medical attention needed... ???

this post actually refers to "my" tom cat again....

I noticed maybe a week ago he had what looked like a wet spot on the top of his head - pretty small. to me it just looked like he had a water drip that was still wet. I didnt really pay attention to it - but yesterday and today it is MUCH BIGGER and getting worse. actually within the 2 days it got bigger.

Unless he lays under a tree that drips sticky reside on his head - the only other thing i can think of is it being a medical matter. (and I dont know that its sticky - i cant tell) and its just on his head (that i can see anyway)

I did my best to look at it closely this morning - of course I couldnt touch it. i just could not tell if it was his skin or something matting down his fur - but now that its bigger...

He seems fine - eating ok. I have been giving them diatomaceous earth everyday in their food - which is supposed to kill parasites and help hair growth

Any ideas? Should I call animal control??? Our officer is wonderful and loves the ferals - he would definitely care to do something - i just dont know if its a matter of getting him involved.

THANKS AGAIN

He may have some wound there, and fluids and some pus floating out... Could be.

Yes, I think if it is possible, good if he got help. Better sooner than later.

So I think.


Good luck!



ps. I understand you cant handle him yourself? Otherwise you could try to wash him off with salt water, and see for yourself...
A decently experienced vet knows how to handle even ferales.

He will smell the small food dish while its in my hand - but Im too freaked to think about trying to touch him.

Maybe if I use a wooden tool of some sort to try to investigate the area.... then if he bites - its not my hand.

I do know the animal control officer will never be able to get as close as I can - he stays clear of my neighbor who a lot of the cats follow around.

What if I take a picture and post it here???

I looked up ringworm which i thought was a possibility since it is round. But it doesnt look like a dry patch of skin - more wet.... and like I said I cant tell if its matted fur or not.

I would bet on an abscess, a common problem on tomcats. Often they heal up on their own, but they can progress to fatal consequences.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

I would bet on an abscess, a common problem on tomcats. Often they heal up on their own, but they can progress to fatal consequences.

Click to expand...

yes, some form of abcess is a good bet, me thinks too.

IF you cant do anything, leave it be and hope for the best. Successfull semiferales are made of tough weed, and thus manages / heals where a not succesfull dumped cat or average home cat wouldnt make it. This is one reason why these individuals had survived so far - they do heal much better than most.

But IF you do have possibility to take him to a vet, or a seasoned rescuer and caretaker - it is splendid.

after reading the fatal part - i contacted a woman from the organization who neutered these cats. she had an "asap" reaction to this situation.

im going to call animal control tomorrow and see about a trap - see what I can do about catching him and taking him into the clinic this thursday.

now im stressing....

will he just die or will there be signs first??

You're doing what you can as quickly as you can at this point. All you can do is get the trap and do your best to trap him. Given that this is recent, you've probably caught it in time. Do your best to focus on the positives here.

When you get the trap, clean it with a light bleach solution (get the smell of other cats and fear off of it). If you have Feliway - spray it with Feliway (to help make it smell friendly). And given that you're trapping in the woods, maybe buy some potting soil, cover the bottom of the trap with that (it'll lift right up through it) and then he doesn't have to walk on the wires. Maybe cover it with some leaves and sticks.

for Tom cat, and and hugs for you.

i just now feel guilty - as i said its been there for at least a week - its now an issue since its bigger...

This is the problem with feral cats. They really don't live very long, comparatively speaking.

But it's not your fault. He's doing what cats do, and while cats rarely fight to the death, the injuries they inflict on each other can easily result in death.

I would doubt anything will happen suddenly to him. The odds are good that even if the infection (if that's what it is) continues to spread, he'll just feel worse and worse (and may even let you pick him up if it gets really serious.

Mike's right. Even when some feral cats are ill, they turn to a caregiver (someone who feeds them) for help and become quite docile. If you still need to trap him, then he's probably not as bad as you're worried about right now.

Sweetie, we all learn starting some place. Do not blame yourself!

Continued vibes!

do you think thats why he follows me??

Hes done it about twice since my initial post - hasnt "chased" me since though.

He still seems fine - im just so worried now. I seriously lost sleep last night.

I called the animal control officer this morning - waiting for a call back now.

I don't know - does he let you approach him? I know you're kinda scared of him because of the chasing incident... but I really don't think that was aggressive. I think he likes you because you feed him.

But if you squat down and talk to him - does he come over? Given you're scared of him, if you don't want to try it don't.

...But if you do try it, just make sure to look at his forehead or over his head - or next to him. He won't attack you for just looking into his eyes or anything, but it does discourage contact/socialization as cats (except sometimes our pets who know us well) see looking at them directly in the eyes as a sign of aggression.

I agree with other members who have mentioned that most ferals, especially full grown adults, are usually pretty sturdy. In my small colony, I've had two (neutered) male cats develop abscesses a few times. They have always resolved on their own. However, my feral boys were well-fed, healthy to begin with, and had excellent shelter. These things contribute to healing because they minimize the stress a feral cat usually feels.

The problem, of course, is that you can't tell which cats will heal on their own. Abscesses look worse before they begin to heal because they normally enlarge and then start to drain. If you have a vet who is sympathetic to you caring for this cat, he may give you antibiotics for him, which you can put in the cat's food. This is a long-shot though, since most vets are reluctant to prescribe meds for cats they haven't actually seen. I have had vets prescribe common antibiotics such as clavamox do so using the name of one of my cats that they have seen. These vets understand how difficult it may be to trap a feral cat, and how much time may be lost while an infection sets in and is left untreated.

From what you've written, your cat seems fine aside from the possible abscess/wound on his head. A good sign is that he's got an appetite and is eating well. I don't think you need to worry about him dying. But you will no doubt feel better if you can get him looked at by a vet. Try not to be nervous around this kitty - he will sense it and it can make it more difficult to trap him.

It's also great that he's following you - it shows he trusts you and associates you with good things (food, companionship). Given some time, I would not be surprised if he starts to rub against you, claiming you as his own.

Thanks for taking care of this lucky little guy. Best of luck with trapping. Please continue to let us know how he's doing.

I got the trap.

The area is now bald. Before it appeared wet - today i could definitely tell I am looking at his scalp. The same size though - not any bigger.

Is this still a possible abcess?

thanks...

Yes, it is still possibly an abscess. It may have popped and drained on its own, which can be a good thing. A vet should still look at it, though, because he may need antibiotics.
I had a cat that was prone to abscesses, and he was very good at hiding them. He knew he would have to go to the vet even if it started healing on its own. He was a spoiled lap cat, but he looked like a beat up old feral.

I agree with krazy kat2 that it might be an abscess in the healing stage now.
Even if it's healing, without having been cleaned out, it may still harbor bacteria. If possible, try to get antibiotics, or get him to the vet.

BTW, if you're able to bring him to a vet, might as well have him get a good all-over exam. Feral kitties are notoriously difficult to re-trap, so whenever they're at the vet, it's best to do as thorough an exam as possible to rule out any other health problems. On older feral cats, I've had bloodwork done, as well as the exam.

Good luck. Keep us posted!

I got him antibiotics - but i havent seen him for 2 meals now. VERY unlike him. This was a cat that any time of day would be in the same backyard and be the 1st in line to eat.

Im just going to say that I really think hes gone.

I thought last night that I would wait till the morning before freaking out. I woke up a few times just hoping so bad i would see him. When I went out and saw his (one and only) friend waiting by himself to eat. I broke down.

This is sooo hard. I dont know how you guys have the strength to deal with this. I do have anxiety/depression which doesnt help me at all. But still this is just horrible and so upsetting.

I know I did what I could - but i keep seeing that freaking trap fall on him and him getting out - I was soooo close to getting him to the vet and now hes probably dead. The suffering part of it is what I cant deal with.

I won't tell you don't worry - I've been in your situation and it's impossible not to worry. But please don't beat yourself up over not being able to trap him. I don't know anyone who takes care of feral cats, myself included, who hasn't experienced the kind of situation you're in now. I've had cats who were impossible to trap, finally walk all the way in, and the trap doesn't work. Getting as close as you did to trapping him is so disappointing, I know.

It's unnerving when cats who usually show up like clockwork suddenly don't.
But again, that's something that will happen to anyone who cares for feral cats. There are several possibilities for this. A cat may have caught a mouse, chipmunk, etc., and eaten it. The cat may simply not be hungry because he's already got a full stomach. If there's been an especially noisy or unusual activity in the location where the cat is normally fed, for example, landscapers with leaf blowers, the cat may have been frightened and was afraid to go near the usual feeding place. Cats who aren't feeling well will sometimes go off their feeding schedule, preferring to stay out of sight and rest. I've had cats who abruptly stopped coming for meals because they'd found another food source; usually someone in the neighborhood who is also feeding cats.

Just wondering: had you started the antibiotics yet? Are you feeding one or two meals per day?

I've been taking care of feral cats for about 20 years. But to this day, even with the experience of all the situations that have occured during those years, if one of my feral babies doesn't show up in the usual place and time, I still worry. This is the downside of caring for these special kitties.

Hang in there. Sending good thoughts your way that you'll soon see your cat.

KTLynn said it all. I know you already know it's the downside to caring for these cats - but knowing and feeling are two COMPLETELY different things.

We always think the worst when a "regular" doesn't show up. But sometimes they surprise you. That's the downside - sometimes you just never know.

for you, for strength.

Thanks...

I really needed some support. I dont have anyone else to go to. My friends, family and bf know I do this - but dont understand that I am emotionally attached or how important the welfare of these cats is to me.

I know that you guys do....

He was on the antibiotics for about 3 full days. Ive been feeding them twice a day for maybe a month now. He was eating out of a container I would hold for him. It was the cutest thing - every few minutes he would look up at me. Ive lost (literally - dont know what happened to them) a few of these cats in the last year - but when you have that special bond - its a bit harder to deal with...
I already lost one that would let me pet him. The closer I get the sooner I lose them it seems.

I know you guys know what im referring too and I think its wonderful youve been doing this and for so long. I just wish stupid people knew how important neutering/spaying is. And how others end up suffering because of their selfishness as well as the cats.

I know theres the very slim chance he could come back - i just cant hold onto that hope - if he had done this before this wouldnt be an issue... not yet anyway

thanks so much- again