# Keeping cat caged



## Bertolie (8 March 2016)

My 6 year old cat went missing for 24 hours on saturday/Sunday.  When she returned I noticed her tail was limp and held at a funny angle. Vet diagnosed a broken tail but she did have some deep nerve sensation. Back, hips and pelvis all fine thankfully. She has been given metacam and we are hoping that the tail will heal, however if no improvement in 3-4 weeks the tail will be amputated. She is not an indoor cat, only coming in for about an hour a day before wanting out again. I have borrowed a large dog cage,  big enough for a nice bed, litter tray and feed/water bowls. However she is not a happy pussy! Any tips on how to make this time in the cage as nice as possible for her or do I just need to turn a blind eye and let her get on with it?


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## Honey08 (8 March 2016)

Our outdoor car was badly injured and on "box rest" a bit like yours.  The only way to appease him was to put a big electric fire in front of his cage/basket and he would settle down a bit in front of the warmth a fair bit of the time.  That aside we did get a lot of howling/growling, you have to harden your heart to it.  Good luck.  I hope she heals.x


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## Tabs34 (8 March 2016)

Hot water bottle under blankets/bed or next to heater/radiator as other poster suggested. When we got our rescue cat he was crated while he settled and we had I think it was a  feliway diffuser plug we used in the room- it may help your cat to feel calmer in the surroundings. Does she have her own bedding and blankets in there?ones that already smell of her? Would suggest also giving little treats so she learns to not see it purely as a place of confinement ,bit as somewhere secure,comfy and where treats may be.


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## fiwen30 (8 March 2016)

Poor darling. Could she be confined to a single room or couple of rooms instead? Being predominantly an outdoor cat the containment will be hard for her. Targeted heat in the form of heat pads/radiators is a good idea, but do make sure she has space to move away to a cool spot and not over heat.


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## hackneylass2 (9 March 2016)

I second fiwen's advice.  Good luck to your kitty.


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## Bertolie (9 March 2016)

Unfortunately I can't just confine her to one or two rooms as she will try to 'dig' her way out! She has tolerated the cage quite well up to now but is restless so she's having a little wander around the room.


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## MagicMelon (25 March 2016)

Bertolie said:



			Unfortunately I can't just confine her to one or two rooms as she will try to 'dig' her way out! She has tolerated the cage quite well up to now but is restless so she's having a little wander around the room.
		
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Can you at least let her out when you're in the room (to tell her not to dig!)? Seems a shame to lock her up if she doesn't actually have to be on such strict cage rest, especially when she's unhappy. Hope her tail heals, poor girl


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## rachk89 (25 March 2016)

Yeah I would let her out now and again when you're in the room, but when you're not put her in the cage. She will settle down eventually and it is for her own good. Its never nice doing it, I had to put my horse on box rest when he wasnt even lame, but it was to prevent him ripping open an injury on a joint. Sometimes you have to be 'cruel' to be kind.


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## Doris68 (25 March 2016)

Could you pop the cage out in the garden for a little while?  Maybe move it around so she can have a few different smells?  We plan to do this with our 2 x 10 year olds when we move in a couple of weeks.  They're going in a cattery for a few days (never been in one before) and then will be "confined to barracks" for a few weeks until they recognise our new house as "home".  Good luck - they're such precious little creatures aren't they....Bless!!


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## Goldenstar (26 March 2016)

fiwen30 said:



			Poor darling. Could she be confined to a single room or couple of rooms instead? Being predominantly an outdoor cat the containment will be hard for her. Targeted heat in the form of heat pads/radiators is a good idea, but do make sure she has space to move away to a cool spot and not over heat.
		
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I would not not do this the cat will go nuts and every time you open the door you risk her getting out .
I have had to do this and found heat and a blanket over the top of the cage helped .
I also found keeping the cage in quiet nothing going on place was best moving the cage into the yard for a change which we tried just unsettled her the reason the cat is in the cage is to restrict movement so that's what you need try to achieve , in a few days mine accepted her fate and settled .
My cat also had broken her tail she was a fairly friendly yard cat and recovered fully I think she was caged for a month but it's a long while ago .
Fingers crossed yours is straight forward as well .


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## silv (26 March 2016)

My cat was on cage rest for 6 weeks over Christmas following surgery for a broken leg.  I felt terrible but he did get used to it, the vet told me cats sleep for 18 hours a day anyway which made me feel a bit better.  You just need to harden your heart and adopt the "cruel to be kind" attitude, it is surprising how quickly the time passes.


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## dollyanna (26 March 2016)

Could you not put her food in food toys that she has to push around to keep her entertained more of the time? I think you can get cat kongs too, you could stuff them with wet food too.

ETA this link for a few ideas http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_toys/miscellaneous


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## Alec Swan (29 March 2016)

Cats,  so we're told have nine lives.  It sounds as though yours is now down to eight!  I would never cage an animal which for six years has had its freedom.  It really would be approaching cruelty.

OP,  I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear.

Alec.


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## amandaco2 (29 March 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			Cats,  so we're told have nine lives.  It sounds as though yours is now down to eight!  I would never cage an animal which for six years has had its freedom.  It really would be approaching cruelty.

OP,  I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear.

Alec.
		
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What would you do then?


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## Alec Swan (29 March 2016)

amandaco2 said:



			What would you do then?
		
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I'd allow the cat to live as it has for six years,  take its chances,  and pray that it may have learned a lesson.  It's a cat! 

Alec.


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## amandaco2 (29 March 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			I'd allow the cat to live as it has for six years,  take its chances,  and pray that it may have learned a lesson.  It's a cat! 

Alec.
		
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Isn't this just whilst it recovers?not long term??


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## Goldenstar (29 March 2016)

amandaco2 said:



			Isn't this just whilst it recovers?not long term??
		
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Yes I think so , it's the same advice we were given for the yard cat that broke her tail.
In fact she got let out of pokey a week early when the vet was at the yard and had a look at her went on to live mant more years .
She liked to sleep on my horses back in the stable .


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## Alec Swan (29 March 2016)

amandaco2 said:



			Isn't this just whilst it recovers?not long term??
		
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As 'containment' seems to be driving the poor chap around the bend,  and regardless of his level of injury,  cats are quite remarkable at self-help.  Were the poor old pussy under discussion mine,  I'd give him his freedom and 'hope' that he'd make use of the facilities on offer!  He's a cat.  He may not! 

What did Kipling say?  '_I am the cat and I walk by myself_'.  Kipling was right,  I think.

Alec.


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## Goldenstar (29 March 2016)

Yeh but he said he made exceedingly good cakes as well , and frankly they were not .


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## autumn7 (30 March 2016)

Good observation there Goldenstar! Far too much sugar in his cakes for me, and I've got an exceedingly sweet tooth.
However, on this one I'm with Alec. Years ago we owned a big strong male tabby who came a cropper in a cat fight and broke the ball of the hip joint. After surgery we managed to contain him for two days before the evening that the gnats scudding about in the dark made him dash (yep, with stitched leg) through the briefly open door into the night when I put the bin out. I worried sick about him but later he returned and from then on we let him come and go as usual. He looked after himself and the joint mended fine. Sadly, and unrelatedly, four months down the line he came a-cropper on the road but I'm a believer in 'cats have to do what cats have to do'. They're free spirits and need the freedom to roam if that's how they've been brought up (IMO).


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## rcdapps (31 March 2016)

I would highly recommend the Feliway plug in and the spray. I have two indoor cats and it has made a world of difference! one was scratching her fur off because she was stressed and they are now like different cats.


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## Bertolie (2 April 2016)

Alec Swan said:



			Cats,  so we're told have nine lives.  It sounds as though yours is now down to eight!  I would never cage an animal which for six years has had its freedom.  It really would be approaching cruelty.

OP,  I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear.

Alec.
		
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We'll it seems that my cat agreed with you! We managed 24 hours in the cage before she started throwing herself full force into the bars. She was in more danger of doing herself harm in the cage than she was out. After speaking to my vet, it was agreed that she would just go about her business as usual and keep our fingers crossed her tail healed. Thankfully it's looking like she will keep her tail &#128522; It's still got a kink in it but she can move it and hold it up so it's looking good for complete recovery.  Thanks for all the tips and suggestions.


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## Alec Swan (3 April 2016)

Well done Bertolie!  Sometimes in our natural wish to assist,  I'm quite sure that we can often worsen matters.

I'm also quite sure that pussy will be fine. :wink3: One life down,  eight to go! 

Alec.


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## Honey08 (3 April 2016)

I'm glad to hear she's recovering.  If cats could speak I'm sure their most common phrase would be "don't you tell me what to do!"


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