https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 28 Apr 2026 23:27:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-361784 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 20:40:30 +0000 Meridian 361784@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>On an average day, 6 - 8 hours. On a few necessary occasions, 11 - 12 hours, but rarely. She's miserable at doggy daycare (and it's expensive!) so we know she'd rather be at home. We've never left her home alone overnight though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-361305 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:08:36 +0000 LAGS 361305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've only ever left our dog for the equivalent of a work day. Maybe 10hrs max. She's very much a couch potato though and is pretty low maintenance.</p> <p>We leave our cats when we travel. The longest we've left them is 4 nights. I don't feel comfortable going longer than that. We just leave bowls of food and water all over and put an extra litter box out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-361298 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 18:03:03 +0000 DpeachLu 361298@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our dog is left alone while we are away at work so about 10 hours m-f. she has done fine with that schedule for the past 3 years. If we go out of town or even on all day trip we leave her with relatives. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-361275 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:54:08 +0000 mrsjyw 361275@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only have dogs and the most we'd leave them is 12 hours.</p> <p>I can't believe anyone would leave a dog for a weekend away! :*(((( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360737 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:46:32 +0000 heffalump 360737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dogs can't be left alone for that long, especially my dog. He's very spoiled, and has separation anxiety. I only leave him alone for like 4 hours at the most. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360732 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 14:44:38 +0000 LazyLightning 360732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Longest we've left our cats is 10 days. We just had a friend stop by every other day and feed them. Put out extra litter and call it good. Cats really don't care if you're there or not. Sure, they might miss you a little but they're happy to have their own time to chill. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360113 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:30:46 +0000 dagret 360113@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've left our dog overnight before (like 10 pm - 8 am) and she was fine, but it's super rare for her to be left alone for more than 10 hours. we left her for 12 hours, once, I think, and I felt terrible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360093 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:22:51 +0000 mrs. bird 360093@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we have a cat, so much less needy than a dog. the longest we've left him is a week and my bff came and spent an afternoon in the middle with him. he was VERY upset when we came home though. we're going to have to leave him for 9 days next month, but i'll have bff go once &amp; my parents go once. i feel bad, but i don't know what else to do with him! he HATES the car, and if he were to go anywhere else, he'd cry the whole time! even when we've moved, and i was home with him, he cried the first 48hrs straight, then every night for the first week! he's not good with change =/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360086 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:20:45 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 360086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We leave our cat alone over the weekend all the time.<br /> She is alone right now actually. She does just fine. When we get back we give her lots of cuddles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360076 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:18:01 +0000 pl0508 360076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sslm: probably 12 hours tops! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360073 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:17:19 +0000 MrsBrewer 360073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Alivoo01: That sounds like an awesome set up!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360051 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:10:53 +0000 Foodnerd81 360051@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a dog, so we couldn't leave him overnight unless we wanted a giant mess the clean up when we got back. The longest he is home alone is 11 hours during the work day, if whoever is walking him is running late. He sleeps all day. When we go away, he usually stays with my BIL and has his usual 3 walks a day, 2 feedings. I think once when BIL was watching him, he walked him at night and in the morning but didn't stay over with him, and it was the only time he spent the night alone. I suppose in a real pinch, we could do a dog walker 3 times a day and have him stay along the rest of the time, but the dog walker we have used in emergencies charges about $20 a walk, so that would be really expensive!<br /> For a cat, I would think it's OK for them to just have someone come over once a day, but I wouldn't be comfortable leaving them without someone checking on them more than overnight. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360031 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:04:31 +0000 Alivoo01 360031@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My parents have left the dog home alone for a couple days (anything more than 2 days, they board him). We have an enclosed sunroon which is practically a totally liveable room (there's a couch, a bed, ac and heat, etc.) and has a doggie door. They'd put out plenty of food and water and the dog is free to roam about the 160 sq ft sunroom with outdoor access to take care of business and sunbathe. They hate doing that, but the dog seems to manage okay. Plus, they have other family members come over to check up on him and give him cuddles! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360030 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 11:04:19 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 360030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have a cat so I'm not sure! We have elft our dog for 12 hour stretches. If I go away for the weekend while DH works, if I leave the dog at home she is alone while he does a 12 hour shift. She has the run of the house and free feeds though, so she is fine. She is 6 now and literally sleeps for 22-23 hours a day, so I don't think she minds! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-360007 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:57:22 +0000 JerricaBenton 360007@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We only leave our dog for 5 hours max and that's rare. He has an insane metabolism and we feed him 4 meals a day so he can't really miss one. If we're away for longer than that he goes to grandma and grandpa's! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359951 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:42:10 +0000 theotherstark 359951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>oliviaoblivia, meredithNYC, MrsBrewer - I know, it was seriously heart-breaking. My pup kept going to the door and listening too; I think he was concerned. I felt so, so horrible for the poor dog (and secretly hoped that he just absolutely destroyed their apartment to teach them a lesson!). Poor doggy :( Ugh. Some people really shouldn't be pet-owners. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359939 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:37:35 +0000 Cole 359939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In a pinch we leave our dog for 11-12 hours but that is really unusual. Normally if we need to be gone that long we send him to doggy day care. </p> <p>My brother will leave his cat for a few days at a clip but prefers not to. Normally the cat does get wet food in the morning but he is stuck with kibble for those times. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359934 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:36:41 +0000 MrsBrewer 359934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anyonesays: On my gosh!! How horrible!!!! I was soooo sad just reading that!</p> <p>My mom would normally just come over during the day and feed them, I don't ask her to stay over night or anything, I let my brother and sister if they want to because then they can get out of my parents house for a little bit and relax hahaha (not that they have a rough life at all....) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359927 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:35:10 +0000 meredithNYC 359927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@anyonesays: Oh my God, I am so enraged at those people! Who does that?!!! Ugh, that is neglect and it's disgusting.</p> <p>The longest we leave our dog alone is probably in the 5-6 hour range. Anything longer than that is extremely rare, but then again I'm a SAHM. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359924 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:33:53 +0000 oliviaoblivia 359924@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our cats are 10 and 4 and we will leave them for a long weekend. I wouldn't do anything longer than that though. Cat boxes get really gross quickly and while I trust them, I wouldn't want them to find an alternative bathroom.<br /> The dog either comes with us or we get a dogsitter to stay at our place.<br /> @anyonesays: That is so horrible! That poor pup! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359919 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:32:01 +0000 prettylizy 359919@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For a cat, I would go away overnigth without a second thought, more than 1 night and I'd have someone come in to check on him/her.</p> <p>Our dogs have been home alone overnight before, but we had someone come in a few times a day to let them out/feed them for us, otherwise we'll leave them at our parents houses or board. The longest they've been home unattended was 18 hours, but the bulk of it was overnight. When my SIL was in labour we went to the hospital about bed time and came back late the next morning. They were totally fine.... still sleeping, no accidents, like nothing was different. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359914 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:29:41 +0000 theotherstark 359914@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, my dog is just a puppy so I wouldn't leave him alone very long at all :) </p> <p>I know that when cats are older, many people seem to leave for weekends and just leave some extra food out, but cats are fairly self-sufficient, have litter boxes, etc. It does sound like your kittys might have special dietary needs, though (wet vs dry food, etc.).</p> <p>Random, related story, but a few weekends ago, on the long Columbus day weekend, we could hear one of the dogs in an apartment on our floor YOWLING for hours and hours, starting in the early morning of Saturday and going through that evening almost non-stop. I kept going to the door, standing outside, and could hear the poor doggy scratching at the door, and s/he got increasingly hoarse as the day progressed. </p> <p>I was getting really anxious and concerned for the poor dog, and thought that something may have happened to the owners. So my husband went to the front desk and they tried to get ahold of the people in that apartment. Apparently they WENT OUT OF TOWN for the LONG WEEKEND and left their poor dog there. ALONE. ALL WEEKEND. FROM FRIDAY TO TUESDAY. They claimed to have a "dog-walker" but I had been pretty aware of the dog/that apartment all day since I was so concerned for the dog, and hadn't seen or heard anyone go in or out. That poor dog, I felt SO badly for it. By Tuesday morning, when the owners got back, the poor dog could barely bark it was so hoarse. </p> <p>Horrible, just horrible.</p> <p>Anyway, sorry, that was a really random aside :) I think it's nice that you got your mom to check on the cats, but for them I imagine it's not incredibly necessary to have someone physically stay with them, maybe just go, change out food/water, and litter boxes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359913 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:29:33 +0000 blackbird 359913@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I leave my cats for a weekend but they are 4 years old now and as long as i set out lots of food and water, they are fine. They just sleep all day anyways. I've left for a week before and my MIL will come over to refresh their food and water and give them attention. </p> <p>I'm convinced that all they do is sit on the couch and sleep and eat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359907 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:27:37 +0000 MrsTiz 359907@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't leave our dog for more than 8 hours. She's in a crate so she needs to be let out to eat and potty. If we have to go away for the weekend we leave her with her grandparents :) If I have to go somewhere after work I go home at lunch and let her out. She can't be trusted alone in the house outside of a crate so it is what it is! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359906 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:27:15 +0000 yoursilverlining 359906@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If we are only gone for 1 night, we usually won't hire our catsitter. But we hire the catsitter for anythnig over 1 night away. I would worry too much otherwise! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359905 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:27:14 +0000 sslm 359905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, I guess it's different bc we have a dog and they can't be left alone as much as cats! But the longest we've left him alone is 12 hours, and we always feel awful about that. That only happens under weird circumstances like both of us having to work late. </p> <p>I don't think you're being Over the top at all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/how-long-would-you-leave-your-pets-alone#post-359903 Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:23:41 +0000 MrsBrewer 359903@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Alright I totally feel like I have the world's most spoiled cats ever.</p> <p>DH and I went away last weekend, and we had my mom watch our 2 kitties. By that I mean, come over and feed them and play a little bit! They are still kittens (they just turned 1) and need a lot of attention and cuddle time!</p> <p>My mom thinks we are crazy, we were gone for 3 days/2 nights, and she said that if it were her she would have just put out extra food and called it that. :-(</p> <p>It makes me said, I couldn't imagine leaving them alone for that long! Plus they are on a very high calorie/protein diet, so I have a feeling if we left extra food out they would just scarf it all down right away and then they would be starving. Plus we feed them soft food in the morning and put out dry food at night. I guess my friend is planning to do the same thing this weekend and just leave her cats home by themselves....</p> <p>Am I the only one out here that feels bad about that?? </p>