Please don't tell me "go to the vet", because I can't.
I know that I NEED to but it's not up to me. I'm 15 years old, no car, no money. I need some expert advice on this. Please tell me if you've ever had any experience or know what's needed to be done in situations like this.
I've had somewhat experience with sick animals, but never mammals, mostly reptiles.
We have three cats, they stay outside. However one isn't ours, a black male, it's the neighbors, but it stays over here more than half the time so we consider it ours. We feed all of them and everything. Our ours are two orange cats. They're mother and son. They're all adults. So usually my mom just goes outside and gives them a big can of cat food and lots of dry cat food every night. Then she goes back in. I don't think she ever thought bout staying and making sure they all eat and eat about the same amount. She just comes back in. Things were doing well. They all seemed to get along. Or so we thought. They've been together like this since summer. Thursday morning I heard something under the house. It sounded like the two males were fighting, so I got out of bed and went to look under the house (we live in a trailer, and since it's winter we let them go under there if they want), but I didn't find them. I saw a hole they made were the soft pink stuff is at, and I figured they were under there. I never saw the orange male after that, until tonight. I was standing at the door waiting for my mom to come in from walking the dog and and I saw the orange male on the door steps, so I let him in for a few minutes to check him out and see if he was alright. He's been in previous fights with neighborhood cats so I thought I'd better check him out. When I touched his side, all I could feel were ribs. I started crying, because I felt horrible. You would never notice how skinny he was unless you felt him. He has a thick layer of skin and fur. Immediatly I got out some cat food and whole milk for him, but he only ate a few bites. Didn't touch the milk. Without even asking my parents, I made him a bed at the back door and I've left a mixture of warm water, smooshed cat food and milk on a plate for him to eat. He's took a few bites of that too. I'm gonna work with him everyday and see if I can get him back to health. It's just I have no experience with cats. I had no idea this was going on until tonight. I figure the back cat must be keeping him from eating. I'm gonna find his owner tomorrow and tell them to make the cat stay over there. I told my mom about what happend, she knows and has felt of him, and agreed to let him stay in the house, but we can't go to the vet because we can't afford it. He can walk, slowly, but he still can walk. He can't meow. He tries to but nothing comes out. He's making an effort to eat, so I know theres still a chance for him. Can someone please, please help me? I don't know what else to do but what I'm doing right now. Anything would help.
Thanks. I can take a pictures if you need it.
I know that I NEED to but it's not up to me. I'm 15 years old, no car, no money. I need some expert advice on this. Please tell me if you've ever had any experience or know what's needed to be done in situations like this.
I've had somewhat experience with sick animals, but never mammals, mostly reptiles.
We have three cats, they stay outside. However one isn't ours, a black male, it's the neighbors, but it stays over here more than half the time so we consider it ours. We feed all of them and everything. Our ours are two orange cats. They're mother and son. They're all adults. So usually my mom just goes outside and gives them a big can of cat food and lots of dry cat food every night. Then she goes back in. I don't think she ever thought bout staying and making sure they all eat and eat about the same amount. She just comes back in. Things were doing well. They all seemed to get along. Or so we thought. They've been together like this since summer. Thursday morning I heard something under the house. It sounded like the two males were fighting, so I got out of bed and went to look under the house (we live in a trailer, and since it's winter we let them go under there if they want), but I didn't find them. I saw a hole they made were the soft pink stuff is at, and I figured they were under there. I never saw the orange male after that, until tonight. I was standing at the door waiting for my mom to come in from walking the dog and and I saw the orange male on the door steps, so I let him in for a few minutes to check him out and see if he was alright. He's been in previous fights with neighborhood cats so I thought I'd better check him out. When I touched his side, all I could feel were ribs. I started crying, because I felt horrible. You would never notice how skinny he was unless you felt him. He has a thick layer of skin and fur. Immediatly I got out some cat food and whole milk for him, but he only ate a few bites. Didn't touch the milk. Without even asking my parents, I made him a bed at the back door and I've left a mixture of warm water, smooshed cat food and milk on a plate for him to eat. He's took a few bites of that too. I'm gonna work with him everyday and see if I can get him back to health. It's just I have no experience with cats. I had no idea this was going on until tonight. I figure the back cat must be keeping him from eating. I'm gonna find his owner tomorrow and tell them to make the cat stay over there. I told my mom about what happend, she knows and has felt of him, and agreed to let him stay in the house, but we can't go to the vet because we can't afford it. He can walk, slowly, but he still can walk. He can't meow. He tries to but nothing comes out. He's making an effort to eat, so I know theres still a chance for him. Can someone please, please help me? I don't know what else to do but what I'm doing right now. Anything would help.
Thanks. I can take a pictures if you need it.