Laura_E Posted January 12, 2010 Report Share Posted January 12, 2010 I mentioned previously that I had been feeding a cat that comes into my garden. He recently attacked Tess (the dog) whilst she was in the garden, so I stopped feeding him as she had become to scared to go outside. Today he came back and I noticed that he was in a really bad way. I put some food out for him and contacted the RSPCA. They gave me a log number and told me to take him to the local vet. Just as I got off the phone I went to put him in the cat carrier and he had dissapeared. He came back at 10:30pm and I have fed him in the kitchen and closed the door over. My plan was to keep him there for the night and then take him to the vet first thing in the morning. I contacted my mum to see if she could give me a lift and she said that it may be dangerous to have him in the house as he could pass on fleas to Tess and the cats and also cat flu. She advised me to frontline him, but I'm not sure if I should do that without him being checked over first. His right ear has been badly mauled and his left eye looks infected. He also has balding patches on the front of his head. He isn't neutered either. He is currently sitting in the cat litter tray in the kitchen and looks quite happy. I'm just worried that if I let him out I won't be able to get him back in the morning and he really needs to see a vet asap. What do people think I should do? I actually think he might belong to somebody as he used to have a collar, but he is completely neglected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyMalc Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Hiya, sorry, bit late maybe but I've only just read your post. I'd just keep cat inside, away from your animals. The kitchen sounds like a good place I would def not frontline him, as you say because he already looks poorly and he might not even have fleas. Take him to the vet ASAP, and would you be able to take him to the RSPCA after that? I don't know much about cats but it might not be the best idea to bring him home and try to mix him with your animals, seeing as he's already attacked your dog on her own territory? If your own animals are healthy then I can't see how a one night's stay of cat can have a devastating effect on them - surely not everybody, without exception, would get flu from being in contact with a person with flu either? (like I said, I don't know much about cats but that would be my train of thought). Good luck, thanx for caring and let us know what's happening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 I'm guessing you've done whatever you decided to do by now. Hope cat is OK. For what it's worth, I'd have kept him in and separate from the others, wipe it all over afterwards and frontline my own cats. Anything he's carrying he's probably left in your garden anyway so the risk of having him in the house separate is probably not much greater. Fingers crossed he has nothing too serious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Is there a local branch of the Cats Protection League you could call for advice on what to do with him after the vet's visit? It's possible they might have a space for him. It's probably worth getting the vet to check for a chip as well, it's just possible his owners have moved or something and he's strayed back to his old area. Poor cat, and well done for helping him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gremlin22 Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 if they gave you a log number, chances are you can leave cat at vets for rspca to collect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Hope puss cat is ok and you manage to get him to the vets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Any risk of disease transfer is pretty low as long as you thourghly wash and disinfect any bowls, bedding and any surfaces he's been on, cat flu is spread by discharges from eyes, nose and mouth, and as Cycas said, if he's carrying anything it would be in the garden anyway, hope he's safe at the vets, and well done for looking out for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura_E Posted January 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Thanks for all your advice I ended up keeping Jasper (as I have named him) in the kitchen all night and when I got up this morning he hadn't moved from the litter tray where he had decided to sleep (despite having a bed in there). We took him to the vets first thing and when we got there he was in a really bad way and could hardly lift his head It turns out that he has an abscess on his ear and eye, as well as multiple other wounds. He was incredibly well behaved throughout and didn't grumble once, even when he had a thermometer put up his bum! He really is such a sweet cat. The vet explained that the RSPCA would cover upto £60 worth of treatment and then collect him later. However, she wasn't particularly hopeful for his prospects as he has been living as a stray for so long and could possibly have feline aids, which is expensive to test for- more expensive than to put him to sleep. As that particulat vets doesn't work with any charities that offer a non-destruction policy, I ended up paying for the tests to be done and he is currently recuperating at my parents. I have to ring up at 4pm today for the results, so please send Jasper lots of positive thoughts. My mum has agreed to foster him until I can find a rescue space- all being well, but I think he may end up staying there for good (she hasn't broken the news to my dad yet!!). She is a bit worried that he might spray in the house as he isn't neutered, so he is currently confined to the kitchen and study, but he seems happy enough. If the results come back clear then we will be booking him in to be vaccinated, neutered and chipped asap. The vet thinks that the reason he attacked Tess is because he isn't neutered and was trying to assert his authority. It's strange because he is fine with my cats, even though Molly is always hissing and growling at him, but they probably don't scare him. Anyway, hopefully I will be able to update this at four with some good news. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cycas Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Well done Laura and Laura's Mum! I hope Jasper will be feeing much better soon. Poor chap, no wonder he is all abcesses if he has been tangling with dogs and is unneutered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celeste Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Lucky Jasper to have wandered into your garden Laura Loads of good luck wishes for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griff Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 well done you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie Claire Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Well done Laura and Laura's mum I shall be checking after 4pm to see how his test results turned out and keeping my fingers crossed for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 What a caring person you are, you obviously inherit that from your mum I am keeping fingers crossed that he's okay, but even if he does have Feline Aids, he can still be kept as a pet, but would need to be kept indoors or else given a run to use if he goes outside. I am sure there are certain rescues which take in cats with FA but not sure if there is one in your area. Anyway, fingers crossed he won't have it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslass Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 Lucky Jasper to have wandered into your garden Laura Loads of good luck wishes for him I second that. Fingers crossed for poor Jasper, and well done to you and your mum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owl Posted January 13, 2010 Report Share Posted January 13, 2010 You and your mum are stars Poor Jasper must have been in a lot of pain. Paws crossed for clear test results, but as merle says, feline AIDS isn't necessarily a death sentence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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