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Crating a cat?

post #1 of 5
10/16/11 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 
We've had cat #3 for about 5 weeks now and no luck integrating her. I just came back from a two week business trip to find my husband had bought a dog crate and has trained her to go into it (on her own!). He brings her into the living room to sit with him and hte other cats - who she still hates and who run from her.

Is it ok to keep a cat in a crate for an hour or so at a time? It just seems strange to me, but she doesn't seem to mind. She jumps baby gates, even tall dog gates, so we're at a loss of what else to do.
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post #2 of 5
10/16/11 at 11:40pm
I see no problem with crating a cat for short periods of time as long as she has access to a litter box and water. Remember that shelters and vets keep cats in cages/crates pretty much 24/7. I don't think cats should live in cages and consider it cruel but for a couple of hours here and there I don't think it's a problem, especially if the cat is okay with it. She may like it cause it makes her feel safe. Is it a wire crate or a plastic crate?

Actually, if she's not comfortable around the other cats having a box or a plastic carrier/crate for her to hide in could be a good idea. I'd put it in a "safe" corner where she doesn't feel threatened. Does she have a high point to escape too as well? Some cats act out and get nervous on the floor because they feel small and not in control so having a high up place she can escape to where she can get a view of the whole situation in the room could get her to calm down. You can use a tall cat tree or put a couple of shelves on the wall that she can get up on. Just a thought.
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post #3 of 5
10/16/11 at 11:56pm
I agree with ZiggysMom and her analysis.

This sentence is quite revealing I think: "He brings her [in the crate] into the living room to sit with him and the other cats - who she still hates and who run from her."

The problem is probably, not she is aggressive or unsociale to the other cats, but the problem is she feels unsecure and unsafe with them. But she isnt submissive as is most common. She has a defensive aggression which pulls the other away.

Thus, this crate is unusual but workable try to solve the problem.
Bravo to your DH who did managed to think out something.

Another try may be high climbing trees and such, as ZiggysMom mentions.

Third, is a Feliway diffuser.

Preferably a combination, When you try next step, abandoning the crate, combine Feliway and high trees + an igloo.
Why, begin with the Feliway soon, while she still uses the crate.

Good luck!
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post #4 of 5
10/17/11 at 6:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lovely2011 View Post
We've had cat #3 for about 5 weeks now and no luck integrating her. I just came back from a two week business trip to find my husband had bought a dog crate and has trained her to go into it (on her own!). He brings her into the living room to sit with him and hte other cats - who she still hates and who run from her.

Is it ok to keep a cat in a crate for an hour or so at a time? It just seems strange to me, but she doesn't seem to mind. She jumps baby gates, even tall dog gates, so we're at a loss of what else to do.
My F3 Savannah sleep in a crate at night. He has a heating pad, litter box and bed in the crate. I started doing this when he was little. But now at about a year and three months old, he still loves to sleep in it.

Panda my DLH, spent so much time in a crate when I first acquired her that she loves them. Now whenever she is tired/scared/upset she runs to the crate. It is her "safe" area.

Lastly, all my foster cats have been kept in crates for short periods of time like you describe. The reason is to make sure they are used to being crated.
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post #5 of 5
10/17/11 at 9:23am
Thread Starter 
She's actually the aggressor, if she sees a cat run from her, she gives chase and attacks, so the point of the crate is mostly to let everyone see each other but not let her attack the other two.

I'm not sure if it's a prey thing or not, but her chasing after them when they run is seriously freaking me out. She was abused previously, so it's not like I can just grab her when she starts - she bites and scratches. Hard.
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