Captured (hopefully rescued) a stray with an injured leg - advice?

[Swttea]

The vet we originally took Rury to days they can apply caps, I asked them since they have his foot x-rays and stuff. Unless there is a reason this is a bad idea, we will probably go tomorrow. I know it’s going to scare him, i just hope it doesn’t set us back too far. He’s getting stuck too much to keep letting it happen now that he’s out, though.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Softpaws are a great idea, I think - they are glued on, and unless he's able to chew them off hopefully this works to keep him from getting his claws caught all the time.

I know it’s going to scare him,

The vet visit? (there's no reason, I don't think anyway, that the caps will scare him).
Try covering his carrier, that helps my boy, and it's a little late but Only Natural Pet website store has a good calming spray. You might check and see what calming sprays you could pick up today to use on the car seat and in the carrier before you put him in.

 

[Swttea]

The vet visit, yeah! I actually have some more time. I think we are going to have to wait until next Saturday. I thought they had a spot tomorrow but the next spot in Monday, and we can’t really afford to leave work early, so next saturday it is.

I do have some calming spray by Natures Miracle. I bought it when I bought the feliway. I have no idea if it works, but he didn’t seem offended by it. The good news is the carrier was actually is safe spot for nearly a month so I think he’ll like going in it, just... not it moving and then the vet visit. lol.

 

[fionasmom]

I would try the Soft Paws and hopefully that will be a good solution. As for the stuck paw, I understand what you mean about Rury being upset if you tug at his paw or nail...most cats who are able to use their feet don't like it either.

He may not be thrilled about going to the vet but the necessity of getting his paw fixed has to override any pouting he does. Given how far he has come with you he will come around even if he does sulk temporarily when you get home. He might even connect that something is improved with the paw.

 

[Swttea]

Sigh... what I was afraid was going to happen, seems to have happened sometime in the night! There were blood smears on the kitchen floor and it seems to be from one of Rurys claws on his deformed foot. I honestly can't tell how bad it is since he has never let me mess with his feet, and gets really weirded out, but I can tell it was bleeding. I'm so upset - I KNEW it would happen and was trying to get it taken care of, but the soonest I could do it was not soon enough

He otherwise seems fine. He is continuing to blossom! It always really surprises me how much he likes to play! All night - he's playing with something. Absolutely loves the ball towers. The past 2 days or so, he has been spending most of the day in the computer room. He found the hut on the tower, and likes it in there. I also choose to believe he wants to be around me, because there are plenty of other hutt-y places around the house



Also, today, I was sitting at the computer and knew a grey cat was trying to climb the art-shelf right beside me, but I thought it was Tuck...to my surprise it was Rury, on my desk, thinking about scaling the shelf, haha.

I am going to keep an eye on his foot and keep my Saturday apt. unless I notice anything. He is not bothering it, and is exploring around and such more then ever, so it is not bothering him. I just absolutely can't afford to have my husband leave work, and I can't drive, so.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh goodness, bless his little heart! Hang in there with all this, and hopefully there's no more blood until he's seen by the vet

 

[fionasmom]

You have done a miraculous job with him and try not to panic about the foot. He may not be in discomfort or only slightly and just watch as best you can until the vet appointment. If he is acting okay, which he is, I would not try to do anything to the foot or claw as that might be more upsetting to him than a small injury. He is safe in your house, it is not like he stepped on a nail or did something that could put him in danger but I know it is upsetting regardless.

 

[Swttea]

Thank you ladies! It’s always nice to be reassured. The foot definitely doesn’t seem to be bothering him. I think we question if he even has feeling there? He uses it to do things but it’s never seemed in pain. I think once he’s more comfortable with me i’d like to like... touch his foot real good while he’s asleep. Just to see if he feels it.

Rury has started chasing Tuck around when Tuck goes into crazy kitten nut job mode. I think it freaks Tuck out a little, cause Rury is usually so still. LOL

Rury also comes to the kitchen to be fed every morning now. Such a far cry from the little guy I had to push food into the carrier for.

 

[Furballsmom]

Wow,

 

[fionasmom]

We did discuss that he may have no feeling in the foot but might be operating the leg from the muscles which are higher up. Can you try to touch his foot with something else when he is asleep like a cotton wrapped stick of some sort? Really it is not that urgent that you try to do this though as time will tell what is going on.

Yes, he is home!

 

[Swttea]

I am happy to report that Rury is doing AMAZING these days, and the last month or two he has been very "cat like", he jumps on the desk in front of me for no other reason than to be pet, and astonishingly my husband has been picking him up lately and he is okay with it. Just quick little pick-ups and then put him down and he doesn't run away but actually turns around and wants more petting. He runs around now sometimes doing zoomies!

But that is not all - tonight, when I got back from the store my neighbor invited us over to have drinks / hangout with them and introduced us to their friend who was visiting. After a while, she started telling us how the friend loved cats and drove around town feeding them. We jokingly asked if he was feeding a cat with a hurt leg at Popeyes (where we found Rury), and he nearly hopped out of his chair (he's 70 years old), and said YES, he thought something had gotten that cat and he died. We told him we got him, and he was in our house right now, doing amazing, and this guy was nearly crying, he was so happy and I just can't believe it. I just had to come share this story because it's so crazy to me out of all the people here we ran into the person that was putting food out for Rury at popeyes nearly a year ago.

 

[Jcatbird]

Oh my goodness! I love, love happy endings and that is just amazing and wonderful! Meant to be a happy ending for all! It’s so great that you saved that kitty and gave her previous caretaker the ending he needed to hear. Thank you for sharing the story here. You made my night.

 

[Swttea]

It’s really amazing! I still can’t believe it. Out of all the people in this town that could have been feeding cats at that spot, I happen to run into my neighbor at the moment that that person is visiting them. I am happy to know that Rury wasn’t just trying to survive off scraps, We thought he was getting food from the Popeyes dumpsters most likely. The man is elderly and ill with throat cancer (but doing very well now, thankfully!), so he was unable to catch Rury on his own and Rury never would come really close to him.

Here are some cute pictures!

This one I took tonight, because I had no idea he used this tower! Apparently he’s still shy to do things when he knows we are awake. I had to come out around 4 am to get something for my blood sugar so we’d been asleep a few hours. He goes all the way to the top when no ones looking!

This one was so funny because my husband had just went into the bathroom there. Rury always RUNS to the bathroom to wait on him. He has really taken a liking to the husband. Lol!

Almost everyone here. Winnie is missing, that’s Rury, Tuck, and Reme, the weekender. (please ignore the messy sunroom in the background )

 

[fionasmom]

Well, I'm in tears now! This is such a heartwarming story for everyone involved. I can only imaging how happy it made your elderly friend to know that this story had a fairy tale ending.