Sad Checkers

Hi,
My boyfriends sister found this kitten on the side of the road in Denton about four weeks ago, she called us first....she knew that if anyone would take it, it would be us. Anyways, we went to her apartment where this kitten couldn't get enough to eat. She looked as if she had a broken leg and was very weak and sickly. We took her to the emergency vet at like 9:00 on a Friday night. The people there were awesome, they told us that they weren't going to charge us for the office visit since we had found her and gave her flea and mite medicine for free. The only thing they charged us for was the x-ray that showed she had a broken femur; the vet said most likely she had been hit by a car. She gave Checkers some pain medicine and told us to take her to our vet first thing in the morning. So, we went to our regular vet and he said that she needed orthopedic surgery and had to be on special food and medicine, because her nutrition level was soo low. She weighed only 1.7 punds and she is now up to 3.7 The surgery at half price (since we found her) was $400 and with all of the food medicine etc we have spent about $800 on this little kitty so far (very well worth it.
Anyways, the problem is that the surgery was 3.5 weeks ago and the vet said that we have to keep her in a cage until it it healed and he takes the pin out. Chekcers hates being in the cage especially since our other two kitties can roam freely about the house. We take her out and pet her, but everytime we are in the same room as her and she is in the cage....she howls nonstop. She is very sad and I don't know what else I can do for her. I put a couple of toys in the cage that she can kind of bat with her front paws and not use her back one on. But hse is a kitten and needs to play. Anyways, does anyone have any suggestions to calm her down.

How long until you have to have the pin out, and how big is the cage that you are keeping her in? If it's small and she has some time left in isolation, perhaps invest in a bigger cage (like a large dog crate)? Also suggest playing soothing music for her or perhaps a TV for entertainment. Is there a furry stuffed animal for her to snuggle with, or perhaps some of your clothes (that you have worn for a while or worked out in) with you smell on it?

You are wonderful for doing this for your new furbaby!

Thanks
The vet is going to take x-rays a week from Wednesday to see if it can come out yet or not. The cage is four feet by three feet, so it's pretty good size for a little kitten.I will try the TV and stuffed animal thing....when we first got her before the surgery, she would sleep on me while I watched TV...so that should probably help quite a bit. If you go to the link on my signature...that says new kitty, that is her two days after we got her, before the surgery.

Try putting some of your clothes with your scent on it with her. If she is relaxed sitting by you, she will appreciate your smell close by.

I would use a playpen and just wrap screening around the outside, pad the inside well with blankets and pillows for her. But they like the playpen and you just put the screening over the top of it. You can set it in any room you are in, and it calms them right down.

I didn't think of that. Thanks!