Hi I apologize for the long text but i highlighted the important stuff in red, I just wanted to write all this in case i go consult a vet,
***attached are images of the cat and where i believe he's injured, but im writing this in a hurry so i don't know yet if im accurate, ill come back to correct stuff if any after work***
So there are around 24 ferals that live in my backyard, and since summer ive been doing my best to look out for every single one, and now i have this young black male that has been injured, I believe. Yesterday he appeared to be fine running around, and i was home all day feeding them 4x throughout the day so I know that he was ok. This morning he didn't show up to eat and i find him laying down behind a tree by my house, and as i try petting, he moves away as expected but it looks like he has trouble getting up. He was walking on all fours kinda slow but it seems like he was arching his back a little, and he moved to hide under the shack. I isolated him and left some canned food near him but he wouldn't eat. So i go to work and come back to find him under another tree by my neighbors' house, which is right next to my shack, laying there again. It looks like he was sleeping but he having these short kinda fast breaths. Again, I do my routine call for my cats and he wouldn't move. So I put food down for the other 20 cats in my back porch, allowing me to isolate him and feed him, but he wouldn't eat. Unfortunately this other cat followed the smell of the food and ran to us, and i guess it bothered the injured cat so he moves back under the shack and i noticed that his left rear side was kinda caved in. He was walking slowly, and i resort to toss him some food i bring from my restaurant, which my cats always eat. i saw him eat a piece before all the cats heard the paper bag moving. I think he's just going to rest for now but im still worried
I have to go back to work but Im thinking about what I should do.. I'd consider taking him to the vet but i don't know any place that works with ferals, and my parents would be very upset if i did. I feel like i currently have 2 options: call Houston SPCA to pick him up, or let him heal on his own. In May i had another cat that had her back legs ran over and she miraculously survived, even after getting stuck in my neighbors' garage for 8 days straight (unbeknownst to me). Only other option is see if i can consult a vet online, but I don't know which services are good or if they even exist. In honesty it doesn't look as bad as the injured cat from May, where that cat couldn't walk on her back legs for 3 weeks, but i don't want to be careless here .. . I'd truly really appreciate feedback in helping me help this cat in an effective way. Thank you so much and God bless
red circle is where it looks to be caved in
here was baby boy when i got after work, i believe he was sleeping judging the way his eyes were.. this is an awkward spot that ive never seen my cats rest
***attached are images of the cat and where i believe he's injured, but im writing this in a hurry so i don't know yet if im accurate, ill come back to correct stuff if any after work***
So there are around 24 ferals that live in my backyard, and since summer ive been doing my best to look out for every single one, and now i have this young black male that has been injured, I believe. Yesterday he appeared to be fine running around, and i was home all day feeding them 4x throughout the day so I know that he was ok. This morning he didn't show up to eat and i find him laying down behind a tree by my house, and as i try petting, he moves away as expected but it looks like he has trouble getting up. He was walking on all fours kinda slow but it seems like he was arching his back a little, and he moved to hide under the shack. I isolated him and left some canned food near him but he wouldn't eat. So i go to work and come back to find him under another tree by my neighbors' house, which is right next to my shack, laying there again. It looks like he was sleeping but he having these short kinda fast breaths. Again, I do my routine call for my cats and he wouldn't move. So I put food down for the other 20 cats in my back porch, allowing me to isolate him and feed him, but he wouldn't eat. Unfortunately this other cat followed the smell of the food and ran to us, and i guess it bothered the injured cat so he moves back under the shack and i noticed that his left rear side was kinda caved in. He was walking slowly, and i resort to toss him some food i bring from my restaurant, which my cats always eat. i saw him eat a piece before all the cats heard the paper bag moving. I think he's just going to rest for now but im still worried
I have to go back to work but Im thinking about what I should do.. I'd consider taking him to the vet but i don't know any place that works with ferals, and my parents would be very upset if i did. I feel like i currently have 2 options: call Houston SPCA to pick him up, or let him heal on his own. In May i had another cat that had her back legs ran over and she miraculously survived, even after getting stuck in my neighbors' garage for 8 days straight (unbeknownst to me). Only other option is see if i can consult a vet online, but I don't know which services are good or if they even exist. In honesty it doesn't look as bad as the injured cat from May, where that cat couldn't walk on her back legs for 3 weeks, but i don't want to be careless here .. . I'd truly really appreciate feedback in helping me help this cat in an effective way. Thank you so much and God bless
here was baby boy when i got after work, i believe he was sleeping judging the way his eyes were.. this is an awkward spot that ive never seen my cats rest