Injured Stray Cat

[MyaLias]

To start off, I already have 4 cats, I do not want any more.  I just moved into a new neighborhood, and it has so many neighborhood cats.  I don't necessarily think they are feral.  They are very friendly, they come straight up to you.  I don't think anyone owns them.  I think everyone just kinda tolerates them, and possibly are feeding them because they seem very healthy and not skinny or starving.  None of them are sterilized (horrible, I know).  I started feeling bad because 2 cats started coming up to me, every time I come home, rubbing up next to me, so I started leaving food out for them.  Well, now I just noticed one has an injured front leg, he's limping.  I'm going to take him to vet soon.  But I'm looking into the future and don't know what to do.  He's injured, I want to take him into my home for him to heal, but I'm afraid he will get used to being inside, and then it would be cruel to throw him back outside.  At the same time, I think he has grown up in this neighborhood, and I don't want to rehome him to some other place.  I think the other cat is his brother/friend.  They all get along - this neighborhood is his home.  I don't know what to do.  Should I just help him heal inside my home and throw him back out?  I do intend to get him neutered.  But I think he has fleas also - I don't want to bring him into my home and get MY OWN CATS infested with fleas (my cats are on flea prevention though).  I think his leg is broken, I think he needs a cast, but I can't just take him to vet and put cast on him and leave him outside?  What is the chain of events I should do here?  

A)  Treat his fleas

B)  Treat his broken leg

C)  Take him into my home or leave him outside?

D)  Keep him outside as a neighborhood cat or rehome him?

E)  Get him neutered

I know his medical care is going to be costly.  I don't want to spend a bunch of money fixing him and then give him away to someone who is going to abuse him.  How can I ensure he finds a good home, or is it better to just leave him outside?

P.S.  I have had similar problem in the past.  I nursed a sick mom cat back to health, and then I rehomed her with someone else.  I don't know how she did, and I feel bad about that.  

Please give input - those of you who care for strays...

 

[catsknowme]

Blessings on you for caring for those cats!  My thought is if you can get him to the vet, take him directly from outside to there and they should deflea him while he is sedated. Probably he should be inside during recovery because it will be difficult for him to maneuver.

I have a former feral in my back room, healing a broken leg. At first she was content to be inside but now that her cast is off and she is almost well, she meows at the window, anxious to get back outside. Since your guy has a companion outside, it's likely that he will be the same. If you provide winter shelters, living outside will be much easier for them.

I have a feral colony in my back yard and some of them were kittens that I tamed with the unsuccessful hopes of rehoming them. I do so wish that they could come inside on cold winter nights and sleep with me - the cold is so harsh and they get respiratory problems in the winter. I build them a variety of shelters and someday hope to make a "soda can solar heater" (like people make for chicken coops) to make life a bit easier for them. One of their shelters is plastic tarps draped over an old swing set frame, like a native longhouse, with their shelter boxes inside - it is the best shelter so far because the "A" frame shape compresses the rising heat and forces it back down (the same theory that makes teepees a good design).

Please keep us posted!

 

[MyaLias]

Help me decide what to do!!!

So I took the stray cat to the vet.  Man, it was expensive > $600 doing xrays, etc.  But good news, his leg is not broken, but they think just some soft tissue injury like a muscle strain or something.  Vet did some laser therapy, and gave me pain meds.  Cat is all better now.  But, he still has no home.  Like I said, I have 4 cats already, I cannot take in another one.  But I feel so bad for him.  He keeps staying at my front yard, he doesn't leave.  I have been feeding him.  I don't mind feeding him - but my concern is - it is getting cold.  I don't want him to be cold.  It may sound silly, but I have been looking to buy him a house...like a outdoor cat house.  Is this too silly.  Its not my cat, just some random stray neighborhood cat that keeps staying at my yard.  I feel so bad for him, because it looks like he is looking for a lot more than just food.  He wants affection, he waits for me to come home, then runs over to greet me, headbutts me to pet him, then rolls over to have his belly rubbed.  He also keeps trying to come into my house.  It breaks my heart because when I open the front door, he peeks in and he can see MY cats, so its like he's saying, "why do they get to be inside and I don't?"  I'm so torn.  I close the front door, and peek out the window, and he just stands there staring at the front door.  I don't want another cat, but I feel so bad for him.  He doesn't have a home.  Ugh, and I've already given him flea treatment, and I'm going to get him neutered.  Man, it seems like its my cat - all that I'm doing for him.  

Should I post him somewhere and give him to someone?

Or just leave him outside?  I'm pretty sure he grew up outside, so outside is his home.  Wouldn't it be cruel to rip him away from his home and hand him over to someone I am not sure will take care of him?  I keep hearing these stories of animal abuse and neglect and if people are going to mistreat animals, its better to just let him be outside and fend for himself...

Help!  I'm so torn as to what I should do???  I know what I can do...but what should I do?

 

[StefanZ]

 
Help me decide what to do!!!

So I took the stray cat to the vet.  Man, it was expensive > $600 doing xrays, etc.  But good news, his leg is not broken, but they think just some soft tissue injury like a muscle strain or something.  Vet did some laser therapy, and gave me pain meds.  Cat is all better now.  But, he still has no home.  Like I said, I have 4 cats already, I cannot take in another one.  But I feel so bad for him.  He keeps staying at my front yard, he doesn't leave.  I have been feeding him.  I don't mind feeding him - but my concern is - it is getting cold.  I don't want him to be cold.  It may sound silly, but I have been looking to buy him a house...like a outdoor cat house.  Is this too silly.  Its not my cat, just some random stray neighborhood cat that keeps staying at my yard.  I feel so bad for him, because it looks like he is looking for a lot more than just food.  He wants affection, he waits for me to come home, then runs over to greet me, headbutts me to pet him, then rolls over to have his belly rubbed.  He also keeps trying to come into my house.  It breaks my heart because when I open the front door, he peeks in and he can see MY cats, so its like he's saying, "why do they get to be inside and I don't?"  I'm so torn.  I close the front door, and peek out the window, and he just stands there staring at the front door.  I don't want another cat, but I feel so bad for him.  He doesn't have a home.  Ugh, and I've already given him flea treatment, and I'm going to get him neutered.  Man, it seems like its my cat - all that I'm doing for him.  

Should I post him somewhere and give him to someone?

Or just leave him outside?  I'm pretty sure he grew up outside, so outside is his home.  Wouldn't it be cruel to rip him away from his home and hand him over to someone I am not sure will take care of him?  I keep hearing these stories of animal abuse and neglect and if people are going to mistreat animals, its better to just let him be outside and fend for himself...

Help!  I'm so torn as to what I should do???  I know what I can do...but what should I do?

Neutering is a key, here as almost always.

So, you have 3 options, all of them include neutering this way or another.

1. Keep him as your outside cat.  If you truly believe he is used, born outside, he will manage nicely, being neutered, having food and shelter (this cat house you talk about).  And some love from you now and than.

2. Try and find him another home.  Shouldnt be too difficult, if he is that friendly.  I suppose he is friendly most to you, but still, what has once been done, may be done again.  So the adopter must be prepared to do some fostering.  You must screen the adoption homes, of course.  You dont want him to be taken by some weirdo whom wants to try out his latest torture trick, or be sparring for their fighting dogs.   A way helping out, you demand either a fee - say repaying for the neutering and deworming. - Every honest adopter will pay this gladely, as they would do this otherwise themselves.

OR you demand them to pay a donation to a worthy cause - they choose, BUT they do it anonymously, in the cats name.

3. You take the consequences yourself, obey your Fate and Gods will - and adopt him yourself.  

Cats coming from outside are usually eager to adapt to the residents and or please themselves in to them - so I trust it will be excellent.

Especielly if he is neutered before.

This way, everyone will be happy, including  "Madonna Mary and the little Jesus Child" whom well be rejoicing,  as we said when I was a kid - Im still thinking this is a nice model for thinking..

 

[kommunity kats]

Where I live, feeding a cat constitutes ownership. . . .

This is a sampling of feral cat winter shelters:

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/colony-care/feral-cat-winter-shelter

 

[ondine]

Blessings on you!  You have gone above and beyond for this cat.

I think, once neutered, he will make a great pet.  If you are unable to find him another home, follow Stefan's advice and allow him to make his home in your yard.  Providing him with a shelter and food will keep him close.  Do you have a shed or garage he can call home base?  Perhaps you can build an enclosure for him?  It needn't be elaborate but it would keep him safe.

Then, I would suggest you contact a local rescue, if there is one, and start having the rest of these cats fixed.  Talk to your vet - he or she may be aware of a low-cost spay/neuter program near you

Maybe you can work with the neighbors and see if together, you can get the job done.  If they are feeding these cats, they are contributing to a problem.  Feeding them only makes them healthy enough to breed and when they keep breeding, the neighborhood will soon be overrun!

 

[kommunity kats]

 
Blessings on you!  You have gone above and beyond for this cat. . . . 

If you are unable to find him another home . . . allow him to make his home in your yard.  Providing him with a shelter and food will keep him close.  

Do you have a shed or garage he can call home base?  Perhaps you can build an enclosure for him?  It needn't be elaborate but it would keep him safe. . . .

Take a look at these options for shelters, one of which you just cut a hole for a door, fill with straw, and fasten the lid down . . . the item itself is often thrown away, so should be free:

 "Feral Cat Winter Shelter"

- "Keeping Cool Cats Warm"

http://www.neighborhoodcats.org/how-to-tnr/colony-care/feral-cat-winter-shelter

 

[msaimee]

If you've already spent 600 dollars on him in vet bills (bless you!) and are considering getting him a house, and have been feeding and caring for him--he is already your cat.  Kitty Tube has outdoor houses and also heating pads you can put in any pet house (and it's even safe to put straw into it). K&H also has heating pads, but their houses are kind of flimsy. I had bought a rather expensive cedar pet house for my feral and used the Kitty Tube heating pad, and my feral loved it until the day he passed away. It was the best gift I ever got anyone

I think you have three options. You can keep him as an outdoor cat with the kind of setup pictured below. If you need a bird-proof pet feeder for his dry food, I can provide a link for that later on (birds were an issue for me). I can tell you from experience that caring for 4 cats indoors and 1 cat outdoors is more stressful than caring for 5 cats indoors, but that may just be me and my propensity for anxiety. Your second option is to find him an indoor home. Since he's friendly, you may be able to succeed in finding him a home--ideally among friends, co-workers, family, neighbors, etc. If you find someone on social media, be sure and visit their home FIRST before handing the kitty over.  He will adapt fine to another human. It's feral cats who tend to bond deeply to a single or duo caregiver and have difficulty bonding to other people. Third, take him into your home and socialize him to your other cats. Depending on all sorts of things, it could go smoothly and take only a few weeks, or it could take months. The last feral kitten I took in 7 months ago (and I, too, said I didn't want to take in a 5th cat) almost immediately bonded with my other 4 cats and had the run of the house within a week. Two alpha males take longer. But all cats do adjust to living together over time. In any of these cases, please get him neutered. It doesn't happen often (but of course it happened to me), but some tomcats do sometimes bring home their offspring to their human caregivers to take care of . Three of my indoor cats are the result of my impossible-to-trap tom's devotion to his kittens.  

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• msaimee
• Oct 12, 2016

 

[MyaLias]

Good news everyone! I found kitty a really nice home. I got him neutered and a nice family from the neighborhood adopted him. Ugh, its an endless battle though, there are so many unwanted cats around our neighborhood and sad thing is...there are babies...I see at least 4 new kittens with their mom... living in my neighbors yard. They've moved out so there is no one there.

 

[mani]

That's excellent.  Well done!

Any chance of doing something about the mum and her kitties?

 

[ondine]

Good job!

You are right, though.  It is an endless battle because people are often so endlessly stupid.

The faster you get that mama fixed, the better.

Is there someone you can work with to trap them all - if trapped young enough the kittens will be easy to socialize.

Vibes you are able to keep up the good work.  We're all with you!