Help for a feral

Olafismykitty

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I have been feeding a feral cat for a few months. He naps on my patio sometimes & he is here everyday for breakfast. Some days for dinner. He will not let me closer than 3 feet to him. Today he showed up with a string hanging out of his mouth. I can't tell if it's fishing line, dental floss, or what. I don't know what to do. I called Charleston Animal Society. They are closed. Anyone have suggestions?
 

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Furballsmom

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Hi! There's not a lot you can do, since any attempt to pull on it, or to cut it, isn't safe for you or for him since you don't know how far down his throat/digestive system it is, or what might be on that other end of the string that you can't see. Call again when they're open, or maybe contact an emergency clinic and ask if they have suggestions (I realize they may tell you to trap him and bring him in).
 
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Olafismykitty

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Hi! There's not a lot you can do, since any attempt to pull on it, or to cut it, isn't safe for you or for him since you don't know how far down his throat/digestive system it is, or what might be on the end of the string that you can't see. Call again when they're open, or maybe contact an emergency clinic and ask if they have suggestions (I realize they may tell you to trap him and bring him in).
Thank you for your response. I didn't think there would be much that I could do. I just feel like he is asking for help, but terrified that I will hurt him. Poor guy. I have tried forever to show him he is safe. He even watches me pet my cat through the window. I also feed him daily because when he first showed up he was skin and bones. He is so scared of everything that I am not sure if I would be able to trick him into a trap.
 

maggie101

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As long as you leave a bowl of smelly food like purina or fancy feast. You can trap him. At 3 months he can start mating. Walking to him will scare him because you are much taller so get on the ground if you can. Cover the trap with a blanket,blankets at the entrance
 
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Olafismykitty

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As long as you leave a bowl of smelly food like purina or fancy feast. You can trap him. At 3 months he can start mating. Walking to him will scare him because you are much taller so get on the ground if you can. Cover the trap with a blanket,blankets at the entrance
Thank you so much. Great tips. I did manage to get closer to him than I ever have tonight by squating down and slowly approaching. Basically crab walking super slow. He still didn't let me close though. I am hoping when Charleston Animal Society opens in the morning they will have a trap for me to use. It says on their website they do a trap, neuter, release program. So hopefully they can help me.
 

fionasmom

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Bait the trap with something like KFC or even a supermarket greasy breaded chicken or something unusual enough to make him want to enter the trap.
 
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Olafismykitty

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Bait the trap with something like KFC or even a supermarket greasy breaded chicken or something unusual enough to make him want to enter the trap.
Thank you so much for the suggestion. He does love fried chicken. I have a trap set right now from Animal Control. The have assured me he will be helped by a vet, neutered, & released back here. He returned today with the string missing. However, I was able to get close enough to him to see it was a fishing hook stuck in his mouth. The string was in fact fishing line. He is still eating. But, must be in great pain as anyone would be with a hook in their face. Thankful they have a trap, neuter, release program here & will help him. I will update when I know more.
 

fionasmom

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Poor baby....that is the kind of thing that you see on a lot of the vet TV programs. Please let us know what happens.
 
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Olafismykitty

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Poor baby....that is the kind of thing that you see on a lot of the vet TV programs. Please let us know what happens.
After successfully trapping & releasing three cats that were not him overnight. And retrapping the same wrong cat again this morning, I finally have him trapped. Awaiting animal services to come get him now. Thankful I was able to get him before the holiday. I will update when I have more information.
 
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Olafismykitty

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Thank you. They picked him up yesterday. They assured me he would be treated by a vet, neutered, & returned to where he was trapped. I was able to get an up close look at him once he was trapped & the hook was gone. I informed the officer that the hook was there earlier in the morning. So I was afraid that he may have swallowed it. I hope he managed to get it out on his own though & didn't swallow it. It was still a heartbreaking experience. He was so scared when they took him. I am afraid once they return him here, that he will associate this house with where he was trapped. I hope not because even though I never got to pet him or show him that not all people are bad, I love that little guy. I have no information as to how he is doing or when he will be back because they are closed for the holidays. As soon as I have information I will let everyone know.
 

fionasmom

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I have had cats like this immediately bolt when the trap is released; however, once they remember that food was at my location they return. Maybe have some nice food ready when he return and talk to him quietly for a minute before you let him out. Fish hooks will show up on an xray if it is in his stomach; however, he may have gotten it out. Supposedly stomach acid will dissolve them. I don't know if this is some urban legend or not though or how long that might take. If the hook was on a line, I wonder if there is a possibility it was secured enough that if the line fell out the hook came with it.
 
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Olafismykitty

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Sorry for the delayed response. Animal Control returned him today. They think he worked the hook out on his own before they took him away. He didn't have it in his stomach during xray. They said his mouth looked fine inside. They couldn't see any damage. Which is strange to me because I would think there would've been some tearing. They neutered him while they had him. The animal control officer opened the cage on my patio where I leave food for him and he knows he can nap. He took off like we were going to trap him again. Hopefully once he recovers from the excitement he will come back for dinner. I will let everyone know when he returns. Thank you everyone for caring about him.
 
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Olafismykitty

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He came back for breakfast. He is still very nervous, but at least he knows he can eat here when hungry.
 

fionasmom

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They always take off and then, when they realize that you were their food source, return. Happens to me all the time. I am so glad that this is resolved and that the fish hook incident is over. He may be quite different once all the hormones are gone. Lucky cat that you look out for him.
 
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Olafismykitty

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Thank you. He is back to feeling safe enough to rest on the patio. He also seems a bit more trusting of me. When I put his breakfast out this morning he sat by his bowl waiting. He was ready to dart off if needed. But, it's progress. 😆
 

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