HELP! I caught her

I caught the injured stray in my earlier thread here She came in the house on her own but didn't want to be caught when I shut the door. When she stepped all the way in I closed the patio door and she was very very upset.

I think she has a broken front leg or an absess or cut in her right front leg. She can't step on it.

She's in a big carrier in the other room and is scared to death and hissing. I hope to take her to the vet tomorrow (tho I'm worried that it may be the vet's day off and then what).

What do I do now? Does she hiss at me cause she's afraid? Will she hate me forever because I caught her??????? That is my biggest worry. Should I have waited and let her come in willingly? After I caught her I feared it was the wrong thing to do and I wanted to let her go but I didn't cause of her injury. Any advice or comments welcome.

You are doing the right thing. Do not worry. If she get surgery, then she will be rekonvalescent. During that time you will be helping her - and she will know that. I mean, often the quickest way to get a shy feral friendly and tame is to help it when shehe is sick.

Do you read your Herriot-stories?

One of them is about two homeless strays who choosed to live neighbour to them. but accepted the food they get. They were afraid of Herriots, mr Herriot especielly. But when they were sick or something must be done - examined, hair cut and so on - the veterinar Herriot must do it, and they becoming more shy to him than ever.
But he did come over that with hard work and a lot of patience. Giving them food in small portions but often.
They did became friends with time.

Oh don't even question yourself! You are doing the right thing. You might try covering the carrier with a towel or sheet. This will help calm her down until you can get her to the vet! Wonderful work! I will be watching for the update.

to you You are doing the right thing. This poor kitty really needs vet care, and who knows how long she has been injured. Yes, she is scared now, but with time and patience she will learn to trust you. Let us know what happens a the vet

Thanks, y'all, I'm still worried about it being the right thing to do but your assurances help.

I put the carrier in my bedroom and shut the door and napped on the LR couch. Apparently the carrier door wasn't latched correctly because StrayKitty got out and went under my king size bed. There's a spare headboard and footboard under the bed and she's in the center of all of that.

My vet has the day off today and tomorrow. So they recommended just keeping her in the bedroom till Thurs AM when I can bring her in. (I'm in a small town with no emergency vet option). I put out food, water and litter box and shut the door and went to work. I've gone in there once or twice and tried talking to her but she only hissed in reply. I don't think she's touched any of the food or the litter box.

I probably won't be able to get her out from under the bed by myself so I hope I can entice her out by Thursday morning. I hope she won't hate me forever.

Again, I'm soo happy you got her! Getting her out from under the bed might be a chore, but the rewards will make it worthwhile these first few weeks might be a trying time, but you will be rewarded with a wonderful kitty. She just needs a little work. I'm sure she's scared out of her mind right now, try and comfort her as best you can. Good luck

StefanZ, I meant to post to you in my reply earlier.

I have read some of Herriot's books but it has been a long time ago. I like his books. Thanks for the story you shared.

Chichismom, thanks for the vote of confidence.

An update for y'all! She doesn't hate me!!!!! When I came home from work and looked under the bed and talked to her she PURRED!!!! I went back a few minutes later and she was hissing again. I pushed some tuna and some cat food under the bed and I could hear her eating it.

Just a few minutes ago before going to bed I went in there and she's no longer under the bed. But she is still kinda hiding and still hissing some but purring too. She ate some wet food and drank some water and even let me barely touch her head to pet it. Then more hiding and hissing.

A friend's daughter will come early on Thursday morning to help me get her in the carrier if I need her to. StrayKitty is soooo thin and sooooo dirty. It looks like her right leg has a bad cut or absess (sp?). She won't let me get close enough to look at it so I'll leave that for the vet.

Thanks again y'all for the support. What would I do without you?

I'm so glad she has decided to come out of hiding,if only for a minute I'm glad she's eating too has she drank any? I hope the vet can clean her wound and it starts healing fast please keep us updated, and let us know what happens at the vet.

Good luck for Thursday! She sounds like she might eventually be friendly.

Today is Thursday afternoon & I am anxiously waiting to see an update! What adventures you must have had this morning - I am hoping & praying that all is going well at the vet's. In fact, I'm supposed to be working...

I believe it is best not to touch the head in the beginning - raised hand/paw is threating. Stroke on the back instead. Or even on chin or lower jaw.

and you know the classical; dont look to much at her, look besides. If you look, halfclose the eyes. Do yawn like friendly cats do. Stretch yourselv like friendly cats do.

Hey y'all, I didn't post sooner cause we didn't go to the vet till late this afternoon. The vet was super busy all day but stayed late to take us. And you were so right about it being the right thing to do to catch her!!!!

By last night StrayKitty came out of hiding in my bedroom and ate while I held the little paper plate and rubbed all up against me as I sat on the floor. And she let me pet her alot. She ate quite a bit, drank water and used her litter box both days. Later in the evening she was laying in front of the patio door in my bedroom and looking out at the world.

This morning I went in the bedroom and put some wet food on a plate in the back of the carrier. She went in there to eat it and I shut the door. No friend needed to get her out from under the bed and much less traumatic for her.

At the vet's this afternoon the doc examined her and gave her a pain shot right away. The pain medicine began helping in 5 minutes and we could see a difference in her immediately. Her eyes looked better and she relaxed a bit and clearly was feeling better. Then they did x-rays. StrayKitty has a fractured upper right front leg. The vet said it had to be very painful - that she probably caught it in something and pulled hard to get it loose.

We guessed it has been almost 2 weeks since she was hurt (it took me more than a week to catch her after I knew she was injured and it was a few days before that). They'll do surgery tomorrow (so I left her overnight so they can do it early) and then she'll stay at the vet's for 24-48 hours. After that it's about 4-6 weeks recovery. The vet named her SweetPea cause she is so sweet. We guess she's 6-8 months old and weighs maybe 5 lbs. And we think she's probably the littermate of the stray I adopted about 2 months ago. She is all white - a dirty white right now from living outdoors but will be beautiful.

Thanks again for all the advice and support. I couldn't have done it without you.

Jean what a wonderful job you have done! I can't wait to hear how she's doing after surgery. My hats off to you!

I hope she heals up nicely thank you for the update

thanks for the update, wishing you luck for a swift recovery!

SweetPea is doing great so far! She was tested for FELV and other diseases and all came back negative. Her blood tests were good and she let them handle her while getting ready for surgery.

She came through the surgery just fine. The vet that did it said the injury was at least 2 weeks old (so it is more $$$ and it was already alot ). At the end of the day my friend (the vet tech) called and said SweetPea was eating out of her hand, purring and making biscuits with her front paws. She is getting pretty domesticated for being a stray kitty.

I will go late tomorrow afternoon to pick her up from the vet's and then I need to keep her quiet and recovering for at least 4 weeks. So it looks like I have a 3rd kitty.

Jean, I have just caught up with this - what wonderful amazing news!! simply brilliant!! awwwwww you must be so happy that everything is going so well
cant wait to hear how it all goes when you bring her home

I have been following this thread and I am so glad that SweetPea is going to be fine and that she has a new home with you! There is nothing more rewarding than saving a cat's life and growing to bond with it. May you enjoy many years together.

What a great story! I'm so glad you went the whole nine yards in helping this poor kitten! It sounds like she'll socialize quite well. StefanZ is right, they bond to you when they realize that you helped them and took their pain away. SweetPea is going to love you forever for this. The initial hissing was pain and fear talking. It sounds like underneath that is a wonderfully loving kitty.

Thank you for helping her!