My heart doesn't want to give up on her.. What shall I do ?

shilpa

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A few months back a feral adopted me. She later gave birth to 3 kittens, two of which (both females, 4 months old) still live in my house. The mama cat named babu was attacked by a few dogs and her leg is injured pretty badly. She didnt come home for about a day and i found her on a neighbour's terrace. Since she is a feral and doesnt let anyome else touch her, i called the rescuers once i brought her home. They tried to catch her however the attempt failed ajd she hid under the stone slabs. Later that night she left the house. I looked everywhere but couldnt find her. I had almost lost the hope and thought she had died somewhere either because of hunger or became a prey to the street dogs. But i kept searching and found her eventually on an abandoned house's terrace with the help of local kids. Her leg seemed better however she still seemed to be in pain and was not getting enough food. I brought her home, gave her food but she left the house again, probably because she is still scared of the rescuers and doesnt consider my house safe anymore. She probably is also uncomfortable with her kittens presense as she hissed om them the last time i brought her back (probably she is irritated because of the pain or maybe she doesnt recognize them at all). I started looking for her again and found her again today in a neighnour's house. I gave her foof and then decided to call the rescuers again and this time she escaped from a 6" vent. I am not able toHer leg seems to be healing but she seems malnutritioned. The rescuers said that the leg will heal eventually. She is putting her leg down that means its not a fracture or even if its a fracture or a displacement, it will heal automatically as new joint will form. I am not able to decide what to do. She has survived for about 15 days without any support that means she is hunting and is getting some food at least. What shall i do ? My heart doesnt want to give up on her. But somewhere myind says i should leave her on her own now since more efforts to catch her will scare her even more. Please suggest something.
 

shadowsrescue

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Thank you for caring about this sweet one.  How are the rescuers trying to get her?  I would suggest using a humane trap.  You can start by tying the trap open and feeding her inside it.  Then when you are ready you can set the trap, put some food inside and hope she goes inside.  Once inside you cover the trap with a blanket to calm her and then transport to the vet.  

After a vet appointment it would be best if you could keep her inside to recooperate.  She needs rest and a safe place.  Is it possible for you to bring her inside?  Do you know if she is spayed?  That is very important since she will just continue to reproduce and more unwanted kittens will be walking about.  If you could trap her and get her medical help and then have her spayed too that would be fantastic.
 

boney girl dad

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Sorry about Babu's injury. Don't give up on her. I'm sure she does not understand that you are trying to help her. Maybe, try to regain her trust so you can track her progress and go from there. ShadowsRescue's advice is correct if you can do it.
 
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di and bob

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If there is no way to trap her successfully, can you feed her until she recovers? I've had ferals recover from some horrifying wounds, they just need extra nutrition to to so. You might get her some kitten chow or kitten wet food, it is full of nutrition and extra calories. If you are able it might not be a bad idea to get a liquid antibiotic and give it to her in some tuna juice once a day, that may help in the healing. As long as there is improvement, that is a good sign. I'll pray for her, and ask for you to be blessed for your kindness, we need more people in the world like you. 
 
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shilpa

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I am definitely planning on feeding her regularly but finding her is a huge task. She is usualy hiding in the neighbourhood and the neighbours seem to be getting irritated. People around me think i am stupid as i am running after a feral cat. Its almost impossible to explain that she is hurt and i cant see her or any animal in pain. They also dont let me feed her in their premises because they think she wont leave and they dont want a cat on their property. have made a pact wirh the neighbourhood kids that i will pay them if they inform me everytime they see her. I hope it works. That way at least i will be able to feed her. I do feed her kitten tuna and kitten dry food whenever i see her. I want to and have brought her back inside twice after she got hurt. And she escaped both the times. Probably because she isnt recognising her own kittens or she is scared that the rescuers will trap her. I just hope she would let me help her.
 
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shilpa

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Thank you for caring about this sweet one.  How are the rescuers trying to get her?  I would suggest using a humane trap.  You can start by tying the trap open and feeding her inside it.  Then when you are ready you can set the trap, put some food inside and hope she goes inside.  Once inside you cover the trap with a blanket to calm her and then transport to the vet.  

After a vet appointment it would be best if you could keep her inside to recooperate.  She needs rest and a safe place.  Is it possible for you to bring her inside?  Do you know if she is spayed?  That is very important since she will just continue to reproduce and more unwanted kittens will be walking about.  If you could trap her and get her medical help and then have her spayed too that would be fantastic.
There is no way to trap her now. Since she is not on my property. Its not easy to find out where she is. I feel the rescuers arent very serious either. They alwats try to prove the animal isnt injured cause she us walking on all four limbs. They fail to notice that she is running to save her life because she us scared of humans. The organisation is definitely good, but the workers are probably just working for money and not for the love of animals. The neighbours arent very supportive either. So i will try and feed her as and when possible. If she comes home, she will get the best. I hope and pray she does.
 
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shilpa

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Sorry about Babu's injury. Don't give up on her. I'm sure she does not understand that you are trying to help her. Maybe, try to regain her trust so you can track her progress and go from there. ShadowsRescue's advice is correct if you can do it.
I will try to win her trust again. As of now, i feel that she would even stop responding to my calls as well as she feels betrated. She seems to be healing but is definitely weak.
 

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If she is able to walk and even run, then her injury is healing on its own. If there's isn't pus or inflammation around the area, then there isn't an infection, either, so there's no immediate danger. I suggest you continue to leave food out for her on your property, as well as trying to feed her when the kids see her, and give her time to trust you again. I would give up trying to trap her now. Cats have an amazing ability to heal on their own, as long as there isn't a serious infection. I took in a female feral over 3 years ago who had somehow survived getting shot when she was a kitten--the bullet is still lodged in her pelvis area to this day. The bullet had broken her leg, and it healed on its own-- but crooked, so she walks with a gait. How she managed to survive with those injuries is a mystery to me! But she did, and yours likely will as well.

Has she ever been trapped in a humane trap before? If so, she likely won't enter one again. But the time to try again isn't now. And when the time comes, you should consider renting a trap from your local Humane Society and doing it yourself--you'll want to get her spayed so she doesn't continue to have kittens.

Be patient, you'll regain her trust, but she'll need a little time.  
 
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shilpa

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I managed to catch her finally as i spotted her in a neighbour's house. Luckily she is still responding to my calls. Have put her in a small room away from all my other kittens. She is safe inside and can relax for sometime till she heals. I wont let her out for at least 6-7 days. Her leg seema to be healing since when i caught her, she was running and also had a mouse in her mouth :). Hopefully things will be better for her. I am so relieved and feel so light.
 

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That's wonderful news! Will you take her to a vet to get spayed, and if possible, have her leg looked at? If you can't afford a big vet bill now, perhaps you could take her to a low cost spay and neuter clinic? The Humane Society and animal friends both have
them. Her life will be so much happier not going through the heat and pregnancy cycles. Also, if she is spayed, there is a good chance she might want to stay indoors. Both female ferals that I took inside never expressed any desire to return to their lives outdoors after the trip to the vet. I'm happy she is receiving TLC from you safely indoors. I know what a relief that is.
 

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Yes, please consider taking her to the vet to get spayed.  It will make her life so much easier.  If she is not spayed, there will be lots and lots more kittens all around and then they too will all reproduce.  Please consider getting her to a vet to have the leg looked at and getting her spayed.  Here life will be so much nicer without the male tomcats going after her during each heat cycle.
 

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Please do get her to the vet. I know you want to regain her trust, but you can do that after she is well. She really needs to be spayed.
 
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shilpa

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Taking her to the vet to is only possible if i sedate her. Otherwise she will escape. She is a very smart cat and has been able to escape every time. I am talking to the vets to see if they can come home and check her leg. I will also check if its safe to sedate her. For now she is in a safe zone and no toms can approach her. She seems to be a lil stressed out and scared as she was tried to capture twice in last few days. She was growling at me when i opened the door to give her food. I can afford a vet and also we have a veternary college where they neuter animals for free. I will try to take her to the vet (in case they cant visit her at home) once she settles down and heals a bit. Probably in 3-4 days so that even if she escapes, she would be in a lil better state. She is very weak and has lost a lot of weight as she didnt have enough food in last few days. There is no open wound on her leg and she seems to be jumping and running. She is limping a lil though but i am sure she is healing.
 

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Taking her to the vet to is only possible if i sedate her. Otherwise she will escape. She is a very smart cat and has been able to escape every time. I am talking to the vets to see if they can come home and check her leg. I will also check if its safe to sedate her. For now she is in a safe zone and no toms can approach her. She seems to be a lil stressed out and scared as she was tried to capture twice in last few days. She was growling at me when i opened the door to give her food. I can afford a vet and also we have a veternary college where they neuter animals for free. I will try to take her to the vet (in case they cant visit her at home) once she settles down and heals a bit. Probably in 3-4 days so that even if she escapes, she would be in a lil better state. She is very weak and has lost a lot of weight as she didnt have enough food in last few days. There is no open wound on her leg and she seems to be jumping and running. She is limping a lil though but i am sure she is healing.
My concern is that she is going to continue escaping and not improve. She needs to go to the vet now. Please sedate her if you need to.
 

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One way is to take a pillow case and lay it down open in a circle so the end is flat and the sides are gathered making the circle, then try baiting her to it, when she is on it raise the sides and it will bag her basically, tie the top. This will not hurt her.

Or bait the back of a carrier, that you have attached a string to the door where it latches, through the carrier and out the back of it, so when she goes inside to the back, pull the string and hold it tightly until you go secure the door.

Here the vet gives me acepromazine for ferals. It's a sedative. 
 
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shilpa

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I have spoken to the vets and they arent ready to check her since they arent experienced with feral cats. So i will be calling my friend's husband from another city. He is a vet at the local zoo and has experience in dealing with the big wild cats. I am sure he will be able to deal with her. It will take him at least a day or two to come here. I dont want to contact the shelter now since they are reluctant. They have always been telling me that she is running on all four legs and that her injury will heal automatically. Probably they are right but i dont wanna take this risk. This time, she cant escpae since this room is actually a big bathroom inside a room and there is no way out except the room's door that i close before i open the bathroom. So she cant escape now.
 

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Can I ask how you caught her to get her inside your house? That was the really difficult part. All you need to do now is find a clinic or vet willing to spay a feral cat. Some require that the cat be in a trap, others will accept the cat in a carrier. They will sedate her for the exam and spay. I agree it is a good idea to wait a few days for her to become sttong and hydrated again so she will be strong for the surgery. You will likely have to wait a few days for an appointment anyway. And yes, she is going to be scared and angry going back into a trap or carrier, and to the vet, and the whole ordeal will be upsetting for her. But a month from now, when she is completely healed up, content to be in your home, safe and spoiled, and no longer experiencing the hardships of a female feral cat on her own outside--the ordeal will be forgotten and forgiven. That has been my experience.
 
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shilpa

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Can I ask how you caught her to get her inside your house? That was the really difficult part. All you need to do now is find a clinic or vet willing to spay a feral cat. Some require that the cat be in a trap, others will accept the cat in a carrier. They will sedate her for the exam and spay. I agree it is a good idea to wait a few days for her to become sttong and hydrated again so she will be strong for the surgery. You will likely have to wait a few days for an appointment anyway. And yes, she is going to be scared and angry going back into a trap or carrier, and to the vet, and the whole ordeal will be upsetting for her. But a month from now, when she is completely healed up, content to be in your home, safe and spoiled, and no longer experiencing the hardships of a female feral cat on her own outside--the ordeal will be forgotten and forgiven. That has been my experience.
I went to look for her again in the afternoon. Called her name and saw her runnung on neighbour's boundry with a tiny mouse in her mouth. So i went upto the house with some wet food. Called her name and she responded. She had the food and before she could finish, i grabbed her in my arms and ran. She did resist a lil but the house is only 100 meters. She growled and scratched but thats all. She doesnt bite and thats a good thing. She tried to escape but now i have experience in grabbing her :)

Carrier and cage are out of question. She just wouldnt get inside. No way to trick her into it. She is way too scared. She is not happy being in the bathroom either and has been growling a lil. I am waiting for a friend's husband, who is a vet at a zoo in another city. He will be here in a day or two. He will help me treat her leg first. I think its healing on its own but he will be able to tell me how severe it is. Once she is fine, i will try and take her for spaying. She will need to be sedated. So i will have to plan. Meanwhile, her two kittens will be spayed this saturday.
 

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That sounds like a good plan. I assume that once she is sedated, you will be able to get her into the pet carrier more easily? If you still have difficulty, this is one method you might try. Stand the pet carrier verticle and upright with the door open. One person throws a towel or small blanket over her, and scoops her head first into the carrier (which has a blanket or thick towel inside of it) while the person holding the carrier quickly closes the door. It takes two people to do this. Keep in mind that as unpleasant as the trip to the vet may be, it will be over soon, and the benefits will last for her entire life. What you are doing for her is wonderful. In the meantime, spend as much time with her in her room as you can, softly talking to her and giving her food she enjoys. She is scared right now, and possibly in pain, but it won't take her long to realize how good she has it and what a wonderful life she will have. Don't be surprised if she cries at night over the next few days. You will both get through this.
 
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