Young feral cat going blind - what should I do?

Hi everyone,

I'm posting to seek advice about this young feral in my neighbourhood. We have quite a few ferals who roam our neighbourhood as people leave food out for them but I have noticed this one cat in particular. 

She's a tiny thing that I noticed because she was never scared by me approaching, I'd get extremely close to her (maybe a feet) before she'd notice me and run away. I fear she may be going blind as when I approached her recently, I saw that one of eyes was completely red like it had been scratched out in a fight. 

It broke my heart because I walked right in front of her today and when she felt my presence she cried out meowing for this older tom cat she's started to follow around for support and ran around in circles and under parked cars. I don't know if she'll survive in the winter with her eyesight getting so bad. I've thought about trapping her but I'm not sure how.

Also if I take her to the vet and confirm she is losing eyesight, what could I do then, as well vets in my area cost a fortune. 

She's not friendly enough (she's terrified of people) to become an indoor cat but I can't just leave her in her state. Has anyone been in a similar predicament?

Ideally, you would borrow a trap, get her to the low-cost, high-volume spay clinic and they would give (well, sell) you some antibiotics to give her if she'll have them, or, administer a shot of penicillin if she's too wild. It's a wonder drug and it probably would help her get well. A feral "package" usually includes not just the spay, but whatever vaccinations the law requires and perhaps dewormer and earmite treatment. At ours, we also give an antibiotic shot to each.

If you can't find a local group dedicated to trap-neuter-return, the local humane society/SPCA and/or animal control probably have traps they may lend you. You can ask the rescue groups about financial assistance or Google "help with vet bills" or something to get started. Usually, the TNR group in your area, if you have one, has access to low-cost spay/neuter at clinics which are happy to address injuries when you present the cat for sterilization. Once she is trapped, you may be able to socialize her. If the taming doesn't work, you'll still be able to keep her safe from the winter, especially if she has to convalesce. If you just can't keep her indoors, there are many resources online to advise you in keeping her safe and happy outdoors.

Alley Cat Allies maintains a database of local feral caregivers and resources in the US, but, I infer from your spelling of neighbourhood that you are no closer than Canada. You may still wish to contact them to ask if they can advise or refer you. Look for the Feral Friends Network page on their website. The way it works is you give your area and they send a list via email of local members. May I ask where, generally, that you live?

Also, I'd recommend that you find a way to address altering the feral population in your area, to decrease the chance of more poor sick or injured babies turning up.
If her eyesight cannot be saved, there are blind cat rescue groups who may take her in, if you are able to tame her. But, let's hope that it won't be necessary for you to call on them.

Thank you for your reply, I live in Toronto Ontario. I will try calling a TNR program in the area. I've tried calling the humane society but they said they don't deal with ferals and referred me to animal control who then informed me that they would most likely put her down. 

Welcome to TCS and thank you for helping this kitty.

Do you perhaps have a shed, garage or basement where she can live?  I know you said she was not friendly but many of us have feral cats living with us inside.  Here's one story:

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278759/a-happy-story-from-feral-to-indoor-cat

Providing protection and health care for her right now is critical.  You are correct that she won't survive winter.  I am praying that the TNR program can help you and this colony.

If you're unable to borrow a humane trap from the Humane Society, do you know anyone who can lend you a pet carrier? If not, Tractor Supply stores sell humane traps for twenty dollars. If you borrow a pet carrier, you could place tuna fish at the far end inside, sit very still beside the carrier, and if she goes all the way in, close the door. I think that if you have limited money, the eye should be the priority right now. The spaying can occur later on. Most low cost spay and neuter clinics have a waiting list of several weeks, and the eye can't wait that long for vet care. She may only need antibiotics at this point, if you can catch her quickly before the eye worsens. You'd be paying for the vet exam and the antibiotics. If you live near a Giant Eagle supermarket, the vet can call in the cat's antibiotics and you can get them for free. There are also other pharmacy and supermarkets who offer free antibiotics (Walmart?) and it would be a matter of getting a script for the right amount for the cat.

Even if you can't afford to take her to the vet, I hope you can trap her and keep her in a spare room or garage so she can be warm and fed.

Such a sad situation, I'm upset even reading about it. Thank you for helping this cat.  

Unless it's a really TNR-friendly town. yes, they kill virtually all ferals presented to animal control, so, I meant only that you should try to borrow a trap from them. The less they are involved, the better. If I am correct, you have the Toronto Feral Cat Coalition, Toronto at Rescue, Animal Alliance of Canada et al, so, I am hopeful!

I concur that the eye is the priority and that you should try to contain her if possible. The first cats I ever trapped were in a small carrier baited with tuna at the rear. I think I was able to sneak up to shut the door from around back of it, but you may try a string tied to the door to pull it closed from a safe distance.

When we have injured ferals, or those awaiting relocation, we use LifeStages double-door kennels. It's big enough that you could reach in to change the food and small litter pan. You can put her bedding inside a box in there big enough for her to have a place to retreat. She can probably handle that for a few weeks, and she may bond with you. I mention spay/neuter because our facility, not being a wellness clinic, but a high-volume s/n center (no appointment necessary for ferals) by law provides other services *only* at the time of surgery, but, they do dispense antibiotics and do not charge for an exam. 

Again, Alley Cat Allies will be the main clearinghouse for information, so, even though you live in Canada, if you don't find sufficient resources on your own, you might still see if they have any network members nearby.

Thank you everyone for your replies I just wanted to give an update.

I spent a lot of time outside the past few days and gave the cat some food to get a chance to look at her up close (I'm assuming its a female cat). Her eye is not scratched out like I assumed it was before from a distance, but looks more like her third eyelid is inflamed and covers half her pupil area. Also there is some yellow-green discharge from her eye and her nose is runny.

After doing some research I'm fairly certain she has feline herpesvirus. Due to her extremely inflamed eye I think thats what's causing her vision problems. I borrowed a trap and I'm working on bringing her to the vet for some drops in the next few days, hopefully I can earn her trust some more.

If she has the virus that'll be a bummer because I wanted to bring her in but I don't want to risk infecting my own indoor cat as I've read the virus is contagious and a cat that has it can never be cured of it. 

I'm going to get her spayed as well after I finish up my semester and come back from vacation. I found a TNR group that does the surgery for free provided you register and attend one of their workshops. 

I wouldn't necessarily arrive at the conclusion that it's herpes just because her eyelid is swollen and her nose runs. Could be a run-of-the-mill upper respiratory infection, worsened by stress. There is no real veterinary test for herpes, but, once she gets some antibiotics you can observe the results.

I recently dealt with a cat who was given a visual diagnosis of herpes who turned out not to have anything of the kind, nor anything serious at all. He'd been cramped into the pound with feral cats and not treated for his ailments, but, we got him out of there and he's fine.

That's terrific that you found help with the TNR. It'll benefit you to learn whatever you can to help you help the kitties in your community, so, godspeed!

It doesn't matter what specific virus is causing the upper respiratory infection--they are all treated the same way. You need to get antibiotics for her as soon as possible. The greenish discharge indicates there is a bacterial infection as well as the virus, and the eye will only worsen. If you're unable to trap her to get her to a vet, can you use the zoom function on your cell phone camera and get a good picture of it? If you already have a vet, you can text, email, or show her the picture and describe the symptoms. Explain the situation--that this is a feral cat whom you cannot now take to the vet. Many vets, especially those who are feral friendly, will prescribe an antibiotic. I would not bother with eye drops--you'll likely not be able to get them in her eyes at this point. The next hurdle will be to get her to consume the antibiotics. You can crush the pills and put them in tuna fish--but some cats will still not eat food containing them because they have a bitter taste. Feral cats especially are very savvy when it comes to food not tasting right. When my feral had a URI with a very bad eye infection, my vet prescribed liquid Orbax. It's scentless, tasteless, and you only need to give a dose every twenty four hours. It's expensive--forty dollars a bottle--but it saved my feral's eye and life. I would not hold off on either trapping and getting her to a vet or getting a picture of her eye to a vet. Infections can worsen very quickly, especially for a feral cat. Also, I would definitely hold off on getting her spayed right now since she's ill. The spay is major surgery for a cat, and the risks of problems with anesthesia are increased when a cat is ill. I'm not a veterinarian or a vet tech, just someone who's been there and done that--so you should consult with a veterinarian before making any major decision. This kitty is very lucky to have found you.

There is a vaccination you can give your other cats--it's called a distemper vaccination, but it protects cats from several illnesses, including the Herpes virus. Most cats get the virus sometimes during their lives, even with the vaccination--but the vaccination lessens their symptoms If they do get it. It requires a booster a few weeks after the initial shot. However, my experience has been that even without the booster, it does offer some protection for cats from getting URI's. My two older cats had bad URI's last Spring and my two young ferals had only gotten the initial shot. They did not become ill, even though they all share the same food and water bowls. If you have any close contact with your feral kitty, be sure and wash your hands before handling your cats and their food bowls. If you take this kitty into your house, you'll want to put her in a spare room until she fully recovers. Let us know how it goes!

What Aimee said. I concur!

Thank you MsAimee, I'm working on getting her in but I haven't seen her in a few days. I'm getting worried that she has not come to her usual spot, hopefully she's alright. 

Just saw your thread - I know from personal experience (as many of us on this forum do) how worrying having a feral with an illness/injury is. Please don't give up on this kitten - please keep watching for him because it's not at all unusual for a feral to disappear for days or even weeks at a time, for reasons we don't always understand. And I can tell you from personal experience (we're in northwest Ohio so our weather's similar) that they often disappear more as the weather gets cold. Members of our group disappeared sporadically during the winter (sometimes for weeks at a time!) despite the fact that we supply multiple heated shelters, food, & a heated water bowl so their water never freezes. So it's very possible -actually likely -your kitten will be back!

I agree strongly with everyone who's posted that trapping her and getting her to a vet to look at the eye is first priority -even over spaying - and you definitely shouldn't assume it's anything beyond what could be a really rotten URI (upper respiratory infection), although that in itself is very important to medicate as soon as possible. Not that it couldn't be what you've researched -I just know (again from personal experience) it's easy to drive yourself crazy with web research that a vet then quickly solves as something totally different Obviously spaying is also critical - even more so if she's going to go back outside after treating for her eye. Re-trapping her would be tough (not impossible -but ferals get trap savvy quickly!). If you're looking at taking her to your vet vs a spay/neuter clinic, I'd recommend calling your vet ahead to make sure they're willing to work with a feral cat. And that they'll take you in & look at her at the drop of a hat, since you won't want to hold her in the trap prior to treatment any longer than necessary. And if you need to reverse that & take her to a discount spay/neuter clinic -I'd recommend calling them to make sure they're willing & equipped to deal with looking at/treating her eye. Some clinics can't do vet work beyond basic shots such as rabies, etc since they're doing such intensely high volumes of rapid spaying/neutering.

I can also speak from personal experience that bringing in a feral cat CAN work. We trapped a 4 month old feral kitten (we named her Flick) a year ago in the summer & TNR'd her. She continued to come back for food & shelter, & this spring my husband started tossing little treats to her. Long story short -after a month of earning her trust outside, we brought her in (with no idea if she'd adjust OR get along with our cats). And she has turned out to be not just a sweetie who gets along beautifully with all of our others ---she's actually turned out to be my first ever "lap cat"! I was actually saying just this evening to my husband that this kitten who "chose us" has now become the most amazingly sweet, loving, gentle girl I've ever had!! Not that all ferals brought inside turn into this much of an "indoor lover" (our neighbors trapped & brought her sister inside just a week after we brought Flick in - & she can't really even still be touched --but they're happy knowing they saved her from a life outside).

If you need trap suggestions -this is a great place to ask if you're having trouble once you see her again.

Good luck & keep us posted!!

AM, So sorry to hear your kitty is missing. Sometimes sick cats will hide because they feel vulnerable and are unable to defend themselves against other cats and predators. Have you looked around the neighborhood for her? Do you have a picture of her you can show to neighbors? It's possible someone else was able to trap her or got her inside. There have been a few times when my outdoor feral disappeared, once for a week last February. After asking around the neighbors on my block (who all know him) I asked workers at my borough building and got a lead from someone who saw him heading up a hill to a housing project area. I drove around there and showed people his picture and gave out my phone number, and learned about the other feral cats and their caregivers in my community. People were overwhelmingly nice and helpful. People really are very helpful and sympathetic when it comes to a missing pet. I know you aren't officially this cat's owner, but you may be her only friend, so it's appropriate for you to search for her. My cat came back on his own after a week, unfortunately with an ear injury that quickly became infected. I was able to save him (except now he has a permanently bent back right ear) by giving him liquid antibiotics in his food. Now he will be very easy for people to identify if he goes missing again, because of the ear. Life is ironic sometimes.   

I would recommend you call around and find out which vets in your area are feral friendly. If there is an emergency animal clinic in your area, there's a good chance they might take the kitty in whenever you trap her, without an appointment. Sometimes there is an emergency fee, sometimes not, and sometimes they will give a discount for a feral and even board the cat for free. The priority is to get the eye treated. It may only require a long lasting injection of antibiotics, which would be ideal since it would be more difficult to get oral medication into her for 2 weeks.  If she has an infection, is malnourished, or has any difficulty breathing due to congestion, please hold off on the spay surgery. One of my ferals nearly died after spay surgery because she wasn't healthy enough for her kidneys and liver to handle the anesthesia, so this is a real concern. 

Please let us know if she surfaces again or you find her.

I agree with MsAimee - - when we've had one of "our ferals" go missing before, sometimes neighbors have been able to update and at least let me know the kitty was alive. And asking around - you do find out who's friendly to "the cause" which can be very helpful. And like MsAimee's feral with the ear - she will be easier for you/neighbors to identify, sadly because of the eye. It IS ironic

And MsAimee is also correct that keeping an eye out (no pun intended) for her right now is even more critical as kittens/cats do often go into hiding when they feel vulnerable. Which not being able to see well would definitely do!  Keep watching, feeding as you have - she hopefully will return (or you can find out through a neighbor if she's been seen somewhere else and find her - it's how we found out an extremely injured feral was in a neighbor's tree!).

Keep us posted!!!

Hi all,

I haven't been able to find the cat and I'm leaving for vacation in 2 days. Hopefully she finds a spot to bear through the colder days and I manage to find her after I come back. 

I hate not knowing where she is as I've really become attached to her, if she's passed on I won't even know 

My biggest concern is her being unable to catch mice with impaired vision, she will starve.

Very often when there is eye inflammation like she has it is infact herpevirus, however as stated, the uri's are basically all treated the same way.

I have managed to save some of the worse looking eyes in kittens, even ulcerated, bulging out of their head practically, but on the other end of that, many who were rescued had to have an eye removed due to damage beyond repair. Her eye will not heal with antibiotics, she needs eye meds, Idoxuridine/terramycin. With her being feral, this will prove very hard, nearly impossible even. She may end up losing that eye.

If it were me, I would get her trapped and to the vet, get her healed and if infact she has vision impairment she would be my resident feral girl, eventually learning to trust you.

Can you leave a dry food dispenser out for her on your property or where she had been coming to eat while you're away? There are inexpensive ones like this one (the cat actually eats from the bottom, not the top, lol). You can purchase one at a Petsmart, Big Lots, Walmart, etc. If there aren't a lot of raccoons or wildlife coming around, then this would work for you. If you fill it up, it can provide food for several days or longer, and give you some peace of mind that if she returns, there will be food available for her. Without seeing a picture of her eye, it's difficult to guess how serious it is. If it's just viral and hasn't progressed to a bacterial infection state, there's still a chance it will resolve on its own. Maybe someone else was able to take her in. It's so hard when an injured feral goes missing and you don't know whether it's okay or not.

If you have ANY PICS OF HER -even older -get then to local vets, shelters, pet supply stores, even bulletin boards at grocery stores, places like Target, gas stations. You'd be amazed -my friends kitty was gone 4 four weeks & she got a call from a local sign taken from a gas station---and they had her!!!!! They did offer a small ($40 reqrd) but she was safe a sound!!!!!!! There are, believe it or not-organizations that will take her if she's blind -and if you can find her: I'll grab a few and enter them here in a few!

Ones is: http://blindcatrescue.com

Another, in Defiance Ohio is not totally devoted to blind, but rehabilitates beautifully doing a sensational job working with a rehalitating blind ones making their way to defiance. We'll work the trip of a weekend vacation------the nursery room with multiple rocking chairs and scores of wobbly "feed me next? me next???" Babies Is bound to help you forget.....if even for an hour or two.....any troubles in your life!!!!!!!!!!