poor little stray

jcribbs

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Well, for the past few months, I have been feeding a tomcat stray/feral male. He just showed up one day and has been eating off and on at my house. I can't touch him but I can now sit approx 5'-6' from him if I move slow and talk to him quietly. He has a hurt foot. Last month, he was bleeding profusely from it but he would run if I got near him, so I just let him be since there was not much I could do.

It is nearly healed but he limps.

I think he got cut on glass and there might still be some in his foot. When it first happened, I thought I saw a sparkle of glass but I couldn't be certain. I am encouraged today since he let me near him as long as I was sitting down. I hope to gain his trust so I can doctor him. It was the bottom of his pad that was injured. When he walks on rocks, he does not put it down. On grass, he hobbles but gets around ok. But's it still sore.

He is a pretty guy in these pictures but in person, he is a little beat up looking. A tuxedo guy..





See the toe on the rear foot. It's all swollen or something. It's hard to tell. This is a photo blowup..

He looks nearly exactly like Jimmy and Socks..hehe Hubby thought he WAS Socks yesterday and he came in to tell me she was limping. I looked and it was the stray....

Jenn
 

renny

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Oh the poor thing. Would it be possible to trap him to get a look at that foot (or to get him to a vet??).
 

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Originally Posted by Renny

Oh the poor thing. Would it be possible to trap him to get a look at that foot (or to get him to a vet??).
Yeah - I'm with this, poor little guy.
 

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Awww, Jenn, I hope he lets you get close enough to help him, or possibly trap him. He reminds me a lot of Jimmy.
 
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jcribbs

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I don't know Renny. I have never trapped a cat before. I have read how others do it... but I never have before. But I've never had a hurt animal hanging out that I couldn't get near. It's sad.

I am going to get JJ's paperwork in an hr or so, and I'll see if I can entice him into letting me touch him.

At the same time he showed up [a few months back], another tom who is also black and white showed up. I'll try later on to get a picture. That one had mange. I managed to get close enough to him and treat his condition with athletes foot ointment and he got well. I've wormed him and he lets me pet him. He sticks his head in the door on occassion and is a good boy. I even dusted him with flea stuff. I dont' think they were wild. I think they are brothers since they showed up together when someone dumped them out together. It's just taking this one guy a little while longer to trust, but I somehow just don't think he is a true feral, just untrusting at this point due to being dumped.
 

satai

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Originally Posted by jcribbs

I don't know Renny. I have never trapped a cat before. I have read how others do it... but I never have before. But I've never had a hurt animal hanging out that I couldn't get near. It's sad.

I am going to get JJ's paperwork in an hr or so, and I'll see if I can entice him into letting me touch him.

At the same time he showed up [a few months back], another tom who is also black and white showed up. I'll try later on to get a picture. That one had mange. I managed to get close enough to him and treat his condition with athletes foot ointment and he got well. I've wormed him and he lets me pet him. He sticks his head in the door on occassion and is a good boy. I even dusted him with flea stuff. I dont' think they were wild. I think they are brothers since they showed up together when someone dumped them out together. It's just taking this one guy a little while longer to trust, but I somehow just don't think he is a true feral, just untrusting at this point due to being dumped.
Since you're going to your vets anyway, maybe you can see if they have a trap you can borrow?
 
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jcribbs

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Eileen, he looks so much like Jimmy that the first time I saw him, I freak out and thought somehow Jimmy had "escaped".........hehe The two strays came sometime AFTER I had adopted Jimmy which was April 19th. So they have been around for at least 3 months.

But it's not Jimmy, but they could be twins. Jimmy looks cared for too and is larger than this guy. But if this guy were fed good, he would get big too.

But yes, him and Jimmy could nearly be twins...

And this is Socks, who my husband thought was this guy....


Jimmy and Socks look very similiar as well. Socks is who Jimmy hangs out with. He's thinks she pretty. Her white whiskers are 4-5" long and Jimmy said he likes long whiskers on his women.

But seriously, it's uncanny how they all three resemble. The other stray has a black and white face.

Now I'm off to change clothes and meet with the vet. Be back in a bit.

Jenn
 
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jcribbs

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I want to add one more thing.

If I got him trapped, how the heck would I doctor his foot and look at it?

And suggestions? I'll read them when I get back if any exist..

Jenn
 

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Most vets are closed for the weekend. You should trap him quickly because he has an infection in that foot and needs to be treated, plus the fireworks are coming and he will run off when they start going off.

i wouldn't try and approach him barehanded- he looks like a tom and if he is pain he can be very aggressive. If you insist on approaching him watch his body language carefully and leave yourself an escape hatch.
 
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jcribbs

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The vet when I got the paperwork did not have a cage they loan out. I will check with the shelter tomorrow. They might????

And I will see what I can do to help him. Poor little guy. And yes, Hiss, it is a Tom but he doesn't seem agressive YET. But you never can tell. I will not approach him barehanded. Don't worry.

This is the other stray that showed up with him. I can pet this one. Took me about two months to gain his trust. But when I come out not, he comes to me. I treated him for fleas and wormed him and doctored his mange which is cured now. I don't know if they are related but they showed up at the same time.





I was about a foot from him when I took these. He was the one who had the mange when he came that I treated. His hair is doing good now but he is still skinny. But he is gaining.
 
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jcribbs

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These are the only three strays in my area. Three toms. These two and a grey striped male who is absolutely feral. He has been here off and on since I moved here and he comes and eats mostly at night. No one that goes to the shelter would ever adopt the grey. He is too afraid and most people want cuddly kittens. But that is not the reality of a stray and their life.

I know I can't save them all but what to you do when the strays eat at your house and start depending on you for food and their pettings. What do you do?

I can't afford to fix them..... I have had 13 cats fixed in five years and kept their shots up to date. It makes me feel guilty. I have cow and her babies that I have to think about first and fix.

I'll check in Springfield Monday and see if there is a place that fixes feral animals or strays if I catch them. I'm not sure I can trap the grey. He is slick and very sly and very afraid and probably has not had human contact. If he has, it's been years ago. He pauses in the yard when he sees me and has the look of fixing to run. He reminds me of how Star was when I first came across her. He will stand poised to flee even at 50 feet.

First thing is first... I need to doctor the boy with the swollen toe. Then we will see what develops. I'll have to take it one step at a time I guess.
 

satai

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Originally Posted by jcribbs

First thing is first... I need to doctor the boy with the swollen toe. Then we will see what develops. I'll have to take it one step at a time I guess.
Yes, sadly that is always the case.

But try to take heart, doing even the little that we can do is better than doing nothing.
 
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jcribbs

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I have seen the guy with the swollen toe once today but could not get close to him. Tomorrow morning I have a job interview. When I leave, I will go by the shelter and see if anyone is there who might have a trap I can borrow.

Surely someone is there. The poor babies have to eat...

If no one is there, I will go Monday.

IN the meantime all I can do is try to get him to trust me.

He looks about the same. Just hopping.
 
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jcribbs

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The stray with the hurt foot is still gone. The neighbors have company and he might be hiding but he is not under my porch or on my property that I can find.

He is proably around but I jst can't see him. The other one is still here. The grey striped is stil here as well. He still eats at night as I suspect the one with the hurt foot does.
 

satai

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Originally Posted by jcribbs

The stray with the hurt foot is still gone. The neighbors have company and he might be hiding but he is not under my porch or on my property that I can find.

He is proably around but I jst can't see him. The other one is still here. The grey striped is stil here as well. He still eats at night as I suspect the one with the hurt foot does.
When you get a hold of a trap, just put the yummiest, smelliest food you can find in the trap - that should bring them out if they are near by. Oh, and be patient. Some of them are warier than others.
 

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Thank you for caring for these stray and feral kitties!

Because you are resource constrained, it may be of help to spend a little while letting your fingers doing the walking!

You can use this link to type in your zipcode and get a pretty comprehensive list of animal organizations in your area - you can call to see if they have a trap you can borrow or know of low-cost spay/neuter services for TNR:

http://www.pets911.com/organizations/organizations.php

We've also found it helpful to call area vets - even if just to enquire if they know a local "cat person" who may have a trap you can borrow. The vet usually won't give you the phone number of that person, but if they know such a person, they'll take your number and put the cat person in touch with you. Love the yellow pages!!!!!!!!!!!

On this website, there is a link to websites through which you may also be able to locate low-cost (or no cost) spay/neuter services:

http://www.savesamoa.org/html/spay_neuter.html

Some vets or shelters provide no-cost neutering for those who practice TNR - again, that's something you can find out by calling around. They may also be aware of a free clinic, or an AlleyCat Allies sponsored "Spay Day" in your area.

You don't have to work alone! But to get those kitties neutered, it will take a little work to find a way to do it without having the resources yourself, but they're out there!

Good luck - and those are lucky kitties to have someone who cares. !!!!!


Laurie
 
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jcribbs

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Thank you LDG. And it is possible soon.

Just a moment ago, while I was on the porch, he was 5' from me. I tossed him some food and he stayed there and ate it. So, I am encouraged. I got to look at his foot a little closer from this distance and it looks basically healed but he still favors it. I saw him walking today and he was actually using it. He disappeared for a bit after I started this thread but he is back. I suspect his foot was cut on glass and he still has a tiny bit in there. He looks so much like another cat I have ......

I would love to catch him and get him fixed or have him trust me enough so I could doctor his foot..

It is also entirely possible [since i feed them now] than when we move, we will take him and his brother with us and they can live in the enclosure we are building. If we just MOVE and he has no food to eat, what would happen to him and his brother? The brother cat walked in my house yesterday. I was holding the door open and he just came on in with mine. He stood in the living room for a sec and then ran back out. He is a funny guy. He was so wild two months ago. I can even pick him up now. He purrs everytime he see me.

So, the last few days I have been trying to tread softly around the wild one with the hurt toe like I did with Star. The brother cat is a piece of cake and gentle as pie around me now but he used to be just like his brother. I am not sure why he decided to trust me but he did. But they both have been hanging out for several months so the wild ones knows my scent. But today, while ago, is the closest he has ever came to me.

And initally, he started to walk toward me earlier but then he realized what he was doing and stopped. What he does is watch me call all the cats when I put food outside and he runs to eat with them because they all come running to see what goodies I have and he knows it. They all hang out together out at the lake. They are all kitty friends. He knows their routine and he was approaching me by just following along. He is a georgous cat even feral and neglected. He has scratches on his nose that need tending and just TLC in general. But I think I can get close to him eventually.

His brother who already likes me rubs on my legs now when I go outside.

They want to belong but he is just not there yet.

And the grey striped cat actully sat on one end of the porch a couple days ago while I was in the middle. He had an escape route but he wants to trust as well. But he is older and tougher. You can just see his toughness. But....I's not giving up yet. I see them or one of the wild ones everyday. The brother is there on my porch all the time hanging out. I have never named them. I call the the tame one tramp and scruffy and all kinds of things but he has no name, The black one is just "the black one" and the grey striped is "the grey striped one"..... And the grey sitting on my porch is also a first for him. I NEVER thought that would happen.

But I am encouraged. I have not trapped before...

I'll give it another week and see what develops. He is close to eating with me standing close. Maybe in a few days. If I can ever just pet him..

I never thought in my older years I would try to tame feral cats. And worry about them. I always liked animals and grew up in the country but we had like one main pet or two plus barn cats.

The problem with ferals is that it is endless...
 
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jcribbs

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Spay Neuter Assistance Program, Inc.
P. O. Box 14354
Springfield, MO. 65814.
(417) 823-7627

I found this program in the first link. Low cost spay and neuter and it is 30 miles from my house!!!! I will call them tomorrow and see what they have to say.
 
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jcribbs

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Safe Haven Animal Sanctuary, Inc.
13242 Liv 216
Chillicothe, Missouri 64601
Email: [email protected]
Low cost spay and neuter for ferals


I have not heard of that town but I will do a seach and see where is in relation to me. St Louis is 6-7 hrs away. The only way that is feasible is if I had all three cats "trapped".......

That is over 300 miles from me. The one is springfield is my best bet. I also sent out a request from some site that does free feral neutering and they should be sending me an email. Not sure which site it was but I will be watching my email.
 
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jcribbs

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i HAVE BEEN READING A LOT bout the feral from your links. So I guess technically I have

Three domestic: Kissy, Yellow and Toe

Two absolute ferals: Jimmy and Star

13 Semi Feral/Stray: Cow, JJ, Turtle, Mama, Angie, Dovey, Socks, Tink, Cookie, Cleo, Princess, Hank and Honey...

The only ones that let strangers pet them is the domestic list. They are all friendly and love to be petted. They are not picky.

The others [feral and semi feral] are scared of everyone and hide. They lay low and tail twiches if they see anyone different and if that person gets too close, the cats all become invisible except for the domestic ones. The ferals will go over to the neighbors but they lay in their grass and observe them and hide in the grass. The neighbors cannot pet them and they have tried. But they all live with me and come in and out of our house and take turns sleeping in our bed at night. Some nights we have 3-4 on our feet. They all are friendly with my husband except for Star and Jimmy. Star tolerates husband and knows he lives here but she will not cooperate with him on any level. No petting at all. She won't enter the house or exit the house if he is the one holding the door. I have to do it for her. Jimmy is the only one I can't pet yet.

So, there are all kinds of programs out there and some are begging for help with the ferals. What an enlightenment on my part... I also read about some of the laws concerning ferals or semi-ferals. I would never have a problem with that since we live out......way out.

I am glad I have this place to write in. Some people think its crazy to keep a bunch of wild cats and feed them. I have missed out on family vacations because I can't leave them alone. I am looking forward to an enclosure with a kitty door attached with beds in it for them. It will be so nice to go somewhere and spend the night and know they are safe with inside food......and they can still go in and out as they choose. It will be wonderful!

And at feeding times, when I call them.........I use their names and I have seen the elderly couple across the street just laugh as "the herd of cats comes running up the hill from the lake"............hehe

And also with time, JJ will move up to the domestic list. I think. People have been very mean to him in his life but he is very loving and I suspect he will retain that quality with all humans he happens to meet in his life.. The others are probably lifers in their catagory BUT they know they will always be fed by me and live with me. They don't have a worry in the world and they know it.
 
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