is it okay if we just put him inside the cage for his entire life?

Philippines
July 25, 2012 10:25pm CST
We have a cat named amaw. we loved him so much and take good care with him like a baby.his already part of the family for 4 years. he spent his 3 years inside the house with us and after that he starts to mingle with some other cat outside.One day he came home with one big bulge on his neck that extend almost half of his face. We suspected that someone threw some hot water on him. After a week the bulge pop up that made a one big open wound that showed amaws flesh. we lock him up inside the cage while treating him. Now its almost 5 months and the wound is already healed and shows only a little scar. Since the day we put him in that cage he made scary sounds and cry alot day and night. I wanted to set him free but my bro told me that to avoid that indecent again we should put him on the cage for his entire life. i feel pity on him.. is it okay this way?
4 people like this
12 responses
• United States
26 Jul 12
I'm sorry, and I hope I don't offend, but what your brother said is absolutely ridiculous! No you can't keep the cat in a cage for the rest of his life, that would be inhumane!! Now I'll tell you what you can do and it is THE BEST thing for your cat. Let him out of the cage, but keep him in the house! No cat that is kept as a pet should be an "outside" cat. That is dangerous and you risk never seeing your cat again (as you have learned the hard way). A pet cat is best as an indoor cat, where they have space to run and play, and they are SAFE and you always know where they are! Please do not listen to your brother, he is wrong!
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
21 Aug 12
I agree with you Lily.
@ElicBxn (63643)
• United States
26 Jul 12
is he fixed? if not, then do so - he might've gotten into a fight with another cat and gotten an abscess - I had a cat who was ALWAYS coming home with wounds and he WAS fixed! Its just wrong to keep a cat in a cage unless you are running a breeding situation where you can only let the males out for short times (because they can't mix with another male without fighting and they spray) but there you should have a large, walk-in pen so that they still have human contact...
3 people like this
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
28 Jul 12
Cat - Playful cat
No, if he the wound has totally healed you have to set him free. It would be too cruel of you to deprive that cat of the liberty to enjoy the outside world. Accidents do happen but that does not mean your cat if set free will get accident every now and then. And besides, where in this world have you seen a caged cat? Cats should be set free so... go and set yours free as well.
2 people like this
@BabyCheetah (1911)
• Australia
26 Jul 12
That is just cruel. I'd like to see how long your brother would last being locked in a small cage. He probably wouldn't like that at all and neither would your cat. Your pets are like your family. If you are worried this might happen again then keep your cat in the house. I have friends that just have house cats that don't go outside. A friend of mine recently decided to keep the cat inside because everytime he went out he would come back injured and the vet bills were getting expensive. So now he is an indoor cat and no more injuries. He has the cat run so he can go out instead
@debbygirl (213)
• Philippines
26 Jul 12
sorry for what happened to amaw.. :( i'm a a cat lover myself! Well for me, it will not help amaw if he will stay in the cage. You already noticed him make scary sound and cry a lot, maybe he miss what he usual does.I know you are afraid the incident to happen again. Did you put amaw a mark that he is owned by some one?like a necklace or a ribbon in his neck. My cat angel had that experience too.. when that happened we put a necklace bell in his neck and we noticed that the incident never happened again, maybe because they realize someone owns the cat and someone will probably fight for the cat. :)
2 people like this
• Burkina Faso
26 Jul 12
First off, I do not think someone burnt your cat. It sounds like an abscess. An abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body that, in most cases, causes swelling and inflammation around it. Then it will "drain" it's self. That's what makes the bulge pop. DO NOT leave the cat in a cage for the rest of it's life! That is cruelty to an animal. They need to explore the world just like any other living thing. Please take this advice. I feel really bad for that poor cat.
2 people like this
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
21 Aug 12
I dont think that is fair at all. It seems like animal abuse in a way. The shelter that is in my city has just remodeled their entire facility and has even made little rooms for the cats because I am thinking that they thought it unfair to put the cats in those cages that they had previously. I agree with the other posters, its a ridiculous thing for your brother to tell you that. If you treat him like a caged animal he will eventually get either really mean or he will become very depressed. The only time that mine go into a travel crate is when we go to the vet! You should just do your best not to let him outside. Its not his fault that someone hurt him but he is feeling punished.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
26 Jul 12
I don't believe that if you put your cat in a cage or keep him indoors, it will make them better. Cats are supposed to roam free and they are smart. I have had a bad neighbor who used to hurt cats in my neighborhood and my two cats had the sense not to go near his property because they came home one time with huge burns over their body. I couldn't confront my neighbor about it too because he is one mean drunk and one time had to be hauled off by police because he was throwing things at passing cars by our street. Thankfully he no longer lives in our neighborhood. Your cat will become depressed if you keep him in the cage, as evident by the crying.
1 person likes this
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
21 Aug 12
Thats exactly what I thought he would be depressed as he has no idea why he is stuck in the cage.
• United States
19 Aug 12
that is horribly inhumane. i'd ask your bro how he'd like being stuck in a cage the rest of his life. it sounds like the cat had an abcess-usually caused by fighting.the solution is don't let him out to run around,not to cage him.
@padu19 (1441)
• India
26 Jul 12
I do not think there is a 'True' reason to keep the cat in a rage, when the wound is almost healed. It needs to be set free. Just like us, it must live its life. Just because, you fell down while learning to a ride cycle or bike, your parents did not cage you for life time Please explain this to your brother. The cat can definitely take care of itself. Not all cats in the world are owned by someone and caged when it is wounded. How do they survive?
1 person likes this
@ladygator (3465)
• United States
21 Aug 12
I am thinking that same thing! The cat doesnt understand and would feel isolated.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
29 Jul 12
thats animal cruelty one would not do this to a child and should nmot do it to a cat. Sorry but your brother is not correct. thats mistreatment of a cat. they are freedom lovers and should not be caged like an animal in a zoo.I would cry and make scary noises too if someone locked me in a cage.
1 person likes this
@daisy777 (214)
• South Africa
31 Aug 12
I think it's very, very cruel to keep your cat in a cage. Cats are naturally curious and they like to explore their surroundings. By keeping amaw in a cage you are not allowing him to do what he does naturally.