Update on Precious...

[1monster]

She showed up yesterday with a large open sore on her side. It seems to be superficial, but she needs it to be cleaned and have antibiotic ointment put on it, at the least. Today, she showed up again, and was hungry enough to let me get near enough to pet her. She is in really bad shape with flea bites, thin fur and scabs all over her body. However, when I tried to do more than just pet, she hissed and started to run off. I backtracked, went into the house and closed the door. She came back to finish eating and lie in the sun.

So, she won't be getting any antibiotics today. I'll keep trying, and I've left word around the neighborhood for anyone who has her trust enough to pick her up, to put her in a box and I'll take her to the vets, which she seriously needs. Wish us luck. We're going to need it.

[NaturalHigh]

1. Good luck.

I hope she's okay.

[madokie]

2. In light of this post how did you come up with 1monster

Lot of things you possibly could be but a monster is not one of them

[1monster]

8. It was from a book I read by Fred Mustard Stewart many, many years ago.

I'm not sure, but I think it was called SIX WEEKS. It was a rather sad story of a man meets a woman with a small daughter and falls in love with both. They became a family unit who called themselves the Monster family, with the woman being Mommy Monster, the man was Daddy Monster, and the child, Baby Monster.

Baby Monster was diagnosed with a terminal disease and had only six weeks to live.

I don't remember any more about the book other than that, and that I was taken by the Daddy, Mommy, and Baby Monster bit. So when my son was born, we became the Monster family too... And I am 1monster.

[madokie]

38. Too cool

I'm happy you've found us here at DU
WELCOME to our family

Edit to add: I see you have been here much longer than I.
At any rate what I said still applies

[1monster]

39. ;:o) I'm just not a prolific poster.

Thank you for your welcome. And the same to you!

[KT2000]

3. Bless your heart

I wish you luck! If only we could convince them we just want to help.

[AndyA]

4. Needed: one good home and love

What a beautiful cat. It's so upsetting to think how many live this way. Thank you for feeding and for caring. I hope someone is able to get her to the vet, and that she'll soon experience love.

[narnian60]

5. Missed the original post on this.

Thank you for trying to help this poor baby. A humane trap is so much easier & safer for both her & you. A box won't work- been there, tried that! Some shelters like the Humane Society will loan these traps out.

[1monster]

10. I have cat travel boxes (eight of them)...

The box would only be until I could get her in one of those.

We had ten cats at one time. We're down to seven and maybe with Precious, eight in the future.

[narnian60]

17. Good luck to you, monster, however you do it.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

22. The Liberty Humane Society near me has humane traps that you can put a deposit on.

You give them a deposit, catch the feral cat and then turn the cage back into them and get your deposit back. You should see if they do that in your area.

[glinda]

37. Yes...shelters or Rescue Groups!

[Helen Reddy]

6. You are a wonderful

human!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

7. Can you borrow a humane trap from someone?

If you can, set it with the food inside. Trap her and take her to the vet. Seriously. I've done it. It's not hard. Plan ahead. Put the trap out a few days before you actually set it with food inside to get her used to going inside to get the food. Do this for 3-5 days. Then, set it. Once she's inside take her to the vet.

[narnian60]

11. The problem is

these traps aren't cheap and finding someone that has one and that will loan it to you isn't easy.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

15. Yea I borrowed one from a neighbor.

Posted on my neighborhood mailing list and someone had one. If you can find one to borrow from somewhere, that would be your answer.

[1monster]

12. I have seven cats, six of whom are indoor/outdoor cats.

Believe me if I tell you that my cats would be more likely to spring the trap than Precious.

Either that, or some wild life like the little 'possum I caught eating the food Precious had left behind ten minutes earlier.

[spinbaby]

13. If you're in or near western PA

I have a humane trap and will deliver. We bought it years ago to trap our Sophie and her kittens. Kittens all now have homes and Sophie is alseep on our couch.

[1monster]

16. Family in south central PA, but I'm in Florida. But thank you!

[MadHound]

9. You need to take more proactive action,

You need to use a Hav a Hart live trap to catch her so you take her to the vet. By waiting and waiting until Precious trusts somebody enough to be picked up and put in a box, she could very well be dead. Open wounds, flea bits, probably worms, and signs of other problems, you need to trap her now and get her to the vet. It is for her own good. Do it.

[1monster]

18. Precious was taken in by someone a while back, but then showed back up in the

neighborhood about a month later. She allows other people in the neighborhood to pet her and pick her up. That's why I'm hoping one of them will get her so I can take her to the vet's.

Today was a big break through.

[MadHound]

21. Again, with a cat in this condition, waiting any length of time can be deadly.

Who knows when she will show up at the proper person's house. You need to be taking the action, now. Seriously, her wounds could be quite serious, to the point of fever and sickness. In that sickness it is much less likely that she will allow anybody to touch her.

If you can't afford a live trap, and can't borrow one, then start putting Precious' food in the open carrier. When she goes in to get the food, slam the door shut and off to the vet with her. You will probably want to wear a pair of work gloves when performing this operation, because Precious will probably want to claw her way out of the door and might catch your fingers as you're latching up.

But you need to get this cat to the vet now, tomorrow at the latest. You can't afford to wait.

[1monster]

28. I've saved cats in worse condition. She needs help, but I want to make her a part

of my fur family. If I traumatize her, she will take off.

Someone down thread suggested that I give her a sedative in her food and capture her that way. I am calling the vet tomorrow to ask for a fast acting one and, hopefully, will have her tomorrow. If that fails, I'll try for the trap, if I can find one.

[MadHound]

30. I shook my head at that suggestion

Sedatives that go through the digestive track aren't fast acting. She could very well eat the food, run off, and fall asleep in the middle of the street several blocks away. Not to mention that your dosage control is going to suck, and if the cat has problems with the drug, you're going to be on your own in an emergency situation. Dosing animals on your own is not a good move.

Ask around instead, your neighbors, friends, vet, shelters, to see if you can borrow a trap. Somebody in the community should have one. I admire your intent to bring her into your family, but the most pressing matter at this moment is her health. An abscessed wound will kill even a healthy animal quick if left untreated. Before that happens though, the animal will go to ground somewhere, probably somewhere inaccessible, and you will never see Precious again. And frankly, without an examination, you cannot say exactly what Precious' condition is. She has fleas, and the parasites that they carry. She apparently has been in more than one fight, and those wounds need attention, now. She is malnourished, and probably has little access to clean water. You need to get her off the streets now, and if that involves a little traumatization, so be it. Better than a dead cat.

I respect that you've taken care of feral cats before, but you aren't the only one. I spent many years of my life doing animal rescue, working at shelters, working as a vet assistant and other such related fields. I can't count the number of animals, cats and dogs both, that I've brought in off the streets and fields. And in every place that I've worked, the number one imperative is to get the animal off the streets. That's it, get them off the street, get them cleaned up, get them healthy, and then worry about getting them a home. A bit of trauma in exchange for ultimately saving their life and giving them a good home is a great deal, one that any feral cat would take, even if they don't seem happy with it at the time.

[1monster]

34. Well, I am going to call the vet as soon as they open in the morning and ask

for suggestions if they didn't have a fast acting sedative. I had also thought that the sedative could be a real problem if it acted to slowly. I have also done work with a no kill adoption organization and will ask them for help, if the vet fails me.

I'm not going to do anything that will put her more at risk. The last cat I had that was not a rescue cat died in 2002. I have had thirteen cats since then. All of them rescues. I'm not a novice.

[MadHound]

35. Then get a trap,

If you're worried about your indoor/outdoor cats getting trapped, keep them in for a day or two. But get the trap, get it set up, and then get Precious to the vet. As I said earlier, a bit of traumatization in exchange for a good live in a loving home is a trade off a feral cat will make any day, even though they may be hissing and spitting at the time.

Good luck!

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Good luck, feral kitties

Are hard to befriend.

[malaise]

19. You can give her a mild sedative in her food

and then either treat her wounds or take her to the vet. Ask the vet what to give her.

[1monster]

20. Great idea! I'll call the vet tomorrow.

Thank you!

[malaise]

26. I did that with one of my pregnant ferals after the vet's advice

and it worked out well. Actually had her spayed after she gave birth.

Good luck and you're welcome

[tularetom]

23. I don't know you but I really like you

Good luck getting this cat the treatment she needs.

[1monster]

24. Thank you!

[Cleita]

25. Why don't you just get a live trap at the hardware store and bait

it with cat food? My SIL sets his trap out for skunks and catches my cat in it all the time. You'd think my stupid cat would have learned by now. Then you can get her to the vet and get her looked after.



There's a larger version for cat sized animals. Sometimes the animal shelter will lend you one. At least they do around here.

[1monster]

27. Because I have six other indoor/outdoor cats who love to eat. Precious would never get

the chance to get trapped. (Witness your cat getting trapped multiple times. S/he knows s/he'll get some nice food and be released sometime after his/her nap.

Cats are not stupid.

[Cleita]

32. It was just a suggestion. n/t

[Liberalynn]

29. Good luck to you and Precious

Thank you for caring for the kitties.

[Honeycombe8]

31. Oh, yes...she needs some antibiotic(s). I hope she's okay. nt

[OldRedneck]

33. Have you tried a trap?

They are not inexpensive if you have to buy one. Maybe your county animal control can lend you a trap. Or, maybe local vet can lend you one.

I don't recall the brand name . . . I think it's something like "Have-A-Heart Trap" . . . basically a big, wire cage. When the critter enters the cage, his/her weight trips the door and he/she is trapped. Of course, you then have the problem of removing an angry cat from the cage.

I did this once years ago. After the cat was in the cage . . . hissing, biting, swiping claws at everyone around her . . . I put on a heavy shirt, heavy jacket, and heavy gloves. Spread out a big towel. Carefully opened the cage door so she couldn't get out, after a bit of a struggle I got one hand around her, dragged her out, pinned her down on the towel and wrapped her up in the towel, immobilizing her.

Took her to the vet who anesthesized her, treated her, and cleaned her up before she waked up. Took her home in a cage, turned her loose in the locked basement, with food and water. After a couple of weeks of my going into the basement and visiting with her, she calmed down and we had a new family member until we lost her after 12 years.

[glinda]

36. Here is how I caught a feral cat on the cheap....

Get a sturdy cardboard box that will NOT come apart and the sides are higher than the cat. Get some netting (like fishing net) that will not tear apart. Put box onto netting (which is laid flat) and pull up the netting as high and over the top of the box to cut size. You are estimating making a catch net that will hold the box and not make any way for him to get out.
String sturdy nylon or rope cording all around the edges of the netting. Make sure to leave enough end ropes.
Put food dish in box. Loop the rope over high up over something like a tree branch, rafter, something sturdy.
Now test hiding at the end of the rope and how fast you can pull it up with it closing. This may take some tweaking but seriously worked for me.
I also wore leather gloves. I hid and waited until I saw her get into the box and pulled like mad. Two people would be good on this as one could grab closed the top of the net. Got to make sure they do not attempt to go upwards but usually they are so shocked they freeze but work fast!
If you fail he will not come back sadly because he was too scared. If you succeed you have him.

Or a live trap but make sure you check it right away because they can get hurt also in them.

Or a garage. Shut the door after he goes in to eat. Then use a fishing net to catch him.

I wish you tons of the luck of the Irish on this. Bless your heart!

[life long demo]

40. Good luck, God bless

[talkingmime]

41. Fuck that. Get a large (beach) towel and capture her.

I can tell from the photo that she needs a vet's visit. Just toss it over her and tuck her in a cat carrier. The vet will know what to do. She may be wild but she needs care and she needs it now. She'll be pissed off like you can't imagine, but she needs help, and she needs it now.

If she doesn't let you pet her, she won't let anyone else in the neighborhood pet her either. Do her a favor and take her in for help. She'll appreciate it down the road.

[mike_c]

43. second that-- make a kitty taco with a towel and get her to a vet....

Lay the towel on the ground so she won't see you waving it at her from above. Put the food bowl on the towel. Let her eat, then when she is well involved reach down and grab her by the scruff of her neck while simultaneously wrapping the towel around her. Get her feet restrained FAST. Let the food make a mess if necessary. Wrap her up tight. Don't try to spare her feelings. Put her in a crate and let her untangle herself from the towel. The vet will take it from there.

Alternatively, will she enter a crate herself if you put the food in there?

[1monster]

44. She did let me pet her and other people in the neighboorhood have held her and

one person took her into his/her home. Apparently, they did not want to keep her and brought her back.

I'm doing what I can.

[talkingmime]

45. Go with mike_c's "kitty taco" approach. He's right, you have to be lightening fast.

I've got a cat that wakes us up in the middle of the night purring and biting our noses, demanding to be petted. But if you snag her and force her to be cuddled in the middle of the day, forget it. She'll weasel out and be gone in a split second.

That thing needs to see a vet and if nobody else in the neighborhood will do it, guess what?

Somebody has to.

[myrna minx]

42. Oh, poor thing.

I'm ao glad your trying to help her.