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Capturing a hurt feral cat

post #1 of 9
7/1/11 at 4:12pm
Thread Starter 
Help! I feed a few feral cats and one very sweet cat that I had spayed a year ago showed up today after being out of sight for days with either a broken or mangled back left leg. She won't voluntarily go in a baited Hav-a-Heart trap, but she's letting me bring her food and water in a storm drain tunnel. I want to get her to a vet. Is there any safe over the counter medicine I could put in her food so that I could get close enough to her to get her into a crate? If so, what would be the dosage? She probably weighs no more than 6 lbs. Thank you all for any help you can offer.
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post #2 of 9
7/1/11 at 4:39pm
Unfortunately the only safe medicine that would make a kitty drowsy that I know of is benadryl - but they won't voluntarily eat it because it's so bitter, and it makes them foam at the mouth.

We had a hurt TNR'd feral. I'm pretty sure now it was a fractured leg or a bad sprain. It wasn't mangled. It broke our hearts, but we could NOT trap her. We even tried with a drop trap. She's walking on the leg now - but with a limp.

Will she come out of the storm drain tunnel? Or is it one of those large ones where you can move around in there - can you use a drop trap in there? Will she eat in your presence? There are some pretty easy-to-make drop traps discussed in the Caring for Strays and Ferals forum - would you like me to look for some links?

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post #3 of 9
7/1/11 at 4:40pm
What about calling your vet to talk to them about something you could use - that they could prescribe?
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post #4 of 9
7/1/11 at 5:45pm
Welcome to TCS. This is one of the terrible downsides of being a feral caretaker. Here is what I would do, since this cat is in serious pain and needs help. I would bring out a large dog kennel and put KFC chicken or sardine/Tuna in the back of that crate. Tie a rope to the open door and run the rope through the side of the slats in the crate. The rope should be about fifteen feet. This is a waiting game. It will help if she already knows you and will eat in your prescence. When she goes in the crate to eat. Pull, and pull hard to reel in that crate until you can latch it locked. of course, this is not ideal with her serious injury, but she needs medical attention. This may take a day, but hunger will take over and she will go on.

A drop trap would be easier than this, as LDG suggests,, those links will help you too. Sending this cat serious vibes tonight. And pray you can get her trapped . Sometimes they can heal on their own. But you are saying mangled leg, and that could kill her as infection takes over. Just mega and a big for what you do.
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post #5 of 9
7/1/11 at 6:15pm
Here are two links on making drop traps:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=207240
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=204306

Many vibes to your kitty (and you)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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post #6 of 9
7/2/11 at 3:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDG View Post
Unfortunately the only safe medicine that would make a kitty drowsy that I know of is benadryl - but they won't voluntarily eat it because it's so bitter, and it makes them foam at the mouth.

We had a hurt TNR'd feral. I'm pretty sure now it was a fractured leg or a bad sprain. It wasn't mangled. It broke our hearts, but we could NOT trap her. We even tried with a drop trap. She's walking on the leg now - but with a limp.

Will she come out of the storm drain tunnel? Or is it one of those large ones where you can move around in there - can you use a drop trap in there? Will she eat in your presence? There are some pretty easy-to-make drop traps discussed in the Caring for Strays and Ferals forum - would you like me to look for some links?
Trying to figure out how to type in the reply! Because of what you said about benadryl I didn't buy it if you think she won't eat it. Now I can't find her. I went over to the tunnel this morning with food & left it down but didn't see her and have been back several times and have walked around and called for her but haven't found her. The food is being eaten, but it could be by the other ferals. The tunnel isn't big enough for a drop trap. Right now about all I can do is keep putting food down and praying she'll eat it, but I'm definitely worried. Hope you get this reply!
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post #7 of 9
7/3/11 at 10:15am
You did it just fine, but it's OK if you don't use the "quote" button. The little icon all the way to the right at the bottom "activates" this box underneath the discussion and you can just write in there.

she returns. You can always see if there's a way to make Feralvr's suggestion work - or call the vet to see if there's a mild sedative she might eat in her food they could prescribe. Of course - that could only be used if you're sure SHE eats it. That's why we couldn't go that route with our hurt feral. She won't eat near us, and with our larger colony (6 around at feeding time, 10 total), there's no way for us to know who will eat out of which bowl.
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post #8 of 9
7/3/11 at 11:03am
Hi Pat!! You don't have to click on quote unless you want to copy that person's post in any of your replies. Otherwise, just click on Post Reply at the top of the thread or under the last person's post.

OH no, I am sorry the kitty has disappeared. Just makes me very sad too for this little cat. You are doing the best you can at the moment. Keep putting food out or at this point, bait the trap and just leave it by the drain tunnel. I dont' know how far your home is from this drain, but you would have to go and check that trap every hour. That is the downside because if she does go in, you want to get to her immediately due to her injuries. I wish I had something better to suggest but am sending this cat many, many vibes today.
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post #9 of 9
7/4/11 at 6:48pm
I do hope she comes back It's like they can sense that you're trying to take them away and they make it as hard as possible! Sending vibes your way in hopes she comes back!!
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