It’s such a funny thing. Every time I browse YouTube hardly does my feed not feature a cat video. Cats are one species that garner as much love in the virtual world as they do in the real one.
For the affection, love, quirkiness, and mystery they bring with them, felines have been the partner of choice of company for humans.
One such category of feline, popularly known as the Ragamuffin Cats, has created a name for itself of being an affectionate, gentle and playful family cat.
For the same reason, it isn’t a surprise that sometimes cat lovers are concerned if they are suited to be left alone for an extended period.
So, can ragamuffin cats be left alone?
To be perfectly honest, no cats should be left alone indefinitely without care and caution. Ragamuffin cats by nature are very affectionate and love the company of people and pets with them. And therefore, it isn’t wise to leave them alone for long.
Just like ragdoll cats (their ancestors), ragdoll cats, ragamuffin cats are a resourceful cat breed.
So, ragamuffin cats can be left alone while you go away for some time, like while at work but given their personality, they are less tolerant of it than some other breeds.
In the rest of the article, I will share with you some tips that you can use to keep ragdolls cats happy and engaged while you are away.
Here are a few more articles that I think are worth your while.
- Do ragdoll cats really ragdoll?
- Best companion dogs for ragdoll cats
- Best place for a litter box in an apartment
- Balinese vs ragdoll cats: how are they different?
- Do cats get more affectionate with age?
- 20 tips before you bring a cat home
How long can ragamuffin cats be left alone?
In general, when it comes to cats, most experts agree, that you should not leave cats alone for more than 24 hours.
Now that is a very optimistic time frame and should be understood with a healthy amount of skepticism.
The time frame assumes that there aren’t going to be any unpredictable circumstances.
Someone needs to check in, in that time frame at least once, to assure that the food is sufficient, and there is no spilled water or injuries.
So, with these check-ins in place, it may be possible to leave your cat alone for even a weekend.
When it comes to cats like ragamuffins or ragdolls, you cannot follow the same pattern.
You see as I said, so much varies on so many different factors, breed is one of the biggest.
For cat breeds like ragamuffins and ragdolls to develop properly they need companionship and engagement.
As a matter of fact, ragamuffin cats are so dependent on social engagement that most breeders choose to sell them in pairs to ensure they are never alone.
So, if it so happens that you want to leave your cat for an extended period of time, you need to be careful.
In the upcoming section, I will give you a few pointers that you can use to in a way prep your home if for some reason you have to leave your home for extended hours.
The crux is this, cats like ragamuffins evolve as well-adjusted cats in a social, loving, and engaging environment.
Leaving them alone and that too without taking any precautionary steps will open doors for physical and behavioral issues.
Some of these issues maybe
- Anxiety
- Boredom and depression
- Decreased level of energies
- Obesity
- Lack of restfulness and sleep
- Lowd and consistent meowing
- Disruption of routine
- Litter box problems etc.
So, if you want a cat like a ragamuffin but are also not sure whether you will be able to give them the company they need, I would advise getting a breed that is more tolerant of that.
How to keep a Ragamuffin cat engaged while you are away?
See, the thing with reading articles like these is to provide you with a good knowledge base.
You need to be aware of what breed are you getting and what are its needs.
As long as those little needs are taken care of, raising a pet doesn’t need to be a tough task.
It’s just that these little responsibilities need to be taken care of with absolute attention.
With ragamuffin cats for example, once you have the knowledge that these are very social cats that thrive on company and affection, getting a second cat will help you relieve you of most if not all responsibilities.
This is what my first point is,
- Getting a Companion
It doesn’t always need to be you who has to take care of the engagement needs of your cat.
A feline companion with which your ragamuffin can play, engage, learn from, and chase will help in two ways.
First, they will help each other grow in a very organic way within the comforts of your home.
And secondly, you won’t have to worry about them not having a dedicated company all the time.
And lastly, this allows you to leave your cats alone for a little more time than what you would do if your cat was the only pet in your home.
- Having Visitors Over
If you plan to go out for a longer period of time, having a friend or someone from your family check in a couple of times a day goes a long way.
You just need to ensure that the essentials like food and water are sufficient and the litter box is clean.
- Get a Petsitter
With so many services in place, in today’s day and age, you won’t find it difficult to get a responsible petsitter.
You will have to pay a small fee for the service but you will have peace of mind.
You will be able to focus on whatever you are out to do without stress.
Rover is a good app to help you do that. I used the phrase ‘responsible petsitter’.
It will be your job to ensure that the person you are entrusting your cat to is responsible and knows how to take care of a cat as gentle as the ragamuffin.
- Maintain the ecosystem they like
As you live with a cat you start learning about their personality, their likes, their dislikes, and what routine they have.
It is very important, especially if you are to remain out that their eating, sleeping, and play patterns aren’t disturbed.
While ragamuffins are more of floor cats, they still need a good mix of cat trees and perches to rest and play around.
So, ensure you have a cat perch on the window or similar spaces from where she can sit and supervise her kingdom and chatter at the birds.
- Make Toys and things they engage with accessible.
Many times cats form a habit of soothing themselves using some of your things.
Some cats like playing with their owner’s clothes or hiding inside them. Some owners even consciously leave their clothes on the cat bed to keep them busy.
Similarly, with time you will figure out what are some of their favorite toys.
Whenever you go out ensure that these toys and engagement items are accessible to them.
Can you leave a ragamuffin cat alone longer once she is older?
Another question that I get asked a lot and not just for ragamuffin cats, is it okay to leave older cats alone at home once they are a bit older?
Well, once again this is a subjective question, so much depends on how a cat is raised and what kind of personality she has.
That being said here are some age yardsticks that you can use to determine if it is okay to leave a cat alone.
- Kittenhood
During kittenhood, the cat’s body and mind are in the learning phase.
Their bodies and minds are taking in everything and depending on that evolving and adopting.
During this period, company, social interaction, and playtime are very important for them to grow properly.
And hence at this time, you need to spend as much time as possible with your ragamuffin cat.
- Adolescence
So your cat is entering its teenage phase and this is where she is going to enter into her true character.
The personality won’t be fully formed yet, but the energy levels would be rising.
Expect her to be the biggest mischief-maker she can be.
She would have learned to engage with her surroundings for better or worst. She will scratch out all the toilet paper and be proud of it.
In this stage, if you wish to leave them alone, you have to have some kind of supervision in place.
As I said, so much depends on breed and personality. For ragamuffins, they won’t have an edge in their temperament, yet the energy overshoots will be there.
For breeds like Bengals and siamese, well, this too shall pass.
- Adult Cats
When cats are adults their persona is fully formed and they are settled in the surroundings and with other pets.
You would have learned her ways and mended your life according to them and them according to you.
Adulthood is the time when a cat can be left alone with minimal supervision.
- Senior Cats
When cats are more than 10 years of age, their bubbly energy will tone down and they won’t engage in activities as they did when they were adults.
But this is a tricky age here aloofness and quietude don’t always mean age. If you find your cat acting out of character it is always a good act to pay the vet a visit.
During this time the cat is fairly independent and can be left alone but with some amount of supervision.
How to prep your home when leaving a cat alone?
Finally, before concluding the article, here are certain checks that you need to go through before leaving your ragamuffin alone in the house.
- Clean and Ample Litter Boxes
One of the most important things that you need to check before leaving the house is the litter box situation.
Most experts agree that the number of litter boxes in your home must be one more than the number of cats.
Leaving a dirty litter box at home is a surefire way to render your cat behave erratically.
Having an extra litter box will mean your cat will have a clean space to eliminate if she has used her original one while you are away.
- Food and Water
Ensuring that your cat has easy access to food and water while you are away is paramount for obvious reasons.
To ensure that the water is dispensed as and when needed, you can buy an inexpensive gravity bowl like this one.
- Dog Cat Feeder and Water Dispenser: automatic cat feeder*1, water dispenser* 1. food feeder and waterer set suitable for small and medium dogs or cats.
- Large Capacity Pet Feeder: large capacity 3.8L, can last about 7days for small pets, 3 days for big pets. You can rest assured to go to vacation, work, party, don't worry that pets will be hungry. The folding bowl can solve the feeding problem when you take your pets out.
- Material of Automatic Cat Feeder Set: 100% new material, resistant to drop and pressure. It is easy to clean, it can only be washed by hand, and can be washed directly with water. It is recommended to wash once a week. There are non-slip rubber feet on the bottom of the feeder to ensure safe placement.
- Cat Feeder Novel Design: The water dispenser adopts spiral and spring valve design to ensure that it never leaks. With a transparent storage bottle, you can refill it in time when the food and water are used up.
- “Cat Proof” your Home
By this, I loosely mean that you need to hide away or safeguard valuables that you don’t want your kitty to tamper with, or which can cause harm or injury to your cat.
This could be anything like the toilet paper roll or those new shoes that can potentially get signed on by your cat.
- Ensure the cat has enough space to traverse.
Do not lock your cat in a room by mistake.
Before you leave ensure that all rooms apart from those that you don’t want her to access is open.
She must have space to move about if she feels to.
Keep food and water in a place that is easily accessible while you are away.
Conclusion,
Ragamuffin cats are just a joy to be with.
They similar to ragdoll cats are an embodiment of affection and playfulness.
They have a calm demeanor and want a social environment full of engagement to develop as well-adjusted pets.
For this reason, ragamuffin cats do not respond well to being left alone.
If you have an environment that provides a lot of activity, engagement, and interaction, ragamuffin cats are one of the best breeds that you can have the pleasure of owning.
Ragamuffin cats respond and get along very well with other cats, dogs, children, and even strangers.
If for some reason, you can’t offer an ecosystem of companionship whether from you, others or pets, it is advised that you pick a cat more suited to that kind of temperament.
That being said, it doesn’t take a lot to give ragamuffin cats what they need. And their engagement and interaction needs aren’t extravagant.
So, if you get ragamuffin cats in pairs or you already have another or even a cat-friendly dog in your house, you will find your responsibility greatly reduced and you can leave both of them alone in the house for an extended period with minimal supervision.
At the very least, if you have to leave the house for some reason, you have to ensure that there is some amount of supervision available (visitors, pet sitters, friends, etc.) in addition to prepping the house the way I explained above.
I hope you enjoyed the article as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you have any other questions, comments, or feedback about anything you read here on kitty county, let me know in the comments section below.
Take care of yourselves and your lovely ragamuffin and I will see you in the next one!
Bye!
