LEAVING A STRESSED PET HOME ALONE

The signs of stress are often obvious, but they can sometimes be quite subtle, Van Winkle shared. A dog might start chewing on things he usually leaves alone, especially if something smells like you, such as your favorite pair of shoes. A stressed cat might scratch places she shouldn't, mess up her litter box, or even pee on the shirt you left on the floor.
"Owners think they're mad and trying to get back at them, and of course they're not," he said. "They're just trying to relieve the stress they're under."
There are more subtle signs of stress too. Pets might become more withdrawn or act confused. A dog might stop greeting you when you get home. A cat might hide more. Depending on how active your household is, you might not notice these subtle signs right away. Even a pet that never had stress issues previously might have problems now if he's used to being with the family all the time

Prepare Them for Your New Schedule
You don't have to wait until you're working again to help your pet. Start building your cat or dog's confidence now. Go for a short walk and leave your dog behind. Go into the backyard without your cat. Run an errand without your pet.
"Instead of me leaving for work for eight or ten hours a day right away, I can leave for ten minutes, for twenty minutes, or half an hour," he said. "It works my pet into that routine slowly versus one day I'm here, and the next day I'm gone."
Play Hide and Seek with Treats
Make leaving a fun activity rather than a dreaded event by hiding your pet's favorite treats when you go.
"We're going to make my leaving the house party time," Van Winkle explained. "They're going to get something so wonderful out of my leaving. This becomes their going-away gift. It refocuses their brain."
Of course, your pet will realize after a while that you're gone. But this fun activity cuts into the initial stress