after about 2 minutes of bonding, he pushed me & went down smelling my stuff & meowing, he obviously was hungry so I opened up a can of tuna (im-sorry-for-leaving-you meal), cleared the oil and rinsed it with clean filtered water and poured it in his empty bowl.

I was surprised he finished his full 2 bowls in 2 days. Usually takes him about 4-5 days. Anyways after eating he kept on meowing & running around me, he refused any petting attempts. "hooman this is PLAY TIME".
Holy molly I've never seen a cat play that hard before. He was running around, jumping, vigorously chasing the fishing toy, we circled the house 2 times with him trying to catch it, after about 20 minutes of play he went back to eat again, then I had him in his carrier and took him out to buy some food & stuff, didn't take long.

We came back and the petting starts, kneading hard with his hands & pushing his legs (that's a new thing), headbutting & purring hard, now he is a sleep in my lap while I type this.
I have a few questions if you kind people managed to get this far
- what are the psychological effects that might happen from almost 48 hours of no human contact? Are they permanent?
- how should I deal with him in the next couple of days? he have me all day, so besides drowning him in love & play, is there anything else I should do?

I'll keep observing any behavioral changes & report back if I notice something new, I'll take him to the vet tomorrow so I might as well take his opinion on the matter. Thanks for reading so far. Have a lovely night <3

 

[Gray Sama]

small update: 30 minutes sitting in my lap and he wont stop kneading. this is definitely new for him to knead me that much.

 

[Furballsmom]

No permanent damage, I'm not a vet but cats are very resilient. He's just nuts about you, and that you are the food person, that you're the play person the whole schmear. Sounds to me like you have a happy growing kitty. Speaking of growing so's his appetite, in my opinion if you want to leave some food out when you're away it should be fine/not go bad, and don't hesitate to give him as much as he wants.

 

[verna davies]

It sounds as if Grey really missed you and was happy to have you back. Just make a fuss of him when he wants it, you dont have to treat him any differently than you normally do and as Furballsmom said, cats are very resilient. Enjoy being back with him.