Outside cat had to defend themselves from so many things as you mention. In our neighbourhood, there's a huge phyton lurking around eating cat for dinner. Cought the action on CCTV before. Our neghbourhood CCTV also cought a pack of strays dogs ripped a cat into pieces.

What do you people think about caging a cat? Becos like others say, cats have short lifespan if allowed to roam around. Cos of cars, dogs, fighting and getting sick....etc.

Now every "expert" says it is not ok to cage up a cat. And that is true - at first. Cats hate it. Especially stray cats.

But what if the stray cat had to spend WEEKS in a cage being boarded at the vet due to operation....and has since become "trained" to accept a cage?

What if after going home, the cat doesn't like the kid in the house becos that kid is just noisy and a bit rowdy with the cat?

So from my observation, the cat actually prefers being in the cage NOW. Especially if got litter box and food/water provided.

It seems the cat has come to associate the cage with "peace and quiet".

Is it ok to keep the cat in the cage from now on? What if the cat is suspected to have FIV or FLV and caging it up is actually a good move to lengthen its life?

Or can a previously stray cat (actually just free to roam here and there, and being fed by multiple houses) be "trained" to become an indoor house cat?

Has anyone done this before? Made a stray cat become a indoor house cat?

So many benefits for cats to be indoors. And definitely can live > 10 years like this.

This post has been edited by Hobbez: Apr 12 2021, 04:39 AM

All my cats are stray and fully indoor. Once you indoor, is highly subjective to let them roam outdoor. They can go missing, accident or contract virus home. But my neighbours let them roam. Pro and cons. Freedom vs those risk.

My cats fully indoor and roam freely in the house. I never believe cats like to be cage. Do you want yourself to be caged? We can't even stand for half a day. They no bising doesn't mean they like. It's they accept. Like prisoner, do they create riot daily? They just accept but doesn't mean they like.

I have fcov cats too. Keep them in a room. Feel pity despite have a full room. They always meow want to out of room. I can only let them vacation out once in a while daily.

What's the point of long live if you live in prison? And the prison is freaking small. Cage vs room vs house. If you think cat likes to be in cage, open the cage door. She like she will stay there forever. If she is not , it's your self fulfilling prophecy.

What if nobody at home (all working) to care for the cat indoors?

And due to a health issue, is best to cage the cat, otherwise will get worse?

my cat is caged during the night and in the afternoon. she likes to roam around, gets tired, and go back to her cage, I leave the door open so whenever she feels like doing an activity or purr at me, it is free.

At about 9 pm, she knows the routine, gets back to her crib, and never leaves the cage. So I locked the cage door. Reason? I don't know, I feel that this is a very well-trained cat, though i never train her. She doesnt scratch my furniture at all!

I do not cage my two cats - they are not strays, but I adopted them from the shelter. They have full reign over the apartment (and eventually house). I've never sent them to boarding, I usually have friends or hire a catsitter to come every other day. They are not allowed outside at all. Even if I adopted strays, I wouldn't let them back outside anymore. Average lifespan of an outdoor cat is 5 years, vs indoor cat is 15 years.

Both my spouse and I currently work outside the home, and they are fine on their own for the day. Cats sleep 16 hours a day anyway.
What kind of health issues? When one of my cats needed the E-collar, I stayed home from work for a couple of days to monitor her. Otherwise, administering medication before and after we get back from work was fine.

This post has been edited by spunkberry: Apr 14 2021, 03:58 AM

What I can say is having to care for cat/s is a very big commitment, I believe everyone has their own way of doing it, ppl can only advice and share their experiences but what works for others may not work for u, u just hav to find a perfect balance for u and ur cats to live in peace and harmony, good luck and may u live happily with ur cat/s

Agree 100%.

What if the cat is suspected of having FLV or FIV? And these are long term health issues which make them more vulnerable to get other issues.

So the best step would be to cage them up permanently (but in a large cage)?

I think there are ways to manage it without having to cage them temporarily or even permanently. I'm just not familiar with them so I'm not going to advise you on that

There is no one to look after the cat during the day, because those guys work 7 days a week, and the cat is a stray cat-turned-semi-adopted.

Caging it just means it becomes "fully" adopted, I guess?

It has a serious problem with one of its legs though, so it's not like it is so healthy to roam freely.

I don't understand why free roaming inside the house give problem to health? Maybe can explain more. If you worry your things get broken, then you have to adjust your furniture. Surprisingly none of my cats break anything. They walk delicately.

If leg issue like you mentioned, I think the cat can decide herself when to walk and jump? Takkan pain still dumb dumb go jump. Like human, whole day sit sofa die first or another human who walk around daily?

Do you scared the cat infect other healthy cat? If there is only 1 cat again I don't understand why roaming around inside house is issue to health.

The only thing you need make sure is doors windows always closed. Then they won't roam outside and missing.

This post has been edited by IpohGuyz: Apr 14 2021, 06:18 PM

Well, all cats are different, and this cat already get an accident after being uncaged just for a few days. Suffered a big wound on the leg dunno caused by what. Maybe dog bite........

And the former issue is also leg related

As for roaming inside house, well the cat doesn't seem to like being confined to the house; previously it was a free roaming stray cat, so you cannot expect it to like being indoors. However, being in the cage seems quite ok for it maybe, after so long being boarded at the vet (so gotten used to being confined to a small cage).

Secondly, the people are not in the house to "jaga" the cat. And then they also don't like the smell of cat poo indoors.

And finally, I am not the one looking after the cat. Just asking out of concern for its future and wellbeing. I am just helping them to look after it if you understand what I mean

I also seen in my housing area, numerous cats dying after getting knocked down by cars, so I am fully aware how short of a life that a stray cat has. Not even 2 years for many of them. It is a very harsh life out there.

This post has been edited by Hobbez: Apr 14 2021, 06:40 PM

Seems complicated lol. How many cats and dogs in the house? So you are in a sharing housemates / working adult house?

For my cats, they always want out the room and roam. They will meow once in a while. Now you mentioned, yeah they won't meow in cage too. Sometimes I put those fcov cats in cage in living room for a 'break' away from room. But of course if you open cage door, they will roam. This shows they don't want be confined either.

I am not cat, but rationally no living things want to be confined. You are right outside can't survive long. My experience is 3/11 outside cats is surviving for 1.5years now. Others dead or missing.

I respect your patience for answering his questions, I dont get any of the probs he mentioned, not sure what he really seek for here

This post has been edited by neome: Apr 14 2021, 07:05 PM

Maybe my answers can save a cat freedom lol

The cat is actually a stray cat but being fed by another house. But that is all they can do.

The cat fell ill and I took it to the vet. And it had to stay there for a long time. All along I assumed it was a stray until afterwards....

So we are from different houses.

Now after the long stay, the cat came back and now staying with its former "owners".

But it's suspected to have a long term health issue. FIV or FLV.

And the mishap it suffered only serves to reinforce the notion that it will not survive long if let loose to roam again.

But caging seems to be the only option. As it's not possible for it to be an indoor house cat due to all the reasons I already elaborated previously....

Caging is a difficult decision that me and the "owners" are having to make....

Are things clear now?

This post has been edited by Hobbez: Apr 14 2021, 07:30 PM

Is this a community cat or something? seems to me like its a stray which nobody really owns and nobody is willing to based on the reasons u gave from rowdy kids, suspected health probs to not liking the smell of cat poo in the house if so just let him go or send him to a shelter, not sure why you and the so called other owners want to cage him huhu

This post has been edited by neome: Apr 14 2021, 09:53 PM

You do realize sending cat to a shelter is like death sentence? As nobody wants to adopt them and they are probably put to sleep after a while?

If u think putting him in a cage for the rest of his life is better than giving at least the slightest chance of him being adopted and have his own family that will love and take care of him by all means go ahead, it seemed to me like u have made up ur mind from the first time u posted even after so many counter arguments brought by the forumners here huhu
oh and caging means fully adopted? not sure what tht means

This post has been edited by neome: Apr 14 2021, 11:05 PM