A new cat with a giant head

01boxer

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My wife and I adopted 4 ferals last August now at almost a year old and all of us in a new house they really have turned into full time happy house cats. Each one with their own personalities......anyways......only two weeks in the new home and I hear this sound from one of my cats like i have never heard before, he was sitting in the window and a big tom cat had found his way to our porch. HOW DO THEY KNOW that I will feed and take care of them???

The new TOM clearly was someones pet at some point because of how friendly he is. He is missing a front big canine tooth, his back looks crooked, his eyes are full of gunk and he sneezes a lot!!!

Our new neighbor is a vet tech and after looking him over she says he is in good shape, the mouth is not infected because of the missing tooth and although his eyes looks nasty she doesn't think he has an infection as he is not running a fever.

The new cat has a GIANT head, and is clearly intact the vet tech says that his head is so big because he is a Tom and probably and older cat. He just looks funny because his body is skinny and he has such a huge head.

With already four inside cats who probably won't take kindly to the new cat we plan to keep this cat feed and sheltered outside. We live in the south where it is already 80 degrees during the day and 60 at night. I did make a nice box of old clothes for him to lay in (which he does sometimes) He is also out of the rain on our porch

anyways now that I have the background out of the way here are my questions......

1. My neighbor says other people in the neighborhood hate cats and animal control is always being called and cats are sometimes being trapped. Since I have rabies tags for other indoor only cats would it hurt to put a collar around this new fellow and one of the unused tags to ensure he doesn't get nabbed and then put down?

2. How long do I wait before taking the cat in to be neutured? I am not 100% positive that he is not just lost and would hate to go beyond just feeding someone else's cat.

3. Is the vet tech right and possibly his big head is just because he is a TOM?

4. How do we ensure he sticks around? He seems to disappear at night and I have seen him on other neighbors porches throughout the day.

any questions or advice is most welcome. We never set out to have 4 cats........so whats one more?
 

kscatlady

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lol! They just know! I don't know how, but they do...

I would take him to get neutered right away. Maybe I'm a little harsh in saying if the owner doesn't already have him neutered and doesn't even have a collar on him, then they can't say much. You can't really stop them from wandering away...some cats come have a few meals and go, and some stick around. I don't know what to say about animal control, they don't come here anymore. And I've never tried putting a collar on a feral, but maybe that would stop animal control from taking him if you get him neutered.
 

addiebee

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Rather than a collar -which can get caught if they climb or pass under something and they can get hung up ... not good ... see if they will microchip him and tip his ear - something like that. Maybe contact a local TNR group for help. I think there is a list around here on the forums somewhere...

Anyone know where it is? Alley Cat Allies comes to mind immediately.

And yes, an older, unneutered tom would have a big round head and "cheeks". It's the hormones.
 

momofmany

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I came across a cat like that about 15 years ago. When I took him to the vet, they estimated that he was about 10 years old. He had a huge head, skinny body and was intact. He also had a cold, and scars all over his body from all the fights he had been in most of his life.

I had him snipped and he turned into one of the best cats that I've ever come across. He never once fought with any of my other cats, and I think he was forever grateful that I put his days of wandering and roaming to an end. At the time I lived in the country and he did go in and out. After he was neutered, he lost his urge to roam. Besides, why wander when he was given regular meals?

I honestly didn't look for his owner. He was in such bad shape when I found him that I knew whatever I did with him, he would have a more stable life with me. It was the right choice.
 

ondine

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I'm with kscatlady and momofmany - get him fixed! And get him a rabies and distemper shots of his very own. Then you won't have to fib to anybody - never a good idea. If animal control is around alot, they're probably going to catch him at some point. Better to prove he's had his own shots.

You might also want to have him combo tested - for FIV and FEVL - just in case. He's been out on his own for awhile and he might have contracted something. He also needs antibiotics (there's a one-time shot now that's about $25) - a miracle when you're dealing with ferals!!!!!

The mircrochipping isn't a bad idea either. Either way - his "owners" don't seem very responsible, so its up to you to help him.

God bless you!
 

catnurse22

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As another vet tech's opinion, some Tom's do have larger heads. If a male cat is neutered after he has gone through puberty (after 7-8 months or so), they can develop certain characteristics, including a fuller face and larger head. As far as tagging him, it couldn't hurt. But, if you do decide to get him neutered (which should be done ASAP!), if you're willing to spend a little extra, getting him microchipped would be a better idea. Most all shelters have scanners and a chipped cat is far less likely to be put down than a non chipped cat in my experience. As far as him being somebody else's cat, wait a while and if he still sticks around, then go ahead and neuter. After all, a Tom cat is everybody's problem when you get a million babies around your property! And if he has other problems like the dental issues and the eye boggers, they must not care too terribly much about his health and wellness. Anyway, that's my humble opinion. And good for you for being concerned about this baby!
 
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01boxer

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Well I spoke it over with my wife and I think we came up with a plan. Our town requires that all cats and dogs allowed outside even for a moment to wear a redheart collartag that shows they are up on their shots, even if a cat is microchipped it needs this tag and collar.

Last night I bought a "safety" collar which breaks away if he gets caught in a tree branch or somewhere. Big Head as we lovingly named him didn't even care when I put the collar on, I think he was used to it at one time. I put a red tag on from one of our other cats who I could never get to wear a collar and who never go outside. This should fool anyone for this week only and next week we will take him to the vet. I don't get paid till the 15th and he isn't consistant with coming around.

Last night he slept in the box bed I made for him and when I woke up he was waiting for me to feed him, but today he left and hopefully he will return tonight.

I am going to take him to the vet first, an exam will only cost 40 bucks and hopefully he isn't too sick and maybe only has a slight respritory infection, or allergies. we know he doesn't have a fever.

Our local place SPCA does neutuering for 50 bucks, but then they also charge you for shots, and I am sure he has worms, I am think his trip to get snipped will be over a $100 like each of our other boys, and although I know how important it is to get him fixed, I am worried about his health more right now, and the SPCA never tells me when a cat is sick, they even missed one of my cats having a small fracture in his leg.

So thats the plan for now, We alrady have 4 inside cats and we promised our landlord that we wouldn't have anymore pets inside. We do have a porch and a garage, so I hope we can make him comfortable in one of those places.

What does everyone think?
 

catnurse22

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I think you've worked out a good plan! And I love the all cats and dogs must have tag w/vacc info. Wish more places were like that! I would say you might want to compare shot/deworm prices b/t your vet and SPCA, but surely they're cheaper through SPCA. I think even if he stays outside, if you keep feeding him and giving him attention (not to mention comfy beds!), your guy will stick around your property, especially once he's been snipped. And with a collar, hopefully no worries about him getting picked up. Just make sure he doesn't lose his collar. I've seen outdoor kitties go through dozens of the break away collars, :p.
 

mrblanche

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I have paid to have two such toms neutered at our shelter. Huge head, which is due to fighting and blows to the head. Both were extremely gentle cats. Mako was nothing much to look at, but a lover of the first water. All he wanted was to be safe in a small box (he didn't like it at all when we put him in a larger cage) and to be loved on in your lap. Goliath was much the same way. He had an abcess on top of his head, next to his ear, when he came in, and the shelter staff thought he might not survive, but he did, and then won someone's heart and was adopted (as was Mako).
 

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I wouldn't try to mess around with this cat much. It doesn't seem nessecary to neuter a feral cat, especially if he's older. I would just feed him and put out a shelter, that should be sufficient. Also, It could possibly be dangerous for him to be neutered, in terms that he may get bullied by the other feral tomcats or the surgery site could get infected. Wouldn't risk it. I think he's got such a big head because he's a tomcat. A feral tom me and my sisters took care of looked to be a senior, and had a HUGE head. He was so sweet though! All toms I've ever met/cared for have big, masculine heads and jowls. Its a tomcat thing.
The best thing to do with strays is either leave them alone and provide them with food, or try to locate their old home. I wouldn't put a collar on him unless it was breakaway. Picts might be nice. (hint!)
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

I wouldn't try to mess around with this cat much. It doesn't seem nessecary to neuter a feral cat, especially if he's older. I would just feed him and put out a shelter, that should be sufficient. Also, It could possibly be dangerous for him to be neutered, in terms that he may get bullied by the other feral tomcats or the surgery site could get infected. Wouldn't risk it. I think he's got such a big head because he's a tomcat. A feral tom me and my sisters took care of looked to be a senior, and had a HUGE head. He was so sweet though! All toms I've ever met/cared for have big, masculine heads and jowls. Its a tomcat thing.
The best thing to do with strays is either leave them alone and provide them with food, or try to locate their old home. I wouldn't put a collar on him unless it was breakaway. Picts might be nice. (hint!)
I think most of us here would disagree with you. One unneutered male can impregnate a lot of females and there are too many unwanted kittens out there already. TNR is a wonderful thing and I applaud all the folks on this site that participate in keeping the cat over-population down as much as they can.
 

ldg

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Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

I wouldn't try to mess around with this cat much. It doesn't seem nessecary to neuter a feral cat, especially if he's older. I would just feed him and put out a shelter, that should be sufficient.
This is terribly irresponsible. If someone does not plan to sterilize feral animals, they should not be fed.

Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

Also, It could possibly be dangerous for him to be neutered, in terms that he may get bullied by the other feral tomcats or the surgery site could get infected.
There is very little risk of a neuter infection, and having him neutered will reduce his will to fight, which actually reduces his risk of infection from being wounded in a fight which is a FAR greater risk than any risk of infection as the result of a neuter. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

... The best thing to do with strays is either leave them alone and provide them with food, or try to locate their old home. I wouldn't put a collar on him unless it was breakaway. Picts might be nice. (hint!)
TCS is a site that supports cat welfare - this is for ALL cats. TCS supports spaying and neutering for so many reasons, and it is officially in the forum rules.

The best thing to do with strays and ferals is to have them sterilized, and the sooner the better - especially now that Spring is upon us.


01Boxer, you are doing the right thing!!!!!!!!!! I would recommend having a large stockpile of those breakaway collars - unless it turns out your friendly boy simply takes up residence around your home.


We were going to stop at 2. We now have 7.


Laurie
 

sarahp

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It's always beneficial to have cats spayed and neutered, feral or not, and I think it's great you're doing it. Neutering has so many health benefits for a cat, and is such a simple low-risk surgery.

Good on you for looking after this kitty!
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by Cat-tastrophe

It doesn't seem nessecary to neuter a feral cat, especially if he's older. I would just feed him and put out a shelter, that should be sufficient.

Also, It could possibly be dangerous for him to be neutered, in terms that he may get bullied by the other feral tomcats or the surgery site could get infected.

The best thing to do with strays is either leave them alone and provide them with food, or try to locate their old home.
I really have to encourage you to read about the value of TNR programs. What you are suggesting by these words is counter to all of the studies that have been done on the topic for the last 30 years.

It is absolutely important to neuter a feral cat. While they continue to mate, they expose themselves to deadly diseases like FeLV when they fight for a female. Feeding them is not enough.

TNR programs speuter thousands of feral cats a year. The odds that they die from an infection from the surgery is miniscule compared to the odds that they die from issues related to mating.

When all cats in a colony are fixed, territorial issues go away.

A feral cat chooses where they live and any attempt to relocate them needs to follow a specific protocal, even if that location is one where they lived previously. And with a feral cat, how would you ever know where their old home is? Just dump that at another site with feral cats and hope for the best? It doesn't work that way.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

I think most of us here would disagree with you.
if nothing else, he'll spray your house/doors w/his potent urine [the ferals around here certainly do - i smell it whenever it rains
].
my Chip's head is fairly large [at least, compared to the girls!] & he still appears to have his 'package'. i'm fairly certain he was neutered as an adult [probably by the humane society where i adopted him].
btw, TCS forum rules state:
Please make sure to spay and neuter your cat. Unless you are a professional breeder and your cat is part of a professional breeding program, please educate yourself to the importance of spaying and neutering by the time your cat is 4-6 months old. By spaying and neutering you enhance your cat's quality of life and improve his or her health. You are also proving your love for cats because in acting as a responsible pet owner you are minimizing the problem of cat overpopulation.
 
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01boxer

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Well the first few days he was here he acted like he was sick, his eyes were kind of crusty and he was walking strange.

Big Head (now his name)stayed here for a few days ate and slept in a bed I made him and then one morning when I was going to get him for the vet I couldn't find him, he was gone for a few days, he is back now.

This cat is not a feral by any means, he is so friendly and love starved I found out that he has been all over the neighborhood sneaking food where ever he could. I have a feeling that with the economy being so bad here especially in South Carolina where I am, that either someone abandonded him or moved without him.

He has the collar on now, bought 4 breakaway safety collars, with a valid rabies tag (just not his tag) and a tag with my phone number and address. I am trying to coax him into using our garage as his home but he perfers to lay on our porch in a carboard box piled with sweaters, I also made a cover for it, plus the porch is covered so he is dry, and out of the wind. Its also very warm here.

I am planning on getting him neutured, but first will take care of all his shots. His appointment is for Monday the 23rd, I have read that there is a spay/neutuer clinic coming up where I can get him neutured for 21 dollars, but thats in April. I just can't afford to get it sooner, the cheapest place around me cahrges over a hundred dollars and that is the SPCA! they get you with all the little extras!

As stated before my wife and I successfully socialized 4 feral cats, we found them as 6 month olds (can't call them kittens) and it took a lot of work and pain, but 8 months later they are big lap cats. my wife won't let me bring another one inside.....at least not yet I am working on her.

I am a big fan of the TNR movement, I get really upset about all the lonely and abandoned cats out there....I just have problems with the release part. I also agree that responsible cat (or any animal owners) must get them shots, netuered/spayed, and provide them with good food and lots of love.

Thanks for the advice. If anyone can tell me how to put up pics or how to get one of those great banners everyone seems to have with the pet pics and names it would be greatly appreciated!
 

ldg

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Cool signatures are easy! There are wonderful people here who donate their time for free - you just post a request in the thread and include pics they can use. If you have any ideas of what you want it to look like, let them know.
Here's the thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=179027

Posting pics is pretty easy too. http://www.photobucket.com is a free online service. Make sure your pictures aren't too large (resize them to like 800 x 600), upload them to Photobucket, and they have the "tags" already set up there - you copy the code that has the
tags around it, and the picture shows up here when you paste that code line in here.


And don't worry. I'm sure Big Head will work his way into your wife's heart. We were going to stop at two. We have seven - all feral rescues too.


Laurie
 

kscatlady

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Originally Posted by 01Boxer

As stated before my wife and I successfully socialized 4 feral cats, we found them as 6 month olds (can't call them kittens) and it took a lot of work and pain, but 8 months later they are big lap cats. my wife won't let me bring another one inside.....at least not yet I am working on her.
Maybe, you could take him inside as a foster, talk to the local humane society or a rescue about getting his picture on petfinder. Maybe your wife would be more agreeable if she knew if was temporary.

And thanks for caring about the guy! There should be more people like you in the world!
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by LDG

Posting pics is pretty easy too. http://www.photobucket.com is a free online service. Make sure your pictures aren't too large (resize them to like 800 x 600), upload them to Photobucket, and they have the "tags" already set up there - you copy the code that has the
tags around it, and the picture shows up here when you paste that code line in here.
Photobucket now has a feature that you can automatically resize them when you upload them there. So you don't even have to shrink them down on your own before you upload.

You are doing a wonderful thing for Big Head. And I do like the name! I named a feral female cat "Head" one time because she had a very large head.
 
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