Can I Leave My New Kitten Or Puppy With A Pet Sitter?

When you get a new kitten or puppy it is a lot like having a baby. And if you’re a first time pet parent you may have the same fears every first time parent has!

One of the major concerns of any first time pet parent is; can I leave my kitten or puppy home while I work, travel etc.?

Yes and no.

Puppies and kittens need a lot of supervision. So if you’re going to leave them alone you need to have the following in place to keep them safe.

Keep Them Restricted 

Part of being a baby is discovering the world. And how do infants discover the world? By exploring of course!

Kittens and puppies learn about the world around them through touching, chewing, smelling, pulling and scratching. Items such as chords, shoes, drapes and garbage are fair game for your new fur baby. 

So, in order to keep them safe while you’re away you need to keep them restricted to a safe area. 

• Chose a room with the least amount of “things” your puppy or kitten can get into
• Be sure there are no small spaces they can get into and get stuck
• Hide chords and pull drapes off the floor
• Crawl around on the floor at your puppy/kitten’s eye level and remove anything on the floor that could be dangerous to them
• Use a baby gate or crate to keep puppies safe 
• Be sure to have puppy pads/litter boxes so your new fur baby has a place to go potty! 

Provide Mental Stimulation 

While physical play time is great for your pet’s body to help them grow up big and strong, nothing is quite as tiring as having to use their brains. 

Providing your puppy or kitten with mental stimulation while you’re away allows them to take their natural energy and put into positive activities. 

Some great ideas are:

• Toys that hide treats in them. Your pet will have to use problem solving skills to figure out how to get the goodies out! 
• Hide treats around their safe area. Whether it’s a crate, play pen or room hiding treats around for your pet to find will reward their natural desire to explore with safe treats. 
• There are a number of automatic toys on the market, especially for kittens, that will keep them busy! The toys move on their own to mimic the movements of prey they would naturally chase. 

Get A Pet Sitter! 

Puppies and kittens should not be left alone for more than a few hours at a time. Puppies will need to go potty every couple of hours and both puppies and kittens should be checked on regularly to ensure they are safe and out of mischief. 

With the average person working an 8 hour shift everyday, that makes it pretty difficult to not leave them alone for too long.

A pet sitter can come to your home anywhere from 1 to 4 times per day to check in on your new fur baby. They will provide fresh water, meals, clean up pet messes, provide play time to burn energy and can help keep them out of trouble. 

Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your new puppy or kitten!