Chatty and Midnight

I have been caring for 2 Ferral cats: One has had shots and spayed the other Midnight male has not been neutered as he is VERY ferral and can't even trap but show up to comfort and sleep with "Chatty"

The one grey kitty (Chatty) has had kittens( a year ago)  and with the local Salem Friends of Feline we have placed all kittens and we have spayed Chatty and clipped her ear for reference - - - (point - we have tried to take care of her)

She has befriended a black kitty in the neighborhood we call "Midnight" as "HE" (seen he is a boy) has been sleeping with her even now (long after kittens placed) and the kittens looked like him partially.

This is not my concern:

THE CONCERN IS:

Recently lately (after a year of taking care of both outdoors)  Both are showing signs of Rabies?  I'm uncertain If this is what  it is?

The Midnight looked "beat-up" occasionally with fighting marks (very feral and not even able to pet)

The Chatty (LOVES ME) and has loved all outdoor animals (including my inside animals) BUT she appears to be showing the same signs recently as Midnight. (and I saw her playing with a little mouse out in the yard awhile back

"Front paw sensitivity in walking :  Both kitty's seem to Lift front  paws up while trying to walk slower than normal and before - they act  like painful

"Chatty " kitty used to be  "talking and sometimes yelling at me" like she used to - instead a more VERY quiet/soft meow and slow moving.

I worry the both have been in a fight with Racoons as we have those and possiums in our area. OR they have passed something to each other?

Can my new Yorkie Puppy get what they have in the yard etc?...A  concern as well?

YIKES!! What a world we ALL live in! - Any advice on what you think these cats have going on (AND going through) with both walking slowly......I  would be greatly appreciate anyone who has an idea what is happening with these poor feral kitty's.

Thank you so much!

Jill

Whatever it is, they both seems to have it...  Do you have access to a vet?  To ask and consult?

I dont think it is rabies, but IF it is rabies, rabies is contagious if they bite.  So both your Yorkie and you yourself are in potential danger.   Have protective clothes at least if you are nearing them.

If it is something else, the contagion danger is much lesser - cats sickednesses go seldom in to other animals, and practically never to humans.

I hope more people comes soon and answers -  try to change the title - say - "peculiar symptoms"

Good luck!

I wouldn't panic yet.  If Chatty has had her shots, rabies may not be a problem for her.  Midnight on the other hand, hmmm.

I know you said he couldn't be trapped but he is exhibiting the behaviors we have cats neutered for.  Fighting!  He's an intake male, so he'll be fighting for territory, food, etc. and will end up injured (and possibly sick - rabies, FIV, FELV).

First thing first, I would borrow or buy a drop trap and get him tested for FIV and FELV.  If you or the rescue can quarantine him for ten days and he has rabies, he will exhibit the symptoms.  Your health department can help you identify them.  If he has rabies, they will have to take over.  There are protocols in place to protect people because rabies is such a bad disease.  If he's positive, the health department will come back and do the same thing for Chatty.  It is a necessary step to protect everyone.  I wouldn't let the dog have contact with them until you know for sure.

If he's negative for everything, have him neutered and return him to your yard.  He's made it his home, and he's friends with Chatty, so bring him home.

The rescue that helped with the kittens may be able to help or guide you with this.

Again, I wouldn't panic but I would be cautious.  Get started on trapping Midnight and you won't have to worry about this.

The only way to test a cat to see if he has rabies is for a vet to test his brain when he is dead. Otherwise, if you take a cat to the authorities and say you think he has rabies, he will be quarantined for months--which will be torture for a feral cat. The cat will likely be put down in any event.

Do your research on the symptoms of rabies in a cat. I do recall reading that once a cat becomes symptomatic, the disease progresses very rapidly and the cat dies within weeks. Since Chatty has been vaccinated, it's unlikely that she would get rabies. Hopefully someone with more knowledge of this subject with post.

Since its summer, the cats are likely running around more, fighting, mating, hunting, etc. so it's sometimes hard to tell whether they're sick or just tired. Are they eating normally? I'd be concerned about the front paw sensitivity. Have you been able to get a look at their paws to see if there are injuries?

Until you have peace of mind about this, I wouldn't keep your dog in the yard for a while, and you should keep a safe distance from the cats because if you get bitten, you'll need to get the series of shots immediately, whether or not the cats are trapped and vet examined.

I rescued a feral cat suspected of having rabies this spring.  He was quarantined for ten days.  Per the vet and the health department, the contagious period of rabies is the last ten days before the cat dies.  He will exhibit the symptoms during that period.  From what I understood, the quarantine apparently either makes it easier to identify them or exacerbates them to the point where they (the symptoms) become very obvious.

Luckily, he did not turn out to be rabid and was adopted to a barn home.  Turns out he is a lovebug and follows his new owner around the barn while she tends to her horses.  Even her horses love him.

I agree if the cat is truly feral, quarantine would make him crazy - and his behaviors would probably be as crazy.  But the vet said there were certain things he looked for during quarantine that would indicate rabies, so I guess they have a reliable way of telling the difference.

Per PetMD:

There are two forms of rabies: paralytic and furious. In the early symptom (prodomal) stage of rabies infection, the cat will show only mild signs of CNS abnormalities. This stage will last from one to three days. Most cats will then progress to either the furious stage, the paralytic stage, or a combination of the two, while others succumb to the infection without displaying any major symptoms.

Furious rabies is characterized by extreme behavioral changes, including overt aggression and attack behavior. Paralytic rabies, also referred to as dumb rabies, is characterized by weakness and loss of coordination in the cat, followed by paralysis.

This is a fast-moving virus. If it is not treated soon after the symptoms have begun, the prognosis is poor. Therefore, if your cat has been in a fight with another animal, or has been bitten or scratched by another animal, or if you have any reason to suspect that your pet has come into contact with a rabid animal (even if your pet has been vaccinated against the virus), you must take your cat to a veterinarian for preventive care immediately.

The following are some other symptoms to watch for in your cat:

• Pica
• Fever
• Seizures
• Paralysis
• Hydrophobia
• Jaw is dropped
• Inability to swallow
• Muscular lack of coordination
• Unusual shyness or aggression
• Excessive excitability
• Constant irritability/changes in attitude and behavior
• Paralysis in the mandible and larynx
• Excessive, dripping salivation (hypersalivation), or frothy saliva

Here, I wonder if poisoning is a possibility?   Both becoming  literally touchy, apparently every move pains them... But what poison gives such symptoms?

A BIG Thank you to all who have replied to this!!  I will definitely be getting in touch with the rescue people to see about trapping Midnight (at the very least to neuter him)- This morning Chatty seems "chipper" and walking fine. (Typical as she seems fine one day and not the next)   Both are eating well for a good week now and don't have any of the above physical symptoms other than shyness in Chatty (but again was talking up a storm of course this morning) and the front paw issues.  I have noticed this paw issue for a couple weeks now and some days they seem better walking around (without struggle) than other days.  I thought maybe the symptoms will go away with time, but began to wonder what other thing could be going on here and ask some animal experts!! Again I GREATLY appreciate ALL of your responses!