My poor poor boy.

Saturday night, around 10.30pm Princey came in limping. Non-weight bearing on his right back leg, so Sean carried him upstairs, and there he stayed on our bed all night and into Sunday. We carried him downstairs to use his litter tray and have some food and brought him back up to bed. He stayed all night last night on the bed.
This morning we took him to the vet as soon as it opened, and my darling boy has ruptured his cruciate ligament of his right back knee.
Treatment, at the moment, is to keep him confined for 3 weeks in a cage. So we have him in a big dog cage in the living room with his litter tray, dishes and blankies. He is crying his hear out and I am heartbroken.
(Helen, I know you will understand - Im gonna need some reassurance from you over the next wee while - any words of wisdom, pointers, to help us through this would be much appreciated)
We have to take him back on Friday morning to see how things are.
The only other alternative is surgery, and we dont want to do that unless completely necessary, as the vet says most cats heal naturally using this conservative method of treatment.
Luckily it hasnt been an RTA, and the vet said the other most common cause, is for them to jump up and slip and fall backwards nastily on to the leg.
I am absolutely heartbroken. He keeps trying to climb up the bars and falling down, and trying to dig his way out through the bottom.

Oh Nicki... (((((hugs))))) And poor little Prince... give him a right old snuggle from me!

So sorry to hear that your little man is in pain... here's hoping the cage will do the trick, and before you know it, he won't be in pain anymore... just being a pain due to having been kept in the cage...

Oh Nicki, no, poor Prince, and the thing is, we keep them in a cage for their own good and it just stresses them out. I bet though Nicki, when you and sean aren't there, he will sleep, he doesn't have an audience then so at least that way he's resting. Can you let him out for a wee spell in the evening? keep him in the livingroom with you and maybe he'll settle beside you on the sofa. Poor soul, hopefully though this should help him in the long run and he won't need surgery.

Thanx girls. It is just so upsetting seeing him trying to get out, and crying, but you are right Kath, when we arent there, he will know there's no poing in crying. We will be letting him out in the evenings and maybe even to come sleep on the bed with us.
I just dont want to hinder any chance of healing. We will play it by ear. I cannae stop bubbling, which really helps matters - NOT!

Oh have a good cry, it's the frustration of not being able to do anymore for them. If you do let him sleep with you, you'll have to watch he doesn't fall off the side of the bed as he has a want to do. That wouldn't help at all.

Poor Prince, here's hoping this heals as fast as possible.

Ian

Helen - how long was Bramble in the cage for? Did you let her out? I just dont know what to do for the best.

How's he doing Nicki? I think you're going to have to play it by ear in this case, when I had Fin in the cage, it was so different as she didn't once miaow to even try to get out, but with an otherwise healthy cat like Prince, the frustration must be horrendous.

It's awful Kath. He will sleep for a bit, but as soon as one of us moves, he sits up. We let him out for a wee while around 5pm, so I could refresh his litter tray and fill his dishes, and that unsettled him, and he sat crying for ages.
He has settled back down now, but we are thinking of bringing him upstairs with us when we go to bed and he can have some cuddle time on the bed, but we will also take up his cage, so that when we are going to settle to sleep, he will go back in.
Like you say, playing it by ear is the only way, as we just dont know. Cant bear the thought of leaving him downstairs on his own, when he always sleeps with us.

Oh no you can't do that, but be prepared for a few tears when you do put him back in, yours and his, but be strong, he has to stay there to make his leg heal, I know you'll feel cruel, but if you can ignore him when you put your light out he will evenyually fall asleep or at least settle down. Give him a good feed that's usually makes them sleepy.

Oh Nicki ((((((hugs))))) Its just awful seeing them like that, to answer your question, Bramble was in the cage for over a month.

It is bad, but it is for his own good as you know. Like you I couldn't stop crying for the first week, I think it was easier in a way with Boo, as since she'd has the op, she was feeling poorly, whereas Prince just wants out out! As tough as it is, leave him in. You could put the tv on when your not in to give him something to occupy his mind? Does he watch tv? But as soon as your not around he will just go to sleep. As Kath says, he'll be wanting attention. If you can, lean into the cage to give him a stroke etc.

If you can be certain of him not jumping off you and damaging his leg, you could take him out for a cuddle and to have a sleep on you when you're in the house (Boo like this, it was the only time during her 'imprisonment that she fell sound asleep), but when at work and during the night as hard as it is, leave him in the cage as you can't risk any further damage.

Night times are the worst as you can hear them crying, but you could try turing the lights off and ignoring him whilst staying in the room til he settles and hopefully goes to sleep before sneaking off to bed. But at night time its best to ignore him, I know this sounds harsh, but you could close the doors so you can't hear him.

Oh it is the worst, absolutely horrible as they don't understand why they are in there, it truely is heartbreaking, but you and Prince will get used it, and then once he's healed, they may recommend just putting him in at night time and then once he's free of the cage, he'll get over it as if it never happened, believe me, he will. This is worse for you than it is for him. Give him some yummy food with his painkiller overnight to keep him occupied.

Oh yes, thats what we did, we would give Boo her painkiller in her evening meal, so we knew she would not be in pain at night and to help her sleep, so I would def say that thats a good idea to do. Simply tho, the more you enforce the cage now, the less time he'll have to spend in it. You'll have to be strong for your big boy. I'm sorry Nicki, I can't really say much to make it better as it is horrible, but it won't be forever. (((((hugs)))))

Sorry to hear Prince isn't feeling well. Give him lots of hugs and snuggles. It's horrible when the babies get ill as you just want to comfort and spoil them, but make sure he gets plenty of rest and hopefully his leg should be good again in no time.

Hi Nicki, how is Prince today??
I've just read helen's reply and she talks a lot of sense, ( aye helen you do at times, LOL). I hope last night wasn't too stressful for you both. x

Hope it went ok last night, and that neither you nor Price were too distressed... (((((hugs)))))

Nicki? How're you and Princey-pie holding up? x

Thanx everyone, I have been unable to log on at work today, hence I havent been on.
Helen, thank you so much for all the info.
We are having a horrible time, and like you, I just cant stop crying. I cant get rid of this guilt thing, even though I know its for his own good, and that we shouldnt "attribute human feelings on them" etc, but it doesnt help does it!
Last night we brought him on to the bed with us, and he lay quite happily until around 3am when he started to get restless, so Sean put him back in his cage (which was in the room with us) and he proceeded to cry and kick around in his litter tray.
We are now trying putting his cage in the spare room, and leaving it there, perhaps bring him on to the bed with us for a few hours - i dont know, we just dont know what to do for the best.
I cant bear the way he looks at us with his big eyes and cries his wee heart out, but when we bring him out to refresh his dishes etc, he just wants to explore and we cant let him. AAAAAAGH!
Thanx for all your concerns my lovelies. xx

Thanx everyone, I have been unable to log on at work today, hence I havent been on.
Helen, thank you so much for all the info.
We are having a horrible time, and like you, I just cant stop crying. I cant get rid of this guilt thing, even though I know its for his own good, and that we shouldnt "attribute human feelings on them" etc, but it doesnt help does it!
Last night we brought him on to the bed with us, and he lay quite happily until around 3am when he started to get restless, so Sean put him back in his cage (which was in the room with us) and he proceeded to cry and kick around in his litter tray.
We are now trying putting his cage in the spare room, and leaving it there, perhaps bring him on to the bed with us for a few hours - i dont know, we just dont know what to do for the best.
I cant bear the way he looks at us with his big eyes and cries his wee heart out, but when we bring him out to refresh his dishes etc, he just wants to explore and we cant let him. AAAAAAGH!
Thanx for all your concerns my lovelies. xx

Oh bless him and bless you guys too.

Moving the cage into our bedroom crossed our mind too, but its just more unsettlement and as hard as it is, its prob best to leave the cage in one location, say the living room where you are most the time, when not at work obviously (damn work...). We found that covering the cage with as sheet or blankee at night helped as if she saw a fly or Mads Boo would go mental, however with no visual stimulation she settled quicker, but as soon as she heard us eg. getting up during night for loo, she'd start crying as knew we were there. Also as the nights are getting colder and as he can't move around much, the blankee will keep heat in so your boy will be snuggly over night.

I know that they are both different cats, but if you keep moving the cage, then its all change everytime and could take longer for him to resign himself to the situation and be harder on you guys too. Its so much easier to offer suggestions now, but at the time I couldn't think straight or know what to do for the best, and yes, its impossible not to put human emotions on our babies.

You're doing great Nicki, you really are. Have yourself a glass of wine and try and relax, you will get into the swing of it too and used to the night time cries of protest! ((((hugs)))) I'm really proud of you and Sean for coping with this. x

Thanx Helen. You have no idea how much your words mean to me. I know what you mean about keeping the cage in the one place. That is what we have decided to do, as we think he needs some sort of normality/stability.
Although, today at work was tough, as I just wanted to be with him, the more adult/stronger side of me knew, that this was easier on him (and us) as he would just doze on and off.
He has been quiet for the last couple of hours, but as soon as we move upstairs he will be sitting upright like a wee soldier!
The vet told us to keep an eye on his pee-ing, as toms especially can end up with water works probs in this kind of situ. I am paranoid he isnt going to pee enough.
Im not really worried that he's not eating the same, as he has "plenty padding", which in his injury could very well have exacerbated, so losing a few pounds wont go a-miss.

I hope he doesn't have any problems with his waterworks, that'd be the last thing he and you needs. Bet it feels like he's already been in there a week already. x

Princey had a better night last night. Apart from hearing him scuffling around in his litter tray at around 3am, he was quiet as a wee mouse.
The hardest times are in the morning, when we get up and about, and he cries cos he wants to get up and out too, also when we come in on an evening.
I just cant get over this guilty feeling. I keep forgetting about it, at work etc, then when i remember, I feel sick to my stomach. I also feel guilty doing our normal things, ie cooking dinner and chatting, when he's stuck in there. Stupid I know.

He appears to have been pee'ing, but I dont know if its enough!
Because he never uses a litter tray normally, its hard to know how much he pee's normally!
We have to take him back to the vet Friday morning, to see how he is doing, but I dont know how much/little we will know.
Cant remember if I said, but he was due to have his tooth removed Friday morning, so I said should we just put that on hold and the vet said, no, go ahead with the usual "no food etc from 7pm Thurs night, so that if they needed to sedate him Friday am, then they would do the tooth at the same time.
Dont know what will happen, but what a poor soul he will be, stuck in a cage, with gum pain, nae food and no proper cuddles! GAH!

Forgot to say, he has definitely adjusted a tiny bit more, as we can open the cage and lean in and he falls on his back for tummy strokes and purrs like a wee engine, instead of crying and trying to climb out.
I said to Sean, that this kinda makes me feel a bit worse, cos he still loves us and is just desperate for his strokes, because, as you know, he is such a lap-cat and is constantly with us on our knees, and in bed etc. Somehow it would be easier if he just turned his back on us and "humphed"
I know, I know, theres no pleasing me eh!

Aww Princey loves his mummy regardless of being in the cage. He must be feeling better and wants to let you know by having his tummy rubbed. I know it's horrible for you Nicki to have him in the cage but just think of all the cuddles you can have when he finally comes out of the cage again, and snuggle up in bed again.
You wouldn't want him to ignore you as it would make you feel even worse. Buddy sometimes avoids me, only allowing me to feed him and when I go to stroke him with puts his back down as if he doesn't want me to touch him and he walks away, now that's enough to make me feel guilty even though I haven't done anything to him.

*Prince* wrote:Princey had a better night last night. Apart from hearing him scuffling around in his litter tray at around 3am, he was quiet as a wee mouse.
The hardest times are in the morning, when we get up and about, and he cries cos he wants to get up and out too, also when we come in on an evening.
I just cant get over this guilty feeling. I keep forgetting about it, at work etc, then when i remember, I feel sick to my stomach. I also feel guilty doing our normal things, ie cooking dinner and chatting, when he's stuck in there. Stupid I know.

He appears to have been pee'ing, but I dont know if its enough!
Because he never uses a litter tray normally, its hard to know how much he pee's normally!
We have to take him back to the vet Friday morning, to see how he is doing, but I dont know how much/little we will know.
Cant remember if I said, but he was due to have his tooth removed Friday morning, so I said should we just put that on hold and the vet said, no, go ahead with the usual "no food etc from 7pm Thurs night, so that if they needed to sedate him Friday am, then they would do the tooth at the same time.
Dont know what will happen, but what a poor soul he will be, stuck in a cage, with gum pain, nae food and no proper cuddles! GAH!

Oh my poor soul, he must wonder what he's done, BUT, at least his tooth/gum won't cause anymore problems and his hip must be getting better with all that *bed rest*, he will be fine Nicki, just give it a few days. x

Oh dear, poor Prince McChunks. Oddly having the tooth out may make it easier, as he'll be all sleepy after the anaesetic. It certainly does sound like he's starting to adapt to cage life, bless him. I know what you mean over the guilty feeling, I think alot of us on here have that huge guilt complex!
Good luck tomorrow. x