Feral inside for 2 weeks, but maybe not feeling well?

[hummys]

Happy to report that since my last write-in for help, my little feral guy has decided that living inside beats being outside!! Yeah! I forced him to stay inside during our last 17 inch snowfall two and a half weeks ago. He was unhappy and cried for days (my last post), but… he wanted out. Once it started to melt and was pretty much cleared enough, I let him go out. He stayed out a few hours and came right back. He’s been in the house 24/7 since that time… for almost 2 weeks now. Finally, after 4 long years. We couldn’t be happier.

So, here’s my problem – sorry if this is long, but there’s a couple of things going on. First, about a week ago, I felt something on the top of his neck that I thought could be a tick. He’s mostly good with my touching and picking at him so I was able to see that it wasn’t a tick, but couldn’t tell what it was. Over the next few days, it almost looked like a scratch, but then a few days later it looked bigger. Now it’s bigger and raised. Not raised like a bump or cyst, but more like a sore that’s scabbed over. It’s really hard for me to see it fully because he’ll let me poke only for a short time. Now I think I feel another one on the other side. Small like this one started out, but I’m pretty sure it’s there (or I could be making myself crazy). Then he started to shake his head… mostly after I pet him. It’s almost like he’s trying to shake off something from the top of his head/upper neck area or it could be his ears (?). It’s not all the time, but it’s new behavior and hard to believe that the shaking and the sore are not related. I don’t see any fleas on him at all, but I have noticed white flecks that I thought could be lice, but when I look at it/them under a magnifier, it really just looks like dry skin and not the shape described online. It’s not everywhere and not a lot, but it’s there.

Then about a week ago, he started to cry when he used the litter box. Not every time, but he does it. He’s been living in the house full-time for only a few weeks, but had been spending the nights with us since Thanksgiving. This crying is new and started about a week ago. I’m saying crying, but to be honest I don’t know exactly what that sounds like. I’m not too familiar with cats (he’s my first) and I’ve tried to find the sound online, but can’t quite get one that sounds like him. I would swear that it’s the same sound he makes when he see me in the morning, like he’s happy to see me (but maybe he’s trying to tell me that he doesn’t feel well?). If it matters, he is neutered. He doesn’t seem to be in pain, looks alright and is otherwise his normal self.

I’ve known I would have to get him to a doctor for a check-up sometime soon, but now I know I need to do it sooner, like next week. One of my questions is - is better to take him to the doctor or have a doctor come to the house? I’m not sure how I would get him in a carrier, but I would do whatever I need to for him and figure that out. There’s a doctor’s office (with good reviews) that has mobile service in my area and I thought that would be easier for him. Less traumatic. But then I thought that it would be worse. The house is now his safe place and if I have a doctor to the house, does that change and does he become afraid of the house? And me/us?

I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks so much.

 

[red top rescue]

Good questions!  Are you the only human resident?  Is he used to male humans?  If not, then taking him to the vet would be better than letting a scary male person into the house.  He would probably hide and you would have to dig him out.  As for getting him into a carrier, for ferals you always want one of the top loading kind.  Then as he is sitting on a chair or a stool you open the carrier and put it beside it, and then kind of scoop him in and close the top.  If he gets freaky, just cover it with a towel.  It's always useful to have a top loading carrier because you never know when that's the one you will need for an injured, wild, or difficult pet or rescue.  Just google "top loading cat carrier" and you will get lots of choices of styles.

 

[hummys]

It's me and my husband in the house. He's not too crazy about my husband. We've been feeding him for 4 years and he still mostly runs from him. He's getting better, but slowly. Painfully slow. The vet who neutered him is female and I can request a female vet for the mobile doctor. Thanks for the reply.

 

[hummys]

I'm really stuck with what to do. My little guy is still in the house, but really needs to see a vet. He still has these little sores around his neck area. He gets them (only 1 or 2 at a time) and then he scratches them off. He's starting to have bald areas around the back of his ears and side of his neck from the scratching. I don't know if it's a skin problem, ear problem or perhaps something totally different. Maybe he's just still not 100% comfortable in the house and it's nerves? But, I think he needs to be seen. So my question is do I take him somehow to a vet in a carrier or have a vet come to the house? Per my earlier post, there's a vet with good reviews who makes house calls. Both the mobile vet and the one that neutered him are female. I'm really afraid that if I have the mobile vet to the house, he'll start to feel unsafe and more nervous again in the house because his safe place has been violated. And then of course, the other fear is that he'll never forgive me and start to cry to go outside again. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[gilmargl]

If you can get him in a carrier, then take him to the vet. My semi-feral is completely docile at the vet's and allows a careful vet even to open her mouth. I don't think that would work at home.

The plus side of taking him away to a vet, is that he will be so happy to get back to his safe surroundings when you come home. Make sure the vet knows how much you can manage as far as treatment goes. I have three other cats and since she now has the run of the house and hates closed doors there is no way I can get pills into my semi-feral. She is so suspicious. When I had her in a room on her own life was far easier but there's no going back.

Good luck.