Local stray (I think!) cat's skin problem

[WhatsGoingOnEh]

I moved to a new house in October. There's a little cat who's always out and about around the street. He (or she) is very thin, no collar, and has slightly matted fur on its back and neck.

I've been cuddling it, and when I stroke it I can feel small, rough, scabby-feeling patches/bumps on its skin.

Questions:

1. What might be wrong with its skin?
2. Can I take it to the vet even though I'm not its owner?
3. Would the RSPCA or similar offer any help?
4. Long-term, could I adopt this cat?

Sorry for rather blunt ending! I'll be honest, I've been feeding the cat and letting him/her come into the house and cuddle up on my lap in the evenings. Is this out of order?

Oh crap - I hoogked. Is it Ringworm? The cat has been snuggled on my lap for the past 3 evenings. On the sofa, cushions, everywhere downstairs and I've stroked him/her a LOT.

The kids are with their dad this week, but will they come home next week to a ringworm-infested house?!

Our cat had something similar, the vet diagnosed mange, probably from sleeping rough when she was semi-feral.

It might be flea allergy or some other skin condition.
I wouldn't allow a cat in my house and certainly wouldn't feed it unless I was absolutely certain it was homeless.

I don't know about the skin problem, but you can download a paper collar here: www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/BlobServer?blobtable=RSPCABlob&blobcol=urlblob&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1164732651162&blobheader=application/pdf

If you put it on the cat you may be able to find out if it has an owner. If you take it to the vet anyway they could scan it to see if it is microchipped, but that doesn't sound very likely.

My cat is very skinny and constantly has knotted fur. She's 18.
She has no collar. Google collar injuries to see why many owners choose not to put them on their cats.
She has medical issues so if you feed her and "adopt" her she will soon die without her medication.
HTH

Thanks. I'll print and use the paper collar, that's a brilliant idea.

I've put the cat back outside (it was sleeping on my sofa).

Most likely a flea allergy. That's definitely not ringworm. I think it sounds as though it's a stray. And it's wonderful that you are taking care of it.

If it's coat is matted that is often a sign that it has bad teeth, as it then finds grooming uncomfortable.

The RSPCA will do bugger all. I don't suppose you're in London? If so you could come to one of our clinics.

The cat will need to see a vet to check it's neutered and it's teeth for starters. And you will need some proper flea and worm treatment (not the off the shelf stuff you can buy in supermarkets).

You can try a paper collar but, if it does have owners, then they appear to be very neglectful ones.

Please tell me you don't live in Wolverhampton?

You have just described my mistress. If you are in Wolves it's a flea allergy. Yes she is deflead regularly but sometimes decides to pull her fur out, AFTER the defleaing.

She isn't neglected, she is fed at home, and by neighbours at no 7 and no 1, and does a good impression of being a stray.

I'm down South, so it's definitely not your enterprising mistress, sassh. :)

I agree with what you all say about it possibly belonging to someone else. But if it does, why aren't they treating its skin condition? I don't know what to do now. I'll start with the paper collar, but is it bad to include, "This cat needs to see a vet ASAP"?

thecatneuterer I'm about an hour from London. Do you have any clinics in Berkshire/Surrey?

Thanks for your reassurance about ringworm. What would be the signs to look for?

I wondered about its teeth, not sure why. It really needs to see a vet.

WhatsGoingOnEh

She also likes delivery vans, it wouldn't surprise me if she thumbed a lift south.

The cat's wandered back in, so I took a photo of its fur. Is this ringworm?! I read ringworm is often on the head and limbs, but this is really mainly on its back.

I'd just take it to a vet, that looks sore.

It must be cold with no fur.

It could be ringworm, it could be lice, it could be flea dermatitis. If you don't have other cats then ringworm isn't a major worry and can be easily treated. Lice is just one treatment, and flea treatment needs to be regular.

Getting that sorted out at a vet shouldn't cost too much.

And no, we only have clinics in London I'm afraid.

No real advice but that definitely looks worth getting checked. Sure, it's possible that it's an old cat with a happy home and an ongoing skin issue its owners are working on, but if it was mine and I found out you'd taken it to the vet I'd totally understand why! Poor little one.

Thank you, all of you. You're all fab. :)

Update: it's the next-door neighbour's cat. I bumped into her (we haven't spoken before) and I intriduced myself and asked if it was theirs. She said its her daughter's, but she's not looking after it. I said was it ok if we fussed it/fed it occasionally etc, and she said go ahead. She said her daughter got the cat but has neglected it. The daughter also just got a DOG but isn't looking after that very well either!?!

She said the cat had mange, and that they had cream to put on, but the cat just runs away.

We're away next week, but after that I am really tempted to just take the cat under my wing.

I've heard from other neighbours that these neighbours (next door) are quite weird and reclusive. It's just a mum and her daughter. Their garden is FULL of broken greenhouses, old bits of wood, etc, and the shared alleyway between our houses is just full of their old broken furniture, old doors, etc.

I don't even think they'd particularly miss the cat. They have another cat anyway, that looks gloriously sleek and well-fed.

WIBU to look after this little cat? She's only young, barely one. And painfully thin. She's at our back door all the time, and properly sleeps on our laps.

The daughter is 18. She didn't buy the cat - a friend was moving and gave the kittens away.

Is it awful to let the cat choose where it'd rather be? I'd look after it properly.

If she said it was fine that you take care of it, do it. But remember that unless her daughter accepts to give it to you it still is hers.
Is she nutured?
Why not adopt a cat that will be preoperly yours in a rescue and consider their cat as a visitor?
Do you think she would accept to give it to you?

Just get the cat treated and it will become yours. Do you know if it's male or female? How old is it? And, most importantly, is it neutered?

I'd keep it, treat it and arrange a pet sitter for the holiday.

How cruel feeding one but not the other.

I know it can be hard to get medicines into/onto cats but I'm not sure I really approve of 'it runs away' as a reason for not treating mange.

Sounds like you're being lovely OP- and as though you might've got yourself a cat!