All 6 feral cats have stopped eating

catwoman707

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Originally Posted by Snugglecat  

She acts like she is waiting to die in that tall grass.
This is probably exactly what she is doing. 

As a last ditch effort, prop the door open on the trap with a stick, tying a string to the stick at the bottom of it, if she goes into the trap pull the string and you have her.

Be sure though that the trap has been sprayed with a cleaner like 409 or any, then hose rinsed well and dried in the sun before doing this, you don't want to give her any reason not to go in to it, and cats scents of fear, etc linger on for a long time on trap wire somehow.

This chance is about it as far as what you can do to help her, one way or another.

Even if she doesn't go in to eat, instincts tell them when she should want to eat, so she may go towards the scent of the food, but use something that you think she used to REEALLY love.

Whether it be tuna or baby food warmed.

If she does get in, she needs fluids immediately, there must be a vet around who helps with ferals, just tell them you found her this way and will keep her if she lives. They might be kind hearted and give fluids free.
 

kittychick

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Could you even rig a door onto the shelter that you could pull shut with a string? We've done that before (although easier said than done I know - I have a handy husband). 

My instinct is that this isn't because she didn't eat (and I know what you're thinking - that she didn't eat because you didn't find the right food). Cats are so resourceful and often find a way to at least find some type of food - natural or manmade-  even if we don't make it easy for them. I don't think her in this distress is in any way because you let her down. I think it has to be something she got into or was given somewhere else. It truly sounds like a poison of some type at this stage (mind you Im' not a vet - just basing it on what I've read and what I've seen with poisoning when I've worked at shelters). It's not what you've done - you've done your best. 

Hopefully you can manage to get her to a vet --- but even if you can't --- you've supported her with love, food, and a safe place to go when she was scared or felt bad. And if it is the end, she's come to where she feels safe. Please take comfort in that.  If only every cat out there had that!

My thoughts are with you and Tiger.
 

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It's hard I know, I can feel your pain. I wish I could do more but know I too am thinking of y'all and praying. 

  Please remember she knows that she is safe and loved with you. That is more than she could ever hope for coming from her her back ground and means so much.

I myself need to be reminded  when I just can't make the outcome better that

1 you are doing everything you can

2 you are making things better

3 you are doing more for them them any other human they have seen in most cases

4 they can feel the love from you even if you can't get within 100 feet

5 it only hurts this bad because you care for and love them so much. 

6 Yes I will happily deal with this pain many times over if I can help even only a few of them

 You made tiger's better, happier than before and that kitty knows it and thanks the Lord for sending you. So do all the others. You are doing great things for those cats. So if this is one of those black times where things don't work how we want please remember those things. 

 Know also that I am thinking of you. 

                 Hope things are going well please let us know.
 

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Here's what I've come up with so far.

http://m.1800petmeds.com/mt/www.1800petmeds.com/education/allergy-symptoms-dog-cat-9.htm

The protein is the most likely culprit. Looking at the common culprits, Turkey and rabbit seem to be your safest bet. Have you tried this one?

http://m.petco.com/product/116199/Natures-Variety-Instinct-Grain-Free-Rabbit-Meal-Cat-Food.aspx

That might work. Caring for them is difficult. I'd highly recommend making a gofundme page, it can't hurt. Also, if you have unrefined coconut oil (solid at room temp), that helps their coats immensely. You can put it in food or rub a bunch in your hands if they let you pet them. I've done it when they grow their winter/summer coats, or if I see a little dandruff.

Stuff is amazing for darn near everything. Replaces butter in a lot of recipes. It's not any more than olive oil if you get it in bulk at costco.

I'm sorry this has been so hard on you. You are an amazing person for doing so much. I hope you get some help soon.
 

astrael

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Sorry, for some reason a bunch of posts didn't show up right away. Try calling FOCAS.

http://www.focas.us/

If they do work in your area, they might be able to get someone to help. Maybe a vet will have an assistant willing to help catch this poor baby. I'm so sorry. I'll pray for you and Tiger.

Added: I went and looked up more info, the ingredient in benadryl may control the symptoms. I don't know if that's the best option or not, but if it could save her life, it might be worth trying. I don't know if any of this will help. But in case it might, this is everything I've found.

http://m.1800petmeds.com/mt/www.1800petmeds.com/education/allergy-treatment-dog-cat-9.htm
 
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snugglecat

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Tiger is still not eating. She no longer shows up at meal times anymore. She will still come to the porch a couple times a day and just lays in front of my door or on her blanket next to the door.

I go out each time with some baby food but she just gets up and walks away as soon as I set the dish down. She sits in a meatloaf position with her head hanging down. Her eyes are dull and sunk in and she looks likes she in pain.

I wish I had a boyfriend or husband to help me. I still have not found anything to hold the trap door open. If I only had someone to help, I could block the shelter door she is in every morning and try and get her into my bathroom and into the trap. I just can't do this alone and I'm afraid if I tried things would back fire and I wouldn't get another chance. I'm a very small person with lots of health issues and she is a very big cat.

I just can't stand to watch her slowly die of starvation. Mentally I am a wreck and had a break down at a store today. I was crying so hard and having a panic attack. Boy, did I feel stupid.

I used to be friends with a couple of women in this neighborhood that also feeds feral cats but they won't have anything to do with me anymore because I get so emotionally upset. I panic whenever something happens with the cats and cry a lot. They used to help me and were friendly but they don't want to deal with me anymore.

I don't even know who would take me to the vet once I got her in the trap.

Thanks so much for all your support.
 

catwoman707

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This is so sad! I wish I were your neighbor....


Can you just go ask them if you might borrow a drop trap from them? Hold your emotions as best you can but tell how there is a cat who is literally dying in your yard that you need to get contained for help.

The thing to remember is, they work with ferals because they have that compassion. If they know a cat is suffering, regardless of your past issues, I bet they would help with getting her.

She really does need to be caught. She is about to start shutting down from dehydration and starvation alone. What an awful, slow way to go......

Please consider asking for help.
 

msaimee

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Yes, if any of your neighbors own a humane trap or a drop trap, please ask to borrow it. You don't need to worry about propping a door open with a humane trap, it is very easy to use and there are videos on YouTube. The Humane Society lends humane traps--you give them a 30 dollar deposit which they return upon your return of the trap.  The problem is what to use for bait if she has no appetite. That's the real problem now.

You may need to throw a laundry basket over her, or get a pair of thick work gloves and try to grab her with a blanket and get her into a carrier and into your house. Since she's ill, you could actually catch her (it would be much harder to do with a healthy feral cat). If you try and don't succeed, don't beat yourself up over it. She will be scared by your capture attempt, but will return. I've had several upsetting and unsuccessful attempts at trying to catch my tom feral, but he has always come back to me.  

I know finances are an issue, but there are mobile vets around who can come to the house to treat cats if you can find the funding.

It's important that you stay emotionally and spiritually healthy. We can't save every cat. Last summer there was a starving, distressed white cat in a shopping center 20 minutes from my home which was crying and wandering around in the parking lot . Several shoppers tried to help that cat. I brought out my pet carrier and lured him into it with food, but I tried to close the door too soon and he got away. I really beat myself up over that and  continued to look for him several times a day for about a week.  Someone from the Humane Society TNR program ended up trapping him. It turned out he had HIV and they euthanized him. At least he is at peace now. We can't save every cat, that's the sad reality.

I hope and pray that the situation with Tiger will resolve soon and that you can have peace, no matter what the outcome. It's wonderful that you're doing so much to help these cats.     
 
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Norachan

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@Snugglecat  I'm really sorry to hear you are going through this.

I think you should ask someone to try and help you trap her. If you can't get anyone from a local shelter to come, try the other people who feed cats in your neighbourhood. As Catwoman said, these people are animal lovers, they'll understand that you can't leave her outside to suffer and they'll put their differences with you aside.

You can set up a Gofundme account to help pay for vet bills and transport. People will help, there are a lot of other animal lovers out there.

I wish I was there, I'd help you trap her.

 

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I hope you can at least gather the strength to call several local shelters and animal organizations. It may take calling a few to find one that will help, but try to stay relatively calm (I know it's hard!!!!!! Believe me!) ---and I'd start with any cat-predominant shelters --//smaller places are more likely (at least in our area) to run help someone with a cat in such try dire distress. Don't give them the entire story -I know this sounds awful but as an ex-humane sciety/cat shelter employer I can tell you that shelters get so many calls a day that if a caller starts to go on and on (again -very understandable -you're upset! Just being honest how it works on the other end) a worker tunes out a little. Be very to the point and tell them that a stray cat (don't say feral -some sheters tune out with that, purely because they worry the caller won't take them back & they'll be forced to deal with a non-socializable cat) is dying before your eyes & that you desperately need help -you've got no transportation & no one to help. . If they can't/wont help -- call the next one. And so on. If you run through them all -try again from the top. Try spay/neuter groups too -less likely but can't hurt. Don't make it sound like she's "your cat"----she's a stray you've been helping. Emphasize you'll bring her back if she can be helped -they won't be stuck with her. Try to stay as calm as possible & call every shelter/animal group you can. You'll find someone!!!!!
 

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Snugglecat, we haven't heard from you for a few days. I hope you're doing okay. I know how overwhelming it can become while trying to care for a sick or injured feral cat. Please be assured that even if you're unable to do anything more for this cat than what you've already done, that you've done a lot for her. Even if nature takes its course and she passes away, rest assured that you were a loving presence in her life and she knew it. Many times feral cats will go off on their own when they sense their time is near so they can die as they have lived--on their own terms. I hope you can have a sense of peace about the situation, whatever the outcome.    
 

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Tiger may have dental problems. You say her chin was swollen... could be an abcess. She is possibly in too much pain to eatm and too sick from infection. Check with your local animal control - they usually have humane traps you can rent, or know where you can. Try to trap her. If it turns out she can't be helped, at least she can be put out of her suffering humanely.

regarding the food issues: You might want to try a more natural diet. Skip the canned and dry food for a while.

Boil chicken and chicken livers and puree them in a blender with some of the cooking liquid. You will want to use a substantial amount of liquid. This way you can be sure that there are no grains or fillers that might be causing an allergic reaction. This should be easy on their digestion, and maybe give them a chance to clear up any problem caused by something in the dry food. If it seems to work well, wait a week or so then gradually try introducing dry food again.

It does sound as if the snail poison might be a likely culprit. Did you try catapaults suggestion for making snail bait containers? Also, where do the cats sleep and hang out? Could they be exposed to something toxic in those places?

Check for rescue groups in your area, or for feral support groups and see if they can help you with neutering and spaying, and possibly they can help  you can find a way to relocate them.  And if they are trapped for spay/neuter a vet could maybe also determine what is causing the problem.

I wish you luck, and please keep us posted!
 
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snugglecat

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I have finally figured out that they have not been poisoned. I guess that is the good news.

I don't exactly know what my feral cats have but I have been dealing with the swollen chins, ulcers in the mouth and sores on their bodies off and on for 5 years. They are all sisters, I even lost one of the sisters in 2010 she was only 8 months old. I then lost Baby boy who was 4 years old with ulcers in his mouth and down his throat. He suffered on and off for a year before I could take him in and have him pts.

All summer long 2 of the sister's Tiger and Snickers kept getting swollen chins, this is while I was trying to find dry food and we went through all the different ones. I would know right away when a food was not going to work out. Snickers also gets little sores on her body and a couple of times she lost all fur on her back, tummy and inner thighs.

We usually get through this without any major problems. the sores on the cats come and go. Just before this happened they were all healthy and had soft fluffy fur. That's why I had said the Merrick food was doing so well for them.

The dog incident was very stressful and then I added the Iams food and everything went down hill. Not only is Tiger sick but the others have swollen chins and the sores on the body again. This was the worse incident as nobody has ever stopped eating before when they all have this flare up. I do know they have the herpes virus and Snickers was at the vet in 2011 with Calicivirus in the eyes. She was very sick and I thought I would lose her.

One of the male cats that comes around is not related but he almost always has goopy eyes. I do give them L-lysine twice a day but doesn't seem to help much.

I have been busy trying to find help but have been turned away by every place I call. I have also been busy trying to get Tiger to eat.

The last couple of days have been good for Tiger, today she ate her full amount of morning and evening meals. I have been putting antibiotics in her food. She comes to the door and steps just inside the door again meowing for her food. She eats very slow as her chin is still swollen and she probably still has ulcers that hurt in her mouth. I'm also guessing she has them on her feet and that's why they look bad and had been bleeding. She has lost a lot of weight but I have been feeding her extra food and hope she can recover from this for now. The other cats are cuddling with her again on the shelter and Tiger has been hanging out on my porch again.

I will probably will lose all of them from whatever this is in time.

I'm tired and don't know if any of this makes sense but if someone knows what they could possibly be suffering from and what else I could give them to stop the flare ups. I have looked online and have come up with Eosinophilic ulcer??

I never did find anything to keep the trap door open.
 

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  Hello there & glad to read that Tiger is improving!  I have had good result with L-lysine for ulcers. Also, I use several herbs, including slippery elm, marshmallow root and red raspberry leaf teas but I caution you to try finding a holistic vet to give you advice on using herbal remedies. 

Thank you for sharing your findings and experiences with the different cat foods. One of my colonies kept having similar skin issues and I was convinced it was mange or something like that, although it is very rare in our area, and the vet thinks that it is food allergies because she has tested the skin scrapings at various times with various cats (during their TNR surgeries) and nothing shows up.  I now feed Purina Naturals which is the most expensive that I can possibly feed; I also buy chicken on sale at SmartNFinal and boil that up, using RealSalt and some celery seed or Italian herbs, no garlic and no onion and extend that with blending in some cooked brown rice.

I applaud you on your diligence in helping your ferals!  I was saddened to read in one of your earlier posts that you were feeling isolated.  It is an awful feeling! I am a caretaker for close family members and one of them (she is also brain-damaged with a severe speech impediment and loss of gross motor skills) recently began having panic attacks and manic episodes so every shopping trip and social event  is now a stressful experience for both of us :(  Thank God that you and I have our TCS family here to be, as Dr. Phil would say, "Our soft place to land"!  Prayers and vibes out to your kitties and you
Susan
 

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I'm so relieved to hear that Tiger is improving. When we didn't get any updates for a few days I started to fear the worst.

I don't have any experience with ulcers, I hope someone here can suggest something to help.

Loads of vibes for Tiger and all your other cats.

 

ondine

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I, too, know very little about this.  Could it be a herpes outbreak - a very bad one?

Hoping someone with experience will chime in.  Vibes everyone recovers.  Blessings on you for helping them all!
 

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You've taken some of them to a vet in the past to get fixed and for other issues, right? So there is a vet who is familiar with your situation with these ferals. Use your cell phone or a digital camera (or borrow one) and take a picture of whatever ulcers and hair loss is visible. Use the zoom feature if you can't get close enough to them. Email these photos to your vet with an explanation of their symptoms and ask for his/her opinion and direction. State that you know he/she cannot give a definite diagnosis without seeing the cats, but that they're feral and you're unable to catch them at this time for an office visit, and you would value whatever input she/he can give based on your photos. You should not get charged for this, and you'll be getting the input from a veterinarian instead of us lay folk. I did this with my vet clinic that treats my ferals on two occasions when I was unable to catch my feral to get him there.  Once when his ear was injured and infected and another time when he had an eye infection. She emailed back with her input and prescribed medicine for him. If you are known to a vet, most of them will help you out in this way. There is likely something more going on with your cats than a food allergy, and vet input would be best. In your email, be concise and brief and don't write a long story or bring emotions into it--present something that the vet can read quickly, with pictures, and you'll likely get a response in a day or two. Good luck.
 
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snugglecat

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You've taken some of them to a vet in the past to get fixed and for other issues, right? So there is a vet who is familiar with your situation with these ferals. Use your cell phone or a digital camera (or borrow one) and take a picture of whatever ulcers and hair loss is visible. Use the zoom feature if you can't get close enough to them. Email these photos to your vet with an explanation of their symptoms and ask for his/her opinion and direction. State that you know he/she cannot give a definite diagnosis without seeing the cats, but that they're feral and you're unable to catch them at this time for an office visit, and you would value whatever input she/he can give based on your photos. You should not get charged for this, and you'll be getting the input from a veterinarian instead of us lay folk. I did this with my vet clinic that treats my ferals on two occasions when I was unable to catch my feral to get him there.  Once when his ear was injured and infected and another time when he had an eye infection. She emailed back with her input and prescribed medicine for him. If you are known to a vet, most of them will help you out in this way. There is likely something more going on with your cats than a food allergy, and vet input would be best. In your email, be concise and brief and don't write a long story or bring emotions into it--present something that the vet can read quickly, with pictures, and you'll likely get a response in a day or two. Good luck.
The vet I was seeing back then no longer works at the clinic. She was so nice and understanding with my feral cats. The cats were young and could still be coaxed into a trap and I would slowly close the door. I have actually taken in Tiger, Snickers and Maddie back in 2010 and 2011 to see that vet. I have not been able to get any of them to go near a trap since 2011.

The vets at the clinic will not help me without seeing the cats. I have talked to them several times about my feral cats and they just tell me to try and trap them and they will take a look. I can't afford it anyway. We do not have many vets around here who will deal with feral cats.

Baby boy was in a lot of pain for a year and I was doing all I could to try and make him better. He was thin and screamed in pain when he would try to clean himself. He would go several days with out eating. One night I was outside and he was peeking out of the shelter looking at me and all I saw was pain in his eyes so I knew it was time to let him go. The only way we could get him was to put the trap door up to the shelter door and dump him into the trap. He was pts in January 2012

Snickers and Maddie have the sores on them again. Maddie doesn't seem to feel well this morning. Her lip does not swell as bad as the other two but I can see a little ulcer on her bottom lip area.

I think I have to just give up for now with any trapping. I saw the lady who owns the trap drive by on Easter Sunday, probably checking to see if I still had the trap set up. The lady who owns the trap will not help me anymore but she does supply the trap when I need it. She does a lot of trapping and she used to foster cats for Furry Friends but she is a cold person and does not get emotionally attached to any of them.

Thanks again for the support.

I will just keep doing what I'm doing for now and hope this flare up ends soon.
 

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This is not herpesvirus they have, as herpesvirus does not involve ulcers, and does involve sneezing, stuffy, congested nose and eye goop/drainage/swelling.

Calicivirus is what I am pretty confident is going on with all of them, as it is highly contagious. You said one cat was already diagnosed with calici so they all have it now.

I should also mention that calici has a tendency to turn into pneumonia whereas herpevirus does not. This commonly happens in kittens but not usually in healthy adults, but when there is weight loss due to not eating because of the serious painful ulcers means a bit more of a chance of pneumonia, so just wanted you to understand this and be aware. NOT paraniod, but aware in case any of them don't seem to be getting better after a break out like this, that it could possibly have turned in to pneumonia is all I mean.

There are at least 40 strains of calici, all sorts! The majority do cause these ulcers, and from your description, I think it may be a possibility that they have what's called the Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus (VS-FCV) which causes severe symptoms, effecting adults more than kittens, which is why it's looking like a very real possibility with your cats, including high fever, depression and swelling/edema of the legs and or face, and can cause jaundice and signs of other organ problems including the skin/sores, mouth, lips, tongue and gums, which are very painful, causing them to stop eating or seriously decreased appetite, especially dry food.

It is also able to cause Gingivostomatitis. 
 
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snugglecat

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This is not herpesvirus they have, as herpesvirus does not involve ulcers, and does involve sneezing, stuffy, congested nose and eye goop/drainage/swelling.

Calicivirus is what I am pretty confident is going on with all of them, as it is highly contagious. You said one cat was already diagnosed with calici so they all have it now.

I should also mention that calici has a tendency to turn into pneumonia whereas herpevirus does not. This commonly happens in kittens but not usually in healthy adults, but when there is weight loss due to not eating because of the serious painful ulcers means a bit more of a chance of pneumonia, so just wanted you to understand this and be aware. NOT paraniod, but aware in case any of them don't seem to be getting better after a break out like this, that it could possibly have turned in to pneumonia is all I mean.

There are at least 40 strains of calici, all sorts! The majority do cause these ulcers, and from your description, I think it may be a possibility that they have what's called the Virulent Systemic Feline Calicivirus (VS-FCV) which causes severe symptoms, effecting adults more than kittens, which is why it's looking like a very real possibility with your cats, including high fever, depression and swelling/edema of the legs and or face, and can cause jaundice and signs of other organ problems including the skin/sores, mouth, lips, tongue and gums, which are very painful, causing them to stop eating or seriously decreased appetite, especially dry food.

It is also able to cause Gingivostomatitis. 
Now that you mention Gingivostomatits   I had a feeling that is what Baby boy had because his mouth was so bad when the vet looked inside his mouth after he was pts. Tiger I had notice over a year ago when she yawned it looks like she has a broken brown bottom tooth that does not look good.

Is there any kind of supplement I can give them to help?  I do still think they have the Herpes virus also because we do go through periods where they are sneezing and or coughing with goopy eyes but that was when they were younger.

Would it be better if I start getting them and pts so they don't suffer from this anymore? The vet I take them too charges over $200.00 to have them pts. This is the worst outbreak one of them has had and none of them have looked very healthy for a long time now. It seems like I'm constantly giving antibiotics to them just to get through the worst parts.

Thanks for helping me put a name to what they might all have but now what do I do?

I just don't know what to do anymore but I do not want them to suffer.
 
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