medicating a feral sucks sometimes

[robertm]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I know that this is an extremely difficult time for you now, with so much uncertainty hanging in the air. But please try not to beat yourself up over past "mistakes". It actually sounds to me that you acted pretty responsibly. You had him tested at the same time that he was neutered, and the test result was negative. You had the rest of the cats updated last year, and they were always negative. You had no reason to think that anything additional was necessary. What more could you do?

Sending lots of that all of the rechecks come back negative.

 

[laureen227]

Originally Posted by RobertM

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I know that this is an extremely difficult time for you now, with so much uncertainty hanging in the air. But please try not to beat yourself up over past "mistakes". It actually sounds to me that you acted pretty responsibly. You had him tested at the same time that he was neutered, and the test result was negative. You had the rest of the cats updated last year, and they were always negative. You had no reason to think that anything additional was necessary. What more could you do?

Sending lots of that all of the rechecks come back negative.

to all of it! & that things start looking up for y'all

 

[sheilad]

I am so sorry about Festus. My thought will be with you as you take everyone to the vets.

Just remember that you DO take very good care of them so try not to blame yourself.

 

[kittycurledup]

Best of luck at the vet's office and so sorry for what you are going through!!!

 

[jcribbs]

I have decided how I am going to handle this.

This decision was not made in haste. I am taking all the cats to the vets in trips of threes on each saturday... 6 per week.

He can test them and vaccinate the ones that are ok... I am hoping they are all negative.

The others, the positive ones (if any),...... I am bringing back home.. All these cats have lived together a long time. I can't turn my back, put them down and come home and live a happy life. And no one else is sick. Only Festus was ill. He was a loner. The other didn't really associate with him. They left him alone and he left them alone. I doubt he has ever bitten them at all. If they hissed, he ran. He did not play with toys. He mostly stayed outside in the enclosure...

This weekend I am cleaning it out, and pouring bleach in the dirt to try and disinfect... I need to look on line and see about dirt and feline lk...

These are my babies.. If a time comes and any are sick, like Festus, then I will deal with it at that time. But for now, everyone is coming back home.

My husband is keen on finishing our enclosure. I can't let them out anymore at all.....

There is one stray in our area that eats on my porch..... I will have to do something abou that. Not sure what but I need to take him to the vet too.

There are no other cats around here.

Festus was one of the cats that was stray/feral at the last place we lived that we rescued while fixing up our cabin for our move. The others were Cow, JJ and Felix. I am taking them in the first bunch.... They also have tested neg in aug/sept 2006 and were vacc.. JJ was tested and vacc when his leg was amputated. Cow was pregnant and was fixed AFTER our move. I don't remember about Felix and Festus. I will have to get their records out of storage.

I need someone with experience to tell me if this is the best way to handle this. I have NO experience in this.

But I do know that I can't take their lives because of my stupidity....

My hope is that since none are sick that all are well....... I'll know soon.

They are all mildly upset with me right now. Usually in the evenings after work, I sit outside on the porch with them. They look forward to it all day and greet me at the door when I get home about 3:30... Yesterday and today we did not go out. I am keeping them inside...

They will adjust.

For two years we have plann3d our enclosre's enlargement. I am on my husbands ASS right now to get it done. The holes are in the ground. All he has to do is concrete the posts in the ground. He has done one so far. I watched him do it so I know what to do.

This weekend if he doesn't get on the stick, I'll put posts in the ground myself. I never done it but I feel like this old woman can do it. I know how to use a chainsaw and I certainly can move a tree.. I know how to level and I know how to mix concrete. I know how to put t-posts to brace it. I CAN DO IT. And.........if he sees one post slightly unlevel, he will feel guilty and finish it...

Now, I am going to take a headache pill and put my feet up. I am whacked.

 

[sheilad]

If it helps I made the decision to stop letting my 11 outside cats out of their enclosure about a year ago (my enclosure isn't as nice as yours) and they have adjusted fine. They were a little confused at first but once they got used to it there were no problems. As a matter of fact I carried Daze out today to let him give my husband some love and he jumped out of my arms when i knocked a tool with my foot and made a loud noise. He went right back to the enclosure door to wait on me.

I also think that your decision of how to handle this is a sound one. It is what I would do if faced with the same situation. As I said earlier you take wonderful care of your cats, that is easy too see from your posts. You will be in my thoughts as you deal with this.

 

[jcribbs]

thank you.......

And I know what you mean. The enclosure is a security for them when they are used to one. And they know they are safe inside it.

I am also thinking about putting lattice or screen around my front porch as well. Just in case they slip outside through the front door. I've been wanting to anyway when spring got here.

 

[jcribbs]

Well, I have talked with hissy and she had some good advise for me.

I have also decided to buy my own test to take to the vet to save money.

25 tests for 200.00 or so..... That's 10.00 a cat.

http://www.amazon.com/Assure-Feline-...d=RUCZ3CWYS118

I found another place that sells it for 199.00 but I would rather pay the extra and get it from amazon since I trust them.

I need to talk to my vet first and make sure this is ok with him. I can gather the saliva samples at home and take the tests to him so I don't have to transport the cats anywhere if that is agreeable with him. I can vaccinate them myself as well so they can stay at home.

I think this will work well.

I'll call him in the morning from work.