By law, all animals must be checked on and provided with fresh food and water, at least every 24 hours (it's slightly different for dogs, as it's not recommended that adult dogs are left for over 4 hours), but, a lot can happen in 24 hours.
For example, what if the animal knocks their water bowl over, especially in warmer weather, or what if they become unwell, or close themselves in a room without their resources?
The majority of RTA's (road traffic accidents) occur at night time, so if you have a cat flap, or allow your cat to have access to outside, you should consider locking the flap, and keeping them safely inside with litter trays (ideally one tray per cat plus one extra) from the evening. Predatory animals, such as foxes, are generally more active at night time, so it's important to ensure that all animals are safe and secure before the night.
Cats will avoid using soiled litter trays, which can lead to health, behavioural, and hygiene problems if they're either having to 'hold on', or are looking for alternative places to go to the toilet - this is why we always scoop out trays both in the morning and in the evening, and also recommend clumping litters for cats, as we're able to scoop them more efficiently.
Cats would naturally eat 10-20 small meals per day, so if they're only receiving one large meal each day, they may eat it all in one go, which can lead to cats vomiting, or being hungry later in the day. If we're able to provide meals during 2 or more occasions during the same day, it can alleviate these problems. We often split cats' meals up further, providing food when we arrive, and before we leave.
Animals are very good at disguising when they're in any sort of pain or discomfort, often until it's unbearable and critical - it's a natural survival strategy. It's best that animals are health checked at least twice each day, to allow for any subtle changes in their health or behaviour to be detected and monitored. If we do ever have any concerns, we're able to promptly contact your Vet, and seek their advice.
All animals must receive enough mental, social, and physical interaction and stimulation, to satisfy their individual behavioural needs, as well as plenty of opportunities and facilities to stay fit, active, and content. The more frequently animals are visited, the more companionship and enrichment can be provided. If animals don't receive enough attention, they can become bored and lonely. Naturally, animals would spend time outside hunting, climbing, exploring, nesting, foraging, but as domestic pets are provided with adequate food, it's important to provide the opportunity to still display these natural behaviours through stimulating play, enrichment, etc.
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