Wild cat, open sore?

Moffett

We have a wild cat that hangs about. We feed him and he just about trusts us, but not overly so. I had a hard job trying to get the dab on flea/tick treatment etc on hime as he seemed to have fleas, which have cleared up. He's had an open sore now for some time, I estimate more than a month. He's quite healthy in every other respect, but this has the appearance of an ulcer. It would appear that he has been licking it. It's unlikely I'll get him to the vet, and if I did, what then, he'll go wild when let out! Is he on his own, or is there something I can do. He's looking in the window as I type, I think he knows I'm discussing him?

Aru

if you can get him into a carrier and get him to the vet practice they will be able to get either sedation into him to clean and treat the wound or long acting antibiotics using a cat cage designed for the job.So basically if you can get him that far a lot can be done. We often see cats that have no intention of letting us inject and handle them easily so have special equitment to deal with them.

Leaving the carrier with a comfy bed and food in it for a few days is an easy way get get him acustomed to it.

Leaving him with open wounds isnt really the way to go.He wont appreciate been caught but he will be the better for it.

aonb

the other option, is to get a local rescue to loan you a cage - you put a bit of food in to the cage, there is a spring loaded door, when the cat goes in to the cage, the door drops shut, then you can bring him to the vet....

If he is starting to trust you, maybe give you can 'up' the effort to get him in to the house/trust you, then it would be easier to get him in to a carrier for the vet?

Kind of you to try to help him.

Moffett

Well, he has a passion for sleeping in a cardboard box in the garage, so I reckon I could maybe trap him and get him to the vet, but it would be a one time deal...or at least he wouldn't fall for it again any time soon! He's not completely feral, just not a house cat. He has a lot of marks on him but is a big healthy fellow. I'll ring the vet on Monday and see if they can handle him. It will be like transporting Hannibal Lecter!

pawrick

Cardboard box may not be secure enough and I wouldn't fancy being the vet who had to open it to get at him! If he can be petted then maybe otherwise i'd go for a cat trap with there being less risk of escape or getting clawed.

Zapperzy

While he's at the vets it'd be no harm asking about neutering him. It's breeding season now so toms will be fighting amongst each other for females. Aside from nasty wounds they can pick up and spread disease from fighting and breeding, FIV and FeLV being the main ones, both rather nasty.

aonb

Maybe while you have him at the vet, he can be checked over and neutered too If you do get him into the box, put masking tape to close it, and something heavy on top? Hopefully this wont spoil your growing 'relationship' ?? (Im sure other cat experts will have some advice) - when you get him home maybe put him back in the garage, open the box and leave him alone to get over the 'trauma' but leave a lovely big dish of something very very tasty for him, so that he will associate the garage with good things again

boomerang

Once he is in the trap, keep it completely covered with a sheet or big towel. He will be far less stressed and much calmer. It makes a massive difference.

Moffett

I'll check with the vet and see how they would best like him delivered. We have a crate for the dog, bit of food would see him in I reckon.

boomerang

Yes but if the cat is any way wild, the vet will have difficulty getting him safely out! Even if you simply use the crate, keep it completely covered over once the cat is in there. If you don't he will be stressed to the gills by the time you get him to the clinic and that will make the vet's job much harder.

Reventon93

If he is in any way wild I 100% disagree on the cardboard box idea for transport.

When we were getting one of our cats spayed, we had her in a cardboard box and she had practically eaten and scratched her way out. And this is our tamest cat. Luckily we had some fire wood that i used to help keep her in till we got to the vets. I also managed a nasty scratch from getting the end of her claws.

If he hasnt been in a car, id say stay safe and get something like a carrier or a spring door trap. You can also be happy that he wont try to escape mid journey. It would probably be a lot less stressful too as he can see where hes going (if that makes any sense).

Good luck

Pumpkinseeds

Moffett wrote: »

Well, he has a passion for sleeping in a cardboard box in the garage, so I reckon I could maybe trap him and get him to the vet, but it would be a one time deal...or at least he wouldn't fall for it again any time soon! He's not completely feral, just not a house cat. He has a lot of marks on him but is a big healthy fellow. I'll ring the vet on Monday and see if they can handle him. It will be like transporting Hannibal Lecter!

Definitely don't use a cardboard box. Trust me, we had a very tame cat years ago who needed a vet trip so we bought a cardboard cat carrier. Half way to the vet in a taxi he managed to ram his head all the way through the box. It reminded me of that seen in the Shining where Jack Nicolas hacks his way through the door with an axe saying 'here's Johnny':)

Moffett

Well, we never did catch him, though I managed to worm him and treat him for fleas along with the rest of the growing flock. He appears to have healed quite well even though the sore was open for such a long time. I hope he didn't waste one of his nine on this, but otherwise he's thriving!

Graces7

boomerang wrote: »

Once he is in the trap, keep it completely covered with a sheet or big towel. He will be far less stressed and much calmer. It makes a massive difference.

It will also lessen the smell! Entire males when stressed are worse than skunks.. also borrow a humane trap. A terrified angry cat will break out of anything less.

domfitz

hi we got a cat trap from verminstop.ie to catch some wild cats to get to the vet, they work great