Worrying About My Cat Being Alone

Being a cat owner, whenever I have to be away for an extended period of time, I have to arrange for someone to feed him. Every time I do that, without fail, I worry about him. It’s especially prominent during the few days before I have to leave him. It can often adversely impact my mental state for several days, so in this post, I want to explore why this may be the case.

Why Do I Worry About My Cat?

When I think about it, I don’t have any reason to worry. I have a cat-sitter who I’ve used for almost a year now, and she’s never let me down. She often sends me multiple pictures throughout the day, so I can see that he’s doing well. Not once has this pattern been broken, so I don’t have any reason to worry that it’ll happen in the future.

And yet. The entire reason why this post exists is precisely because it does happen. It happens every single time I have to leave him alone. Why may that be the case?

Ultimately, it all comes down to control. I’m always with my cat. I have a precise schedule I keep him on regarding his food and water. And on a more basic level, being with him means I know he’s okay.

When I’m away from him, I give up some of that control. Even though the chances of him being taken care of are basically 100 percent, it isn’t exactly 100 percent. And it’s that tinge of doubt, regardless of how slight, that makes all the difference. I can’t describe how important my cat is to me, and the thought of him not being taken care of because I’m not with him breaks my heart.

How I Remain Calm When I'm Worried About My Cat

The obvious thing to remind myself of is that sometimes, things are just inherently out of my control, and I can’t have that fact impact my life. I don’t want to, say, forego visiting my friends or family because I have to leave my cat alone.

I’m letting the worst-case scenario become my default state of mind. In this case, the worst-case scenario is that my cat won’t be taken care of and that he’ll get sick as a result. The odds of that happening are so astronomically small it shouldn’t even cross my mind.

I have to keep reminding myself that it is the worst-case scenario. That living with a mind where every potential future is the worst-case scenario is a horrible way to live. Things are often much better than how my mind tells me they are.