Cage rest

[duckling]

My little black cat Reggie has had a bad week 😔 Couldn't find him on Tues night (I keep them in overnight and he always comes home for tea), then he arrived home at 5.30am Weds shivering and with nasty wounds to his leg... Trip to the emergency vets and a few X-rays later, it turns out he'd fractured his pelvis and dislocated his hip as well as the gashes to his hock. They think he's had a run in with a car...

Luckily, he's young and healthy and the fracture is quite minor so the vets are very positive. Unfortunately we now have 4 weeks of cage rest to deal with whilst he heals 😢

Has anyone dealt with this before? Any tips?
I've got a dog crate lined with carpet which has his litter tray, water and a big dog bed in it. He's normally a very active cat and he keeps trying to escape, every time I open the cage to clean his litter tray or top up his water he tries to make a break for it. I'm trying to give him lots of fuss in the cage whilst he's in his bed, but he's yowling every time I leave the room and just sitting by the crate door. He's even started trying to climb the bars which is no good at all for his dodgy legs. Anything I can do to keep him happier? It's awful seeing him like this.

 

[ponyparty]

Can you get a Feliway diffuser or collar for him? Might help combat the stress. Other than that I'm not sure, has your vet any advice on how to cope with this?

Ooh also, could you cover the crate with blanket? Might make it feel more cosy/homely for him. Toys? Are there such things as treat dispensers for cats?

ETA - when i say cover the crate with a blanket, i don't mean cover it entirely. maybe just the end that his bed is in or something? So he can see out still if he wants to, but feel safe and cosy.

 

[duckling]

Thanks PP, he doesn't wear collars (expert at removing them) but will look at a Feliway diffuser. The vet didn't give many suggestions, just said we have to be strict and not allow him out to wander - be cruel to be kind He's not allowed any toys that would encourage him to put more weight on back legs, so nothing to bop and no room to chase anything, not sure if there's anything else I can try?

Blanket is a good idea, I'll try that. I've put a radio in there with him this afternoon to see if that helps at all, Smooth FM, hope he likes Adele!

 

[Wella]

How have you got on with your cat? I had to do this with my cat with very similar injuries. Kept him in for 3 weeks then down stairs for 2 weeks. Then back to normal, he was a hunter so I thought it would drive him mad but after a week he settled right into it and slept loads. My vet was very impressed with him and me when I took him back. He fully recovered.

 

[duckling]

Well it's been 3 1/2 weeks now and it has been tough! He tries to make a run for it everytime you open his crate and he cries a lot. We've started letting him out into the living room when we're sat in there in the evenings and he has a little run round and play then tends to curl up on your lap for a cuddle. Just being careful not to let him jump on or off any furniture...

Saw vet yesterday and she's happy with how he's moving but says it will take a while longer for his ligaments to strengthen so his hip doesn't dislocate again. We're on holiday next week so he's off to the Cattery with his brother - hoping when they're back from there he'll have had enough rest so we can start letting him out in a room all the time. Was your cat ok with jumping? That's the bit that worries me!

 

[Wella]

Yes he went straight back to rabbiting. He had to jump the wall to get out into the fields. The hip never really went back in properly but the muscles around it were strong you could never tell.