12 pets
Caring for your pet while you are away
Updated By Petym
How long a pet can be left alone depends on the animal. Welfare charities say an adult dog should not be alone for more than about four hours at a time, a healthy adult cat for around 12 hours, and puppies and kittens for far less. These pages set out what each pet needs while you are away, and who should look after it.
Each page covers dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, senior pets, rabbits or birds in Indian homes and seasons: daily needs, time alone, signs of stress or illness, and which kind of sitter suits a day out, a weekend or a fortnight. Every health fact links to the veterinary or welfare body it came from.
All pets
- DogsDogs Walks, meals and company on your dog's usual times while you travel.
- DogsPuppies Meals, toilet trips, sleep and training kept going while you travel.
- DogsSenior dogs A steady routine, medicines on time and gentle walks while you travel.
- CatsCats How long a cat can be alone, how often a sitter should visit, and what to leave in an Indian flat.
- CatsKittens A few hours alone at most: visits, overnights, vaccines and kitten-proofing before you travel.
- CatsSenior cats Older cats cope badly with change: home care, more checks, medicines and the signs a sitter must report.
- Small petsGuinea pigs Vitamin C, a group that stays together and a cool room: guinea pig care while you travel.
- Small petsHamsters A night animal alone in its cage: water, heat, escapes and evening visits while you travel.
- Small petsRabbits Hay, water and a daily check: why a rabbit cannot be left to fend for itself.
- Birds and othersPet birds Budgies, cockatiels and lovebirds: food, company, fumes and heat while you travel.
- Birds and othersAquarium fish Goldfish, bettas and community tanks: measured meals, power cuts and summer heat while you travel.
- Birds and othersTortoises and turtles Heat lamps, clean water and the 2024 registration rules: reptile care while you travel.
Which page do I need?
- A dog at home, and a long working day
- DogsHow long a dog can be left aloneDog walking
- A cat, and a weekend away
- CatsHow often a sitter should visit a catDrop-in visits
- A new puppy, with a trip coming up
- PuppiesThe puppy vaccination schedule
- A kitten not yet fully vaccinated
- KittensThe kitten vaccination schedule
- An older dog on daily medicines
- Senior dogsSenior pets and medicinesSpecial-needs care
- An older cat, or one with kidney disease
- Senior catsOvernight sitting
- A dog that struggles when you leave
- Separation anxiety in dogsLeaving your dog for a week
How long can each pet be left alone?
These are the limits the welfare and veterinary bodies give for a healthy animal. Age, illness, heat and anxiety all shorten them, so ask your vet about your own pet.
| Alone at most | Checks a day on a trip | For a week away | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult dog PDSA | About four hours at a time | Not covered by visits overnight | Overnight sitting or home boarding |
| Puppy Merck Veterinary Manual | Much shorter than an adult | Toilet trips several times a day | A sitter who stays |
| Senior dog RSPCA | Shorter if it needs the toilet more often | Regular access to its toilet area | Overnight sitting |
| Adult cat Cats Protection | Around 12 hours | At least a couple of checks | Visits twice a day or a sitter who stays |
| Kitten Cats Protection | A few hours at most | Every few hours until grown | A sitter who stays |
| Senior cat Cats Protection | Checked more often than a younger adult | More than two if unwell | Overnight sitting |
| Rabbit pair RSPCA | Rear end checked twice a day in warm weather | Two visits | A sitter staying in the home |
| Bird RSPCA | Depends on company and the heat | Two visits at least on heatwave days | A sitter who keeps the cooling running |
Male cats with past urinary trouble need the litter tray seen at least twice a day: a blocked bladder is an emergency (Cornell Feline Health Center).
What does every pet need while you are away?
Whatever the animal, the same few things keep it safe: the same food, fresh water, a clean toilet, its routine and someone who notices a change.
Keep the food exactly as it is. A sudden change of diet can upset a dog's or cat's stomach, and for a rabbit any change in diet while you are away can make it ill, so leave enough of the usual food for every day plus a little extra. Water matters most in an Indian summer: wide, heavy bowls in the shade, refilled through the day, and several bowls for an older cat, since good hydration is essential for cats with kidney disease.
Routine is the quiet part of care that owners underrate. International Cat Care calls a predictable routine one of the simplest ways to keep a cat's stress down, and older dogs prefer a predictable day too. Puppies like to know what happens next: feed, play, rest and toilet at the same times. A sitter who keeps your times, your rooms and your rules does more for a pet than one who tries to make the stay special.
Company is a need, not a treat. Dogs are sociable and get lonely or bored without enough time with people. Rabbits should live in at least pairs, because human contact does not replace another rabbit. Birds are social and can get lonely without regular attention. Even a cat that sleeps all day can start overgrooming or damaging furniture from boredom.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | Most need at least one to two walks a day, in the cooler hours in hot weather, with water carried on walks. | PDSA |
| Cats | Fed once or twice a day, a clean tray every day, hiding places, one of everything per cat plus one. | International Cat Care |
| Puppies | Four meals a day at 6 to 12 weeks, three at 3 to 6 months, two at 6 to 12 months. | Merck Veterinary Manual |
| Kittens | Three meals a day until six months, then twice a day to one year. | Cornell Feline Health Center |
| Rabbits | Hay at least as big as the rabbit every day, greens daily, fresh water all day. | RSPCA |
| Birds | Kept at 12 to 26 °C, out of draughts, with the owner's cover and lights-off routine. | RSPCA |
Sitter at home or a stay away: which suits your pet?
Most pets cope best in their own home. A stay away works for sociable dogs that enjoy company.
If you have a cat
Keep it at home. Cats feel safest in their own territory with their routine, and a sitter who visits or stays avoids the stress of a new place. Cat sitter or cattery? International Cat Care
If you have a sociable adult dog and nobody can stay in your home
Home boarding with a sitter can suit it, with its own bed, food and a short trial stay first. Pet sitter at home or boarding? Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine
If your dog struggles when alone
It needs company for most of the day. About half of dogs that struggle show no obvious signs, so tell the sitter what you have seen. Separation anxiety in dogs RSPCA (England and Wales)
If your puppy has not finished its vaccines
Keep it away from unvaccinated dogs and dogs of unknown vaccine status, which rules out group day care until the series ends. Puppies Merck Veterinary Manual
If your pet is old, on medicines or recovering
Choose care at home where you can. Older cats do not cope well with changes to their routine, and older dogs prefer a predictable day. Senior cats International Cat Care
If you keep rabbits or birds
Leave them at home with visits or a sitter who stays. A move, new noises and diet changes all upset them. Rabbits RSPCA
Which signs mean a sitter should call the vet the same day?
Each animal shows illness differently. These are the signs the veterinary sources say need a vet quickly; a sitter calls you and goes, and your vet decides the rest.
If A dog panting heavily, drooling, wobbling or collapsing in the heat
Move it somewhere cool, pour cool water over the body away from the face, and go to the vet at once. PDSA
If A cat straining in the litter tray and passing little or no urine
Treat it as an emergency, especially in a male cat. A blocked bladder can kill within one to two days. Cornell Feline Health Center
If A rabbit not eating, or passing smaller, fewer or no droppings
Call the vet at once. PDSA says any rabbit not eating properly needs a vet straight away. PDSA
If A bird fluffed up for long periods, sitting low on the perch or bobbing its tail with each breath
Call the vet the same day, and compare the droppings with the owner's photo of normal. Merck Veterinary Manual
If A senior dog that seems disorientated or sleeps at odd times
Do not leave it alone for long, and tell the owner so the vet can rule out medical causes. RSPCA
If Breathing trouble, a seizure, suspected poisoning or heavy bleeding in any pet
Go to the nearest 24-hour vet straight away, taking the packet or a photo of anything eaten. Merck Veterinary Manual
What should go on your pet's care sheet?
Write it down, whatever the pet. A sitter follows a written plan far more reliably than a spoken one.
- Meals: the food, the amount, the times, and what not to give. For a bird, foods to keep away, such as avocado, which the RSPCA calls highly poisonous to parrots. RSPCA
- Every medicine by its label name, the time, and what to do if a dose is refused, with the boxes left in their original labelled containers. US Food and Drug Administration
- Walks and toilet: times, routes, the lead or harness, and the cool-hours rule for summer. PDSA
- Where the coat needs checking for ticks after a walk: head, neck, shoulders, ears, around the anus and under the tail. Merck Veterinary Manual
- Your vet's name, number and address, and the nearest 24-hour vet. PDSA
- The vaccination card with DHPPi, rabies or Tricat dates, for a vet who needs it.
- What normal looks like: appetite, droppings, sleep, hiding spots and the signs your pet shows when it is stressed.
- An emergency contact in your city who can decide if you cannot be reached, and how much the sitter may spend on your behalf.
How do Indian summers, the monsoon and Diwali change pet care?
Heat, ticks, monsoon infections and festival noise are the seasonal risks a sitter in India plans for.
The India Meteorological Department declares a heatwave on the plains when the maximum reaches at least 40 °C and is 4.5 °C or more above normal, or 45 °C or more outright. On those days a dog is walked only at the start and end of the day, flat-faced breeds and Persian cats are kept in a cool room, very young kittens and very old cats are watched closely because they regulate their temperature poorly, and rabbits and birds need a cool, shaded room with the cooling kept running through power cuts.
In the monsoon, dogs catch leptospirosis through contact with contaminated water or urine, so a sitter avoids floodwater and dries paws after every walk. Ticks are a year-round problem in India and the brown dog tick lives in homes, so prevention stays current and the coat is checked every evening. Around Diwali and Holi, walks happen before the fireworks or colour play start, doors and balconies stay shut, and a frightened pet is given a quiet den rather than a scolding.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Heatwave | At least 40 °C and 4.5 °C above normal, or 45 °C or more, on the plains. | India Meteorological Department |
| Hot weather | Shade and fresh water for every animal in your charge. | Animal Welfare Board of India |
| Flat-faced cats | Overheat more easily: a cool room matters more than the clock. | PDSA |
| Rabbits in heat | A cool room and two visits a day at least; a stay is safer. | PDSA |
| Ticks | The brown dog tick lives in homes and kennels; prevention all year. | Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites |
| Fireworks | Walk before the crackers start; ID tag and microchip details up to date. | PDSA |
What do owners get wrong about leaving pets?
You may have read
Cats are independent, so a bowl of food and a full tray will do for a week.
Myth
What the sources say
PDSA advises someone checking a cat at least a couple of times a day on any trip, even with an automatic feeder or a camera. PDSA
You may have read
If my dog does not bark when I leave, it is fine alone.
Myth
What the sources say
About half of dogs that find it hard to be alone show no obvious signs. Restlessness, not eating and licking paws are easy to miss. RSPCA (England and Wales)
You may have read
One rabbit is happy as long as I give it attention.
Myth
What the sources say
Rabbits should live in at least pairs, and must not live alone unless a vet advises it. Human contact does not replace another rabbit. RSPCA
You may have read
A puppy can be left for a working day once it is house trained.
Myth
What the sources say
Puppies need taking outside several times a day while they learn, and should be alone for much shorter periods than adult dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual
You may have read
An old dog sleeps most of the day, so it can be left longer.
Myth
What the sources say
Older dogs may need the toilet more often and should have regular access to their toilet area, so they can be left for less time, not more. RSPCA
Questions owners ask
How long can a dog be left alone at home?
- Welfare charities such as PDSA and the RSPCA say an adult dog should not be left alone for more than about four hours at a time. Puppies, older dogs and dogs with separation problems need much shorter gaps. For a working day, a midday walk or day care helps; for nights away, a dog needs someone there.
How long can a cat be left alone?
- A healthy adult cat can usually manage a day or one night, around 12 hours at most, according to Cats Protection. For longer trips someone should check it at least a couple of times a day, even with an automatic feeder. Kittens, older cats and cats with a medical condition need more frequent checks.
Which pets can a Petym sitter look after?
- Petym's pages cover dogs, cats, puppies, kittens, senior dogs, senior cats, rabbits and birds. Each pet page sets out what that animal needs every day and which service suits a day out, a weekend, a week or a fortnight away. Petym is not taking bookings yet and opens city by city.
Is a sitter at home or boarding better for my pet?
- It depends on the pet. Cats, rabbits, birds and anxious or elderly pets usually cope best in their own home with a sitter who visits or stays overnight. Sociable adult dogs may enjoy a stay in a sitter's home. Each pet page has a trip-by-trip table, and the comparison pages set out both sides.
Can a sitter look after a puppy that is not fully vaccinated?
- Yes, at home. Until its vaccine series ends at about four months, a puppy should be kept away from unvaccinated dogs and dogs of unknown vaccine status, so group day care waits. A sitter at home keeps its frequent meals, toilet trips and sleep on schedule.
Do rabbits and birds need a sitter, or can a neighbour feed them?
- They need more than food. Rabbits need hay all the time, fresh water and a check of the rear end twice a day in warm weather. Birds need their cover and light routine kept and a cool room in the heat. Two visits a day is the minimum; a sitter who stays is safer in a heatwave.
How do I tell a sitter what my pet needs?
- Write it down. Petym's free pet care sheet puts feeding, walks, medicines, your vet and emergency contacts on one printable page that any sitter can follow. Add what normal looks like for your pet, so the sitter can spot a change early.
Are these pet pages veterinary advice?
- No. They are general information from the veterinary and welfare bodies named on each page, with the date they were checked. No vet has reviewed these pages. For anything about your own pet's health, medicines or diet, ask your vet.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Keep exploring
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- PDSA: Vet Q&A: How can I make sure my dog is safe and secure? (opens in a new tab)
- Cats Protection: How long can you leave a cat alone? (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA (England and Wales): Separation-related behaviour in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Puppy care (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Caring for older dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Cats Protection: Going on holiday (opens in a new tab)
Show all 32 sourcesShow fewer
- RSPCA: Flystrike (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Bird environment (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: How much exercise does your dog need? (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Stress in cats (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell Feline Health Center: How often should you feed your cat? (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Rabbit diet (opens in a new tab)
- Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine: Planning ahead: reducing stress when boarding your pet (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Special considerations for senior cats (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Exploring pet sitting options (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Heatstroke in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Cornell Feline Health Center: Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Reduced appetite in a rabbit (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Illness in Pet Birds (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: What to do in a dog or cat emergency (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Bird diet (opens in a new tab)
- US Food and Drug Administration: Medication errors happen to pets, too (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Ticks of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: First aid for pets (undated) (opens in a new tab)
- India Meteorological Department: FAQ on heat wave (opens in a new tab)
- Animal Welfare Board of India: Request to ensure care and protection of animals from direct heat during extreme hot weather (4 May 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Heatstroke in cats (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Heatstroke in rabbits (opens in a new tab)
- Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites: Guidelines for the control of ectoparasites of dogs and cats in the tropics (2022) (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: Dogs and fireworks (opens in a new tab)
- PDSA: What to do with your cat when you go on holiday (opens in a new tab)
- RSPCA: Rabbit companionship (opens in a new tab)