Yes No and Yes. Yes you can raise cats indoors, but NOT generally suited to air conditioning. Do you have a patio where they can get normal temps and humidity and light? Build a butterfly box. Get a cardboard box of good size, cut out a rectangle on at least two sides if not all four. Purchase or use if you have it some fine screening, I have a bunch if you need it. Staple or glue screen to cover rectangular openings.

Close up and tape the top and bottom, you'll need a door as the clean out and feed and water opening to service the needs of the cats.

Daily fresh food, if not an actual small potted plant of proper species inside. Mist the plant and water properly to maintain health of both cats and plants. When your cats have eaten there fill they will become immobile, and start to curve in sort of the shape of a J. This is the sign that they are ready to create pupating chrysalis. Hopefully you have enough room for all to do so. They will go up to the top of the box and or onto the stable branch of your plant. So never place too many in one box, they each need their own space.

Some folks remove plants at this time others don't. If you leave your plants in it is o.k. to mist them and the chrysalises at the same time. Again keep on warm patio not under cold air.

Hope this helps. Maypop and other wild plants are fine but make sure you research your butterfly thoroughly if you don't know what they need.

After hatching they must be able to feed so make sure you have nectar food nearby when you release.

I have hundreds of butterfly plants and many species in my yard currently. Check out my slideshow link on my webpage.

I LOVE to raise them also. I usually search out and bring in the teeny cats as that is one less step for me .
I use an Aquarium with some cheesecloth as a cover and a huge rubberband.(from grandkids punch ball!)The problem is they like to attach the Chrysalis to the top so I am searching for a true aquarium top. You must keep the aquarium extremely clean as monarchs especially are prone to disease. I place paper towels in the bottom and change DAILY. I use small tuna size cans(cat food or single microwave plastic ravioli) with a lid and punch holes in them. The Microwave containers already have holes.
Water goes in the bottom and plants go in the holes just like you are starting them.You don't want them to drown so don't make the holes too big.Sometimes I need to go out two times a day for fresh food for the little piggies!
But it is so worth it the day they are ready to be released and you set them free
Check out my link ,put it on slideshow and enjoy

Here is a link that might be useful: Bflies & Cats

I transfer mine from one type of host plant to another by leaving them on the leaf they are on and then laying that leaf onto the new host I want them on. I have easily transfer ZLWs and Gulf Frits from Careula to Maypops and Suberosa without any trouble. ZLWs do grow faster for me on Maypops and GFs prefer my Suberosa to the Careula.

I use an aquarium with a screen lid. I use Starbucks cool drink cups and put the stems of the plants in the lid's hole. These are not the Frappacino type lids but those that have the 4 little slits. Works great and you can tell cause they are clear that you need more water. I also put an artifical flower stalk in there cause some cats like to make their chrysalis on it and its easier than having the chrysalis on the dead stems that I would rather throw away.

I have kept mine in my non air conditioned laundry room but also on my porch. You do have to be careful though on porches as the parasitic wasps are tiny and can get through even small screen.

It would seem everyone has their favorite approach. I raise mine in a plastic "critter" container I got at PetSmart. It has a plastic lid with perforations in it that is perfect for them to hang from. And I can take it off daily to add fresh food for them.

If you have a lot of cats, you don't even need to bother with water, as they will eat whole branches of passionvine or milkweed before it can even begin to wilt. If you just have a half dozen or so, it's better to find a way to keep the food supply from wilting too quickly. I cut small slits in the plastic top of little throwaway food containers from Publix (like Tupperware, but cheap). I can stick three or four branches of milkweed in those for the cats and they will stay fresh a day or two.

I also keep paper towels in the bottom and change them daily, like zoozue. Nova, your aquarium should work fine on your shaded porch. I keep mine on my screen porch, and have never had a problem with anything overheating. Just not in direct sun, though.

It is my understanding that any of the cats who eat passionvine will eat most kinds. (Just NOT the scarlet one, as it is toxic). You can definitely feed them leaves of the native maypop. At my other house, both zebras and gulf frits laid on it all the time. Currently, the gulf frits have eaten my Lady Margaret all the way down to the ground again. It makes it up to about 3 feet tall, and then it's mowed down. I don't know how you get them so big before the cats take them over, Nova.

I have a small Incense that Evelyn gave me, and I'm trying to hide it so I can get it up to a larger plant before they find it, too.

Good luck! You'll LOVE watching them up close and personal. So much fun!

Marcia

Thanks everyone for all the great advise. I think I am about ready to become a full-fledged Butterfly Gardener. I started with my nectar plants last year and have added host plants since last fall. My yard is full of butterflies right now and I am starting to get Fritillary, Longwing, and Black Swallowtail cats now. Finding the Maypop vine is a bonus since I can use it to relocate cats if I get too many.

I am going to try the aquarium on my shaded porch for my "up close and personal" observation. I am already looking forward to the day I can have "The Great Release"!

nova