# Getting Feral/Stray Cat to the Vet?



## Mikayla

I have a large Stray/feral cat that I need to get to the vet to get a shot of Convenia for an eye infection. I'm not sure if he ever had a home but he has been homeless and coming for almost 3 years to eat on my front porch, only stopping to eat and run until recently. He hissed and growled at me for the first year, and ignored me after that. A month or so I noticed him sitting on the porch for a long time after he ate and then wandering lost like around the front lawn looking up at the street light. When I went out to check on him his eyes were swollen and I don't think he could see very well so I sat out near him and talked and sang to him. He finally went home about 4 in the morning. I got some antibiotics from my vet and gave him some every night but he didn't come around more then the once a night. I sat out with him and talked to him while he ate the canned food I put the meds in every night. Three weeks ago he suddenly jumped on my lap. Afraid he was going to attack I covered my face but he started kneading and purring, rubbing up against me and settled in. Now he comes every night and sleeps on the loveseat till just before dawn. I go out and cuddle him for a while and was putting BNPH ointment on his eyes but it didn't seem to be doing much. I also give him Viralys in his food and have tried cloths dipped in warm black tea to wipe his eyes which helped a bit. I've been trying to get him into a crate to take him to the vet but there is a reason he's lived on the streets so well. He's very wary and also huge. My Elijah is 14 1/2 pounds but this guy is a lot stockier. I've tried putting all kinds of treats, food etc in the crate but no such luck. He panics if I try to pick him up and I've gotten a few nasty scratches. He always comes back though. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The Big Guy has wormed his way into my heart.

Lori
This is Big Guy with his new heating pad in the potting shed. Unfortunately he will only go in if I'm with him and won't stay, preferring to stay out in the weather on the porch.


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## Mikayla

His Poor Eyes


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## ETrescued

Wow, what a chunky boy!! Has he been neutered? He has that classic "tom cat" face!

While I don't have a ton of experience with this, it might be worthwhile to contact a rescue/shelter near you. The one I am associated with has a load of have-a-heart traps. You can rent one (by leaving a refundable trap deposit), use it, and then return it. There may be such a program near you! I don't blame you for being cautious with him, but it would be fabulous if you could trap him and get him seen. Those eyes look painful!

You are such an angel to this guy. He is very lucky!

-BP

(Edited because I see you've already tried a crate!)


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## Mikayla

Thanks for your reply. No he's not neutered yet. That's on my list too, though I'm not sure the vet will do that till his eyes are better. I've tried the humane society in the next city before but they're pretty useless in this respect. We don't have any other TNR or rescue organizations in the area. I really wish we did as the vet bills can get expensive doing it privately, 2 spays and 6 neuters in the last 18 months.
My neighbour has set out traps that he borrowed for a couple of raccoons that were coming around and caught every cat in the vicinity (that's how I got my little feral caught and neutered) but the Big Guy. I will ask him if he can borrow them again but the cat just stays away from anything that looks suspicious. I'm so frustrated as I want to help him. I'm sure my vet would give me more antibiotics for him if I could just get by the receptionist. URGH!!


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## Heidi n Q

Wow, he is a huge and beautiful kitty! I sure hope you can help him, he definitely knows he can trust you. If you cannot disguise a trap well enough to get him to enter, you may have to try again to physically get him in either a trap or a larger cat kennel. His eyes look like a definite problem and to prevent permanant damage, he really needs to be seen/treated asap. His eyes could be anything from a kitty virus to entropion, but IMO, all eye issues need to be seen by a vet. If you use the wrong type of med on an eye injury that requires something else, you can do permanant damage to the eye.

I would place a small-ish but thick blanket or large/thick towel over your lap and have the trap/crate nearby and *ready*, as in: door open at waist height OR set up on its' end so the open door faces up. When kitty gets on your lap, pet and snuggle him a bit, maybe quietly explain what you need to do (_this helps *you* remember what you need to do and why_) and then smoothly pull one edge of the blanket over him, grasp him firmly by the scruff and get the other edge of the blanket over him, trapping his legs and head so he cannot see or move very well and quickly place him in the carrier. 
IMO, a larger carrier set on end with the open door facing up would be best. Maybe already have a heavy towel in there to cushion his landing but you'll sort of have to just dump him unceremoniously in there, tangled up in the blanket, and shut the crate door asap to prevent him being able to untangle and jump out. 
As you can guess, you may only have ONE chance to do this. 8O Good luck!
heidi =^..^=


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## Mikayla

I got the Big Guy to the vet this morning! He has entropion in both eyes, worse in one then the other along with an infection. I have Fucithalmic gel to apply at least once, hopefully twice, a day. He goes back in a week to be neutered and get the necessary surgery on his eyes. I am so glad he's going to be alright.
I ended up buying a double door intermediate sized plastic carrier, with one of the doors on the top. I have been getting him to follow me into the cellar the last few days so last evening I spent a couple of hours sitting on a step stool down there with the cat on my lap and the open crate beside me on the floor, the top of it at knee level. I had sprayed the towel inside with Feliway. He sniffed it but mainly ignored it. I gave him some catnip and he loved it and wriggled around on the floor before getting back up on my lap so I sprinkled a little in the crate and he went right in and wriggled around in there. I nearly fell off the stool!!! I couldn't believe it! I've never used catnip before but read that it helps relax them. I just pet him and talked quietly to him while he was in the crate. I didn't close him in there then as I have a standing appointment for him at the vet but wasn't sure when I could get him in and didn't want to have to leave him in there too long. He went in a couple of times and then went back out to "his" porch. Early this morning I led him into the cellar again and we followed the same pattern and this time I closed him in. He was ready to go with no more clawing and biting!! He was really agitated and ended up with a bloody paw but did settle down after a while and did really well at the vet. He didn't have to remove him from the crate but just worked through the top. Now I just have to do it again next week.
Thanks you for the suggestions and for helping with the confidence and push I needed to just go for it.
Lori


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## Heidi n Q

Yay! What awesome-great news! I'm so sorry it was Entropion, but then again, I am very heartened by the vet scheduling surgery next week because that means the vet doesn't think too much permanant damage has occured. Another "Yay!"
:luv


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## Mitts & Tess

*I would make very sure your cat has entropion in his eyes.* 
I just went thru a horrible situation with a rescue cat that a vet 
told me had entropion. We use several vets with our TNR group.
I had this first vet who diagnosed it as entropion do the surgery.
I call him Dr. R. 

A week later my favorite, well educated vet, Dr L 
was doing a wellness check on several of my new fosters 
and looked at her eyes and said that isnt entropion. Dr L 
arranged for me to go to a vet specialist in eyes and I was told the 
same thing. This is not entropion. This surgery has done more damage 
than good. They had to do reconstructive surgery on her eyes. The 
vets told me entropion is common in dogs but not in cats. A lot of 
vets that deal in _general practise_ misdiagnose it as entropion in cats 
because they see so many dogs with a simular condition. But if they 
looked into it a little deeper vets would realize entropion isnt common 
in cats like it is with dogs. 

4 surgeries later my cat is now good to go. But I feel so guilty for 
causing it extra pain and extra surgeries it had to endure. She is such 
a sweet quiet skiddish kitty. Thank goodness the vet specialist offered 
to do it at cost for us. *Please please please* get a second 
opinion for this fine young fellow. He has definitely picked you to help him 
You are his voice and helper in this situation. I dont want you to learn the 
hard way like I had too. You are such a kind person to take this kitty 
on and help him.

This is what White Sox looked like to repair the misdiagnosed eye problems
of entropion. She had over 30 stitches with placinta grafts in both her eyes.


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## Mikayla

Hi Merry
Thanks for posting. It's given me thought. When the vet's office called today to check on how the Big Guy was doing, I asked for the vet to give me a callback. He wasn't in, his partner was, but he should call back on Monday. He was pretty sure that's what it was with his exam and because of BG's constant squinting. He showed me how the bottom lid and eyelashes were curled under. When I talk to him on Monday I'll ask to have the other vet take a look too before any surgery takes place. The cat is going under to be neutered at the same time so they can probably do a much more thorough exam with him unconscious. I trust this vet as he does not advocate surgery unless it is absolutely necessary.

Lori


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## Mikayla

Also meant to say I'm so sorry that poor White Sox had so much to go through and how lucky she is to have you be there for her.


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## Jeanie

Poor baby.  I so hope his problem can be healed quickly. Keep us updated, please.


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## Mikayla

Thanks Jeanie, I hope so too. He is such a sweetie though when he came last night he had been in a fight and had a few wounds. It's a good thing he's getting neutered as that will hopefully cut down on the fighting.
He's getting tired of the eye gel and tore a hole in my pants getting away from me last night, luckily he missed my leg. This should prove interesting as the vet's office said I'll need to keep him in for a week after his surgery. I'm really hoping eye drops are not involved.


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## Heidi n Q

I noticed after I had Dusty neutered, he managed to keep his *territory* but he 
didn't appear to get into any more scraps. It could have been that he had already 
staked out his area, he gained weight and got bigger and perhaps the fact that he 
didn't smell like a "competing" tomcat made a very big difference. Also, the fact 
that he was neutered and had lost the desire to 'compete' for female cats could 
have contributed to his lack of fighting wounds.
Best of luck to you and him!
h


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## Mikayla

Thanks Heidi, we're going to need it. I just got him into the basement after a huge fight. It's always with the same tom who comes occasionally to eat. It's strange because he gets along with all the other cats and they often rub up against him. A lost unaltered cat was here for a couple of weeks till I located his owner and was constantly growling and hissing at him but the Big Guy just ignored him. Oh well, I've cleaned off his wounds with some colloidal silver and am going to try keeping him in the cellar for the night. It makes me wonder if I should have him tested for Fel/Fiv before the surgery though.


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## Mitts & Tess

Mikayla said:


> He's getting tired of the eye gel and tore a hole in my pants getting away from me last night,
> luckily he missed my leg. This should prove interesting as the vet's office said I'll need to
> keep him in for a week after his surgery. I'm really hoping eye drops are not involved.





Mikayla said:


> It makes me wonder if I should have him tested for Fel/Fiv
> before the surgery though.


Be prepared to medicate his eyes if he is going to have entropion surgery. 
Im thinking you will have to do it for a couple weeks! Do you skruff him 
when you medicate his eyes? When I had 3 cats with eye surgery and 
we had to medicate all their eyes I had some one hold them while I 
medicated the eyes. Makes it much easier and more controled while 
your medicating around their eyes. They had them on pain meds 
after the surgery plus had to wear the e-collar. That was a pain.

I would test for FIV/FeLV. Even if you wouldnt put him down you 
should know if he were to put other cats at risk. Or to keep an eye 
on him so when he started to fail you knew what was going on and 
how to make informed decissions. Fingers crossed he doesnt have anything.

Just wanted to say again how much respect I have for you, 
your heart and efforts for this kitty! You are a cat saint!


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## Mikayla

Thanks for the info Merry. I think I'm going to have to get my husband in on it as Big Guy will be difficult to scruff and medicate at the same time. It seems funny to see Big Guy xxxxxx on his med labels. I may have to name him after all. I try not to name the feral ones outside as it hurts more when they disappear.
I'm not sure what I'll do if he's positive. I would hate to put him down but other cats are exposed to him, eating and drinking out of the same dishes etc. If he was positive for Fiv then probably not, but Fel would not be good. I guess I'll have to research and try to make the right decision if it comes up. I really hope it doesn't. It's amazing how they can wriggle into your heart. 

Lori


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## Mitts & Tess

Check on Best Friends site what they do with their cats. I do know the no kill shelter in Tucson takes FeLV cats and they live in a separate enclosure.

We had a cat that was suppose to be semi feral named Big Guy. He was to become a warehouse cat mouser. They built him a big cage so he could even go outside but be safe. He warmed up to the owners wife and now lives at their house and sleeps on their bed. He had a bad eye that had to be removed also!


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## Mikayla

*Re: Getting Feral/Stray Cat to the Vet? Update*

The vet just phoned and Big Guy tested positive. My husband is cominfg to get me so I can be with him when they put him down.


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## ETrescued

Mikayla said:


> The vet just phoned and Big Guy tested positive. My husband is cominfg to get me so I can be with him when they put him down.


So sorry to hear this. It has been very clear just how much you care for the Big Guy.

-BP


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## melysion

*Re: Getting Feral/Stray Cat to the Vet? Update*



Mikayla said:


> The vet just phoned and Big Guy tested positive. My husband is cominfg to get me so I can be with him when they put him down.


Why are they putting him down? Is it FIV or FeLV? If its FIV theres no valid reason for putting him down at all. Honestly there isn't.

Poor you and poor kitty!!!

[[[[hugs]]]]


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## Mitts & Tess

*Re: Getting Feral/Stray Cat to the Vet? Update*



melysion said:


> Mikayla said:
> 
> 
> 
> The vet just phoned and Big Guy tested positive. My husband is cominfg to get me so I can be with him when they put him down.
> 
> 
> 
> Why are they putting him down? Is it FIV or FeLV? If its FIV theres no valid reason for putting him down at all. Honestly there isn't.
> 
> Poor you and poor kitty!!!
> 
> [[[[hugs]]]]
Click to expand...

As the poster said earlier in the thread this is an outdoor feral cat. Im assuming after the surgery he was to go back outside. He can infect other cats with this 
plus its an awful death and not be able to monitor the cat if he is in decline to put him down then. This
is always the heart break decission with TNR groups when we find out a cat is infected and we have to 
put him down. Ive had perfectly healthy cats with FIV but no one to take a friendly semi feral. Homes are few and far 
between. 

Mikayla I want to tell you my heart goes out to you, your husband and big guy. Its a pain that doesnt 
go away when you have to make that decission. Bottom line is the safety of other outside cats in your area
and not being able to help him when he would be very sick from this. 

I had to put down a cat Waylan ~ outside abandoned and Orange Kitty ~ totally feral. My vet sat on the phone with me 
while I cried when we made the decission. I know men hate it when women cry so my vet is a saint to listen to me blubber but I know he has a heart of gold when it comes to animals so he understood.


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## Mikayla

Thank you ETrescued, Melysion and Merry. 
This was not a decision that was easily made. I really cared about the Big Guy. He and I have put a lot of hours together out on the porch together, often in freezing weather, a couple of times for the entire night when his eyes were really bad. If I didn't already have 5 indoor cats, one of whom is a bit of a scrapper, and BG was not a fighter, I certainly would have kept him inside. I thought of keeping him isolated from the others but not the kind of life I would want for him at all. We live in a small town with a big population of feral cats, (there was a grain mill for years which was closed and recently demolished plus a lot of uninformed or uncaring people who can't be bothered taking responsibility for their own pets let alone any homeless ones) and it would be very hard to find a home for a Fiv positive feral cat who was very frightened of other people. The thought of him out there infecting other cats or dying somewhere in pain from some infection is more then I can even think about.
I got to spend some time with him at the vet's to cuddle him and tell him that he was very much loved, and that he had made a difference in my life and he would be so missed. He was watching my face when he passed. It's going to be so hard not to ever see that giant head look up from the loveseat where he waited for me to look out the window.
RIP my Beautiful Big Guy.

eta:I'm sorry I sound so preachy and defensive. I think I'm trying to convince myself I made the right decision and I can't stop crying 

BG and his little buddy taken through the window as the little guy is still very frightened of humans.


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## melysion

I'm sorry for your loss, Mikayla. You did everything you could given the circumstances and, most importantly, Big Guy knew he was loved.


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## Mikayla

Thank you Melysion. I appreciate that. Hugs back.


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## Jeanie

I'm so sorry, Mikayla.You have done everything you possibly could. It's obvious that you loved him. I remember a doctor saying once that there are no good choices left. You did what you had to do. God bless and thank you for caring for this sweet cat.


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## Mikayla

Thanks Jeanie. I'm still kind of in shock. I have all the animals tested before I bring them in around the others and I figured because he was a fighter I should with him, just as a precautionary measure before I brought him in the house to take care of him after the surgery, but I really expected him to be negative.  The others have all been.
I'm really going to miss him but feel fortunate that he trusted me enough to allow me to be his person for a while.


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