We have a feral (well, mostly feral) cat that lives outdoors. We inherited him from the previous owners when we moved in almost 2 years ago. One of his eyes is swollen nearly shut and has some white/clear discharge. He eats breakfast and dinner outside our door, but doesn't let us near him. My husband occasionally manages to administer flea treatment on the back of his neck while he's eating, but that's it. Any recommendations for what to do about his eye? We first noticed it yesterday. How long should we monitor before considering trapping him to take to the vet? Anything we can do for him without a trip to the vet? Thanks!
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Feral Cat With Bad Eye
- Thread starter allisonmb
- Start Date
Because eye problems can blow up quickly, I would consider trapping and a vet visit. It could be injury or infection. However, you would need to confine the cat inside for follow up care.
for sure. Eye injuries can go bad really fast, and the sicker the cat, the more likely they are to hide, meaning that checking on him, let alone trapping him, will only get harder the longer this goes on.I look after a semi feral barn cat, and when she's had injuries needing on going treatment we've left her to board at the vet a few days, just until the injury site is healed enough not to need human attention. The other option in this situation is to keep the cat indoors in a confined area, at least until they're healed enough to no longer need veterinary attention or wound care. In this situation, your best bet is likely to set up a big dog crate with the essentials (litterbox, bed, water, and food as necessary) and keep him confined in an appropriate, preferably quiet, room.
At the end of his treatment, you can then decide whether you want to continue the taming process and transition him into the indoor life, or whether you'd rather release him and continue caring for him as you do now.
Eye Problems In Cats: What Every Owner Needs To Know
Eye Infections In Cats
Leaving Your Cat At The Vet's Clinic
Everything You Need To Know About Tnr (trap-neuter-release)
(Explains the best way to trap a cat, and when and how to release after treatment)
The Five Golden Rules To Bringing An Outdoor Cat Inside
How To Get A Cat To Come Out Of Hiding?
16 Top Cat Experts Share Tips For Dealing With Timid Cats
Adopting A Stray Cat
Oh, and welcome to TCS
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Thanks for your replies! We trapped him yesterday and took him to the vet. When we looked at him yesterday morning it looked like a piece of grass was stuck in his eye and sure enough it was a foxtail. They sedated him and removed it.
Great update! Poor kitty - what a miserable feeling in his poor eye - he must be feeling very relieved. Are you keeping him inside? What is his treatment plan?- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
He got a good dose of antibiotic ointment in his eye while sedated and an antibiotic injection. He's not a cat that can be kept indoors or even crated unless he was kept heavily sedated which the vet didn't think was necessary. So we just kept him in the trap overnight to sleep off the sedation and let him out this morning.
Excellent treatment for a feral! I know that in some situations, this is an ideal time to tame and convert into an inside kitty. But for other situations, the process is so stressful that it actual impedes healing. While most ferals in a recovery cage (I use a large dog crate with a "loft"), especially when it is kept covered, are quiet, I have had a couple that get the cage "rockin' & rollin'" and must be released before they injure themselves.
That's Wonderful News!!!
You didn't screw around, and you got that kitty to the vet and to fix that eye.
I waited almost too long for one of my (12) back-porch community kitties that I've TNR'd and feed. She had an eye infection, but I had just gotten out of the hospital after a stay of 30 days having a burst appendix, I almost waited too long to dial 911 on that little deal. I hate needles, loath Drs, and I h8 hospitals. But I still felt a bit guilty, because I did not take that poor little kitty in sooner.
It is a miserable experience to have an eye infection...one has to experience it themself to understand the full import of the misery.
I too live on a budget. My wife is in a wheel chair, she has advanced stage MS, her medication runs $1,200 / month after insurance pays its part (the FDA are bunch of corrupt criminals and our gvrnmnt is part of the problem). I'm a retired military electronics engineer. I understand not having enough money, but, you took care of that kitty!! Excellent!!
I had to trap my outside community kitty. Later it was revealed that she had a foxtail wedged inside the eyelid. She was so miserable. The kitty, previoulsy, had only been trapped and fixed, that was the sum total of Human contact with that kitty.
I kept the kitty in the vet facility for two weeks ($350), because I was afraid I would not be able to successfully administer the required, every 6 hours, antibiotic drops to that kitty's eye. After two weeks I brought the kitty home, naming her, "New-Mommy".
I kept New Mommy inside my little bathroom/shower room. I went inside every 6 hours for five weeks to put eyedrops in her eyes. At first I tried using the blanket wrap technique, but that stressed both of us out so much that I had to work out a different strategy. So, instead, I'd come in with the drops, a toy on a short rope along with some 'Temptations' kitty treats. I also, fed her "Fancy Feast" kitty food. I sat cross legged on the floor with her. In the beginning was it was always very tense initially. I used the same regimen every day, so she became accustomed to me being in there with her.
I did not feed her or give her any treats until I played with her for around an hour during each 6 hour visit. The play is essential to becoming play pals and to develop trust. After play period I'd give her a treat or two, then I'd tell her, that it was "eye-droppie time". After a short period she knew exactly what that meant!! I would gently grab her by the shoulder-blade scruff of the neck (at first wearing leather gloves, but that was really not required, trust is a two way street), pulling her head over to my knee, holding her head, face tilted up between my left hand and knee, and with the free fingers, open her eyelid, to place the drops. It was not too long that she began to realize that the eyedroppies caused her eye to feel better, and she stopped resisting me.
It always amazes me how smart these little characters are. They are smarter than for which many folks give them credit.
Outside, to this day, I can pick her up, I'll sit on a bench, she comes to me and occasionally hops up into my lap. I saved her eye, and it is very rewarding to see that beautiful little black face peering at me!! The key to kitties is to feed'm treats and to play with them.
Thanks so much for doing that wonderful thing for that kitty.
Wonderful News!!
Alpha Kitty
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
Thanks for your concern, alphakitty. He went to the vet last Friday and had a foxtail removed. He's all better now. Luckily the expense of the vet was not as much of a concern as the stress/trauma to the kitty. But he survived the ordeal just fine and is back to his normal self. He's really quite sweet, but keeps people at a distance and cannot handle being confined in any way.
Before and after pictures..
Before and after pictures..
Absolutely amazing difference - and so quickly!!!!! When you think about what a difference you made - - there's no doubt you completely changed (and probably saved) his life! Congrats guys - - to you and your gorgeous furry buddy.
