Is it okay to get a cat if I work out of town 3-4 days a week?

Hello Nicole. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Great question! Yes, you can leave a cat for 12+ hours on it's own. I would not recommend doing this with a kitten but an adult cat you can. It sounds like you would be a great home for an older cat. There are many, many older cats in shelters that need homes. I would recommend one that is 5 years or older. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

It is perfectly find to have one cat even if you are going to be gone for hours. Many cats are single animal households. If you want to get another cat you can try to make sure they still get along but they may not even interact with each other while you are gone. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think Arlye will be fine. He may be afraid of the new person and the new environment at first but I think he will warm up. I am sure he will appreciate being at home rather than a boarding facility! I hope this helps and have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would highly recommend that you have a trusted friend or neighbor stop in once daily to every other day to check on the cats. They could make sure they are eating and using the litter box. Make sure they see all 4 cats during their visit to the house. It is risky to leave them that long. Good luck

Hi. It sounds like you're trying hard to do what is best for Daisy. Some of it depends on her personality, some cats enjoy traveling and new places. I've known several that travelled the country in an RV! That said if you do bring her with you there are certain things you should do for her health and safety. First make sure she is up to date on vaccines and parasite prevention. This is to protect her as she may come into contact with other animals on travels. I would also ensure that she is spayed, as an intact female will try to get outside every heat cycle. She could get lost or injured if this happened someplace she was somewhere unfamiliar. Also, please make sure she has a collar with your cell phone number and I would recommend a microchip as well. If she doesn't enjoy the new places, consider someone to come to your house while you are gone to care for her and keep her company. In these cases, sometimes a companion cat helps ease boredom if people are absent for long stretches. I wouldn't recommend leaving her for more than 24 hours without someone checking food, water and litter boxes.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend you move in first and get used to the new place before you get the cat. This will help bring everything inside before getting the cat as cats tend to get very stressed when there is a lot of movement or noise in their in new environments. Perhaps wait 1-2 months before you get a cat. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is not a problem with spending all day at home as long as the kitty is being taken care of meaning that is fed good food and given water and that he is provided with preventative care like vaccines and deworming and they also interact with her regularly. Have a good day!