Need advice!!

[jiggles]

Hello Everyone!! I hope someone can give me some advice. So my parents got a kitten last year and he just turned 1 in July. My parents are retired and home all the time a long with my nephew and godson they watch 3-5 days a week. So there is always noise and something going on in my house. They recently had to go out of town for 6 weeks for a family emergency and I have been taking care of the cat. Unfortunately I work 2 jobs and am gone from 8am until 11pm. I feel bad leaving him alone all day. But my job #1 is close by and I go home for lunch to check on him and treat him with a little wet food. He has plenty of toys to play with during the day by himself to keep him entertained. He's always has enough food/water and clean liter. I play with him when I get home from work. I have ocd (self diagnosed, lol) so I'm afraid to leave a light on or any music with no-one being home all day long. Is this bad for him? I feel horrible

 

[mazie]

Until your parents return from their out of town emergency, is there someone else who can sit with him, keep him company a few hours each day while you have to be gone until your parents return?

 

[jiggles]

As of right now no but i am asking some other family members if they could.

 

[mazie]

That would be good, 15 hours alone in the apartment is a long time.  Even if your family members can split up the day, take turns, what ever works out for their schedule.  No one has to be there 24/7 of course, but like I said, 15 hours for 6 weeks is a long time.  I know you will do what you can, and that is all we can do.

.  You mentioned you have a lot of toys for him, of course food and water, do you have a cat tree that is placed in front of a window?  Cats love to watch the out of doors.

 

[mybabies59]

A lot of people think its ok to leave a cat alone for a long time. Your situation is difficult and I feel bad for you.So if you have someone that can drop in to refresh water and food, and some play or cuddle time, that would be great. I can imagine your stress...

But I know people who leave their cats to go away for a night because they think if they have food and water its all good. Its a myth, its not good.

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

The cat is better off to be home in familiar surroundings than it would be boarded at the vet. I did that once and came home to almost an emaciated cat. She refused every kind of cat food they offered her and they finally fed her canned tuna to keep her eating something. From then on, I left her home, my dad would go over every morning and every evening to feed her and do the necessary things that had to be done My best friend had my house key and would go there to visit her and play. You will laugh at what I write next, but it really is the truth. We had an answer machine that would come on. I would call home every day and wait for it to come on so I could leave a message, better known as "talk to my cat". My friend would tend to the messages and empty them off the machine.

 

[jiggles]

I am able to go home for lunch during my first job but I only have like 10 minutes I can spend with him. I cuddle real quick and then give him some wet food (only given as a treat). I do have a cat tree but he's not a huge fan of it. The only time he really likes looking outside is if one of us is out there doing yard work (weird I know, haha). I can try to stop in in between jobs but even if that It would only be able to be for like 10 minutes. When I get home at night I do play with him for 2 hours before going to bed. He plays like crazy back and when I see him getting tired that's when we both go to bed, haha. I just feel bad

 

[jiggles]

I'm glad I can at least pop in, even if it's just for a few minutes so he knows I didn't forget about him, it just breaks my heart to leave

 

[jiggles]

I agree with not boarding it up if you don't have to. We recently went on a 3 day trip to niagra falls and my aunt came 3 times a day to take care of him. (she can't do that now because she is also out of the country with my parents). He seemed to have liked that! That's crazy about your cat! Glad she is ok!! That is really funny about the answering machine and I never thought of that! I'm definitely going to do that too!! Thanks for the idea!

 

[mazie]

Please don't feel bad.  When we are doing the best we can in life, we need to feel secure that we are doing all that we can, and then let it go at that.  Our members have given very good suggestions above.  Some of them you may be able to incorporate, other suggestions may not work for you.  Your friend/family member popping in when can will be a big help to your ease of mind.  This is not a permanent set up right?  Family will return when the crisis they are tending to has passed and they return home.    Most cats love those little plastic balls with bells in them that they can bat around for self amusement.  Don't feel bad, this too shall pass. 

 

[jiggles]

Yes I have gotten some helpful tips and glad that I joined this forum!! No this is not permanent, thank goodness. They will be home on October 21st (39 days but who's counting, haha).

 

[catrcall]

The cat is better off to be home in familiar surroundings than it would be boarded at the vet. I did that once and came home to almost an emaciated cat. She refused every kind of cat food they offered her and they finally fed her canned tuna to keep her eating something. From then on, I left her home, my dad would go over every morning and every evening to feed her and do the necessary things that had to be done My best friend had my house key and would go there to visit her and play. You will laugh at what I write next, but it really is the truth. We had an answer machine that would come on. I would call home every day and wait for it to come on so I could leave a message, better known as "talk to my cat". My friend would tend to the messages and empty them off the machine.

I can't believe you call home to your cat!!!..........Because I thought I was the only one that did that. That's so funny because I know it works to. I kept my old answering machine specifically for my kitties Beau and Dobie. One afternoon my wife came home from work sick and she went directly to bed. I called about 3 hours later and she was so sick she just let the answering machine pick it up. Well it was me on the other line calling for my two kitties. My wife said she looked over the side of the bed and there were my two kitties listening and looking very intently at the box that my voice was coming out of. I usually call twice a day for about 5 to 6 minutes per call because I've heard that cats respond very positively with this type of interaction. Both cats are only left alone for about 3 hours twice a week so they're not left by themselves for long periods of time but my wife said after I finished talking to them they both stayed on the shelf looking out the window until I got home. I always wondered why there was so much fur around the answering machine. Now I know. So keep talking to your kitty because they definitely do listen. I hated cats with an absolute passion. I don't know why, I just did. However, when my wife brought home our 2 cats from the pound, I absolutely fell in love with them. They were a year old when we adopted them and they came from an abused home. It took about a week for them both to come out from under the bed because they weren't sure of us. The only humans they lived with mistreated them horribly so we had to earn their trust. Fresh chicken and turkey helped that night as well. When they got their bellies full Beau jumped on the bed with me followed 2 minutes later by his mate Dobie and that's where they've slept ever since. Actually, that's where they are now, in a loving home where they are treated like little furry kings and queens. Cats aren't like dogs with respect to trust. That's what makes signs of affection from cats so special because we've got to earn that trust. Sorry to ramble. Keep kitty calling!!

 

[lucindalynx]

Awwww! I mean that 'call to your cat' stuff.

 

[Primula]

. Unfortunately I work 2 jobs and am gone from 8am until 11pm

Welcome to modern-day America where young people have to work two full-time jobs.

 

[angels mommy]

I agree, you are doing the best you can under the circumstances.  As for the questions about music or lights, When I had Angel, I would leave the stereo on a soft classical type of station, or put some of my massage CD's in for him, so it would be calm & relaxing. (when I left just for the day),  I would leave nightlights on in different rooms if you have them, or a low light in at least a couple of rooms, so he's not alone in the dark in the evenings. I also would not leave out any string toys, just to be on the safe side.  But ultimately, if you can have another relative or friends stop in for a couple of hours or so, just to play with him & give him some company, that would be great.

 

[whatsonemore]

 
 I cuddle real quick and then give him some wet food (only given as a treat).

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but if you only give your/the cat wet food as a "treat" you might want to reconsider your feeding habits.  Cats are designed to get their water from their food sources, not a water bowl.  The lack of a more natural, species appropriate diet can cause health issues for your cat later down the road.  I know it may not be easy to do it while you are rarely home now, as my experience has been that my cats aren't fond of wet food that has sat out longer than a couple of hours, but maybe if you are not feeding canned or wet, your parents can start when they return.  You can google all you need to know about the topic to show them proof, if you need information to convince them.  If I misunderstood, I apologize.  Reading so many sad stories of people losing their pets to kidney issues is just heartbreaking and if feeding a different, more suitable diet to their bodies can give us a few more years with them or improve their health, I think it's worth it.  You obviously care about this cat and the longer he's around, the more you and your family will love him and want him to live forever, so if you aren't already, you might want to help get him onto a mainly wet food diet.

 

[r-kins]

Sounds like you're really doing your best. Just keep at it and give him attention when you can. If you can bring yourself to do it, turning on a radio probably would make him feel a little more relaxed and like he has company. Getting two hours of solid play is really good and a lot of cats get no playtime at all. I'm sure he's so excited to see you every night.

 

[jiggles]

I was thinking about leaving music on but I have a phobia of anything be on with no one home. I was thinking about going out and getting a battery operated radio so at least nothing is plugged in and running. As for the night lights, I do have some, I was thinking about getting a few more. He has a string toy, seems to be the only things he likes to play with alone.

 

[jiggles]

Well with the wet food and giving it as a treat meaning I don't give him the whole can a day. I give him a spoon full in the morning, when I go home for lunch and when I'm home for the night. He gets almost half a can a day and he has a bowl of dry food for when I'm not home in case he is hungry. I say its a treat because I don't give him a whole can lol. I bought him a water fountain for his birthday last month and he seemed to like it but now he just grabs his toy mouse and puts in in there, haha

 

[r-kins]

Would to feel more comfortable if you set a timer? Plug a lamp into a timer and have it turn on around 8 p.m. or so. Then it will only be on for a couple of hours before you get home? You could also do the same thing with a radio in a different outlet. I also dislike leaving things on when I'm home, although having to leave a window unit on in the summer has made me a little more relaxed about it since there's not much of a choice.

Battery operated radio sounds good. There might even be rechargable ones available, depending on how much you feel you can spend.