Oh what to do....?

I'm not sure if this is the forum to post, but I could do wih a bit of advice, please!

Today, Charlie (my neighbour's cat) was round at ours, he had seeds in his eye - many of them (of which I couldn't identify)

I cleaned his eye with saline solution, but couldn't remove all the seeds (he's not very keen on being handled)

I was wondering if you guys think I should let my neighbour know about the fact that Charlie had seeds in his eye and that I attempted to clear them out for him?!

I don't want to make my neighbour feel that I'm doubting her care for him, but I am personally concerned about him!

What would you do?!!

Does your neighbor usually take good care of him??? Either way I guess I would tell your neighbor.

I'd tell her because eyes are so delicate that it could do him damage if it doesnt get treated asap.

If nothing else, you should probably tell her that you washed his eyes out with saline solution anyway. You can word it so as the focus is on that rather than that you dont think she would have noticed herself.

Without a doubt I would bring it to her attention.........and if she's any kind of animal owner, she should apprecaite it. Poor little thing......

I'd tell her.
She may want to know about and thank you for taking care of her kitty.

Definitely tell her, some grass seeds will sort of burrow in each time they get disturbed.

Thanks guys!

She's not in at the moment, but I will try to catch her when she is!

They weren't grass seeds - they were very small and round! But it's still not a good thing to have in your eye!

Hopefully I will see Charlie today too, so I can check on him again!

I'd definitely say something to her. You can make it seem like he had just gotten them, and what you did, but you wanted to let her know. If approached properly, hopefully she take it in the right way. I had a talk with my neighbor after I almost "rescued" her snowshoe kitty. I found him in my yard (I knew the neighbor, but never saw the cat before) late one night. I put him in the garage, and was going upstairs for a carrier when I heard her calling like she was calling in a pet. When I talked to her, I realized it was her cat. When I asked if he was microchipped, she said no. I told her what could happen, or that someone like myself might think they're doing a good thing by "rescuing" him. When I saw her a few weeks later, her cat had gotten microchipped! So it always is worth the effort for the cat's sake.

I would tell your neighbor. I'm glad you saw this and took care of it .

Thanks for the advice! I am going to tell her as soon as she comes back (no idea when this will be though?) and let her know what happened and what I did!

I want to let her know, but not in a way that could appear that I'm saying she wouldn't have noticed! I really don't want to upset her!

I haven't seen Charlie yet today either, so I haven't been able to check him myself too!

Yep, I agree. It can't hurt to let her know.

I don't think any rational person would be upset by you cleaning up the cats eye. It's not like you took the cat to your vet & asked her to pay for it... I would've done the same thing, even if it was someone's child out front. All you think to do is help them. .. not wait, maybe I shouldn't help them.

Sounds like the birds were getting revenge by dumping millet on him . Seriously though...I hope his eye is ok. That sounds like a pretty heavy irritant.

Thank you so much for your support on this!

I still haven't seen Charlie or his owner, so was considering dropping a note through her door!

I have been wording what I would say - all day - and have decided, as I'm popping to my vets tomorrow, to pick up some microchipping tags (that Charlie managed to lose) and give them with it to make the message a little softer!

I feel that this will ease the situation as I don't know my neighbour very well and don't want her to think that I am doubting her ability as a kitty owner!

The only thing that I have concerns with is that she will realise that I am happy to take care of her cat!! (I am, of course but he is her responsibility at the end of the day!) She is home sporadically and he does tend to spend more time around our place!

Dose anyone have any ideas as to how I can mention this without sounding like a free caretaker?

Originally Posted by SolarityBengals

Sounds like the birds were getting revenge by dumping millet on him . Seriously though...I hope his eye is ok. That sounds like a pretty heavy irritant.

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I reckon you could be right! It really could have been a lot more irritating - poor thing! I really do hope that his eye is okay - the next time I see him, I'll check both his inner eyelid and the rest of his eye!

I am prepared to take him to my vet, but as I say; I'm concerned that my neighbour will take me for granted!

You could tell her that normally you wouldn't presume to treat her cat, but you were worried about him scratching his eye if you didn't rinse it out.

I wonder how he got seeds in his eye! That seems really weird to me. I mean, was he buring his face in a bird feeder? (that's a funny image!)

~Julia

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

You could tell her that normally you wouldn't presume to treat her cat, but you were worried about him scratching his eye if you didn't rinse it out.

I wonder how he got seeds in his eye! That seems really weird to me. I mean, was he buring his face in a bird feeder? (that's a funny image!)

~Julia

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Thanks for the advice, Julia!

Burying his face in a bird feeder is a funny image! I still do not know how he managed to get so many seeds into just one eye?!!

I still haven't managed to catch my neighbour home - but Charlie is around at the moment, so I've given his eye a jolly good looking at! It appears to be okay, but I'm going to write a note for my neighbour (If I can't catch her) and let her know to keep a close eye on it!

Thanks again everyone! I'll let you know how things go!

You think he was dipping his face in the bird-feeder to bait them? Sure, a bit of bird feed in the face makes it more likely they'll come to him. Less work on his part in the end.....

Seriously, it sounds like that must have been really irritating, poor little fella. I'm glad there is at least someone around to take care of him while his owner is out and about. I agree with everyone else here - let her know. Fingers crossed and good luck!

Since your neighbor hasn't been home, why don't you just say you noticed his eye when he dropped by, found that she wasn't home, and washed it out because it looked so irritated and painful?
He was probably stalking prey in some high grasses, and got the seeds that way.

There's just no way that she could be upset. Meerly tell her you saw something in his eye, took care of the matter, but are still a little concerned so you thought you'd bring it up. Then, if you're friends with your neighbor, invite them out for drinks or over for dinner. No way they could be upset then.

I think because Sarah does so much for poor Charlie she is worried that the neighbour will think her interfering. I don't know if you guys remember the lovely cat house she built for him to shelter from the rain in?

She is lucky to live next to you Sar. I can't understand how anyone could have a cat but go day by day hardly seeing him.

Charlie is obviously far less demanding than my two, I can hardly imagine them putting up with me being gone days on end or not stroking/feeding/playing in demand.