My partner and I are adopting a rescue cat, how long shall we stay at home with him until we can go to work?
My partner of 6 years and I are finally getting a pet together. The most relaxed, beautiful, 7 year old, white, male cat. However we both work during the day and I was wondering how long we should take time off of work to get him used to our house before we can leave him alone during the day. He is extremely friendly and already house trained. Ideal really. I just wanted some advice.
Public Comments
1. You Can Go To Work Immediately, But i'd Recommend Taking a Day Off.Cats, Unlike Dogs, Are Very Independant and The Best Thing You Can Do is Leave Him To His Own Devices And Explore The Entire House on His Own. He'll Find Out Where Everything is Kept And Where He Can Find His Food Etc :)
Do Your Normal Things And The Cat Will Fit in Puuurfectly ^^
2. Good for you for adopting!! And an adult no less! YAY!
I would just take a few days off. It sounds like you already know him and him being relaxed will help the process.
Congrats on your new family member!!!
3. I adopted an adult rescue cat over a weekend and went to work on Monday and went out several times during the weekend for an hour or two. When I was not around, I confined him to a bathroom with his food, water, bed and litter box until he was familiar with the place. I let him out when i was home. He was mostly settled within a few days though it takes a cat a few months to really fully know the routine.
4. I really don't think you have to take time off with him at all unless you just want to. Cats are pretty independent. He will just explore while you are gone to work. Of course, I would not leave him alone for days at a time. Also, if you have other animals in the house, I might be concerned about leaving them alone together. I assume that you don't since you said you are finally getting a pet together, but you might have one that you had before your relationship.
5. We got a cat from the shelter and she made herself at home right away so we left for a little the next day to see how she did and she was just fine. I would just leave him for an hour or so and see how he is when you get home that way you will have a good idea.
6. OMG you are getting a cat not having a baby. show him where food,water and litter box and he will be fine
7. I am a volunteer behavior at SPCA. One advise we always give to adopters is "CONFINEMENT" When you take a new cat/kitten home, you should always do the confinement with your cat.
Confine them on a room where there are no place they can go hide from you. Good place will the the bathroom.. remember they where in a small room or cage at the shelter. So Bathroom is big for them...
Try to do this for 24 hrs to 1 week, depend on the cat react. Have his food, litter in the bathroom opposite to each other. Introuduce yourself to the cat first, he will need to trust you and know your the parents to care for him. Once the cat looks relax and can roam around the house, remove all precious figurine, so he does not break and destroy it. Only enough time for him roam around the house. Make sure to first show him where his food and litter is going to be located. Also make sure all electrical part are well covered from him. Watch him roam, and when he is relax, then you are too! No need to take day off from work!
8. I would say go in and adopt him on a friday evening then you have all weekend to bond with him....you shouldn't have to take anytime of really
9. Actually, the IDEAL situation for this would be: If you could take off maybe 2 or 3 hours early on Friday afternoon (assuming you both work Mon-Fri.), pick up your kitty from the shelter, and take him home then. You'll have the weekend to all get to know one-another, and he should do just fine by himself during the day when you are both at work. All cats are mainly nocturnal anyway, so he'll spend most of the day sleeping while both of you are at work, and be glad to see you when you get home. And, may I say "Kudos to you" for choosing a shelter cat. I have a pure white male Turkish Angora (one blue eye/one green eye) that I adopted from our shelter over 10 years ago--and have never been sorry, even tho he was an absolute mess, sick, had a huge abscess on his head & L. ear, and they were going to put him down the next day. I wish you the best of luck, and a long healthy life with your new beautiful boy.
10. i 100% agree that he will adjust on his own. We have 3 adopted cats. It's very nice to see others with as much excitement as we do. Your doing a great thing!
11. go to work already. give the cat somtime to explore. he's ready!
sounds like an awesome cat, enjoy him!!
12. You can leave him immediately. Its good to get him used to your routine and cats are very independent. You can confine him to a smaller area of the house at first so he feels more secure, make sure that he has a msall "secure" area like a box or a crate to retreat to. If you spend ALL your time with him at first, you could create seperation anxiety problems later.
13. sounds like you want an excuse to stay home from work.--- the kitty will be fine alone, just kitty proof the house. get all house plants and trash out of reach
14. Stan S has some great advice for you. Try confinement, a bathroom is great for that. Then go to work, You adopted a cat, not a child. Cat's are extremely independent animals who like time to themselves. Sleeping, eating, sleeping, grooming, sleeping and other cat activities require 'privacy'.
I have had several cats, and dogs (and even cats and dogs at the same time). When you come home from work, spend some 'bonding' time with your pal, the let him alone, just keep his food and litter box in the bathroom until he gets used to the house. In a little while, you can give him the run of the house while your gone. Just remember, even neutered male cats scent mark their territory if they feel encroachment.
