Injured feral - treat or PTS?

If the only surgery he had was being neutered he won't need to have his stitches removed.



Engine oil takes forever to come off. Dish soap works, but cats usually need three or four baths to get rid of all the oil. In the meantime you can use cotton wool soaked in make-up remover, the kind for removing water-proof make-up, to get the worst of it off. It's a long slow process.

The antibiotic shot is going to help a lot. Really, the fact that he is indoors and getting regular food is going to do him the most good.

Cats don't see that well. It's hard for them to identify people by the way they look, particularly as we change our clothes every day. Talk to him quietly before you open the door to his room so he knows that it's you coming. You can get him used to your smell by leaving an old sweat shirt or a pillow case you've been using in the room with him. Leave it near to his food bowl so he learns that your smell means good things.

He might need a dental in the future, but no rush.

He seems a lot more uncomfortable as the night progresses. He's hissing randomly when being pet and is going to hide. I'm a little worried. He's peed and have a BM, but only once each. He didn't eat the night prior to his neuter nor the day of, so maybe he's just empty. He is still eating and drinking tonight so I'm crossing my fingers that I'm just worrying too much. I've had waaay to much experience with UTI's in cats and it's always terrifying to me and I'm always paranoid about them happening. Maybe the pain medication is just wearing off..

The fact that he's used the litter box is a really good sign. I don't think you need to worry about that. Eating and drinking too, that's very good.

It could be that he is in pain. It sounds like he may have been hit by a car so he's going to have some bruising at least. Did the vet let you have any more pain meds for him?

Just give him time. Keep the room quiet and warm for him, let him hide if he wants to. You can be in there talking softly to calm him. You could also have some classical harp music playing for him. Cats really like the sound of the harp.

He's been through a lot in the past few days. If he still seems really uncomfortable on Monday you could call the vet and ask about pain meds. For now though I'd just let him be and give him time to adjust.

You're doing a great job with him.

Well. I woke up this morning to him not in his room. He managed to force open the sliding window and destroyed the screen and got outside. I'm devestated.

Oh, no! That's terrible, but also. . .sort of impressive. Even my cats can't open a closed window, and they get into/out of everything. He's tough, he's a survivor, and he had an antibiotic shot, so I think he'll be OK as long as he stays away from cars. When he's recovered he may remember that you're his new friend and warm up to you again.

How far away is the area you took him from? Or, wait, he lived in your neighborhood? Just put his food and water where he's used to finding them, he'll come back. He may stay gone for a few days but they almost always come back.

Neutering males usually makes them more affectionate so I really think he'll be pretty friendly once he feels better.

Seriously I don't know how he managed it. The window didn't have a lock or anything, but how could he figure out to grab specific side and push it a certain direction. And the screen isn't ripped, he literally bent the frame in several spots. I'll get pictures when I can. It's insane. I think I'll leave food in the room with the window open and a trail going back inside. He still needs treatment and now he's just going to suffer longer and it's makes me so sad.

It's broken at the corners and bent in a few places. I hope he's okay.

Oh no! [emoji]128561[/emoji] He must have pushed his way out.

At this moment, don't think we know why he escaped. I hope he had not wandered far.

Can you get some of his used litter and make a trail back to the house?

Wow, that's impressive!

One of my girls managed to claw through a Japanese shoji, (sliding wood and paper screen) open a window and then claw through a wire screen to get out when she was in heat. She came back the next day and was spayed at the end of the week.

He won't go far. He's in his home territory. Put out food for him in the usual place and he'll come back.

Now that you know you can pet him you'll be able to lure him back inside with tasty treats once he's realised inside is more comfortable than out.

Did the kitty return to your property? Have you found him yet?

I hope the kit kat does make it back to you and that he decides to be happy inside.  With two other ferals disappearing I am afraid the cats injuries could also have been from torture/abuse and being covered in oil could mean someone was trying to set him on fire.  I try not to be so morbid and assume the best, but humans never cease to amaze me with how cruel they can be.  Which brings me to my next observation, which I hope I am wrong about, but could the screen have been bent open from the outside?  was the window easy to reach... My neighbors cat was stolen out of her window... she always tried to say that her cat probably just bent the screen and escaped... but the same thing happened to another Siamese cat a couple blocks over within days of each other.  Just too coincidental for me.  Please, be careful, and be on the look out... you could have a sick individual out there torturing cats - it was my thought when I first read your post about being covered in oil, having fur burned or ripped off,  and then two other ferals disappearing at or near the same time.  But now seeing the screen... my heart just sinks with worry over this.  

It's very rare that someone will abuse or torture a stray or feral cat. For one thing, feral cats are savvy and know to keep their distance from unfamiliar and hostile humans. If someone is annoyed by a stray or feral cat, they will usually call Animal Control, or worse case scenario, may try to shoot the cat. One of the rescued feral cats inside my home was shot by someone when she was a kitten, so I know this does happen. But systematic torture is something that very rarely happens, unless there is a sociopath in your neighborhood, and then there are even bigger things to worry about in that case. So I would try not worry about that scenario. Also, I had a domesticated cat who jumped through the screen of my upstairs window several summers ago to chase a bird. He survived the fall and the eight hours he was outside until I came home from work and discovered his absence with the broken screen. So cats can and do escape through screens, intentionally and unintentionally. I think it's safe to assume that is what happened with your kitty. Stay positive, and believe the best. I am sending prayers and positive thoughts your way.

No sign of him. I thought I heard his meowing/crying the night he left, but nothing since. I'm still leaving the window open with a food trail and the old place I used to feed him has food now. Someone ate the food trail yesterday, but that could have been anyone. One of the old ferals has returned. She seems in okay shape, but she was too far away to really tell. No limping or anything at least. A new tom has already moved in too, I saw him yesterday at the food station, never seen him before that. Huge fat cheeks so definitely a tom. I hope he isn't the reason Dodger hasn't returned. I'll keep leaving food but I'm already losing hope.

MollyBlue said:

..she always tried to say that her cat probably just bent the screen and escaped...  

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I considered it and worried about it, but taking a closer look at the screen it looks like he climbed the screen. There are rips near the top and rips in the middle like he climbed to the top and his weight pulled the whole thing down. The bends are at the top and on the top of the side and I'm thinking that's what happened. The window is really easy to slide, he just had to get his paw in between the slider and the wall and he was getting antsy enough that I could see him exploring any exit, especially if he heard any cats outside. I did make sure the gate is locked now and all the side doors just in case. Thanks for your thoughts.

MsAimee said:

Did the kitty return to your property? Have you found him yet?

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No sign of him [emoji]128542[/emoji] I'll kee his window open and the food bowls full. Not giving up yet.

If you have a bit of spare cash I recommend getting a trail camera. They're motion activated and will take film or photos of whatever passes in front of them. very useful for keeping track of feral cats.

Mine was just a cheap, standard one. I think I paid around $100 for it, but I've had it for years and left it out in blizzards and monsoon rains. It still works well.

http://www.acorncamera.com/

Okay good news is that I saw him. He didn't come in the yard to eat, so I moved a bowl of food out to the corner of the yard. Hopefully he'll come back and we can start coaxing him back to the house. Fingers crossed he'll come back sooner than later.

Yea, that's good! At least he is safe.

I suggest that you leave a used unwashed clothing of yours and put it near his food bowl. This will give him a familiar scent and letting him know that he was here before.

Meanwhile, you can have the screen replaced if it need to be.

Hope that he'll come in soon.

tinyshelper said:

Okay good news is that I saw him. He didn't come in the yard to eat, so I moved a bowl of food out to the corner of the yard. Hopefully he'll come back and we can start coaxing him back to the house. Fingers crossed he'll come back sooner than later.

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Keeping our fingers crossed for you... I am pretty sure he will though.  You have a relationship, and he is coming back to that, and you can build on it.  Don't think of it as starting over, you are moving forward.  If he was completely over you he wouldn't be back.    He is just testing the waters, weighing the good against the bad. 

tinyshelper said:

I considered it and worried about it, but taking a closer look at the screen it looks like he climbed the screen. There are rips near the top and rips in the middle like he climbed to the top and his weight pulled the whole thing down. The bends are at the top and on the top of the side and I'm thinking that's what happened. The window is really easy to slide, he just had to get his paw in between the slider and the wall and he was getting antsy enough that I could see him exploring any exit, especially if he heard any cats outside. I did make sure the gate is locked now and all the side doors just in case. Thanks for your thoughts.

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This is good news... bad that he escaped, but good you are sure he did it himself!