Hurt looking cat (possible stray) - what do I do??

laurashambles

Howdy all;

There's this cat that lives in my estate that I'm pretty sure is a stray - they're pretty scruffy looking - anyway, about a month ago I saw them in my garden following my own cat around and was keeping an eye on the two of them just in case they started fighting. Eventually my cat hopped up in the window to be let inside and I saw that the other cat had a cut above their eye. I just assumed they'd gotten it fighting another cat and didn't really think much of it.
Similar thing happened today, the stray and my cat were in the garden staring at each other - not aggressive or anything just kind of acknowledging each other I think - and I saw a REALLY nasty looking gash on their neck that looked like it needed urgent attention.
My initial reaction was to call the ISPCA, but obviously this cat can take care of themselves. I think they might have belonged to someone at some point because if you run into them while outside they'll meow and come up to you. (On the other hand, if you open the window while they're in the garden they get freaked out and run off) I'm torn on what I should do, because it seems like this cat is pretty tough and doing well by themselves, injuries aside. I'm terrified that if I do call the ISPCA, they'll ultimately just end up getting put down because they're an adult cat.

Any ideas?

lubie76

Sometimes putting an injured cat to sleep is the fairest option. You don't know the extent of its injuries beyond what you can see and also alot of stray cats can be carrying diseases which be spread to your own cat through contact or fighting.
You may just have to trust the SPCA to make the right decision

Mr Benevolent

Cats hide their injuries very well and so are often much more badly injured then they appear. Contact the ISPCA for more advice.

laurashambles

Bugger. Just found out the Carlow SPCA is defunct. Should I get in touch with the Kilkenny branch maybe?

mymo

Yes, carlow/kilkenny all one now.

morganafay

It might be for the best. It might just be a scratch from fighting (they get scratched all the time) but if you think it looks so bad then maybe calling the SPCA is for the best. Especially since he is obviously not neutered and just fighting other cats, possible spreading diseases to them . . . it's a hard call to make.

Also, please don't try to catch the cat yourself, because even if it seems friendly it could give you a nasty bite and a nasty infection, cos you never know what it has. I caught a stray tom cat and got a bite and got blood poisoning because the cat was so sick.

The Sweeper

morganafay, cats have some of the dirtiest mouths in the animal kingdom. All cat bites, even from pampered purebred persians, should be cleaned, bandaged and you should strongly consider a visit to your doctor or A&E for a course of antibiotics. There are very few diseases humans can catch from a cat, so it's just the fact of the bite that can cause infection or blood poisoning, no matter how scruffy or clean the cat appears. Even if you're bitten by your always-indoors lap cat, you should consider a course of antibiotics, especially if the bite is a puncture that is in any way deep.

morganafay

The Sweeper wrote: »

morganafay, cats have some of the dirtiest mouths in the animal kingdom. All cat bites, even from pampered purebred persians, should be cleaned, bandaged and you should strongly consider a visit to your doctor or A&E for a course of antibiotics. There are very few diseases humans can catch from a cat, so it's just the fact of the bite that can cause infection or blood poisoning, no matter how scruffy or clean the cat appears. Even if you're bitten by your always-indoors lap cat, you should consider a course of antibiotics, especially if the bite is a puncture that is in any way deep.

Oh I know yeah, but this cat had been caught in a trap and its leg was gangrenous and had maggots growing in it . . . so it was especially dirty. At first they gave me the normal antibiotics they'd give for cat bites but when they found out the cat had gangrene (and my hands had swelled to twice their size) they had to find out what kind of bateria it was or something. One of my cats bit me once when I was a kid, giving him a tablet, and I've had loads of scratches, but nothing like this. Even all the scratches swelled up loads. I had to be in hospital for 5 days on 3 kinds of IV antibiotics, 4 times a day, and one kind was so strong. I don't know if it was the antibiotic or the infection but felt awful and couldn't even get out of bed. They kept telling me to take a walk! And then another week or 2 of 3 types of antibiotic tablets. Oh and also they had to cut open my hand and clean it out with bleach and a wire scrubbing brush, I'm not exaggerating! So I think it's probably worse if the cat is sick, and you never know what a stray cat might have. Any cat bite is bad though, and I think any cat bite, or even dog bite, could do with going to a&e and getting it cleaned out properly.

Also I was saying to be careful and not pick up a stray because even if it seems friendly, it will probably panick and bite you. I know how to handle cats, have handled feral cats loads, I was holding this guy by the scruff and he still managed to turn around and bite me, and then when I was a bit dizzy from the bite, but still holding him, he managed to bite me again, and scratched me loads. I would never try to catch a full grown tom cat again without gloves (It was a spur of the moment thing). I'd catch kittens cos that's easy enough, but not big tom cats, probably not even females.


Also, when I was in hospital, the doctor said "Cat bites are the most dangerous bites, after human" and my little brother said, "What about sharks, or bears, or lions, or crocodiles!" Hahah

The Sweeper

If you're ever in the situation again, use two hands. One on the scruff, and one on the tail, by the base where it joins the body. (Don't try this at home, kids.) It stops the leverage that lets them wriggle around and hook all four sets of claws into the arm of the hand that's holding them by the scruff. Hardly a pose you want to hold for any length of time, but it helps if you're trying to transfer them from, for instance, holding trap to individual crate, and you can't just shoo them or tip them in. (We're talking ten second transfer here.)

MsFifers

There is a lady that rescues cats in Co Carlow - she is based near Tullow. I can't find a number for her now, but if you ring the Tullow Road Vets, they will be able tell you. She may be able to help you catch the cat in a crate.

laurashambles

MsFifers wrote: »

There is a lady that rescues cats in Co Carlow - she is based near Tullow. I can't find a number for her now, but if you ring the Tullow Road Vets, they will be able tell you. She may be able to help you catch the cat in a crate.

I think I know the lady you're talking about, I'm pretty sure I got my own cat from her. I'd heard she wasn't doing it any more. Weird.
Anyway, I just got off the phone with the Kilkenny SPCA and they gave me a number for someone else in Carlow, so I'll give them a buzz and see if anything comes of it.

morganafay

The Sweeper wrote: »

If you're ever in the situation again, use two hands. One on the scruff, and one on the tail, by the base where it joins the body. (Don't try this at home, kids.) It stops the leverage that lets them wriggle around and hook all four sets of claws into the arm of the hand that's holding them by the scruff. Hardly a pose you want to hold for any length of time, but it helps if you're trying to transfer them from, for instance, holding trap to individual crate, and you can't just shoo them or tip them in. (We're talking ten second transfer here.)

I had one hand on the scruff, but obviously not well enough, since he just was able to turn his head and bite the hand that was holding the scruff. I didn't even notice it happening, but my dad told me (he was helping me catch the cat). I think the most important thing is to wear gloves. I had put on a thick coat with long sleeves and had gloves but didn't have time to put them on (I was well prepared since I had a very wriggly rabbit who scratched me alot and I had been just waiting for a chance to catch the cat). It was so stupid of me, I would never try to catch an adult cat again like that. I'm just so used to catching stray/feral kittens or just restraining my own cats when giving injections or whatever, so I didn't even think I'd get bitten, since my own cats wouldn't really bite me, not breaking the skin anyway.