Feral kitty injuring themselves in trap

[LeiLatte]

This is not the first time I’ve seen a kitty injure themselves in a trap during TNR. But I was quite horrified to check on him this morning after neutering. He was probably very stressed and scared trying to get out of the trap and injured his face. It’s swollen and it looks like he flayed off his skin.

I really cannot afford to bring him back to the vet for sedation or antibiotics, plus I worry he would stress himself out more and make it worse. I caught another kitty with him and got them both fixed yesterday. The other cat had 2 broken teeth which were getting infected, so I had to pay an extra $200 for them to extract the bad teeth and give the other cat antibiotics. The clinic recommended teeth cleaning for $600 at the time but that was a definite no.

I just hope this kitty doesn’t get infected from his wounds. I had to go to work early this morning so I left him wet food and will ask my husband to release him in an hour or two. I just don’t want him to injure himself more.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Isn't there any other place in your home that you can confine him to - at least long enough to see what happens with his face? If you let him outside with open wounds, the chances of infection are increased. Or, something like these -
Amazon.com: SportPet Designs Large Pop Open Kennel, Portable Cat Cage Kennel, Waterproof Pet bed, Carrier Collection : Pet Supplies
ETNA Pet Store Portable Soft-sided Dog & Cat Playpen, Tan, Large - Chewy.com

 

[LeiLatte]

Unfortunately no I can’t. I don’t think they gave him flea meds. I can’t afford follow up at vet. I have 6 cats of my own and I’m holding another feral that was attacked by a dog last month. We also have a dog in the home. My husband let him go this morning. We are really tapped out on vet bills now. He is feral and couldn’t he handled.

I wish there were some kind of assistance for these TNR and vet bills but we haven’t found any. To qualify for voucher here you cant make more than a certain amount each month, and it’s only $15 off the spay/neuter. This clinic charges $105 each for feral. There aren’t any clinics free ones around me. I’m trying to fix them because I don’t want to see any more baby kittens on my porch. I have at least 2 more males and 1 female to catch, if I can ever catch her. Have been trying for over a year.

 

[Kflowers]

Does your vet know you fairly well? You could tell him what happened and ask for amoxicillin or something similar to put in the injured feral's food. Tell them you can't bring him back in, can't catch him again so soon after the last time. Tell them what happened. This can't be the first time something like this has happened in the vet's experience. I did that with a cat who lost most of his left cheek and it helped him heal.

 

[LeiLatte]

The vet I go to I have only used for personal pets not ferals. They are pretty strict and want to charge for exam first or see the cat first. If I had brought the cat there before they would probably prescribe it. I leave out dry food for all so I wouldn’t be able to medicate this cat specifically. I honestly have not seen him around before trapping him the other night. The female is in heat so we have a few males hanging around at this time. But after that I don’t see them come by every day.

 

[Furballsmom]

Maybe try some L-lysine to give his/their immune system a boost?

 

[catsknowme]

Thank you for getting that kitty TNR'd! In my experience, I do NOT keep the cats in a trap after s/n surgery. I use a recovery cage (hard plastic medium & large dog carriers) instead - if the cat needs medical attention, the vet staff can still "pole" them through the vent holes but it's much more comfortable for the cat and much harder for them to harm themselves. The carrier's gate can be covered with a piece of cardboard. I am small & older (with old neck & back injury) so when I lift and carry the recovery cage, I hold the sides with the gate pressed against my upper stomach; it's too much strain for me to lift using the handle with one hand while using the other to support the bottom (the most common way to carry a pet carrier).
Furballsmom has a great suggestion about adding L-lysine which is beneficial for the whole group. You can also add raw, organized coconut oil which most cats readily eat & is known for its antibiotic and antiviral effects.