Mange epidemic in colony of 3 ...?

Until I started researching this matter, I did not realize I was caretaker of a colony outside my workplace - I was just asked to feed the cats outside when our old boss left the company.  I have two cats of my own at home and have compassion towards the ferals, but cannot take on any more debt, especially vet debt.

SO there are 3 cats outside that seemed to have been out there for many years.  The oldest Calico was a queen that a lady from the company next door used to take care of, even tho' she was retired.  She stopped coming around about 9 mos. ago, so sometimes the Calico eats when our big black cat Biggie lets her, along with the latest white kitten Baby Boy.

About 4-6 weeks ago the Calico started looking straggly, but she is very shy and I didn't notice how bad it was until a couple weeks back, which is when Biggie and Baby Boy started to show signs of mange too: 

is Biggie.

Last week my coworker finally brought in his sister's trap, and although Biggie got his food without triggering (his ear's tipped, so he's been around), we caught Baby Boy, who's almost 6 months & needed to be fixed anyway.  A county program at a local vet sponsored his neuter, gave him Revolution and rabies shots too, so that didn't cost anything, but I paid for (2) doses of Advantage Multi for Biggie.  He's the only one who'll let me touch him anyway.

Meanwhile, the Calico is in so much pain she walks up to people with her eyes practically swollen shut, and now I can see both ears are entirely crusted up with bites:


She must want help to come that close, but my other co-workers don't even want her near their cars.  Two of us offered her clean water and fresh kibble, but she didn't seem that interested.

Before taking Baby Boy in, the Humane Society warned me (without seeing that pic) that if we do trap her & bring her in, if the mange is too bad they'll put her to sleep.  Now I'm torn, because I would hate for her last memories to be trapped and taken to a strange place, but she does look like she's suffering.  And if she sticks around, she may reinfect the others.  The guy who borrowed the trap doesn't want to take her to a private vet ($$$), but wants to try either the county (NOT) or the Humane Society anyway.  He thinks they'll give her back to us if we don't want her euthanized, but that not for certain.

Any advice?  She's the only cat I've seen since the holiday weekend, but I expect the others may come out when I leave work.

Also, should I switch up / clean the dirt pile where they like to be fed?  I don't know if that is a breeding ground for more parasites.

 the Humane Society warned me (without seeing that pic) that if we do trap her & bring her in, if the mange is too bad they'll put her to sleep.  Now I'm torn, because I would hate for her last memories to be trapped and taken to a strange place,

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What other alternative do you have?

Ie, if they say there is too much job and costs to treat her, their suggestion is pts, and thus, you take her back.

What will be your next step?

Knowing the answer on this question, may perhaps help you to decide now.

Please tell us your answer!    So we shall try and go on with sparring.

Good luck!

It does appear that you have limited options.  Having her last memory be of being trapped may not be ideal but it is certainly better than living in the pain she's in now.

Whether you decide to keep her or have her put to sleep, please get her some help as soon as you can.

Thank you so much for helping her.  These kinds of situations really stink - we feel badly no matter what we do.  But put the welfare of the cat first and it will help you decide what you need to do.  God bless you!

If Advantage Multi doesnt kill mange mites (it says it kills ear mites) you could get Revolution for the calico if she comes close enough that you could quickly apply it,  Both ivermectin and selamectin kill mange mites.  That's not an expensive treatment

SO ... a couple Fridays ago an employee at the latest neighboring company saw me feeding them and told me "I worked last Saturday and met Linda" – who is the original caretaker of the Calico queen!  This person confirmed for me that a) Linda was still coming around to take care of her Calico, and b) also doesn't want to take her into the vet/shelter.  In fact this 3rd party said "Linda says trapping her would 'put her over the edge', as she is about 12 yrs. old (pretty good for a feral!) and is probably tired."

I hope to meet up with this Linda and see what she thinks about treating the Calico, but I won't try to trap her.  The neighbors put out fresh water for her and despite worsening sores, she has still been walking around – even running from me when I tried to see how close I could get to put medicine on her neck.

Baby Boy looks & acts about the same as before he was TNR'ed, and Biggie acted scared, but let me pet him long enough to apply most of the 2nd dose of Advantage Multi last Friday.  So I am going to wait & see what happens.

I would try to find out why Linda feels this way.  The cat obviously needs help and in my mind, freaking her out a bit is way worth getting her treatment.  If upsetting a cat stopped us, none of them would ever be spayed or neutered!

On top of that, the cat is obviously hurting.  For that reason alone, I'd be tempted to ignore Linda's wishes and just take the poor animal to the vet.

Is her back left foot messed up or that is the angle of the pic?  

Personally I would have her euthanized if there is limited money to put in.  Something is off and add to it she is 12 I think it may be something serious.  Eitehr way she can not continue to exist in this shape.  There are worse things then getting trapped and being taken right to the vet for a fast as can be peaceful death. In her state she may be attacked by other animals and really suffer. Linda seems a little off to me.

Her back (& front) legs works fine, but this is the latest pic of her sorry state:


Not even sure I could get her in a trap, but maybe Linda could?  I will have to come to work Saturday to see...

Call a humane socitey or look at petfinder.com and look for a rescue nearby tell them you ONLY want to borrow the trap and are not wanting them to take her.  Someone should be able to help from there.  Also if you need a vet feral friendly(one who will not try to handle her like a regular afraid housecat but will sedate to do the exam in first place eliminating a risk of cat darting and needing to be caught within the vet!)

could also try a dog crate(the metal one) with a thick enough string tied to the mid to bottom part of door. I would go with one that is about 30" just make sure it will fit in your car first! and also the drop pan is locked into place and will not slide out(there is a piece that needs to be latched in.  Hard to explain but the tray should not slide out!)  She may go for that easier anyways. I have trapped the most feral cat I have ever had in a dog crate.

Make sure it is wedged against a few bricks so you have leverage to pull against.

Hi again!  Someone asked how the calico turned out, so I am reposting my p/m response here:

I wish I could say one or more treatments / cures did the trick; I spent a lot of time researching diatomaceous earth, etc.  I was only able to put medicine on Biggie (adult male black) & Baby Boy (young male white). 

Bottom line:  the rainy season began, and the calico's fur started to look a lot better.  She stays further away from me than when she was suffering, so I can only tell from afar.  I know that her original caretaker still comes by on the regular, so she may have also received from treatment from her....

The mange is definitely contagious, and I am a bit selfish but glad the calico stays to herself and away from our two.