Feral cat and illness - advice needed!

[white shadow]

Hi Jean and a very warm welcome to the forum !

About this

It tells me there are no network partners within 100 miles.

There are many folks around the country working in small local rescue organizations.....that often 'fly under the big radar picture'.

Google exactly this: "cat rescue in (your town & State)". That's worked for me practically all around the globe.

With a little luck you'll hopefully find some experienced, skilled and equipped allies to get help for this little one.

All paws crossed here!

 

[poolcat]

poolcat , I don't know. The place where I feed the cats is 7 miles from where I live. I would have to stay here for ?? all day and all night?? until the right cat went in. With 40 cats in the colony, there could be a lot of trial and error.

No, that wouldn't work, for sure. In fact, just keeping 40 cats fed sounds to me like a full time job... and a heartbreaking one when something like this happens.

 

[jeanw]

How about this?

what-if-there-are-no-resources-in-my-area

Thank you. I looked at this last night. The nearest one was 80+ miles away. Most of the listings seem to be about TNR. What exactly am I looking for?

 

[jeanw]

J jeanw Do you have a regular Humane Trap for doing TNR? Or can you get one?

When you want to catch one specific cat in a colony you can do so with the plastic bottle trick. Use the trap as you normally would but instead of setting it to spring when a cat steps on the plate, prop the door open with a large plastic bottle. The bottle needs to be full as it needs to have some weight to it. You tie a long length of rope around the bottle and when the cat you want to trap goes in pull the rope, jerk the bottle away and the trap door will shut.

Practice a few times at home so you know how much force to use when you pull the rope, the best place to tie the rope and set the bottle etc.

A few other tricks that have worked for me when trapping wary cats:

Cut a sheet of cardboard to size to line the bottom of the trap (Make sure the door still shuts with the cardboard in the bottom of the trap.) or Put some straw in the bottom of the trap so the cats can't feel the wire under their paws.
Get some Asian Fish sauce, dilute it with water and spray the inside of the trap. It smells really strong and even sick cats are interested in it.
Use KFC as bait. The hot chicken smell is very tempting for them

Thanks for all the tips. I do not have a trap but need to buy one. Since I live 7 miles each way from where the cats live, trapping a specific cat out of 40 would require ?? staying there all day and all night?? Without fail, in this group the wrong cat would go in and eat the bait. I wouldn't close it cause it's not the cat I want.

I bought some tuna. And will look into the Asian Fish sauce - would I find that at the grocery store?

 

[jeanw]

Any news at all? Even bad news, we will share with you.

Ugh. The only news is that I haven't seen Blackie again. Today is cold, damp, rainy, windy etc. so even the cats that aren't sick don't want to come out.

I feel like I've failed her.

 

[jeanw]

This idea is thanks to @Kflowers, -- there are rose gloves that go partway up the arm and are very helpful when dealing with bitey frightened cats. I think Tractor Supply has them etc, and they might also be available on amazon.

I totally agree, thank you so much for everything you're doing for these cats

Also, considering how expensive everything is there might be something here from the Humane Society even if just a one-time (be sure and scroll all the way to the bottom of the page):

Are you having trouble affording your pet?

Additionally, I don't know if you have a costco or sams close by where you have a membership or could get one, or know someone who already does, where you could do bulk cat food purchases? Tractor Supply is another possibility for less expensive cat food.

Thanks for this. I will check it out.

Though the food is expensive, it's the vet care that is killing me $$$$

 

[jeanw]

Hi Jean and a very warm welcome to the forum !

About this


There are many folks around the country working in small local rescue organizations.....that often 'fly under the big radar picture'.

Google exactly this: "cat rescue in (your town & State)". That's worked for me practically all around the globe.

With a little luck you'll hopefully find some experienced, skilled and equipped allies to get help for this little one.

All paws crossed here!

Thanks for the info and the welcome. Yes, I'm aware of the cat rescues in my town. There is massive over population of feral cats here and all of the rescues are stretched to the max. I've contacted them in the past and they're never able to help for one reason or the other. Our Humane Society isn't taking in any animals presently cause they're overly full. They also put down a lot of animals and would surely put down feral cats first. Same thing with Animal Control.

The last cat I picked up that was very sick like this one - and was one of my favorites - died before I got to the vet. That was such an upsetting experience. His name was Felix and I kept his ashes to remind me of what happened.

 

[iPappy]

Ugh. The only news is that I haven't seen Blackie again. Today is cold, damp, rainy, windy etc. so even the cats that aren't sick don't want to come out.

I feel like I've failed her.

Don't give up hope. If it's that yuck outside, odds are she's holed up and sleeping like the rest. I NEVER see the barn cats on cold damp days, they find a warm cozy spot and stay there.
Another thought, could you call vets in your area and ask if they know of any people near you that handle ferals or do TNR? Some of these people form groups and don't have any social media presence or formal name for what they do, they just get in there and do it. If you need to set a trap and keep it open for Blackie, they might be willing to help you out and watch the trap and keep it open for Blackie. You're trying. You haven't failed anyone.

 

[jeanw]

Don't give up hope. If it's that yuck outside, odds are she's holed up and sleeping like the rest. I NEVER see the barn cats on cold damp days, they find a warm cozy spot and stay there.
Another thought, could you call vets in your area and ask if they know of any people near you that handle ferals or do TNR? Some of these people form groups and don't have any social media presence or formal name for what they do, they just get in there and do it. If you need to set a trap and keep it open for Blackie, they might be willing to help you out and watch the trap and keep it open for Blackie. You're trying. You haven't failed anyone.

Thank you. I won't give up hope yet as it's only been one day - saw Blackie yesterday.

I appreciate the thought of calling the vets and also appreciate your suggestion. Unfortunately the local vets really want nothing at all to do with feral cats and put so many barriers up before they will see ferals - surcharge $$, require sedation, first visit available only after 6 weeks wait, etc.

I go 45 minutes south to the vet in Mexico. They are very good and genuinely care about the animals. They too are overwhelmed with pets and their owners and ferals. They are open 24 hours a day for appointments or walk-ins and during the business day charge only $22 for the initial consultation. It's in the various treatments where the cost can start to really add up. There is a bit of a language barrier with some of the staff - not with the several primary doctors and not for a basic conversation. They are very open to treating ferals and have cared for the 10 feral cats I've brought there and I'm sure would care for any others I bring.

I had somewhat of a breakdown when Felix died before I got him to the vet. They were very kind.

Where would I buy the best kind of trap? And which kind would be best?

 

[iPappy]

It sounds like you have absolutely wonderful vets. And with what happened to Felix, I understand why you feel so scared.
I had a sick barn cat disappear once. She reappeared a week or so later, skinny and still sick, but she lived for 10+ years after that!

Our traps came from Tractor Supply Company.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/search/humane trap/animal-rodent-traps?&srch=humane trap
If possible, conceal the trap in any way you can (between buildings or anything that's in the area that the cats are used to), and cover them with a blanket. Most cats will be more willing to brave walking into what looks like a normal space vs. a new thing that looks like a cage in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Norachan]

Without fail, in this group the wrong cat would go in and eat the bait. I wouldn't close it cause it's not the cat I want.

I bought some tuna. And will look into the Asian Fish sauce - would I find that at the grocery store?

Yeah, it happens. Put plenty of bait in there and be prepared to go back in and add more if the other cats eat it all. Seeing her friends go in and out of the trap without harm will encourage Blackie to go in. I waited over an hour to catch the one unspayed female in a group while all the boys wandered in and out and ate as much as they wanted, but I got her in the end.

The fish sauce is called Nampura, it's made from fermented anchovies. If you have an Asian supermarket in your area that would be the best place to try.

 

[Furballsmom]

I just wanted to mention, in case you haven't had a chance to look yet that the link I posted earlier from the humane society contains a lot of other links and info of financial aid for vet visits etc, but you need to keep scrolling down the page, all the way to the bottom actually as there's a mention of Best Friends financial aid there, etc.

Here it is again. Hang in there!

Are you having trouble affording your pet?

 

[jeanw]

I just wanted to mention, in case you haven't had a chance to look yet that the link I posted earlier from the humane society contains a lot of other links and info of financial aid for vet visits etc, but you need to keep scrolling down the page, all the way to the bottom actually as there's a mention of Best Friends financial aid there, etc.

Here it is again. Hang in there!

Are you having trouble affording your pet?

Thank you for this. In my state there is only assistance within a specific county but not mine.

 

[Furballsmom]

This other website might have information

Financial Resources for Cats

Caring for cats is rewarding, but it can also be expensive. If you feel like costs keep adding up, there are a lot of approaches and resources to help you fund your efforts, so you can get back to what you do bestcaring for cats!

www.alleycat.org

 

[Binxie]

This is so sad I know exactly how you feel , I am also trying to help a feral with an upper respiratory problem. He was missing for several days and the last time I saw him his eyes and nose were a mess, I was sure he was gone, but then surprise he showed up again and actually looked a bit better although still coughing. We can only do our best, hang in there.