Cat Sits – How Much is Enough?
Many cat parents ask us how many visits are best for their kitties and how long each visit should be. There’s no one good answer for this question, as it depends on many different variables.
We encounter a broad spectrum of cats, from 6 month old babies who crave attention and affection, to 2 year old sisters who love playing with wand toys, to aloof adult males, happy to do their own thing, to painfully shy cats who we rarely see (unless we lie down and look under every bed), to senior cats with multiple medical issues.
Each cat has very different needs, which is why we offer a variety of different sits. It simply makes no sense to equate the needs of a cat we never see (under the bed) with those of an affectionate kitten looking for cuddles, play, and treats.
Young kittens need frequent feeding and crave attention and affection. They should not be left alone for more than 3-4 hours at a time.
Once your kitten(s) are over 4 months old, they will begin to become more independent, require less frequent feeding, and find new and novel ways to play on their own. They’ll still crave attention and enjoy their cuddles with you or their sitter, but they’ll have learned to keep themselves occupied when they’re on their own. They will have also developed an insatiable curiosity, which makes boarding more of an adventure than a disorienting dislocation.
We recommend either boarding or twice-a-day visits of at least 30 minutes for older kittens. The sitter should also commit to spending at least half that time petting, brushing, and playing with your precious charges.
Mature adults are generally fine with one 30-minute visit/day. However, they aren’t monolithic. Different personalities and breeds produce a wide range of behaviors and levels of dependence.
Some cats maintain close relationships with their owners (and develop them with sitters) and enjoy having their humans around as much as possible. For them, it makes sense to consider two visits/day or one longer visit (40 or 60 minutes).
Others are more aloof and self-contained or, in some cases, are painfully shy and spend most of the time, during a sit, hiding under the bed. For these types of cats, one 20-minute visit might suffice.
Breed also matters. Maine Coons, Siberians, and Rag Dolls love interacting with humans and miss their companionship when they’re gone. Many owners of such cats schedule longer visits or two visits/day to provide them with the companionship they crave.
On the other hand, Russian Blues, Norwegian Forest Cats, and British Shorthairs, enjoy relatively independent existences. A single 30-minute visit may provide all the human companionship they need.
Kittens
If you have very young kittens (less than 4 months) we suggest either postponing any planned trips or paying a bit more for boarding or house-sitting. And between those two choices, house-sitting is better, because it’s less disorienting than boarding.
Young kittens need frequent feeding and crave attention and affection. They should not be left alone for more than 3-4 hours at a time.
Once your kitten(s) are over 4 months old, they will begin to become more independent, require less frequent feeding, and find new and novel ways to play on their own. They’ll still crave attention and enjoy their cuddles with you or their sitter, but they’ll have learned to keep themselves occupied when they’re on their own. They will have also developed an insatiable curiosity, which makes boarding more of an adventure than a disorienting dislocation.
We recommend either boarding or twice-a-day visits of at least 30 minutes for older kittens. The sitter should also commit to spending at least half that time petting, brushing, and playing with your precious charges.
Adults
Once cats become young adults, their dependence on a human is decreased. They’re able to spend longer periods on their own, doing their own thing. Young adults still tend to be more active and play-oriented than fully mature cats. We recommend at least one 30-minute visit/day for most young adults.
Mature adults are generally fine with one 30-minute visit/day. However, they aren’t monolithic. Different personalities and breeds produce a wide range of behaviors and levels of dependence.
Some cats maintain close relationships with their owners (and develop them with sitters) and enjoy having their humans around as much as possible. For them, it makes sense to consider two visits/day or one longer visit (40 or 60 minutes).
Others are more aloof and self-contained or, in some cases, are painfully shy and spend most of the time, during a sit, hiding under the bed. For these types of cats, one 20-minute visit might suffice.
Breed also matters. Maine Coons, Siberians, and Rag Dolls love interacting with humans and miss their companionship when they’re gone. Many owners of such cats schedule longer visits or two visits/day to provide them with the companionship they crave.
On the other hand, Russian Blues, Norwegian Forest Cats, and British Shorthairs, enjoy relatively independent existences. A single 30-minute visit may provide all the human companionship they need.
