Found a thin stray cat today and took it home.

Status
Not open for further replies.

david sms

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9
Purraise
7
I was walking down the path I walk everyday and noticed a cat off to the side of the path. As I got closer I saw it was quite thin, and he seemed to be hissing at me, but I couldn't really hear it clearly. Despite that, he didn't run away when I continued to approach, so I sat near him and started talking to him, and I was soon able to pet his head, though he'd occasionally slap at me, the scratches were mild and painless. He started rubbing against me on his own and laid next to my foot, When I stood up and walked a few steps, he followed me. 

At this point I was already wanting to take him home with me, but I knew it'd be difficult to carry him all the way in my arms, and I didn't wanna leave in case he'd be gone when I got back. So a few minutes later some people passed by and asked me about the cat. They asked if they should call animal control but I told them I was thinking of taking him home and asked them to wait for me to go home and get a cat carrier, which I did. I came back and they were still there with the cat, so I put some cat food in the carrier so he'd go in. They suggested taking him to an animal shelter, saying they'd give free shots and maybe other stuff if I told them I found him as a stray. I hadn't heard of animal shelters offering free services to stray cats you take in. Is it really a good idea to take him to one and tell them it's a stray I found? What would happen? 

Right now I have him locked in my bathroom with food and water. He's awake but he's staying inside the cat carrier.
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
Call the shelter(s) nearest you and ask about their stray policies.  They may or may not have the services those people talked about.

If they do, wonderful.  You can work with them to get him the medical attention he needs (shots, neutering/spaying, de-worming if he needs it, flea treatments, etc.)

If they don't, you will need to take him to the vet for all this because it is vital that you provide good care for your pets.  I would worry most right now about fleas.  You do not need them in your house.

If you can't get him to the shelter or vet right away, go to the store and get an over-the-counter flea treatment for now.  He should be tested for worms before giving him any medication.  It will do more harm than good if he doesn't need it.

Thank you for taking him in.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

david sms

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9
Purraise
7
I called a local shelter and they said they would come pick up the cat, evaluate it, then decide to take care of it or put it to sleep if it's in too bad of shape, and I'd have no control over the outcome. And they don't give free shots to stray cats. Now I'm not sure what to do. The cat is still in the bathroom. Last night he went diarrhea in the litter box and I think there was some vomit when I was cleaning up. He's somewhat lethargic, but still meowing and walking around a bit, and trying to follow me. He hasn't been eating on his own very much. So I've been syringe feeding him some blended tuna with taurine and eggshell calcium. His nose is messed up too, like some sort of injury or maybe a tumor on it, but I'm not sure. One of his front teeth seem especially loose too, like it could probably fall out with a slight pull. He's also been making something of a gurgling sound occasionally since yesterday. And now he's dirty from being in the mess he made and making quite a smell.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

david sms

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9
Purraise
7
I called again and this time they referred me to someone else, who said they work with a vet and would send a voucher to the vet to cover an exam for the cat. The vet said after the exam they call the ASPCA to see how much they'll cover for treatment. I may have to wait til tomorrow, since I have only an hour and 20 minutes from now to get there. So I'll see how that goes. In the meantime, i got the cat to eat a few pieces of raw chicken on his own and he's been wanting out of the bathroom. every time I open the door.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

david sms

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9
Purraise
7
So the vet said he has Squamous Cell Cancer. That's what the thing on his nose was. And he said it will keep eating his face and he's going to be suffering. He also said he's very dehydrated and has fleas. He pretty much acted like he had no chance of getting better and suggested putting him to sleep. He said I could take him home for a few days or weeks and wait til he's not thriving. So that was it and I took him home. I'm not really sure what to do now.  
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,669
Purraise
32,856
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
Hello David,

Thank you so much for trying to help this cat. Did the vet do anything for the cats fleas or dehydration? Even if it is a hopeless case putting the cat on a drip to get some fluids into him and treating his fleas will make him a bit more comfortable.

I think that if this form of cancer is caught early enough it is possible to treat it. The thing is, if some vets are told a cat is stray they will suggest putting him to sleep earlier than they would suggest putting a pet cat to sleep. You could try another vet and ask if they think the cancer is treatable.

Are you able to provide this cat with a home if he can be treated?
 

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
35,987
Purraise
17,680
Location
Sunny Florida
I agree with Norachan that the cancer can possibly be treated. The cat would also immediately benefit from Sub-q fluids, a tube of Advantage on its neck for the fleas, and an antibiotic for the diarrhea.

Gerber chicken or turkey baby food is easy for the cat to eat and digest until it's feeling better. When a cat has been fending for itself it most likely has not had decent food and has also picked up bacteria, so soft foods and an antibiotic will help.

I also agree that vets tend to suggest putting strays to sleep rather than treating. They assume people have no emotional connection and will not want to spend the necessary funds. Like you, I always want to help strays and do what I can for them.

Thank you for helping this poor cat. Let us know what you decide.
 
Last edited:

coffee grinder

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
22
Purraise
29
David, Thank you for making this kitty's life better no matter how much time he has left.  Squamous cell cancer is tough.  When our 15 year old cat was diagnosed with squamous cell, we chose surgery which gave her about 7 additional good quality months.  They vet and surgeon were very clear with us that the tumors would come back quickly. It's a hard to decide when to pursue additional treatment and when to admit that the  best thing you can do for them is to stop it from getting worse.  .  

I agree with the previous posts that if you're going to keep kitty comfortable for now, you should treat the fleas, dehydration and diarrhea.  He may have some good quality time left in him if those other issues are cleared up.  Good luck!
 

Anne

Site Owner
Staff Member
Admin
Joined
Oct 23, 2000
Messages
40,207
Purraise
6,095
Location
On TCS
I have to say I have encountered vets who convinced me to fight over the life of an injured stray. In my own personal experience, and I may have been lucky, the vets treated strays the same way as they would a pet. 

That said, there is no need to rush into decisions either way. Can you maybe get a second opinion from another vet. Let them know the extent of your commitment and budget and work with them on the best decision for the cat and yourself. 
 

red top rescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,466
Purraise
1,486
Location
Acworth GA, USA
 
So the vet said he has Squamous Cell Cancer. That's what the thing on his nose was. And he said it will keep eating his face and he's going to be suffering. He also said he's very dehydrated and has fleas. He pretty much acted like he had no chance of getting better and suggested putting him to sleep. He said I could take him home for a few days or weeks and wait til he's not thriving. So that was it and I took him home. I'm not really sure what to do now.  
First, thank you for taking this guy in and already doing so much to try to make him more comfortable and get him proper vet care.  It sounds like he has advanced SCC, especially since you said his tooth was about to fall out, so it may be in his gums and nasal cavity, not just on the tip of his nose, and treatment is not likely to be successful over the long term.  The vet was obviously honest and not trying to make money on this cat, and I doubt he is giving you any different advice than he would if it were your pet cat.  He gave you the choice of immediate euthanasia of an obviously sick cat with a poor prognosis, and if you did not opt for that, then take him home for a few days or weeks and see how he does.  I'm sure the vet doesn't want the cat to suffer, and neither do you.  If you decide not to put him to sleep right away, then getting rid of the fleas should be done immediately (I would suggest a Capstar tablet immediately as it will kill every flea on him for 24 hours) would be in order.  You can probably get one from the vet, and they may be available over the counter at a feed store or pet supply store near you.  Here is a good concise article on squamous cell carcinoma in cats from the Cornell vet school. This is what you are looking at.  http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/SquamousCellCancer.cfm

It is usually a fast growing tumor, and usually cats do not make it longer than six months after the initial diagnosis, whether they are treated or not, even when it is caught very early.  As @coffee grinder said, they did the surgery and the cat had another 7 months, but in the end, it comes back.  Now, if you want to do hospice care with this cat, you can get rid of the fleas, get him some fluids, get him high quality wet food to eat, and see about treating the diarrhea.  Rather than spend money and time on vaccines or fecal tests in a case like this, it's usually best to worm them with a gentle wormer like pyrantel pamoate to get rid of any roundworms and hookworms and praziquantel to get rid of any tapeworms, which they get from fleas.  There is a combo product called Drontal that you can also get from a vet.  Then if the diarrhea persists, you can use ponazuril which  will wipe out both coccidia and giardia in a few treatments.  But I'm getting ahead of you.  First you have to decide if he is comfortable there, is he happy, eating, relaxing?  If not, it could be he doesn't want to be inside, because he's a feral, albeit a sick one, or else he is very likely in pain.  Common signs of pain include decreased appetite, reclusive behavior, dilated pupils, tail swishing, body tensing, difficulty sleeping, depression, and sometimes aggression i.e. grumpiness, not wanting to be handled or even petted.  You can get a very effective pain medication from the vet called buprenex (buprenorphine) which can be used long term.  They don't even have to swallow it, you put the dose on their gums or under their tongue.  It works really well to keep them comfortable. 

I am giving you a link to a recently closed thread written by someone whose cat was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma.  She chose to do hospice care at home, and the vet thought he might have two weeks or so when she started, but he ended up surprising everyone by living a full four months.  She kept him medicated with the buprenex twice a day, and later when he couldnt eat on his own, she fed him.  He still enjoyed his life and was relaxed and happy through all of it, and he passed peacefully at home just a few days ago.  You could do something like this if you choose, keeping him comfortable as long as you can.  Someone else had a similar situation and posted a lot on that thread, and that cat (Lamont) passed away before Simon.  These are long threads and you may not want to read the entire thing, but they can give you an idea of what you might be able to do if you decide to keep him for awhile.  I'm sure you could send a private message to either of them (click on their name at the top of a post and select "Send PM" which means send private message) and they would be glad to answer specific questions.  If you can keep him comfortable for awhile, that's great, but if you can't, then it really would be the kindest thing to put him to sleep so he doesn't suffer.  We are here to support you and your rescued cat no matter what your decision is.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/316100/...ill-loved-one-i-share-with-you-simons-journey

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/319261/lamont-forever
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

david sms

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9
Purraise
7
No, the vet did not do anything for him other than make the diagnosis; he said if it weren't for the cancer, he'd put him on fluids and B vitamins, but apparently he thought it wouldn't make any significant difference for this one. He was not eating as much yesterday, though he was still walking around and alert. Unfortunately he was much worse today, and could no longer stand up. He passed away a little later. Thank you for all your detailed replies, maybe I can use the information on another cat someday. The guy that helped me when I found him two days ago suggested I name him Lucky, saying he was lucky because he probably would have died if I hadn't found him:  I know this topic will be closed, so, here are some pictures of Lucky I took yesterday when the vet left us alone in the room. 



 

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Mar 8, 2015
Messages
35,987
Purraise
17,680
Location
Sunny Florida
Bless his sweet little heart. And bless you for giving Lucky food, shelter, comfort, and love during his final hours. He would have died alone and frightened otherwise. You really did try to rescue him and get medical help. Lucky was lucky to have been in your path. Thank you for helping him. RIP Lucky! [emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128062[/emoji]
 

Mamanyt1953

Rules my home with an iron paw
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
31,182
Purraise
67,773
Location
North Carolina
Rest you gentle, Lucky, dream you deep.  You are not forgotten.

Thank you for making his last hours comfortable and peaceful.  He died knowing  he was cared for.
 

hellomisskitty

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 13, 2016
Messages
1,362
Purraise
371
Location
Portland, Oregon
Oh thank you for making Lucky feel loved and like he mattered in his last few days (because he did matter). You gave him a chance when no one else would and his passing over the Rainbow Bridge was eased by you.
[emoji]128149[/emoji]RIP Lucky [emoji]128149[/emoji]
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,669
Purraise
32,856
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
Poor little guy. I'm so sorry he didn't make it. Thank you for everything you did for him @David Sms  It made a huge difference to him in his final hours, I know that. We always lock threads when a cat has passes away, so I'll lock this one now.

If you would like to start a tribute thread for him in our Crossing The Bridge forum please do so.

http://www.thecatsite.com/f/19/crossing-the-bridge

Rest In Peace Lucky, you look like such a sweet cat.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top