URGENT- Please Help

We've been feeding a stray for 3 to 4 weeks.
Her back leg is raw, there is no paw, no hair, it is just a raw stub up until about the first joint, but we can't see any bone.
We have been keeping an eye on her as we have been feeding her and the situation isn't improving, but not worse either. Because it's not improving, we are concerned about the cat as far as the possible pain.
Unfortunatley we don't have the money to bring her to the vet,
do you think we should contain her and bring her to the S.P.C.A., or because her leg isn't worse just let her continue on and just keep feeding her?

Ideally what we were hoping for without having to go to any major expense was for a vet to possibly prescribe some medication that we can put in her food, like an antibiotic. But, the few places we've called won't help us out.

Try calling local rescue groups to see which vets they use...I would just go through the yellow pages and call every vet until I got one who would offer help. If not, the SPCA would probably be willing to help you trap her and bring her in for treatment. Sounds like she may have tangled with a car or a wild animal. Yikes. Good luck and keep us posted.

Contact a TNR group and see if they have a vet who would be able to look over this cat:

http://www.alleycat.org/orgs.html#ca

Katie

Thank you for your response and the link, but none of those are even close to our city.

It doesn't appear that there is going to be any help in my area without spending a lot of money. Again, my dillema is, I'm worried that this cat could be in pain, although she seems to get around just fine, so should I let her go on as she is, or take her in and have her put down?

I just would like some opinions because we can't tell if she is suffering.

It sounds like two things, either a birth defect brought on usually by inbreeding, or a traumatic injury like being run over by a car or a bike and left to heal itself.

I will be honest with you, if you take this cat into a shelter they will more than likely put it down. Rescue groups are so busy this time of year (kitty season) that unless you find a really caring group they won't be much help either. That's just the reality of it. A vet won't give you medicine for her without seeing her, otherwise they open themselves up for legal trouble.

You have two options, find the money to take her in and at least get looked at $45.00 would give you a general evaluation. Or let her alone and let nature take its course. Don't try medicating her with anything over the counter, or you could do great harm. She really needs to be seen.

This is what happens when you start putting food out for stray cats, you get to see the ugliness that these cats have to endure, and feel helpless if you are in a position where all you can do is feed them and nothing else.

krazykatluver...honestly, I wouldn't have this cat put down because she has a raw paw....if anything...she may need the leg amputated...but to me, that doesn't justify ending her life. See if this group can help you:

California
Los Angeles area: http://www.actorsandothers.com/emergencyhelp.html
http://rescueguide.com/aid.html
Redwood City area: http://www.petsinneed.org/Services.html
Bay Cities area: http://www.narfrescue.org/services/v...ry_support.htm

Katie

In a perfect world I would bring her in if the money was available. I would like your honest opinion;
WOuld you leave her as she is and let nature take it course, her leg is very raw, but not oozing or infected looking.
or just take her in to the S.P.C.A. and have her put down?

Please I would like to know what others would do.

Because, my biggest concern is is she in pain and is she suffering. Although she seems to get around easily and comes by often twice a day.

Thank you TNR, none of those locations are near me, I live in Fresno, if your know where that is. But I greatly apreciate your help.

but of course I don't want to put her down, but I can't get the funds to amputate her leg, so is it your opinion that I should leave her on her own and let nature take its course?

The is NO foot! There is no raw paw, there is no paw and a raw leg.
She is totally unable to use it.

If she is suffering, isn't it humane to end her suffering?

I couldn't drop her off at the SPCA to be put down....I would allow her to continue to live outdoors and in the meantime, I would try to find an organization that could help me. What about contacting Best Friends:

Contact the Best Friends Network: at (435) 644-2001 ext 123, or e-mail them at [email protected]

Also...why must an organization be 'near' you to help? The financial funding groups may not be in your area...but they may know a vet who would work with you.

Contact Alley Cat Allies:

http://www.alleycat.org/contact.html

Call this group..they spay/neuter feral cats and may have a recommendation for a vet clinic:

California Feline Foundation Spay/Neuter Clinic
Fresno, CA
559-650-3122

Here is a coalition that may be able to help:

Central Valley Coalition for Animals

Area served: Fresno & Madera Counties
619 Woodworth Avenue
Clovis, CA 93612
Phone: 559-297-0187
E-mail: [email protected]
Contact person: Sarah Schmidt

I would leave her be and in the meantime look for something, anything that I could pawn to get the money to get her evaluated. In the past I have taken in a large percent of my video movie collection to get a cat to the vet. There are credit card options as well. I learned long ago when I started working with ferals and strays that anything is possible if you look hard enough.

From an emotional standpoint, yeah, no one wants to put an animal down, but,
What if she is suffering?!

And because we have been watching her for about a month, and it hasn't improved at all, I just don't want her to suffer, and it would seem like the humane thing to do.


Thank you both for giving me your honest opinions previously on what you would do.

What if she is suffering?!

Click to expand...

You don't know whether she is suffering or not....that is why she needs to be evaluated by a vet.

Webster's dictionary defines euthanasia as "the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.

Only a vet can tell you what her prognosis is.

Katie

If she gets around okay and that is all you are worried about, cats get along fine with three legs (I had one that had to have her front leg amputated) and the next day she was running around like normal. If the stump were bloody, pussy or flies were drawn to it, then I would say she is probably suffering, but chances are she has already done the suffering and is on the recovery end of things

Last week she did have flies just swarming all over her, but I had heard that that was good thing because they eat the dead flesh. So you are telling me that that might mean she is suffering? But this week we haven't seen them on her and her legs been like this for at least 3 weeks, that we have been around her without any sign of improvement. And it is a little bloody, still.


It feel great to hear you say that she may be on the recovery end of things, I'm praying that is true.

So under those circumstances, and it is bloody and the flies were swarming it, would it be a humane thing to do to give her peace?


Will all vets look at any feral cat?

Not to scare you, but if the flies were forming they have probably laid their eggs on her and she will need help fairly quickly. It is hard to tell you what to do because we aren't there to see her. Is there any way, shape or form that you could come up with the money to at least do a vet office call for her? And if you don't have money to get her to the vet, how can you give her peace?

Are there any signs that there are eggs on her leg? Because we can see her leg well when she is eating. We don't see any larvae though.

And what will they do if they hatch?

Flies lay their eggs deep, when the maggots hatch they are usually on top of soiled fur, excrement, rotting flesh, and wounds. Some maggots can be good; others can be dangerous. The cause of the maggots (a wound, infection, tumor) could be as serious or more serious than the maggots themselves. Therefore, they should be removed (washing with a mixture of 4 parts water with one part povidone iodine ("betadine") or household (3%) hydrogen peroxide usually works well. Keep the are clean and dry.

Contact your veterinarian.

So I wouldn't be able to see the eggs if they have already been lain?

And will they kill her if they hatch?

I have betadine here, do you suggest I try your solution, or is it something that should be left to the pros?

All i want to do is help her and end her pain, and believe me I DO NOT want to put her down. I'm sitting here crying now cuz I'm sooo confused. is it even my decision to make the call to end her life? I just want to do the right thing. and the humane thing.

If it has been about a week since the flies were swarming her, wouldn't we be seeing the maggots by now?

And since we don't seen anything like that is that good? Meaning there are none?
or would we even be able to see them at all?

krazykatlover,
You are describing what sounds like a pretty gruesome injury to us, and have asked us for advice. Hissy and TNR1 have advised you to take her into the vet and you have been given several links to organizations which might help you.

From what you describe, the cat needs medical attention. If you absolutely can not afford to help her then at least try and find someone who will. I understand that money is tight, but when you started feeding her you took on a certain amount of responsibility for her continued well being.

If you can not or will not do that, then call animal control to come and get the kitty, at least give her a chance to get treated or put out of her misery.