My Muffin is limping

I have a suspicion the starlings would hop right inside there. They are creepily intelligent, they have figured out every trick and deterrent I could come up with.  I've been thinking of getting an automatic timed feeder and setting it for daybreak, but I think if I left it out overnight a raccoon could just pick it up and toss it around. This feeder looks interesting, though, thanks, I will check it out.  

Poor Muffin. I really hope you're able to catch him soon - one way or another. I apologise if this has already been suggested, but would your vet be prepared to prescribe a mild sedative to assist with the catching/trapping process? Might be worth a try. Also, do ypu have access to a biggish dog crate and the means to transport it? You might be able to catch him in a dog crate because its so much bigger and won't feel like a trap. Good luck with him, anyway. He's lucky to have you looking out for him.

I tried an feeder on a timer once with my ferals when I was away for the night.  The raccoons destroyed it.  I found it out in the yard torn apart. 

Have you tried a feeding station of any sort that the cat has to enter?  No birds have ever gotten into mine.  I keep the back of the feeding station facing the yard. 

I hope you can find a solution.

An idea for a drop trap is to make one.  Maybe someone can help you.  I found instructions once online.  There are also lots of videos on how to use them and how to transfer from the drop trap to the humane trap or carrier.  You would just need another person to help you.

I won't give Muffin a sedative because cats can have bad reactions to them, including seizures, and I can't take that risk. Sedatives take time to work, and it would leave him doped up and vulnerable to raccoons and other ferals if I didn't catch him. .  

I had an animal communicator speak to him today and try to convince him to go into the large pet carrier I just placed on the porch. She said he is in pain from inflammation of the joints and will consider going in the carrier and allowing me to get him vet help. My neighbor who feeds him in the AM on days when I'm at work is going to try to get him into the carrier because my reflexes aren't quick enough. I've tried grabbing him in the past and also grabbing his pet house with him in it without success, and this was on occasions when he was very ill or injured.     

I so hope Muffin will be cooperative.  Try some really yummy extra stinky food to lure him in.  You are in my thoughts.  Come on Muffin, you can do it!!!

MsAimee said:

I won't give Muffin a sedative because cats can have bad reactions to them, including seizures, and I can't take that risk. Sedatives take time to work, and it would leave him doped up and vulnerable to raccoons and other ferals if I didn't catch him. .  
    

Click to expand...

I can see I didn't think that idea through.

I really hope your friend can get him into the carrier. How close will he come to you? Is there a chance he'd walk into the carrier with you sat next to it? It should then be possible (if the carrier is big enough) to shut the door while he's eating. That worked for me with a semi feral once (except for the bit where the door hinge was damaged and she managed to break out :doh3: I'm guessing you won't have that particular issue.)

Good luck, anyway. Be a sensible boy, Muffin, and accept the help you need

Well the AC was a bit off. It's not inflammation of the joints. It's a thorn or puncture wound or something stuck in his left foot paw. I tried to lure him into pet carrier with tuna but he wouldn't go. I tried to pet him and he half heartedly swiped at me. He is in obvious discomfort. My neighbor is going to try to catch him tomorrow morning. Prayers, please.

Poor little boy. :cross: for tomorrow

That looks painful. Hopefully she can catch him and get him to a vet. He would probably be sedated and then the wound cleaned and treated.

Poor Muffin. I hope your able to get him to a vet soon. I know how stressful it is when you know one of the cats is sick or hurt and you can't trap them.

Sending prayers your way that he can be caught soon

Aww poor sweet Muffin! Thank you for all you're doing to help this sweetheart. He's lucky to have you helping him! I hope all goes well for him. Sending healing vibes for his speedy recovery!!!! Keep us informed.

I did not feel it would work for my neighbor to grab Muffin at this point, and Muffin wasn't going to go into that small pet carrier, so I bought a dog carrier and have it on the porch where his cedar pet  house usually is. I don't think he's going to have motivation to go inside because it doesn't have an exit, but I'm hoping he'll get curious if we put treats in there. At any rate, if we do grab him, the carrier will be nearby. It doesn't have a handle, so good luck getting it down all the porch stairs into the car. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it.

I was informed yesterday that the 24 hour vet clinic that I've used for my ferals, and to get Muffin Orbax (liquid antibiotics that have no taste or scent) when he's needed antibiotics is under new ownership and new veterinarians. The vets who used to prescribe medicine for Muffin are gone. The new ones won't prescribe anything without seeing him. This is really bad news for Muffin. I have some Fishmox (Amoxycillin) which I will put in some wet food, but he may not eat it if he tastes the medicine. I haven't seen Muffin yet today, my neighbor fed him this AM, and am afraid of what the foot will look like. I am really nervous, I know I will get very depressed if it's much worse.

I'm Anglican, not Roman Catholic, but I'm saying a Novena for Muffin and also for Shadow's Sadie. There are some wonderful prayers asking St. Francis for assistance online. Prayers welcome!  

A  bit of good news is that Muffin ate tuna with the powdered Amoxicillin in it this evening (Fishmox), I didn't think he would because he knows when food tastes off. The wound is a hard, circular pink with red dot center, but there is no puss or discharge coming out of it, and it's no worse than yesterday. I know I'm driving my friends and family and maybe some of you crazy with my worrying over this cat, but he's my little buddy, I can't help it.

It is always a complete worry when our ferals get sick and we can't get them help.  I know many who use the fish mox and it works well.  Keep giving it to him.  He knows you are trying to help him. 

Keep updating.  We are all here to support each other. 

MsAimee said:

 
A  bit of good news is that Muffin ate tuna with the powdered Amoxicillin in it this evening (Fishmox), I didn't think he would because he knows when food tastes off. The wound is a hard, circular pink with red dot center, but there is no puss or discharge coming out of it, and it's no worse than yesterday. I know I'm driving my friends and family and maybe some of you crazy with my worrying over this cat, but he's my little buddy, I can't help it.

Click to expand...

Glad to hear Muffin ate the tuna for you. I understand about driving people crazy with worry as I just went through a bad situation with my 6 feral cats. It's so hard when we can't help them like we can our indoor pets.

I use fish mox and have seen some really bad wounds clear up with some of my feral cats. Hope he continues to take it for you, I'm sure he knows you are trying to help him.

Good luck!

What is dosage on this FishMox and where could I buy it?

The recommended dose for cats is 5-10 mg per pound of cat once or twice daily. For a 10lb cat the dose would be 50-100mg once or twice a day. You can do your own research or talk to a vet, though, don't just take my word for it. I am giving Muffin 100mg once a day at this point.

http://www.calvetsupply.com/product/Amoxicillin-Capsules-250mg/Oral-Antibiotics

Okay, thank you. I get all my meds for them at the Vet.

I got a third dose of antibiotics in Muffin this AM. I was at work until after 10am, so my neighbor fed him at 7am, but he knew to wait for me on the porch for his tuna and medicine. He seems to be perking up, and he's come by three times to eat today. I'm home all day today so I've been leaving an empty bowl on the porch so the starlings can't eat it all and poop, but he knows to sit by the empty bowl and wait, and understands that when my car is out front that I'm at home. I'm going to purchase that enclosed feeding station someone posted on this thread so I can have a little peace during the day (hopefully the starlings won't figure that out too soon). Muffin's wound is a circular light pink with a red dot, but it's not at all pussing or wet, and he's definitely walking better on it, so I'm very hopeful.

My neighbor found him laying behind the new pet carrier on my porch  this AM. I think it will be a while before I can entice him to go in there since there's no exit. When he's feeling a little better I will use some live catnip plant. I don't want to try anything until I get at least a week's worth of antibiotics in him since that seems to have helped over the past 3 days and I don't want to spook him.  Thanks for your kind thoughts, please keep them coming, I hope he heals completely. My neighbor thinks he may have stepped on a tulip tree thorn, the same thing happened to her dog. I am hoping there's nothing still lodged in the paw, but he is able to put weight on it so I'm thinking there isn't.

Things really should improve after the third dose...  

@MsAimee I see you were trying to upload a video?  TCS only supports youtube and vimeo.. if it's one of those, let me know.