Cage rest-cat going spare

[LivMoore]

My 18mnth old boy was operated on after breaking his femur. Vet has recommended cage rest for 6-8wks whilst he recovers.
He's now two weeks in and clearly very unhappy. Whenever the dog crate is opened he's doing his damnedest to get out so I can't pet or stroke him there. I've let him out in a room with the least amount of surface he can jump on but he still jumped overdoes it. He's just got away from me and jumped up to the windowsill which obviously he shouldn't be doing so I had to put him back in the crate. Vet says being petted on my lap for example is fine, jumping etc etc is not. He was previously a bit of a lapcat but won't sit still for a moment because he's been cramped up for a while.
Consequently he's getting very little in the way of hugs and strokes etc as he's either acrabbling around in the crate trying to get past me or bolting as soon as I give him a bit of space to stretch his legs.
He's yowling, groaning, wailing and crying so obviously not a happy boy and I feel so cruel.
Anyone had to crate a cat for 6 wks and do you have any advice?

[Toddlerteaplease]

I'd let him out and see if he calms down. It's such a fine line between keeping them happy and then not causing any more damage because they are going nuts. Than letting them do what they like and risk it. One of mine broke her jaw last week and is supposed to be on soft food for 6 weeks. She won't eat it so had to risk her with dry. On the basis that if it hurt she wouldn't eat it. And she's much happier and I'm less stressed!

[Trustyourself2]

I had to put my cat in a cage for 3 weeks and he hated it and I just had to try to ignore his desperation. It was an awful time and something I've dreaded having to do again. It was a long time ago now and he's been gone a few years, but if I remember rightly I did what you're doing, letting him out supervised and spending most of my time when at home with him out of the cage, stopping him from jumping up, etc. However, some fool who was staying with me, let him out of the cage, when I wasn't there, and he escaped from the house and did a runner down the road.

Maybe a felliway plug-in would calm him? If he likes TV or radio, put them on for him. Would he like a toy you put treats in, that'll keep him occupied?

Good luck.

[Noodoodle]

OP how is your boy doing? A while back my cat broke her ulna or radius (front leg below the joint). She was meant to have 3 casts I believe over 6 weeks but ended up with 7 casts over about 8 weeks!!! Due to knocking it from movement, jumping onto or off of things she shouldn't have. In the end the vet kept her in the surgery cage for 2 weeks and I had her in a dog crate at home for a couple after that. It's horrible and annoying but honestly, keep him in there otherwise you could end up with a much longer recovery time.