Cat Play Pen/Cage. Please help

[danielleandjade]

My self and my partner have just got our first Kitten, He is 6 weeks and 5 days old. I know this is much to soon to be taken from his mother but he was bred in a pet shop and it was more of a rescue mission than a planned adventure. 

Never the less i want to give this kitten the best possible life from here on. 

I live in an apartment and if my bundle of joy crys then i will be asked to get rid of him. (this should not be a problem for long as i plan to move to a house)

myself and my partner work full time so the little guy will be on his own for most of the day for 2 days a week. The other days it will only be the odd 3/4 hours that he wil be alone. 

I have bought him a cat play pen. The nicest and the biggest that they had. I will attach a photo. Last night we kept him in a "cat proofed" bath room. He was very well behaved. 

I am concerned that if i put him in his play pen all day then he will cry and disturb my neighbours. I am also concerned that he will be unhappy in the play pen. I will be putting his litter tray, his bed, scratch post and toys in the pen with him. 

We also hope to keep him in there and out of trouble during the night, untill he is older. 

I dont want you to think we are cruel with these plans, we have bought a snuggle kittie, a Feliway comfort Zone plug in and some bitter apple spray for cables he isnt allowed near. 

Any help or advise will be really really appreciated!

A little more info on the hours he will be alone

Monday - 3-7

Tuesday - 9:30 - 2 then 3:40 till 7

Wednesday - 1 - 6

Thursday We are home all day

Friday we are home all day apart from an hour

Saturday 8 -  2:30

Sunday we are home all day

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• danielleandjade
• Jan 27, 2013

 

 

[danielleandjade]

I was also thinking of leaving the TV on, on the hours that we are out with Eden channel or some sort of other wildlife show

 

[minka]

Welcome Danielle to TCS!

Before I got to your question, I did want to explain something to you. :nod:
I know you had only the best intentions by rescuing Jade from the pet shop, but buying kittens from them only gives them more money to breed more kittens.
The best way to help is to not ever buy from them and encourage others to not shop there as well.
If you can even get the shop shut down, that is even better, and then the kittens can be rescued for real.
:nod:


Now, as to your living situation, I wanted to ask some more questions since I was a bit confused:
You live in an apartment by yourself, or do you have roommates?
You kept him in the bathroom the first day, that is very good. *nods* I would probably keep him in there for a few days more, and then you can let him out if you are there to supervise.
What is the reason for the playpen? Is it just an area to keep him in when you are away at work? Couldn't you save money by just keeping him in the bathroom, or is the playpen larger?
At night time, you can probably also keep him in your bedroom. It would keep him quieter at night, since I think he is too young to be away from mom, and you are basically his new mommy now.


Respond back so we can help you more!

 

[danielleandjade]

I spent some time considering which was best, not giving them money... or saving the kitten and them earning. It was when a very young child was looking at the kitten and screaming "do something cat" that i decided it should come home with me.

I do not have room mates, i have neighbours, these are the people i am concerned about the kitten annoying if he cries as im not sure as to how loud he will cry. It is a 2 bedroom apartment so I doubt that my neighbours will hear him i am just very over careful as i want to give him the best life and not have to ever re-home him.

The reason for the play pen is the amount of hours that we are out of the apartment. We could absolutely leave him in the bath room but i thought he might be happier in the play pen in the sitting room as its warmer and i could leave the TV on for some interactive noise. 

Also if we need repairs doing to our apartment or i need to go away with work we need the play pen for him to stay in with relatives who wouldnt want him having free roam. 

Thank you so much for replying we are new to this and ive been reading non stop internet pages on kittens, ive also bought "kittens for dummies" im commited to keeping this little kitten happy

He is already coming over to me for cuddles and to play so i think he is settling okay so far. 

 

[farleyv]

Also, be very aware of the bathroom.....kittens have been known to fall into toilets and drown.  Please be very sure you put the seat down.  Washing machines and dryers are also very dangerous left open.

I have the exact same play pen.  I am introducing a cat to another and it helps in that training.  Plants can be dangerous also.  I have no plants just to be safe.

Thank you for rescuing this little kitty. 

 

[otto]

Hello and welcome to TCS.

I wouldn't leave the kitten unsupervised in that pen, ever. He could, and probably will, get his claws caught in that netting. Very dangerous.

If you read the instructions with the pen it probably says do not leave cats unsupervised in it.

Keep in him the bathroom with all his things. Make sure the bathroom is kitten proofed. This means take everything out of there except Baby's things, and keep the toilet seat down, and make sure the faucets are off.

Or get a largish crate, if you feel he needs to be more confined than the bathroom.

If you haven't, get him to the vet right away. Pet shop animals are usually not very strong or healthy.

 

[danielleandjade]

If i were to leave my kitten in the kitten proofed bathroom during the day time ours that we are out and have the play pen in the sitting room when we go to sleep?

I want him to not feel he is stuck in one room, 

During the day time when we are in we have our kitten in the sitting room with us with his toys, bed and litter tray set up as it is in the bath room at night and he is using it well. Im just trying to do the best by him as i know he was taken to young from his mum. 

Hopefully when the snuggle kittie comes next week he will feel better at night. He has only been with us for a day but so far is being very playful and comes for a cuddle when he feels like it. 

 

[otto]

But he would still be unsupervised in the pen if you use it at night. I really don't like that set up for such a tiny baby. I just don't think it is safe for kittens. Their claws are sharp, but soft. He could be seriously injured in that mesh.

"Stuck in one room" is not a problem for such a tiny baby. He gets out when you are home and awake. I'm sure you will give him plenty of attention, loving and play time when you are. The rest of the time, the bathroom is his safe spot.

Queen Eva lived in my bathroom for a full week the first week she was with me (rescued at 8 weeks). The second week she lived in a large dog crate when I wasn't home to supervise, free roam in the house when I was home and awake, and in the bathroom at night. She actually put herself to bed in the bathroom at night that second week, when I would go in to brush my teeth.

The third week she joined the big cats in bed when I went to brush my teeth instead of putting herself to bed in the bathroom, so I took that to mean she no longer needed to be restrained in any way in the house.

Also, she lived in that large dog crate for two full weeks, whether I was home or not, after she had a serious operation when she was 5 months old.

Your baby boy will be fine. Have you thought of getting another, so they can be company for each other? Or is that beyond your means now?

Tomorrow I do urge you to get him to a vet for a check up. Has he told you his name yet? Keep us posted!

PS I'm glad you've joined here. Often kittens raised alone who have been taken from their mothers and littermates too soon develop behavior problems as they mature through kittenhood. You'll get lots of help here, if you need it!

 

[danielleandjade]

Thank you so much for your advice. I think i will only use the play pen for actual play and when we have people over. (the bath room he uses is the guest bathroom so there is only then that he will not be in there).

My beautiful baby is called Floyd called a few names out and he responded well to that one. its a name thats been in the family for pets for awhile. 

Im a little paranoid mum at the moment. 

Its not possible to get another one unfortunately, though i would love that. I live in an apartment and if my cats too noisy i will be told to get rid :/

Though when i move to a house (should be in the next few weeks) this shouldnt be a problem anymore. 

How many cats do you have?

 

[danielleandjade]

i am going to be seeking as much advice as possible, 

Vets are being called tomorrow as there are a few things i want to find out, is he healthy is there anything i should know etc...

Thank you so much for the advice i really, really appreciate. 

I will post more pics as he wakes up, we've been playing games all day he is flat out. I plan to do the same in a few hours so he sleeps when we go to bed. 

I think i am going to take your advice by keeping him in the bath room. He was fine last night just pottered and was still in his bed when i went in to get him this morning. 

I dont want him to have behavioural issues, especially as he is going to be a house cat. I do plan to take him out to experience new things once we move.

 

[otto]

You're welcome!

I have three cats, now. When Queen Eva first came she was number four, but Tolly left us last year. He raised her though, it was love at first sight for those two.

So she had plenty of cats to show her how to be a cat. Queen Eva also was taken from her mother too young, at about 4 weeks, but it took me an additional four weeks to get her rescued from where she was.

Floyd will do great with the schedule you and your partner have. Can't wait to see pictures of him!

A quick lesson on kitten proofing: check the house carefully and daily for any kind of loose string, thread, or dental floss, rubber bands or pony tail holders. These are very dangerous for kittens. Once they get something like that in their mouths, they can't spit it out, and once swallowed can cause very serious injury.

We also have a great nutrition section if you want any help with his diet.

 

[danielleandjade]

Well i have some food that he was eating in the pet store, ive looked it up on the internet and it seems like its neutrious but i am going to be looking into other options once he is a little more settled in our apartment.

I dont want absolutely everything to be a change for him.

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• danielleandjade
• Jan 27, 2013

 

[stephanietx]

When we adopted Tumbles at about 10 weeks old, we put him in a very large dog crate (wire) in our spare bedroom.  He was so very tiny, I didn't want him to have full run of the bedroom. I also wanted to be sure he was comfortable with us and knew his name before letting him out into the big room.  When we'd go in to visit, he'd come out of the crate, eat and play.  We also have a litter box in there and if he was out, he'd use that one.  We kept a small box in his crate, along with water and some dry food.  As he got more comfortable and grew, we put the cage away and let him have full run of the room.  We put a screen door on the room so our other kitties would stay out and he would stay in.  For the first week or so of him having full run of the house, he stayed in the spare bedroom at night.  I tell you this to say that it's okay to keep Floyd in the bathroom with all his toys, litter box, food, and water.  He'll be fine in there while you're at work and even at night.  Give him a couple of weeks and he'll be running all over the house!
 

 

[danielleandjade]

Thank you

 

[missymotus]

The play pens are fine, many breeders use them without any issues.  I prefer metal pens for my litters as they last longer, but the one you've bought is also fine to contain her. Of all the kittens raised in them I've never heard of anyone getting stuck or in danger.

I would just keep him in one room, if he's litter trained, if not the pen will help with that.

Hopefully you can get him a playmate, being away from his mother too young another kitten will be able to teach him better manners. 

 

[danielleandjade]

Just found out we got accepted on the house we want that allows pets so we are very very happy.

Floyd can now go where wants with supervision regardless of noise

 

[minka]

Yay! Congratulations!

 

[baby dragon617]

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• baby dragon617
• Oct 23, 2016

I keep my kitten in this at night during the night and while we arnt home he always had water litter box and toys if we r gonna b gone through a meal time he is left with plenty of food. This is in our room so we hear him announce when he's up and wants breakfast so to speak we also rent and was only way we were allowed to have him all other times he is out roaming (as long as we are home)

 

[baby dragon617]

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• baby dragon617
• Oct 23, 2016

I keep my kitten in this at night during the night and while we arnt home he always had water litter box and toys if we r gonna b gone through a meal time he is left with plenty of food. This is in our room so we hear him announce when he's up and wants breakfast so to speak we also rent and was only way we were allowed to have him all other times he is out roaming (as long as we are home)

 

[baby dragon617]

We got different bowls & moved them 2 says after this picture was taken and plan on expanding oth a second one in the next 2 months is it so wrong if he's only in there @ night & 4 hours a day