This Poor Stray Kitty

[Icequeen01]

We have had a stray cat who has visited our garden on and off for a couple of years and it is often in a terrible state. My cats are terrified of it but the poor thing is always fighting and is being picked on by a lot of neighbouring cats. I often don't see it for weeks on end but when I do I always try to feed it and have gradually been trying to gain its trust as I am more than happy to feed the poor baby each day.

Today the poor thing turned up in my garden around 6ish. I went out in the garden and put down a sachet of food and whilst it was eating I managed to stroke it gently but my God the poor thing is in an awful state. It has large matts of fur hanging off in some places and looks like it's been shaved in others, although I do wonder if it has actually been ripping the mats out itself. It also appears to have an injury near its ear which looks painful. The poor baby needs help. I am going to e-mail the local rescue where I got my two cats from to see if they can help and advise. I would try and catch it and take it to the vet but I only see it during the evenings or weekends and I don't want to catch it and leave it in a carrier for a long period of time - once caught it needs to be taken somewhere straightaway.

I also noticed today that it seems to have a split in its ear and wonder if this could be a sign it has already been caught and neutered previously. I've attached a photo showing the nick and wondered if the @catneuturer was around she could take a look and see what she thinks. You should be able to see it if you enlarge the photo of just his/hers face.

[Icequeen01]

Some more photos.

[Want2beme]

He looks very poorly. I've got the same thing going on. I asked the vet for a liquid antibiotics, which I'm putting in his food & he is looking a bit better. I clean his face for him and give him a little painkiller. When I gain his confidence I'm going to take him to the vet for a checkup and neutering. He's coming to me more often now, so I think he wants to be looked after.

Contacting the rescue is a good idea & hopefully they'll be able to help. Ask the vet if they'll give you liquid antibiotics to put in his food.

[thecatneuterer]

Oh my word he is in a bad way. No he hasn't been ear tipped. That nick in the ear is from fighting. The bald bits will be where the lumps of fur have ripped out.

If you can get him into a carrier it would be better to stay in one overnight than for him to carry on like this. After all it's only the once. Or do you have a room you could shut him in overnight?

And I always ask on threads like this - you're not in London are you?

[Icequeen01]

Thanks for responding @catneuturer - I did wonder if it was just a fight wound. I wish I was in London but unfortunately I'm in Kent.

I am definitely going to do something for this poor thing. I will try and ring my local rescue from work tomorrow. I just have to hope that he/she comes back soon. I am hoping the fact that it always gets food from me will mean it will come around regularly. It absolutely breaks my heart. It's definitely a stray as opposed to a feral cat as the little sweetheart sometimes chatters away to me and, as I said previously, it will let me stroke it gently.

I don't really have a spare room I can put it in and I'm really worried about traumatising my two current rescue boys. They are pretty timid at the best of times and are absolutely petrified of this cat as it often goes for them but I think it's more a case of it attacks before being attacked if you know what I mean.

[Icequeen01]

@Want2beme - That's a great suggestion about asking my vet for some antibiotics.

[BackToTheFuschia7]

Ice So pleased you’re going to intervene and get him some help. I’ve had to take random cats home for the night, and while my own cats have known there was an interloper they managed and were back to normal after. Even if you just leave him in your bathroom or in a carrier in the bathroom.

This is why I get so cross at people who feed ‘strays’ (not aimed at you!), this cat likely begs for food elsewhere but no one is bothering to take responsibility for his medical needs too. Always best to have them scanned for a chip incase it’s someones lost or displaced pet, and if they aren’t chipped they should be rehomed properly to a home.

I’d put money on this lad not being chipped, neutered or anything given his fighting wounds. Fingers crossed his happy ending begins now thanks to you.

[itsBritneyBeach]

Feeling emotional tonight and this thread has just tipped me over the edge 😢

You are a lovely person for trying to help this poor cat, I wish you the best of luck!

[Shinesweetfreedom]

Have you got a local Cats Protection.

[Therewere5inthebed]

Where in Kent are you, just a general area, not too specific, there are some great cats protection branches in Kent and I may know of one with a space..

Poor cat, thank you for looking out for him.

[wormery]

Poor soul, he looks thoroughly miserable and has been in fights. He does need to see a vet, there will be cat protection, blue cross somewhere or if are you near biggin hill, foal farm is an excellent rescue centre. Would he sit in a carrier if you put one out in the garden for a bit of shelter.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Cats are more resilient than you think, asbo didn’t like the rescue I had overnight but once he knew he was gone it was ok again.

[Toddlerteaplease]

My two have always been ok with the short term foster cats I've had. Even the ones that wouldn't stay in the spare room.

[ifonly4]

Please give us an update when you have time.

[Icequeen01]

Hi everyone, well not much to update really. I emailed my local rescue this morning and attached the photos I had posted on here. I did get a reply from someone who I guess looks after their admin but she was replying from abroad (I'm guessing she was on holiday but still took the time to respond which was kind). She advised me to ring the Rescue and speak to the lady who runs it. Its a very small but lovely rescue with a husband and wife team running it. I phoned during my lunch hour but had to leave a message giving brief details and asking them to call me. I have just got home but haven't heard anything yet.

The good news is that poorly stray cat was in my garden when I got home. I went and took it some food which it didn't seem overly keen on (Tesco's own) which I must admit I don't usually buy. It was much happier with the Iams pouch I gave him yesterday and it also likes Sheba - this cat has definitely known a home! The good thing is it let me stroke it again and I even got a little head bump and a bit of a chirrup but when I went to stroke it again it took a swipe so definitely need to go slow. I have placed a carrier box with an old towel inside and also a towel on the top near to where the cat has been sleeping and also placed some biscuits inside which might encourage it to go in. I'm hoping over the next couple of days I might be able to get it to go inside the box so I can catch it without stressing it too much. if anyone can advise me if there is anything else I can do I would be really grateful. If I do catch it I will get it checked for a chip.

@Therewere5inthebed - I'm a few miles from Ashford. If you do know of somewhere who could help I would be so grateful.

I will keep you all up-dated but thank you all so much for your help and comments.

[wormery]

Try the retreat animal rescue in high halden, they specialise in feral cats. You are doing a wonderful thing.

[Icequeen01]

@wormery - This cat definitely isn't feral but thank you for reminding me about that rescue. I will put it on my list!

[viccat]

Start feeding ONLY inside a cat carrier. After a few days/weeks depending on how it goes, you should be able to then shut the carrier door on him while he is eating.

I agree that one night in a carrier is better than ongoing suffering, obviously the bigger the carrier, the better it will be. When cats are trapped for TNR, they need to stay inside the trap/in a wire carrier overnight to get to vet's in the morning and it's fine.

[Icequeen01]

Thanks @viccat I will start feeding it in the carrier - assuming it is back tomorrow! I am also going to give my vet a ring in the morning to see if they will let me have some antibiotics to put in its food.

[Therewere5inthebed]

Ashford is unfortunately too far away but otherwise I’d suggest The Retreat too, they are super.

[Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname]

Hopefully it will have a chip. My dcat went missing for 6 months and lived rough - nobody thought to take her to be scanned!!
The neighbours where she was found said they had seen her catching mice and slept in a shed!!

[MiniLeopardInTheHouse]

You're doing a good thing OP, and some great advice on this thread.

We took an injured stray to the vet recently and it was microchipped, so I could thankfully return her to her owner very quickly.

The vet was dealing with another stray however, who was microchipped but the owner hadn't kept the details up to date so couldn't be located. Such a shame.

Just a reminder everyone to make sure you keep microchip owner names, addresses and phone numbers, and vet details, updated.

[DaffodilPower]

Hi OP - I visit Kent regularly as I have family there, and would be happy to help in any way I can (be that financially, buying food etc.).

He is a gorgeous boy and I would love to bring him home! Having just rehomed two older rescues I'm not sure that would work though..!

[Benji13]

Gosh you are in the exact same situation I was in back in march. Very poorly stray tomcat. Three months on and his paws are well under the table and my 2 are accepting him.
We call him TC. I couldn't have just left the poor chap who seems to have had a shocking life. He even had pellets in him where he had been shot. They know where to go to get help!!
You won't regret helping, even if you don't feel you can please contact your local rescues. I find the independent ones are generally more helpful but CPL will issue you a neuter voucher and rspca will pay first 70 pounds of vet treatment, ring tell them he's a stray and ask for a PIN number for treatmentxx

[Weedsnseeds1]

Oh, that poor cat. He's been in a few fights.
If he's letting you stroke him, do you have any opportunity to scruff him and pop him in a carrier?
Or could you borrow a trip plate cage trap from somewhere?

[Icequeen01]

What a gorgeous photo @Benji13 and what a lovely outcome. I can only dream that my story will have such a happy ending and Mr Stray ends up as a much loved pet within his own home. If I think there is any chance he/she would be accepted by my cats I would keep him although if I'm honest, I also worry that he might be carrying something which could be passed on to my cats.

@Daffodil - that is so kind of you. If you change your mind about having an additional cat just let me know 😀

Well I have made a little progress today. Firstly, I phoned my own vet to see if they would let me have some antibiotics to put in his food. They were lovely but said they couldn't give me anything without seeing the cat first. They said they would be happy to treat him there and scan him for a chip.

I also tried to contact my local CP and received a call back this afternoon from a lovely lady. She told me that if I was able to catch him and take him to a vet they would pay for his medical costs! I was completely taken aback by that but unless it costs £££ I am happy to pay the costs myself and they can use their money elsewhere. She asked if I did manage to get him to my vet whether I would be able to house him afterwards until they had space available as they are currently full. I explained the difficulty and she said she might have space next week as there are a couple of cats potentially being rehomed. She has given me her home phone number and I have to call her if I catch him.

Unfortunately, I had to go somewhere straight from work tonight and I have only just got home. I left my DH strict instructions to look out for Mr Stray and to ensure he fed him if he turned up. Well the good news is he appeared again so DH fed him (an IAMs pouch rather than Tesco's own brand stuff which he disapproved of yesterday). He did run off at the sight of my DH but once DH had left the garden he reappeared and ate the food. I think this is a good sign that Mr Stray trusts me a little as he doesn't run off when I feed him. So hopefully things are moving slowly in the right direction!