What to do with poor battered stray cat friend

[LoungeLizardLhama]

We have had a lovely stray cat visiting us for most of this year who started off starving and desperate and is now fat and purry. He’s had a few batterings off our pet cat but they mostly tolerate each other now so stray cat is welcome to spend most evenings with us and he has his own bed and food. He goes outside when we go to bed as he’s an intact Tom and we don’t want to risk him spraying or fighting with our cat but I will try and arrange to have him neutered in the new year.
Tonight he’s come in all battered and bloody with deep scratches on his face and ears and a swollen lump above his eye. Is it worth me trying to bathe him with salt water or some decontaminant wash that dad has for his operation wound or shall I leave the poor cat in peace? Long term we’d like to have him move in with us properly as our pet, especially as he’s an ugly bugger and probably wouldn’t get a look in at the rescue centre

[LoungeLizardLhama]

Here’s a better picture of his swollen eye

[PinkTinsel99]

Have you had him checked for a chip? Someone may be looking for him.
If you’re not in a position to give him a home now then please take him to a rescue where he’ll be warm and have a chance of finding a loving home.
Short term you could clean his wounds with saline and then take him to the vets if needed.

[Davros]

Poor thing. I'd use both things you suggest

[elsaesmeralda]

Aw bless him, I think it's lovely you're trying to take care of him. I do agree with taking him to a vets to see if he has a chip. And to get them cuts checked over as cat abscesses can get pretty nasty.

[WitchDancer]

I would gently use warm water on a cotton wool pad and just clean it for him. It's the closest we can get to another cat helping him to clean it, and he'll probably appreciate the attention if he's just been beaten up. Poor lad, I hope he's better soon.

[LoungeLizardLhama]

I haven’t had him checked for a chip no, he’s never around during the day and I just haven’t got around to organising that with the local rescue. I did contact them in the summer when he had a sore paw they said they can trap him and check him over but he didn’t come round for a couple of weeks after that and I kind of haven’t got around to it again as he’s been fit and happy until now. I’d rather get him checked over and neutered and keep him myself as he’s beautiful to me & Dh but probably not to a casual observer. I’ll get on it tomorrow but in the meantime I’m worried about him having infected wounds. His eye looks weepy and gunky so I’m thinking if I can at least bathe it over night it’ll be better for him than just leaving it. He’s feeling very sorry for himself but still purry and greedy.

[WeeDangerousSpike]

Don't use human wound cleaning stuff on him, lots of human anti septic stuff is toxic to cats.

[CovidCarol]

Definitely bathe it in salt water, poor thing.
I doubt if he's chipped if he's not even been neutered.

[LoungeLizardLhama]

Here’s just a photo of him nagging Dh for food just because. He’s not best pleased in this picture because we decided he could do with a bit of a diet and he’s only had half a tin of cat food. He was such a scrawny wretch when he started coming round that we felt sorry for him and we’ve over fed him a bit

[MEgirl]

He's beautiful.

[Words]

Handsome boy! Definitely bathe with salt water and wounds can be treated with sudocream - that stuff used on babies - according to my vet

[TokyoSushi]

Very kindly OP, please go all in or all out with this cat.

I'd suggest either a) Take full control of the situation, take him to a vet, get him checked for a chip, if no chip or sign of an owner then completely take him on as your own. Or b) Take him to a shelter and have him rehomed (not sure how easy this is)

It sounds like you're doing a lovely job of looking out for him, but it also looks like he needs his own family, be that you or somebody else to properly care for him.

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

He's hurt and has come to you for help - he knows where his home is.

I'd clean his wounds with a saline solution if you can't get a vet today - but he does look as if he needs to see a vet tomorrow.

I think he looks gorgeous btw.

[gamerchick]

He really needs to see a vet OP. They do like to pull this stuff on a weekend/bank holiday.

I agree with a PPe. All in or out. He needs.to be neutered sooner rather than later at the least.

[QuestionableMouse]

I'd try to get him in the vets tomorrow. Don't put anything intended for human wounds on it.

[Confusedcatlady1]

Hi Op, we rescued a stray tom cat and he has settled in with our family really well. Please keep him indoors until he has a visit to the vets especially because the weather is due to be bad tomorrow.

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

This story is very reminiscent of my first cat. A large, very friendly, complete Tom cat moved in with us over a period of several months but then disappeared. A few days later he turned up injured. The vet treated his wounds and told us we had to keep him in for 2 weeks, when I told the vet that he wasn't our cat, his response was
"he is now, you've got the vet's bill."

[Vinorosso74]

Either salt water or if you have hibiscrub you can dilute 1 part to 10 parts water the rinse. Definitely don't use Savlon, TCP etc.
I would get him to a vets for general check over, neutering and vaccinating. It would be worth getting a FIV test too if he's been straying a while (this could pose an issue if you already have a cat). A rescue could do these things for you and you make a donation (should you adopt him) or you could pay for it yourself.
If he still has balls, he won't have a microchip. I have not a few ex stray toms who arrive in rescue in a mess but a week or two down the line look fabulous!

[Vinorosso74]

Forgot to add, I think he looks quite a handsome lad.

[LoungeLizardLhama]

We’ve bathed him now which he’s very pushed off about and he’s had yet more food and some cat milk so hopefully he’s still my friend and I promise to get him to the vet or shelter tomorrow and get him looked at properly. I’m glad some of you think he’s handsome, I do worry that nobody would want him as he’s a bit grumpy looking and the shape of a bulldog. He’s absolutely adorable though and I’ll have him move in at the drop of a hat once he’s neutered if Haroldypuss can get used to him. They do tolerate each other already and might even be friends once I get his furry balls off.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I’d keep him in from now on, no way he should be out in this weather it’s freezing and that eye needs looking at ASAP.

It’s about £50 to neuter them.

[Snooks1971]

I echo what most pp have said - as in he’s very handsome! Also that you need to bite the bullet and fully adopt him, after a check up at the vets for his war wounds and a chip (very much doubt he will be chipped!) He needs to be neutered anyway.

PS did I mention that he’s gorgeous?!

[coastergirl]

He's beautiful!

[nutmegofconsolation2]

It's so touching to think he came to you, OP, in his pain and hurt, trusting he'd be safe in your home. Little does he know his furry balls are the price of that care

[Fluffycloudland77]

It was probably the furry balls that caused the fight in the first place.