# Keeping mum and kittens in a dog crate?



## houseofelrond (Apr 30, 2009)

I have a small dog crate(for small dogs that is), I would like to use this to protect mum and kittens when born from the other animals in our house (dogs, cats) and prevent accidents that could harm the babies. Now, is there any risk of babies getting out/getting stuck in gaps? Anybody any experiences?


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I think a small dog crate is much too small for confined housing for any length of time. The mother cat needs room to maneuver around her kittens for cleaning and nursing. An open area to really stretch. Food/Water bowls and a litterbox. I also think a scratch post would be good, too. 
I have a 4'x6' and 4' tall dog crate that would probably be good to house a nursing mother and her kittens. There would be plenty of floor space for the food/water, scratcher, litterbox and kitten nest, in addition we could install some cross-pieces of lumber to create a shelf she could leap to and observe her kittens when they start tumbling and wrestling about. 
If you were going to use a crate, I think you would need to use one at LEAST that size.

I use my master bathroom, and when the kittens are older and need more playing room, they all get the bathroom and master bedroom. I think it would be a good idea to give this expecting cat her own ROOM, not a small and cramped crate. If you cannot give her a room, use a large dog crate like I described. You could use hardware cloth and zip-ties to attach the smaller diameter wire openings to the inside of the loarge wire dog crate so no kitten heads could get caught/trapped between the larger wire openings, and also prevent any other cats from sticking their paws/claws through to hurt the kittens. You would also be able to drape a sheet over the crate to give her privacy if you kept the crate in the living or dining room.
I would also like to add, no matter how you contain her and her kittens...always be certain, every time you open the door to her living area whether it is a room or a crate, that your other pets are closed up and away from her because IF she should get out, she will defend her nest area if the other animals are around and she could seriously injure them and/or get injured herself.
Best of luck,
Heidi =^..^=


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## houseofelrond (Apr 30, 2009)

Still working on arrangements, don't think she's quite ready to pop, am thinking that she shouldn't be kept in one of the colder rooms (i.e the downstairs toilet..bit cold?) . 
There is a stable outside thats nice and secure but not sure that would be suitable, although it would allow for lots of playing room, might be a tad cold, though its a good old fashioned one.
She wouldn't be living in it, I agree it's far too small. 
Other option is an upstairs bathroom, whether or not I could convince the parents to let her stay there is another question!!
I'll be home in three weeks so with any luck she will hang on and then the care will be second to none but not sure she'll hang on that long!
And absoloutely re: other animals, terriers might just think they are rats! 
Thanks!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

We use a 4 x 4 wire exercise type pen and zip lock pressboard with hole on the top of it so the kittens can climb out when they get a bit older. When they are very young we put baby bed bumper pads around the bottom of the kennel. We also cut the door in half and put duct tape on the shape edges so if the mom wants to jump out for a breather she can. But that might now be a good idea if you have terriers since they could jump in! Good luck with your kittens.

I also think and the dog crate idea is too small.


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