Loveable Stray in ROUGH shape!

I'm new to this forum for please forgive me for any mistakes:

I recently "adopted" a stray found at a friends house. He was obviously a pet. He is VERY VERY thin but, he acts like he is more starved of human attention then of food. you have to peel him off of you just so that he will eat.

He is covered in ticks (already applied some tick and flea meds) and has an open sore the size of a nickel on his neck behind his right ear.

The sore isn't infected yet but I'm not takeing any chances. Hydrogen peroxide to the rescue... and tomorrow if the vet has an opening he will go in. We're going to get the full work-up. tests for everything. I already have one cat and two dogs so I want to make sure that everything is safe before we bring him into the house with the others. ( he's in the garage right now, and seems very pleased to be to be out of the woods, even if it's a garage!)

The cat appears to be siberian or some sort of mix. I could be wrong though.

Have I forgotten anything? Is there something I can do that I haven't done yet, to help him through the wait for the vet?

You have done the best thing, you have rescued him. He does indeed sound like a housecat someone tossed outside because he was to much of a bother. I would be concerned he is anemic, and would get him to the vet quickly. With the ticks and the fleas, he has likely lost a lot of blood. They may put him on an iron supplement (it is liquid) and that will help him. You can check for anemia yourself, if he will let you by opening his mouth gently and pressing quickly on his gums- they should go pale, and then when release pink up in about 2 seconds. if they stay pale, he needs a vet pronto!

I would also try and get him to take water by dribbling either tuna juice or sardine oil in his bowl.

I also would like to ask what type of flea/tick remedy you used? Some of them are very harmful for cats! Go figure, but they are, especially those purchased over the counter. You should get all flea and tick treatments from your vet, just to be safe.

Thank you for taking in this kitty!

On the chance that some heartbroken owner may be looking for this sweet furbaby, please post some signs "Cat Found" in the neighborhood, pet stores, and vet offices etc. Ask the vet if the cat is micro chipped. This cat's behavior could also be interpreted as displaced from original home and not knowing how to get back. I have been one of those heartbroken owners who finally found my kitty.

What a kindness you are showing by taking such good care of kitty. . .thank you!

The flea and tick meds used were the Hartz brand "behind the shoulder blade liquid type" All of the ticks that had been on him have decided to find new homes. I don't know if that is why he seems much happier today but he definately is! he's willing to play now and is full of energy! Please let me know If I should discontinue useing this product, I have used it on my other cat when we first got him and it worked well.

He has no problems drinking water out of a bowl. He drank almost a full soup bowl of water in the first 24 hours but that has slowed to normal. ( poor thing was probably dehydrated ) His gums return to red after you touch them so anemia isn't an issue. ( so far so good huh?! )

As for posting signs that I found a cat.... We found him at a friends house and she lives in the middle of NO WHERE! She owns a lake with seven other families and that is all that is out there. I can have her ask if any of them are missing a cat but I'm sure she has already done that. ( she really didn't want the cat. ) Outside of that, the nearest city would be probably about thirty miles away. I don't think it would make much sense to post anything there. We will ask the local vet if anyone has asked, and contact the humane society.

Thanks for the help!
Shawn

Oh yeah and I forgot to say that he was named yesterday: Nakita

Hi Shawnrd and welcome!

Thanks so much for taking in a stray kitty. It is very sweet of you.

Oh, i am sorry about the open sore found on Nakita. Sounds like Nakita has been through rough times. i am glad you are bringing him to the vet tomorrow. Please keep us posted.

If Nakita seems like he was a pet, i was wondering if you could bring to him to your local animal care and control (whenever you have the opportunity after checking him out, settling him down, etc.) to find out whether someone has lost a pet? Nakita might be microchipped. i am sure they will give you the option of keeping Nakita if no one is to claim him.

i used the brand "Advantage" before on a rescued kitty, and it really works.

Nakita is such a handsome kitty! Again, thanks for taking him in.

Shawn watch him carefully for signs of toxicity! Hartz is a big NO NO - many cats have come down sick, some have even died. Hartz is in the process of pulling thier products off of store shelves, but not all have been pulled. If you can, I would give this cat a bath using Dawn liquid detergent and warm water. Use rubber gloves so you don't get anything on your hands and try to get this product off him if you can. It is known to cause seizures and neurological disorders.

Here is an older thread about it-


Hartz Flea & Tick

Hello:

Nakita is also my cat, as a matter of fact, Shawn gave him to me for my birthday. I was not aware that Hartz was a bad medication. I am just glad that he is going to the vet tomorrow afternoon for a check up. I will ask the vet about it tomorrow and see what he has to say about Hartz. Nakita has only had it on for a day, and the ticks and fleas have already left him. I thank you all for the advice and great insight on cats. We have two cats, and respectively both of these are second and third cats I have owned. The first one ran away, and I never saw him again. I think we will continue to be here and learn much from the veterans that are owned by their kitties!

Clint

Here is a link for your information Clinton

Hartz

Took Nakita to the vet today. She was given a routine exam, and it seems like she is in good health. The sores on her neck were from ear mites, and from him scratching himself trying to get rid of them. The vet applied some cream in him so he wouldn't itch anymore. He has been steadily improving, and the vet even made the comment that he is such a wonderful, loving cat. I was proud of that. Some other good news is that Nakita was tested negative for feline leukemia, and was given a pill to get rid of worms, if it had any. The vet said that we have to keep him in quarantine for at least another week, but I will keep you posted as to his transition when he meets our family. Oh, Nakita is 10 months old, and weighs 7 pounds, 3 ounces. Seems a little light to me, but he is just a kitten. Our other cat is 3 years old and weighs in at a hefty 17 pounds.

Clint