- Joined
- Jul 22, 2013
- Messages
- 27
- Purraise
- 23
Hello folks again,
I hate to say it but I'm back asking for insight and information or at least ideas. I feel bad that we aren't able to throw money around and just go all out for him (Will as someone named him..Will Feral) but we are trying to do what we can for a little bit. First the situation...
Will has been a "patio" feral almost since two months old. That is to say he spends on average 8 to 12 hours a day on the patio and the majority of the rest in our garden I think. He is almost completely nourished by us as near as we can tell and this has been for about two years now. About a month ago, we noticed that he was getting pretty thin AND was not eating as much. This has seemed to get worse and for at least a couple days last week we felt he didn't eat at all. He spends his time for the most part just lazing on the cushions we leave out for him.
Although he has allowed us to lightly pet and scratch him around the neck and ears, it is very tentative. Yesterday morning I was able to grab ahold of him and get him into our cat carrier to take to the Vet. Our hope was that with a little bloodwork or a quick exam we might find out the problem and try and resolve. That hope went out the window when the initial estimate for diagnostics of bloodwork and an xray would have been nearly $700 and that is before any medication or treatment. I finally compromised and got feline HIV and Leukemia tested (both negative) and a fecal test which found he has the type of tapeworms that come from lizards. The vet felt that alone is not likely the cause of his problems but without the other tests wouldn't be able to say for sure. He also had a fever and the Vet felt his breathing was a bit off but that might have been from stress of the environment (he had to be scruffed throughout the vet visit).
Deciding that some possible treatment was better than not, we got Will an antibiotic shot, a shot that was supposed to help his appetite, some fluids to help hydrate him and a pill to give him yesterday and today to get rid of the worms.
When I got him home I put him into our spare bathroom to give him a room to himself, as the Vet advised keeping him indoors to try and monitor his eating and stuff. I put some food and water in there, the food had one pill powdered in it, and pretty much left him to himself. I think in 24 hours he MIGHT have eaten half of a large spoonful or two of food (very little) which means probably not even half the dose of the medicine. The water doesn't looked like it was touched much at all if at all. He had diarrhea once or twice with a hint of a blood spot possibly and stringiness indicative of worms or so I have read. When I enter the room he is either in, or retreats to the cat carrier. I have only noticed him out of it once in the past day but the diarrhea was outside of it (at least some was, not sure if he has some in there too) so he got out then too I imagine. He is opting not to use the litter not that I'm surprised about that heh.
So, the dilemma at the moment is I feel guilty having him in the bathroom as I feel I have him imprisoned (silly I suppose), he still doesn't appear to be eating or drinking which is the main problem since how long can he last like this, and we have our own cat Pan that doesn't allow us to give Will more freedom and probably with his diarrhea issues having him wander the house wouldn't be a great idea anyway.
Apparently no one knows of places or organizations that take in sick feral cats other than possibly to euthanize. My wife has expressed that possibility if there isn't anything else we can do for him but I really don't want to give up on him either by that avenue or just releasing him to see what happens.
Am I being silly worrying about him being bored and bothered being cooped up in a safe space like the bathroom (no windows or any distractions)?
Is actually exploring euthanizing an option that makes sense? He doesn't seem in distress but I imagine he has to be somewhat not eating or drinking and I really don't know if I can make that decision unless it was very obvious with no chance of recovery.
Would he be better off letting him back onto the patio and hoping he stays around and eats at some point (other critters eat the food if left out too long).
Rob, Pan's Chew Toy
I hate to say it but I'm back asking for insight and information or at least ideas. I feel bad that we aren't able to throw money around and just go all out for him (Will as someone named him..Will Feral) but we are trying to do what we can for a little bit. First the situation...
Will has been a "patio" feral almost since two months old. That is to say he spends on average 8 to 12 hours a day on the patio and the majority of the rest in our garden I think. He is almost completely nourished by us as near as we can tell and this has been for about two years now. About a month ago, we noticed that he was getting pretty thin AND was not eating as much. This has seemed to get worse and for at least a couple days last week we felt he didn't eat at all. He spends his time for the most part just lazing on the cushions we leave out for him.
Although he has allowed us to lightly pet and scratch him around the neck and ears, it is very tentative. Yesterday morning I was able to grab ahold of him and get him into our cat carrier to take to the Vet. Our hope was that with a little bloodwork or a quick exam we might find out the problem and try and resolve. That hope went out the window when the initial estimate for diagnostics of bloodwork and an xray would have been nearly $700 and that is before any medication or treatment. I finally compromised and got feline HIV and Leukemia tested (both negative) and a fecal test which found he has the type of tapeworms that come from lizards. The vet felt that alone is not likely the cause of his problems but without the other tests wouldn't be able to say for sure. He also had a fever and the Vet felt his breathing was a bit off but that might have been from stress of the environment (he had to be scruffed throughout the vet visit).
Deciding that some possible treatment was better than not, we got Will an antibiotic shot, a shot that was supposed to help his appetite, some fluids to help hydrate him and a pill to give him yesterday and today to get rid of the worms.
When I got him home I put him into our spare bathroom to give him a room to himself, as the Vet advised keeping him indoors to try and monitor his eating and stuff. I put some food and water in there, the food had one pill powdered in it, and pretty much left him to himself. I think in 24 hours he MIGHT have eaten half of a large spoonful or two of food (very little) which means probably not even half the dose of the medicine. The water doesn't looked like it was touched much at all if at all. He had diarrhea once or twice with a hint of a blood spot possibly and stringiness indicative of worms or so I have read. When I enter the room he is either in, or retreats to the cat carrier. I have only noticed him out of it once in the past day but the diarrhea was outside of it (at least some was, not sure if he has some in there too) so he got out then too I imagine. He is opting not to use the litter not that I'm surprised about that heh.
So, the dilemma at the moment is I feel guilty having him in the bathroom as I feel I have him imprisoned (silly I suppose), he still doesn't appear to be eating or drinking which is the main problem since how long can he last like this, and we have our own cat Pan that doesn't allow us to give Will more freedom and probably with his diarrhea issues having him wander the house wouldn't be a great idea anyway.
Apparently no one knows of places or organizations that take in sick feral cats other than possibly to euthanize. My wife has expressed that possibility if there isn't anything else we can do for him but I really don't want to give up on him either by that avenue or just releasing him to see what happens.
Am I being silly worrying about him being bored and bothered being cooped up in a safe space like the bathroom (no windows or any distractions)?
Is actually exploring euthanizing an option that makes sense? He doesn't seem in distress but I imagine he has to be somewhat not eating or drinking and I really don't know if I can make that decision unless it was very obvious with no chance of recovery.
Would he be better off letting him back onto the patio and hoping he stays around and eats at some point (other critters eat the food if left out too long).
Rob, Pan's Chew Toy