The breeder I got my Ragdoll kitten from insisted that I not leave him alone even for short periods of time. She said, 'these kittens cannot be left alone' and she suggested it was terrible for him and that he'd get sick.
Conversely, the vet said you could leave kittens / cats home alone all day up to 10 hours if you work.(!)
At the very beginning I did not leave my kitten alone, but then did leave him little by little for slightly longer periods but never more than 3 hours or so. Now that he is 5 1/2 months old, I always make sure someone will be with him if I have to be out for more than 3 hours. (I work at home, so I am home most of the time.)
As breeders, is this something you stress to your adopters? Or was this perhaps a quirk of my particular breeder? Can cats be left longer than kittens? I'd appreciate hearing your expert opinions.
Expert opinion no
but we've had no trouble leaving the kits at home while we work and socialise. It seems strange the breeder would have you worry about leaving the kitten for such a short amount of time. They can get lonely if they're the only pet and you are hardly ever there, but you're home most of the time so he should be fine.
Ragdolls are very social creatures and do prefer companionship whether two or four legged, but they can certainly be left alone for short periods of time. I usually ask prospective parents who work outside of the home if they would consider adopting another kitten, rescue or purebred.
Although few Ragdolls prefer being alone for the workday, some are fine with it. We always advise people in that situation that another pet may be "needed" and they have to agree to get one if it turns out that way. Just watch to see if you observe any signs of stress from it.
The breeder seems extreme in that subject. Most kittens do well on their own for families that have a normal schedule. Having a companion cat does help a lot.
Hi new here, but I thought I would comment on this. I got my first raggie this past January. He was alone while I had to work and HATED it! He actually made himself sick! I got him a shelter kitty as a companion, and his stress level immediately subsided and he started feeling a lot better. Now, they are both very content when they have to be left alone. Just my two cents...like the others said...every cat is different and some will do fine as only pets, but others not so much.
(07-28-2010 07:40 AM)blueeyedmarshmallow Wrote: [ -> ]Hi new here, but I thought I would comment on this. I got my first raggie this past January. He was alone while I had to work and HATED it! He actually made himself sick! I got him a shelter kitty as a companion, and his stress level immediately subsided and he started feeling a lot better. Now, they are both very content when they have to be left alone. Just my two cents...like the others said...every cat is different and some will do fine as only pets, but others not so much.
What a beautiful pair of kitties you have!
(07-28-2010 07:59 AM)dextersmom Wrote: [ -> ] (07-28-2010 07:40 AM)blueeyedmarshmallow Wrote: [ -> ]Hi new here, but I thought I would comment on this. I got my first raggie this past January. He was alone while I had to work and HATED it! He actually made himself sick! I got him a shelter kitty as a companion, and his stress level immediately subsided and he started feeling a lot better. Now, they are both very content when they have to be left alone. Just my two cents...like the others said...every cat is different and some will do fine as only pets, but others not so much.
What a beautiful pair of kitties you have!
Thanks! They're my sweet babies...
FYI...I don't want to take over this post with my introductions, so introduced my kitties in the proper section of the forum...
My cats are left home for 8 hours each day while I'm at work (except for the weekends). If I had just one, I would be worried about it, but they keep each other company. And I find when I am home for a full day, they sleep the whole time anyways!
Thanks for the feedback. I thought she was a bit extreme on it...but I took her concern on, I suppose, because I still will not to leave him alone for long periods--i.e. beyond 3 1/2 hrs! He'll be getting a little raggie brother the end of September. Yay! That ought to help for those times when I do have to be out for a bit longer. Also, I will have to travel for work at some point. And having a companion for him will no doubt help alleviate my guilt!