Should I keep this tripod feral cat indoor?

Azarang

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Hey everybody,

I’m from Iran but live in US but I help the cats back home financially and my friend does the labor work. so I recently rescued a cat with broken hind leg ( the knee joint was all out and had turned dark) in Iran , and she ended up losing that leg and is a tripod now. This happened like 4 months ago. She was kept indoors since then but she’s been hiding under the bed most of the time and being so scared of humans and not letting anyone touch her. She was recently diagnosed with FeLV and poor kitty has diarrhea all the time. She started pooping on my friend’s bed and my friend told be she can’t take care of her anymore. So I had to relocate her to a cat hotel a few days ago where she’s kept in a room alone all day. I’m struggling to make the right decision for her between these two: 1. Release her in a cat-friendly neighborhood that ppl feed cats 2. Keep her in that room alone for almost five more months, then fly back to Iran and bring her with you to US and take care of her yourself ( but consider that she’s FeLV + and the stress that flight has might be so dangerous for her as stress worsens the disease (it’s almost 22 hours flight with two layovers). Also don’t suggest to find a home for her back there in Iran as her adoption ad has been up for three months and no one has showed interest in her.😭
 

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Jcatbird

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Aww. Poor sweet one!!Thank you for all you are doing for her and others. If she is Felv then being outside could prove to be the end of her and perhaps spread it to others. I know your options are limited but if it were me,?i would try to bring her to live with me. I have an Felv cat and have had a great many. I know the trip would be rough but so would living outside. She will have great adjustments to make with any of the choices. I can only imagine that if you can give her calming meds for the trip and then give her a life of love and care as well as some socialization, she may live a long and happy life. My bot is well past the decade mark now. He has been evacuated more than once for over a week and he came through it okay. He is now very social and very well loved. From feral to lap cat. He is a joy in my life. If he gets here and still has tummy issues, you can try something like purées plain pumpkin to get him balanced out. Has anyone suggested L-lysine for him? I know that it isn’t proven but my vet suggested it and my boy is still here and healthy. Please do keep us updated. Again, thank you for being such a kind and caring person!!
 
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Azarang

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Thank you so much for answering. About that L-lysine, nobody has suggested it, maybe because medications are limited in Iran due to sanctions. I’m willing to bring her here to US but that can happen during summer as I’m a grad student. Meanwhile she has to stay in an isolated room all by herself. That’s what saddens my heart🥺 I bought her some toys and stuff but seems like she’s nit enjoying it🥺
 

fionasmom

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You are so kind to help this cat who has so many strikes against her. I agree that bringing her with you is the best solution. Even here, people are not exactly standing in line for handicapped animals.

This is not exactly a win/win situation, so don't tell yourself that it is going to be ideal and then make yourself feel bad because it is not. You are doing the best you can and that is a great deal in the life of this cat.

If she is frightened and solitary, I don't see where being in a room where she is comfortable and fed is the worst thing. Is there any staff who will interact with her even moderately? She may be so happy to have a safe place of her own that she will be much happier than you think.
 
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Azarang

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Yes dear. The caregiver spends some time with her in the room bit she’s frightened and hides under the bed. I’m just so sad for her because she’s been through a lot and seems like this misery has to continue for another 5 months. 🥺 I wish I had more options but as she’s FeLV +, she’s kept inside one room away from other cats🥺
 
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