Feral Cat Clinic

[Rhythmcs]

Their parents or their parents parents were probably strays, yeah. Deep dark hills...they're not native species, lol, but most of the people left a (human) generation ago.

(they follow my kids, who caught them -as in baited cages-...except mae - I'm her spirit animal - the kids say, we do share a common interest in killing off tree rat, shes the only one who's friends with the dog. I think she thinks she's a dog, or that the dog is a cat, or that all three of us are the same whatever?)

[adey67]

My family had a 5 acre smallholding with woodland a brook and stables and a barn. We had a family of feral cats living in the barn. Unfortunately the smallholding was located next to a busy A road and the mother cat was hideously injured crossing it, thankfully I had a shotgun at the time and I was able to put mummy cat out of her misery. Killing her wasn't difficult because I knew it was the right thing to do but it was difficult when it came to the kittens who I tried to raise and also find homes via a charity, this was not successful and therefore they suffered the same fate as mummy cat, it was horrible and I still think about it 38 years on.

[Vorpal]

This cat's problem was fleas. I gave it some medicine and she is doing better now. She is very hungry again. I think I feed her too much at times because it's her only pleasure and her sides bulge out. She is appreciating rubs downs. I can catch her now and move her to a the bathroom so she can learn to use the litter box more consistently. Soon I will get her spayed, but I am worried they she will regress again.

[Cavebear]

This cat's problem was fleas.  I gave it some medicine and she is doing better now. She is very hungry again.  I think I feed her too much at times because it's her only pleasure and her sides bulge out.  She is appreciating rubs downs. I  can catch her now and move her to a the bathroom so she can learn to use the litter box more consistently. Soon I will get her spayed, but I am worried they she will regress again.

First, my cats got fleas last year, so I understand.  Seresto has a great 8 month flea collar that works great.  It isn't cheap, but 8 months is good per month.  I literally saw fleas dropping off the first day (one cat loves to sit on my newspaper and the fleas showed up well there).  

Second, may I suggest your cats need "toy-time"?  Toys provide exercise and stimulate their minds.  My cats love rattley mice and springs.  Plus, there are things to interest them with treats.  I have an "egg" with a hole that allows a few kibbles out when batted around.  And there is the "puzzle box".   That's a small box with holes.  You drop a few in the top and the cats have to paw around inside to retrieve them.  It feels like hunting to them.  You can buy one, but I made one myself.  It is just a small box with some paw-sized hole cut out.

The egg:



If your cat's sides are bulging, it is either fat (eating too much poor food) or has a medical problem.  Get it to a vet immediately!  BTW, dry food is not good for cats.  They are carnivores and dry food is way too much startch/plant.  The non-meat part is like feeding them sawdust.

Canned Fancy Feast is much better and is cheap at Walmart.  

And a spayed cat is a happier cat...

[Dom]

And a spayed cat is a happier cat...

Very definitely. The sooner, the better. Their life changes for the better, you'll be surprised.

[isbelldl]

Second, may I suggest your cats need "toy-time"?  Toys provide exercise and stimulate their minds.  My cats love rattley mice and springs.  Plus, there are things to interest them with treats.  I have an "egg" with a hole that allows a few kibbles out when batted around.  And there is the "puzzle box".   That's a small box with holes.  You drop a few in the top and the cats have to paw around inside to retrieve them.  It feels like hunting to them.  You can buy one, but I made one myself.  It is just a small box with some paw-sized hole cut out.

The egg:

We tried food puzzles for our cat years ago. We quickly realized she was too smart for that shit. She always learned how to make them dump food quick & then just eat it all at once. She also learned how to pop open any food timers we set during overnight trips. I'm just glad she never figured out doorknobs. A friend's cat could actually open round doorknobs. He'd stand on his back legs, put his front paws on either side, & wiggle them up & down until the door popped open. On that note, my dad had a German shepherd that would bite doorknobs & turn his head to get in during thunderstorms.

[Cavebear]

Second, may I suggest your cats need "toy-time"?  Toys provide exercise and stimulate their minds.  My cats love rattley mice and springs.  Plus, there are things to interest them with treats.  I have an "egg" with a hole that allows a few kibbles out when batted around.  And there is the "puzzle box".   That's a small box with holes.  You drop a few in the top and the cats have to paw around inside to retrieve them.  It feels like hunting to them.  You can buy one, but I made one myself.  It is just a small box with some paw-sized hole cut out.

The egg:

We tried food puzzles for our cat years ago. We quickly realized she was too smart for that shit. She always learned how to make them dump food quick & then just eat it all at once. She also learned how to pop open any food timers we set during overnight trips. I'm just glad she never figured out doorknobs. A friend's cat could actually open round doorknobs. He'd stand on his back legs, put his front paws on either side, & wiggle them up & down until the door popped open. On that note, my dad had a German shepherd that would bite doorknobs & turn his head to get in during thunderstorms.

My cats stretch up to the deck opener lever often. They can't possibly manipulate the tiny lock sliders, but they do know where the opening part is. From their POV, I am like am a god who can manipulate several things they cant. But they do know where the parts that open the door is. It must be quite frustrating to them knowing the "where" but "can't". I understand their frustration, So I open the door anytime it seems good outside and I am going to be out there with them for gardening. I do watch them carefully outside.

[Vorpal]

Last week we had some good progess. The kitty jumped up next to me on the sofa and relaxed for ten minutes.  Then she has regressed and spent three days in the window sill behind the sofa.  She ate or drank very little. She's eating again now but is moving around the house in stealth mode.  

She was not pregnant.  Maybe she is really constipated.  And their might be fleas.

Or maybe she has a dead litter stuck in her womb. It happens. It calcifies. I do think you need to take her to the vet.

I think when she jumped on the couch with you, she was looking for help that wasn't happening. 

Get a big towel or blanket, throw it over her, grab her and pop her into a carrier. I have done it many times. Just shove her in, almost close the door and then pull out the blanket slowly. She needs to be checked, and if the vet is forewarned, he will tranquilize her for the examination. She will never know and just be relieved when she emerges in now familiar surroundings. She won't hate you for it. Promise. 

It sounds like she is sick, one way or another. Letting her suffer isn't good for anyone.

P.S. Keep the carrier covered during transport, so she only sees the interior of the carrier, not the scary world.

I finally have her in the bathroom.  The big towel idea never worked because she is too fast. She was out of range before the towel landed.  Instead I gradually got her used to my hands on her back, sides, and belly.  She was spooked at first but only for a few hours. The other day I pushed down on her back pretty hard. She left and came back immediately.  She actually liked that?  Today I just grabbed her underneath behind her front legs and above her hind legs with my bare hands.  She cried a bit and is looking for exits, but not too bad a move overall.

[Dom]

Or maybe she has a dead litter stuck in her womb. It happens. It calcifies. I do think you need to take her to the vet.

I think when she jumped on the couch with you, she was looking for help that wasn't happening. 

Get a big towel or blanket, throw it over her, grab her and pop her into a carrier. I have done it many times. Just shove her in, almost close the door and then pull out the blanket slowly. She needs to be checked, and if the vet is forewarned, he will tranquilize her for the examination. She will never know and just be relieved when she emerges in now familiar surroundings. She won't hate you for it. Promise. 

It sounds like she is sick, one way or another. Letting her suffer isn't good for anyone.

P.S. Keep the carrier covered during transport, so she only sees the interior of the carrier, not the scary world.

I finally have her in the bathroom.  The big towel idea never worked because she is too fast. She was out of range before the towel landed.  Instead I gradually got her used to my hands on her back, sides, and belly.  She was spooked at first but only for a few hours. The other day I pushed down on her back pretty hard. She left and came back immediately.  She actually liked that?  Today I just grabbed her underneath behind her front legs and above her hind legs with my bare hands.  She cried a bit and is looking for exits, but not too bad a move overall.

If you can do that to her, she doesn't really need to be there except for potty training. Get her spayed! She will not know to blame you for the trip, and her personality will change 10000x for the better. Believe me!

[Vorpal]

I finally have her in the bathroom.  The big towel idea never worked because she is too fast. She was out of range before the towel landed.  Instead I gradually got her used to my hands on her back, sides, and belly.  She was spooked at first but only for a few hours. The other day I pushed down on her back pretty hard. She left and came back immediately.  She actually liked that?  Today I just grabbed her underneath behind her front legs and above her hind legs with my bare hands.  She cried a bit and is looking for exits, but not too bad a move overall.

If you can do that to her, she doesn't really need to be there except for potty training. Get her spayed! She will not know to blame you for the trip, and her personality will change 10000x for the better. Believe me!

I needed to move her so I could flea bomb the room.  Yes and she needs to use the litter box better.  And she needs to learn to trust me to move her without panic. AND she needs to get used to the other cats who she can now see and smell better not that the share a door.

[Dom]

If you can do that to her, she doesn't really need to be there except for potty training. Get her spayed! She will not know to blame you for the trip, and her personality will change 10000x for the better. Believe me!

I needed to move her so I could flea bomb the room.  Yes and she needs to use the litter box better.  And she needs to learn to trust me to move her without panic. AND she needs to get used to the other cats who she can now see and smell better not that the share a door.

ALL of this, ALL of it, will work a lot better once she is spayed. Hormones are her curse, regarding the litter, regarding the cats, regarding you. Just believe me! She will be a LOT happier, get along with everyone, be a lot calmer and adapt fully almost instantly. It's time!

Besides, she will return without fleas or flea eggs, for sure, vets take care of that. Gives you a chance to clean up the environment.