Morris is wounded

We have cared for a "free range" orange tabby, who we call Morris, for about three years. He has calmed over time but we could not risk exposing our indoor cats to him. And he has a chronic eye infection that we think would make him unadoptable. He just diasppeared for two weeks. I set today as the day that I would give up on him and put away the house and feedbing station we have for him outside.

Morris showed up all of a sudden, though hobbling from a nasty open wound on his rear leg. The leg is a little swollen also. I was able to pour some Peroxide on the wound. Any other suggestions for how I might help Morris heal? I am thinking of caging him (we have a good size cage for various cat emergencies) but am concerned that might stress him more. At the same time I know he goes off at night because racoons come into our back yard. His normal routine has been to hang out at our house all day, and then leave once the sun goes down. I don't want him wandering off, since he is vulnerable. But I wonder about how to keep him safe.

So any advice as far a treatment and protection will be greatly appreciated.

If you have any plans of taking him in, NOW is a good time. When he is wounded, and he knows it. This will also make the fostering easier.

Him hurted, he will not be so quick to try and break out.

A vet check up and treatment is best, if possible.  Although successful semiferals are tough, hopefully he will make it out, esp as he doesnt need to hunt for food.

Why do you think he will be a danger to your (or others) residents? 

Is is neutered?

Good luck!

Thank you. I am working on figuring how to bring him into our garage until he recovers.

Morris has limited eyesight and is quick to lash out with claws if you approach from the wrong direction- which changes. And I imagine he carries a fair amount of disease which could be a danger to our life-long indoor cats. Actually, shouldn't say life-long. Fuzzy was semi-feral but was so calm and loving, we easily brought him into a holding cage while we tried to determine if he had just gotten separated from his owners. On the vet's recommendation, we then kept him quaranteed from our indoor cat while both underwent some medical preparations to live together.

One of our feral guys was wounded during the summer.  There was a big chunk bitten out of the area where his tail meets his body.  We didn't take him to the vet, but we asked what we could do to help it heal.  The vet recommended Neosporin to keep it from getting infected.  I didn't have much luck getting the gel type on him (from a tube), but they sell a spray Neosporin that did the trick.  Hope that helps!  Good luck to you!

Is Morris neutered? That would curb his desire to roam, fight and breed. I think now would be the best time to take him in. Since you are able to apply medicine on the wound then he sounds quite friendly with you. He would need to go directly to the vet for a check up, shots and be tested for the diseases that you are concerned about. FeLK/FIV. and be neutered, if he is not already. At the very least, I would get him treated at the vet and then confine him for a couple of weeks so he can heal, then release. OR take him in permanently. Good luck!

My thanks to everyone for their advice. Our vet provided me Clavamox tablets which I am grinding up and putting in a small amount of wet food. I also am using a cat wound antibiotic spray. This probably will be a good time to have Morris neutered and get him his shots at the local feral cat clinic. I wish I could consider taking Morris in, but we have two cats already, and I am lucky that my wife enjoys them. A third would be too much. Unfortunately, I don't see Morris being easily adopted were I to take him to a shelter as he is rather beat up from other fights and has a chronic eye condition. So we provide for him as best we can, including having a little dog house out on our back deck where he stays during the day. Where he goes at night is a mystery, but we assumed he had found someplace safe where the racoons and possums that roam our neighborhood can't get him.

Once he's neutered and vaccinated, he should be quite happy and healthy outside. Neutering will greatly reduce his inclinations to wander and fight, so he'll stay closer to home (less chance of getting run over) and not get chewed up by the other toms.

i totally agree with Willowy, he will be so much happier and healthier once he is altered. although i don't normally advocate this, it may be a good idea to have him tested for FIV, the "chronic eye condition" may just be a red flag. if he were to test positive you would at least be able to keep an extra close eye on him for any potential secondary issues and catch them before they progress.


one caveat - do not test unless you know what the vets stance is on returning a FIV+ cat.