Feral cat injured, im not sure what to do next

moreknow

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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 :)

cat injured.jpg
red circle is where it looks to be caved in
baby boy.jpg 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
 

ArchyCat

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I think he should see a vet.

Can you do an online search for Harris county nrkill rescue groups? Then call them and ask for veterinarian references? If the vet provides a sedative you could feed the cat to sedate or calm him so you can take him to a vet for an exam and care. Also one of the groups might provide some financial aid to pay the vet.

Please keep us up dated.

ps. I live in Friendswood.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. I, personally, would not just try to let him heal on his own. Is the Houston SPCA a guarantee no-kill? If not, check with local rescue centers and vets to see if they have some options for where you might be able to take this poor little guy.
 

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Thank you for tanking care of these cats. Have they been spayed/neutered? That is really important when caring for feral cats to stabilize the population and reduce risk of injury.

That said, I would be remiss to not say that seeing a vet is the best course. If you call the local humane society make sure you check their policy on injuries feral before calling. I would hate to see you turn him over if their policy is euthanize injuries feral (which is the policy in some areas).

If you want to try giving him time to heal at home, you do need to find a spot he can be safe and have minimal movement while he heals. The one stray being trapped in the neighbors garage while injured is probably why she was able to heal. She was in a smaller area, protected from predators and with some protection from inclimant weather until she was healed enough to manage. If you can get him in a bathroom, shed or garage that limits his climbing spots but protects him from predators, his chances will be a whole lot better. Bathroom is a preferable location because they tend to be easy to clean, but a large dog kennel inside a house or garage or a shed would also work. The goal is a safe space he can heal while still having access to food and water. Make sure to include a litter box, even feral cats will catch onto litter boxes pretty quickly you can add some leaves from outside to help ease that adaption. But the best option is to find proper vet care at someplace willing to help a feral.
 
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moreknow

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I think he should see a vet.

Can you do an online search for Harris county nrkill rescue groups? Then call them and ask for veterinarian references? If the vet provides a sedative you could feed the cat to sedate or calm him so you can take him to a vet for an exam and care. Also one of the groups might provide some financial aid to pay the vet.

Please keep us up dated.

ps. I live in Friendswood.
I am currently researching but i read on Helping the Dog or Cat you found that "There are zero “no-kill” shelters in Houston and the surrounding area. BARC, Harris County Animal Control (HCPHES), Montgomery County Animal Control, Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP), Houston SPCA, the Houston Humane Society, etc. are all shelters that euthanize (kill)".
I already had Houston SPCA come pick up a sick kitten last year, and they told me that if she made it she could show up on their adoption page online, but i haven't seen her. Maybe they adopted her before i could see or they euthanized her.. either way, i feel better about having a cat under better care than getting sicker and dying somewhere hidden outside. I will try calling vets, animal hospitals around my area to see if they help ferals. But i feel that this should be my last resort option, because my parents would be really really upset at me for going that far to take care for them; they tell me "if they die, they die".
and That's awesome, you live not too far from me! i live north of Baytown
 
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moreknow

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Hi. I, personally, would not just try to let him heal on his own. Is the Houston SPCA a guarantee no-kill? If not, check with local rescue centers and vets to see if they have some options for where you might be able to take this poor little guy.
no unfortunately they do kill, but if the animal is healthy enough and adoptable they will put them up for adoption on their website, or so I was told by the lady who picked up a sick kitten a while back. And i will keep searching for rescue groups, but if i decide to send him to these groups it might be real tough getting him inside the cage since he won't really eat right now and wont let me get near him
 
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moreknow

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Thank you for tanking care of these cats. Have they been spayed/neutered? That is really important when caring for feral cats to stabilize the population and reduce risk of injury.

That said, I would be remiss to not say that seeing a vet is the best course. If you call the local humane society make sure you check their policy on injuries feral before calling. I would hate to see you turn him over if their policy is euthanize injuries feral (which is the policy in some areas).

If you want to try giving him time to heal at home, you do need to find a spot he can be safe and have minimal movement while he heals. The one stray being trapped in the neighbors garage while injured is probably why she was able to heal. She was in a smaller area, protected from predators and with some protection from inclimant weather until she was healed enough to manage. If you can get him in a bathroom, shed or garage that limits his climbing spots but protects him from predators, his chances will be a whole lot better. Bathroom is a preferable location because they tend to be easy to clean, but a large dog kennel inside a house or garage or a shed would also work. The goal is a safe space he can heal while still having access to food and water. Make sure to include a litter box, even feral cats will catch onto litter boxes pretty quickly you can add some leaves from outside to help ease that adaption. But the best option is to find proper vet care at someplace willing to help a feral.
no he isn't, only 4 of my 24 cats are spayed/neutered so far, i plan on getting most if not all fixed by summer
And yes unfortunately all rescue groups around Houston are not "no-kill", per Helping the Dog or Cat you found. I have yet to find a local group or vet/hospital that can help this feral. I will keep searching and make calls tomorrow. I will go outside tonight and look for him and post an update but i have always left the shack open so they can huddle there away from the cold. I will get some beds and towels and put them around the area he was at. thank you so much for the feedback :)
 
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moreknow

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hi all,
Update 1/6:
i probably have been wrong.. it doesn't seem that he got injured.. rather, it looks like he might've got sick with his stomach, which explains why both sides were tucked in. He was walking weird yesterday but ate at night and spent the night in my garage with 9 other cats. And today he wasn't laying down in awkward spots, moving around kinda normal again.. he's in my garage again doing fine. I now believe i have been wrong on him being injured, and im sorry for that.. hopefully he feels back to normal before Friday :) thank you for your support 🧡
 

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I'm dealing with a similar situation I have an adult male black cat that is feral and he is limping. I can trap him and have him neutered and have the vet determine what his injuries are, BUT then what do I do since he is feral? I've kept feral cats in my outbuilding before and no he won't be euthanized. Just not sure how to deal with it if he needs surgery.
 
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moreknow

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I am so sorry for my late reply, hopefully he's doing fine right now
Ask the vet if they've worked with ferals before, that's what i ask before taking any of my cats to the vet. Most would say they have and would know how to handle them, and if they're being too aggressive they'll have to be sedated (better than getting euthanized).
What leg was it? If he's not walking on it at all it could be broken but if he is putting weight on it he could recover on his own.
I had a female feral get her lower body ran over and she miraculously survived after almost a month of disappearing. I wanted to put her down but she disappeared for 4 days and returned, and I kept her in my garage overnights (a/c). But then she left again and returned 10 days later. I would've done things different now that I have them more socialized
 
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