Maybe I'm overly worried about this, but I have to leave my 8-month old cat alone in my apartment overnight at least twice a week. I'm worried it may be stressing him out. I looked up his breed, and I think he's a Norwegian Forest Cat. They usually get really attached to his owners. He's definitely the most attention-hungry cat I've ever met. I try to keep him stimulated by leaving toys around and a window open for him to climb out onto the balcony when I'm gone (don't worry, he doesn't jump). Still, he sometimes acts really anxious, even aggressive. He sometimes attacks and bites me hard, especially at night and in the morning. He's not biting full-force, but it's not a playful nip, either. When I leave or return, he always darts out when I open the door, and scurries up and down the stairwell as I try to pick him up and put him back inside.
I'm wondering if maybe this behavior stems from me occasionally leaving him alone. Unfortunately my nights away from my apartment have to happen. If this behavior/anxiety is related to my absence, what can I do to make him feel better?
I feel like a bad cat owner. I was initially confident in my decision to adopt a cat because previous cats have been really independent/indifferent (sometimes to a fault), and I didn't think my days spent out of the house would bother him. But this cat is different, and I feel like he needs more attention than I am able to provide for him at this point in my life. By next year I'm planning on having a new living place where he'd be able to roam freely outside, and maybe that will keep him stimulated. But for now, I'm not sure what to do.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/aipffo/cat_anxiety_have_to_leave_my_cat_alone_for_24/
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