Even Cats Get Lonely

Many people buy or adopt a cat as company but forget that it works both ways. If you’d miss your cat if they weren’t there, remember they’ll miss you too. However, unlike dogs you don’t usually take a cat with you, so prepare well in advance for times when you are away from home.

For short breaks – whether a day at work or a weekend away – our feline friends are quite independent, especially when given access to a cat flap and timed feeders. However, some animals will express feeling lonely by behaving out of character. For example, they could start urinating in the house or spending long periods of time away from home.

The easiest way to address this is to find a friendly neighbour to pop in once a day. Even five minutes fussing and attention can be enough to make your pet feel calmer. But if you are often away, a professional pet sitter might be a better option. Either way, do make sure you have introduced them several times before they attend to your cat without you being present.

For longer trips away, it’s more likely you’ll need to opt for a cattery. Cats can be sensitive to the pre-holiday stress though, so rather than dropping them off last minute, build in an extra day to give them chance to settle – plus you’ll have one less thing to worry about as you rush out the door.