How long should I put my cat in it's cage?

[darryl h]

Hi, all. My wife and I just got a 8 week old Persian. Just wondering if it is ok if we were to put our cat in the cage most of the time. Since we are staying in my mother's apartment for the time being and both my wife and I are working, we thought it would be safer to put it inside the cage instead of letting it roam around the apartment for safety reasons.

Basically, I would let the cat out for around an hour 3 times a day. Is this sufficient? Many times, when I put it back into the cage, it starts to cry for around 15 mins.

Both my wife and I just don't feel safe for the cat to wonder around on it's own without being watched. We are a little worried whether we are doing the right thing or should we let the cat out more often than what we are doing?

Thanks in advance,

Darryl

 

[hissy]

Daryl-

This little one is a baby, it needs comfort. For all intents and purposes, it should still be with it's mom. Is the apartment unable to be kitty proofed? Basically how you kitty proof is you lie on your stomach in each room and look around carefully. You plug up any holes you see that the kitten can hide in- behind the refrigerator, the stove, anywhere the kitten can squeeze. You tie up drape cords, tuck away electrical cords- we have kittens at our place all the time, and the best way to deal with electrical cords is to go to Radio Shack and get flexible tubing that you can put over the cords, to keep them away from tiny teeth.You remove any plants that may be toxic and put up cleaning products. Secure cabinets so the kitten can't get in. At the very least, keep this kitten in a bathroom, but in a cage, by itself, right after it has been taken from it's mom so soon? I'm sorry, but that is a really bad idea. If it had a sibling or another cat in the cage, that would be one thing, but all alone, you will grow up with a neurotic cat if you do this. If you feel you still have to do this, at least invest in a Snugglekittie for this kitten.

Snugglekittie

 

[lisa1124]

I think it is a bad idea to keep a little kitten isolated like that.

 

[lynx]

Personally, I think it's a bad idea to keep that cat in a cage this long. If you don't have the time to be with the cat then why did you get it? Maybe you could have waited untill you had your own place. Cats aren't a toy to be brought out when you are in the mood. They have strong emotions. Would you lock a child in their room all day? The cat is crying because it doesn't like to be confined. Three hours of attention per day is not enough! Your cat needs to grow up feeling like part of a family.

 

[darryl h]

HI, all. I really do appreciate all your responses. In fact, since yesterday, we have been having sleepless nights deciding whether we should let Garfy out more often. In fact, we have decided to put it inside our room more often.

Please don't get us wrong that we simply buy the cat just at the moment of fancy and leave the cat to suffer. In fact since we are new to cat and cat's behavior in general, we are more fearful of him hurting himself more than anything else (that's the main reason for the caging). For your information, he is as playful as ever, eating, drinking and pooping well.We will be having our own place in about 2 mth's time, which by then he should be able to roam more freely.

I have another couple of questions I hope you goodfolks out there can help me with.

1) Is it safe to open our windows when Garfy is around? Cause we are living on the 8th floor and we are so afraid that he will hurt himself if he managed to climb out through the windows, not to mentioned not knowing his way back. He's been learning to climb pretty well and we were told that he can hurt his backbone or legs if he doesn't land in a proper way.
2) If we are to put him inside our room, will he need additional litterbox, food and water bottle placed inside the room or should we just let him out and let him eat and poop inside his cage?

Thanks for all your suggestions and opinions. Really appreciate them.

Regards,

Darryl

 

[dragonlady]

If your windows have screens it should be OK. If not, buy some screens.

You don't say how large this cage is. It is important to have the food well away from the litter box. I'm not sure why you would use a watterbottle for your kitty, but this too should be away from the litterbox.

Some kitties prefer two boxes one for pee and the other for poo. These should both be kept very clean as kitties have very sensitive noses.

I breed Persians and would never seperate a kitten from it's mother so soon. Can you PM me the web address of the breeder? Does your kitten have papers? Can you send pictures of your baby?

 

[hissy]

If you live on the eighth floor and you have no screens or pop-up screens you do not want your kitten to have access to any window sill that holds an open window. I know that the old saying is that cats always land on their feet- but they don't not always. Eight stories is a very long way to fall.

You can buy special reinforced screening through home depot, it is actually called Kitty Screen. The first time this kitten sees a fly land on the window screen and leaps on it, off the screen comes and down falls kitty. Then a huge vet bill comes your way.

Garfy may be just as playful as can be out of the cage, because he is a kitten after all, but inside the cage he is surely miserable and wondering what he did to deserve such treatment. He is so loving on you because you *rescued* him out of that cage however many times a day you do let him out. He needs to run and play and be in the center of the family not in a cage because you are afraid he will hurt himself.

I hope the cage is big enough for him, a litter pan and his food and water bowls. Cats really hate to eat and poop in the same area and you are forcing this kitten to go against his natural instincts. If you move him out into the room you should also provide him with another litter pan, water bowl and food bowl should be somewhere far away from the litter pan, but close enough for Garfy to see them. Why not just let him run in your bedroom? Plug up the space under the dresser- and cover the electrical cords, give him a scratching post and some toys and he is all set. You really are not doing this kitten any favors by keeping him confined as much as he is.

 

[dragonlady]

One more thing, the more you stroke and speak to your kitty the more intelegent it will become. Like children if they are not given aduquate attention they will develoupe serious problems both mental and physical.

Stressed kittens can break out with ringworm, upset stomach, potty problems, agressive behavior and more.

Please read the forums here and soak the knoledge that is shared here! These folks are really great!

 

[darryl h]

Thanks again for your all your expert advices. Glad that I subscribe to this website.

Regards,

Darryl

 

[lynx]

I used to let my cat out on the balcony of my 7th floor apartment when I was with him. One day a few of us were going in and out and for a moment there was no one with him. He jumped up on the railing and was starting to walk along the edge. He's not a very graceful cat so I was very scared. I'm not totally convinced that a cat can survive a 7 story drop, let alone an 8. After that incident I only let him out when I was there to watch him closely. And he always tries to make a go for the railing. Now I'm on the 3rd floor and I have a whole new problem! We live in the apartment right over the lobby, so there is a one story jump down to the entrance of the lobby and then one story down to the ground level. To make things worse there is a female cat in the apartment one floor down he has a crush on. He stares out the window at her all day.

 

[dragonlady]

Lynx, maybe you could screen in your balcony. Some folks I know make a top level with the top rail of the balcony ( no landlord problems if it cannot be seen) and screen in the sides. This way they get fresh air and unsupervised outdoor time.

 

[cookie]

honestly not to sound mean, but why don't you let him free in your bedroom? certainly you can kitten proof one room! and not all kittens get into everything,...

he needs toys, interactive play, a cat tree to climb and sratch, a comfy bed, and room to explore his new surroundings! He is a kitten and this is his most precious time developping the personality of the cat he will be....

please, I realize you are new at this, but cats and kittens really don't need confinement, I know it's scary cause he so small, but he is growing very fast and needs his freedom now. or you might have a cat that associates you with his unpleasant confiment...

3 hrs a day is not enough, and this situation maybe ok for a few days, but 2 months is crazy, sorry I feel I just had to express my opinion!

 

[darryl h]

Thanks again for all your well-meaning input. In fact, after hearing from all of you, my wife and I have decided to at least make our room safe for Garfy to roam freely.

Regards,

Darryl

 

[lisa1124]

That makes alot of us happy. Thanks. No kitty should be kept in a cage.

 

[hissy]

YAY!

Thanks Darryl for understanding the basic needs of this kitten.

 

[dragonlady]

Yeah! I'm sure you will have much more fun with Garfy now that he can roam and explore! Please send photos as I love persians and enjoy seeing other kitties!

 

[cookie]

oh I am so Glad for Garfy! Cute name!!!

I'd also love to see pics!

And please don't hesitiate to post any problems or obstacles you encounter with the little guy! We would all be more than happy to help if we can!!


PS beware, one cat leads to another!

 

[xastion]

Yea, I know how daunting it can be to get an animal you have never really been around and not used to their behavior and needs.

We rescued three ferrets once. We all were interesting in the animal and thought it would be a fine situation. The owner was allergic to them, tho most people aren't, and needed to give to them to a good home and we thought we would be that home. She told us to let them out an hour a day, walk them periodically, and wash them once a week and they would be blissfully happy.

We found that they were estatic to be out for their hour of the day, running around and making lots of unique ferret noises. But some of their behavior, like using the corners of the apartment as a litter area was distraughtful. So I started looking on the internet and found much to my amazement that ferrets were recommended to be out of their cage for a minimum of four hours - even with a full sized cage like the one we had. That they needed more attention then we could possibly give them. So we gave them to a non-kill shelter knowing that the people there could properly care for them.

After that I learned not many animals, not even birds, do well stuck in a cage for most of the day. If they have a memory span longer then a day then they want a little more to life then seeing behind bars.

 

[darryl h]

Thanks again for all your pointers and encouragements. What would we do without this site!

Thanks again,

Darryl

 

[7catsforevs]

Well i keep 4 kittens in one cage so you dont have to worry it will be okay