Burly tomcat question

hissy

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I have a feral I have been trying to capture. I managed to capture him the other night, and I put his age about 7 or 8 and he has street scars and hard life written all over him.
When I finally succeeded in capturing him I put him upstairs in a special room and watched with sadness as he bounced all over the walls, climbed to the ceiling, ran across the tops of the windows that have no ledges to speak of. When I finally left him alone and came back later, he was huffing and puffing but allowed me to slowly get close and touch him. I pushed this contact because he is so sick. Eyes running yellow pus, wound on his nose, wound on his hip, tail torn.
I was finally able to syringe medicine and water in his mouth and it all ran out again.

He did succeed in tearing off the trellis I use to keep cats from escaping through the window, and he went up and over the roof and he was gone. I have seen him a few time, and last night he allowed me close again, but not to close- my question is, when I do capture him, how do I ease his transition into captivity? I have a large room upstairs that is basically stripped and been converted into a quarantine area. Plenty of hidey holes and soft beds etc.. Plus his inability to swallow has me very concerned. I caught a glimpse of him several times hanging over the water bowl but unable to drink? I fear he is in the beginnings to kidney shut down? or? what would your thoughts be?
 

amy shojai

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I know you empathize with this boy, and so do I. But I would also urge you to take precautions for your own safety.

Being unable to swallow really concerns/frightens me, as that CAN be one symptom of rabies. Granted, that's usually the "dumb" or paralytic form--but please do take care.

My second thought and probably a more reasonable explanation for difficulty swallowing is 1)mouth ulcers from URI infection and/or 2) periodontal disease.

Without fluids/nutrition, he's likely to crash very quickly. Your quarantine room sounds perfect. I would also spray it pretty thoroughly with Feliway--that's the product/analogue of the feline cheek pheromone that has a calming influence on cats. A bit of Rescue Remedy (straight from the bottle) between his paw pads for quick absorption might also help calm the stress.

Good luck with this boy. I'm guessing that he'll need some subQ fluid therapy pretty quickly if he's very dehydrated, to counter shock and other problems.

best,
amy
 
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hissy

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We did pull some old mattresses out of the shed to pad the walls. I can give subcu fluids, but on him it would have to be at the vet because he would have to be sedated. Doesn't rabies make them increasingly thirsty? We haven't had rabies in my area for over 12 years, I know I just recently checked after being bluff charged by a coon. I know he is going to crash soon, I just pray I can capture him before he does and spare him at least some agony.
 

amy shojai

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Rabies comes in two forms: "furious" in which they really act insane, charge you, try to eat wood or stones, etc. And "dumb" form that's a slowly ascending paralysis that includes the mechanisms that allow for swallowing. They used to call rabies "hydrophobia" or fear of water, because the dumb form made it impossible for these afflicted critters to drink.

Glad to hear that rabies isn't common near you--that makes it very unlikely for this boy. Once you get him accustomed to you, he MIGHT allow you to do the fluid therapy but the first time, yep, I'd want him sedated.

amy
 
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