feral cat very sick

[kris1114]

There is this tabby cat who comes to feed on my deck. He has been around for about 2 months. He is very afraid of people, but slowly over time, he will at least eat in front of me, but I can't touch him.

Well, today I opened the deck door to give him some canned food. The moment I opened the door he bum rushed me and followed me around whirling around in circles screaming for food. Strange. He NEVER gets that close to me. I normally make him very nervous, but today he showed no fear what so ever. The moment I laid eyes on him, I realized he was in terrible shape. Face encased w/ discharge, open mouth, very very noisy breathing. He is also emaciated. I put the food down, and he didn't want any. Normally, he scarfs his food down. Yet, he still followed me everywhere with the noisy breathing. So weird. It made me slightly nervous, for a moment I feared he may be rabid. Does that sound crazy? I think he has a severe respiratory infection, possibly distemper? Are there other symptoms of rabies other than aggression, staggering and salivating? The fact that he suddenly wasn't afraid of me & actually kind of pursued me, scared me a bit. I went inside and scrubbed myself and changed my clothes as it is probably contagious to my babies. Right now, this cat is parked by my deck door, and I refuse to go out there.

Will animal control come and take this cat to euthanize the poor thing, or do I need to find a have a heart trap? Also, how would I trap it if he isn't interested in food? BTW, I'm in Northeast Georgia, if someone can lend me a trap.

 

[hissy]

He is probably not rabid, but he is very sick and asking for your help. If you can get him into a carrier and get him to the vet, I know he would thank you for it.

Take your cat carrier, and put it in a small room. Place the carrier up on it's end so the door is open and facing up.

Working very carefully get him into this room. You need a heavy dark blanket, and a pair of gloves. Wear long sleeves and long pants, heavy socks and closed shoes. Approach him slowly, try to back him into a corner, and hold the blanket down until you get close enough to bring it around him and snatch him up. Know he will scratch and bite and so you have to be sure it is a thick blanket.

If you can get close to him without using the blanket, what you need to do is get down on your knees in front of him and carefully, don't meet his eyes, but bring you hand slowly toward him. Look at him, just not his eyes, look for flattened ears, listen for growling, he will probably hiss. You have to be really cautious if you don't know how to do this, then you use the blanket approach, but you need to talk to him softly not posing any type of threat to him, and scruff him. Keep him off the ground, keep your elbow and arm high so he can't scratch you and don't let go of him. Lower him into the carrier (not as easy as it sounds) for they grab on with their claws a lot of times. But if you can lower him in, and then shut the door FAST and cover him with the dark blanket. Call you vet and take him in.

Keep him away from your other cats, for if he has something contagious they might catch it.

Good luck!

 

[kris1114]

Two problems. I don't have gloves, nor am I comfortable bringing him into any part of the house. How would I get him into a room anyhow? Attempt to trap him outdoors? What if it's distemper, which can remain in the environment for weeks from what I understand. The discharge encasing his face covers his entire muzzle and chin, and is about 1/2 inch thick and purulent. He looks horrible, and I fear ANY contact may put my cats or myself at risk. I was more opt to trap him in a have a heart trap and bring him in that way. I also don't want to risk getting bit or scratched myself.

If I can get him to the vet, do you think I would be a bad person to just have him humanely euthanized? I really can't afford treatment & I honestly believe he may be beyond helping anyhow. He is definately suffering. Also, my own cats have had medical problems lately. I wonder if Animal control will normally come to pick up wild cats? I don't mean to sound harsh, I'm just not in the postion to save them all.

 

[hissy]

I misunderstood when I read he bum rushed you I thought he was inside. That is why I cautioned you to not let him near your cats. Yes a hav-a-heart trap would be your best bet and if you don't have the money to treat him and he is suffering, ending it for him in a humane way is the best way to proceed.

Here is a link perhaps you can find assistance there. Sorry for the misunderstanding, (though I admit to having fits thinking of him inside your house possibly spreading disease) Even though he looks bad, he may not be as sick as you fear. A vet would be able to tell you better.

meowhoo

 

[kris1114]

Ok, no problem. I'll see if I can find a have a heart trap.

Kristin

 

[dragonlady]

This poor cat is coming to you for help. He is thinking you are a nice human and he is in trouble and knows you will help him. He is begging for you to save him. Please see if he will get into a crate. He cannot help it that someone threw him away like garbage and that everyone ignored him.
He may not fight you at all. You won't know unless you try. He could just have a bad upper respitory infection. Please try...he believes in you and is counting on your help.
Distemper would have him having seisures, rabies is foaming at the mouth. He just cannot smell the food. His nose is too stopped up. When you have a cold can you smell food?
Please try...doesn't have anyone else. You are the difference between life and death.

 

[kris1114]

I certainly understand your concern and frustration. I'll see what I can do.

 

[dragonlady]

Thank you so much. Is he drinking any water? This cat is meant to be with you. I just have this feeling that this is important for some reason I cannot explain.

 

[kris1114]

Since he is solely outdoors, I can not be certain that he is drinking any water. I haven't seen him drink, but the water level does drop. Then again, there is no way to tell for sure. Maybe I'll try some tuna because it's stinky & normally yummy to cats.

In the morning, if he is still there, I'll try to trap him.

 

[kris1114]

He disappeared. But, I left some tuna & some water out. Hopefully, he'll come back and find it.

 

[ldg]

Thank you so much for wanting to help this kitty!

Any sight of your boy today?

Also, please know that many vets are sympathetic to the problem of ferals. Our vet lets us pay over time (in several installments) when we bring them in to be spayed or neutered.

 

[kris1114]

FYI, no real sign of tabby cat yet. When I was driving home from work, I saw him dart across the road and dissappear into another building. I got out of my car, but couldn't locate him. That was the last I saw of him.

There is another stray who is much healthier and much friendlier. I call her Claire. She hangs out on my deck 24/7. I have a have a heart trap out for tabby cat, but I just keep catching Claire! I have signs up in my complex looking for a potential owner, and or adopter. My local shelters/ rescues are full, and or require full vaccines and felv/fiv testing, and that's just to consider them for a waiting list. I can't afford all that right now at this time. Especially since my own cat was very ill, and I spent a few hundred dollars on him, and I got my kitten neutered and microchiped today. Perhaps, I'll have more money next month. If anyone in the northeast Atlanta area would be interested in Claire, OR if I can find/catch tabby cat, help/adopt him.

 

[ldg]

Claire, have you talked to your Vet's office about paying for these things for the strays in installments? Like I mentioned earlier, if the visit is related to a stray or feral cat, even for spay/neuter and boarding, our vet always lets us pay over 3 or 6 months, depending upon what we can afford. $200 over 6 months is ony $33/month.....

But bravo to you for trying to help.