Have you ever watched your cat while you’re home during the weekend and wondered if they’re doing the same activities they would be doing if you weren’t at home? If your cat spends the weekend curled up in the window in a sunbeam, then it would make sense to think that this might be what they do when you’re out of the house. If your cat follows you from room to room all weekend, though, then that doesn’t really give you an idea of what they might do when you aren’t home.
Here’s what your cat is probably getting up to when you’re out of the house:
The 4 Possible Activities Your Cat Does When Left Alone
1. Sleeping
Sleeping is likely what your cat does for the majority of the time you are gone. Healthy adult cats sleep for around 18 hours per day, with older cats often sleeping even more. If your cat spends their waking hours hanging out with you when you get home, then it’s very likely your cat is snoozing for a lot of the day.
This is especially true if you are gone during the daytime. Cats are crepuscular animals, so they tend to be most active at dawn and dusk. It’s not unusual for cats to sleep most of the day and become more active in the early morning or evening hours.
2. Playing
If you spent the whole day lying around at home, you’d probably get bored. So does your cat! Just like people and dogs, cats need an outlet for their energy, and many cats love to play with toys and other pets when you aren’t home.
If you have multiple cats in your household, then it’s likely they’re playing with each other throughout the day, unless it’s a known fact in your home that they can’t stand each other. Any type of playing you see your cat doing on their own when you are home but not playing with them, like batting around bottle caps and scratching on their tower, is the type of play your cat is participating in when you aren’t home if they don’t have another pet to play with.
If you only have one cat at home, don’t run out and get a second cat just yet. Some cats love having time to themselves during the day, even if that means playing alone.
3. Hunting
While giving cats outdoor access is a controversial topic, many people choose to do so. Most outdoor cats spend a portion of their day hunting, even if they are well-fed at home. Cats will hunt for all sorts of small animals, like birds, lizards, mice, and squirrels. If you have barn cats, they are probably catching whatever animals they’re finding in and around the barn.
It’s extremely important to understand that outdoor cats can have a devastating impact on native ecosystems. Even if you think your cat isn’t hunting because they aren’t bringing dead things home to you, it is almost a certainty that your cat is hunting. The hunting instinct in cats is extremely strong, and very few cats, especially those outdoors, will ignore it.
For indoor kitties, they may still attempt to hunt throughout the day. This hunting may include stalking insects or even things like shadows and light beams. If you have small animals in the home, make sure they are well out of the reach of your cat when you aren’t home. Cats can pose a threat to the life and health of your small pets, even if it’s just through tormenting them without causing physical injury.
4. Overseeing Their Kingdom
Cats really enjoy sitting back and watching things happen around them. Many cats like to do this from a high-up place, so make sure your cat has a comfy space somewhere high up in your home, like on a dresser, cabinet, or cat tower.
Your cat will get a kick out of spending time in this space and just watching the other goings on within the home. This may include watching other pets or watching the washing machine run, they just like keeping track of what’s happening in their territory.
When your cat isn’t overseeing their indoor territory, you might find them overseeing their outdoor territory, even if your cat is fully indoors. Cats love to look out windows and watch birds, other animals, and even your neighbors working in their yards. Try to give your cat a comfy spot in a window where they can watch the world outside.
Conclusion
The behaviors you see your cat doing when you are home are likely very similar to the behaviors they do when you aren’t home. However, you are not there to keep them company and entertain them, either directly through play or indirectly through doing activities your cat finds interesting.
Many cats will sleep away a large portion of the day when they are alone. Make sure to provide your cat with plenty of interesting spaces to safely spend time while you’re gone, not just for them to sleep, but also for them to watch what’s going on. Work to create an environment that is interesting and enriching for your cat, but also that allows your cat to be in quiet, calm spaces when they want.
Featured Image Credit: VGstockstudio, Shutterstock
