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- Apr 21, 2014
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Hello:
This is my first post. I had a family of three ferals appear in December in my back yard. Mama is 2 years and kittens are now 6 months old. I had them trapped by a rescue group after feeding them for a month. The Humane Society did not treat for worms, but they were all spayed.
I took them inside after the rescue group recovery. They are all in a large bedroom with a couch, condos, toys, shelving units to climb on, and everything they need.
My problem is that Mama has tapeworms bad. The kittens probably do but don't show it. My visiting vet gave me liquid dewormer for roundworms (we saw both types in some vomit) that they all took in food. But they will NOT touch any tapeworm pills in food no matter how I try it. I tried multiple times in different foods and ways.
The vet said I could put Profender on once they are tamed and it was not life-threatening to have tapeworms. But I think it's making Mama have bladder issues and a bit of trouble peeing in the litter box. Her belly is quite big and her appetite is huge. The kittens don't eat as much so I have to make sure they have adequate food but Mama ends up eating all theirs.
I have had them in there since the end of January. I have a night-vision camera to see them at night. There is a french type of glass door to their room so I can also keep an eye on them during the day.
They used to hide behind a computer desk drawer. Then they hid under the futon. Now they still hide under the futon but come out readily when I'm in the room. One kitten is bold and curious and the other is very shy. Mama is tolerant of me.
I play twice a day for an hour with them. It's progressed to where they come out to play, and I can stroke the backs of two of them while eating. But I can't do that enough to put any medication on their necks, where you have to part fur to put Profender on.
I was told to catch and trap Mama again to take her to the vet but I don't want to stress out three cats at once! Can I wait a while longer for them to be tamer? I really want to be able to put Profender on Mama's neck and if I had the courage, I could scruff her when petting. But I'm afraid to do that and can't do it.
My question is what to do about it, if I can just wait a while longer because she's had these worms for some time? She is eating and drinking water and using the litter box, but not as much as she used to. She does smaller pees. They will use the box when I'm in there and I always look to see what she did.
I was considering putting a crate in there and seeing if she would go in it, then catching her for a vet visit. But is that the wisest thing to do? I want to help them but not destroy all the trust I've gained with them. And it might not work, anyway.
I took the computer desk out and will take out the futon next weekend, just in case I have to do anything emergency-wise. They still can hide in the condos and would run around the room if I tried to catch anybody, so I don't want to do that.
Any advice or suggestions for me? They are very cute and we have stairs next to their room. They come to the door to see who's coming downstairs but run off and hide from everyone but me now.
Thank you!
This is my first post. I had a family of three ferals appear in December in my back yard. Mama is 2 years and kittens are now 6 months old. I had them trapped by a rescue group after feeding them for a month. The Humane Society did not treat for worms, but they were all spayed.
I took them inside after the rescue group recovery. They are all in a large bedroom with a couch, condos, toys, shelving units to climb on, and everything they need.
My problem is that Mama has tapeworms bad. The kittens probably do but don't show it. My visiting vet gave me liquid dewormer for roundworms (we saw both types in some vomit) that they all took in food. But they will NOT touch any tapeworm pills in food no matter how I try it. I tried multiple times in different foods and ways.
The vet said I could put Profender on once they are tamed and it was not life-threatening to have tapeworms. But I think it's making Mama have bladder issues and a bit of trouble peeing in the litter box. Her belly is quite big and her appetite is huge. The kittens don't eat as much so I have to make sure they have adequate food but Mama ends up eating all theirs.
I have had them in there since the end of January. I have a night-vision camera to see them at night. There is a french type of glass door to their room so I can also keep an eye on them during the day.
They used to hide behind a computer desk drawer. Then they hid under the futon. Now they still hide under the futon but come out readily when I'm in the room. One kitten is bold and curious and the other is very shy. Mama is tolerant of me.
I play twice a day for an hour with them. It's progressed to where they come out to play, and I can stroke the backs of two of them while eating. But I can't do that enough to put any medication on their necks, where you have to part fur to put Profender on.
I was told to catch and trap Mama again to take her to the vet but I don't want to stress out three cats at once! Can I wait a while longer for them to be tamer? I really want to be able to put Profender on Mama's neck and if I had the courage, I could scruff her when petting. But I'm afraid to do that and can't do it.
My question is what to do about it, if I can just wait a while longer because she's had these worms for some time? She is eating and drinking water and using the litter box, but not as much as she used to. She does smaller pees. They will use the box when I'm in there and I always look to see what she did.
I was considering putting a crate in there and seeing if she would go in it, then catching her for a vet visit. But is that the wisest thing to do? I want to help them but not destroy all the trust I've gained with them. And it might not work, anyway.
I took the computer desk out and will take out the futon next weekend, just in case I have to do anything emergency-wise. They still can hide in the condos and would run around the room if I tried to catch anybody, so I don't want to do that.
Any advice or suggestions for me? They are very cute and we have stairs next to their room. They come to the door to see who's coming downstairs but run off and hide from everyone but me now.
Thank you!