Are any of my fellow c25k members a Vet?

[jennstron]

Apologies for posting here but I thought I would use every available resource to help me.

I have a stray cat occupying my garage and the poor thing is in a bit of a state. I have called various helplines and had no one is interested in helping me.

This poor little cat is starved, fighting with my own cats and only has one usable eye. It's left eye is a toxic green with some clouding. Pictures available if anyone can help. I am trying to get a diagnosis of what is wrong with its eye and if it cold potentially harm my cats.

I know I shouldn't but it breaks my heart to see it suffering so I have given it food a couple of times. Do I just let it go on as it is and give the little man some food so that at least has some energy. We cannot take it in as we have 3 cats already who are very territorial. Before I get the, you shouldn't have fed it lines, it's been hanging around for 6 months now and we only fed it 2 weeks ago for the first time. We only did this as it was passing out.

If anyone can offer any advice that would be great

[pitzpalu Graduate]

I`m not a vet, but my advice if you can get hold of him is to take him to the SSPCA /RSPCA.

Or a local vet to see if he is Microchipped.

Sounds like the poor wee soul needs some help, you could also try the Cats Protection League.

I`d also keep him away from your own cats until you get him seen by a vet.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

[RhonaL]

Not a vet but have kept cats all my life. Have you tried your local cats protection league? Not the national number. If you google cat protection you will get their number. They tend to be a lot more helpful than RSPCA and other national groups especially re feral cats. It sounds like the cat has an infection in his eye. It is most likely an intact male cat. If you were near me I could help - I'm in Somerset. Thank you for trying to help this cat.

[pitzpalu Graduate]

Sorry for not reading your post properly, duh.

I see you have tried to get some help.

Have you told them he is unwell?

In Scotland the SSPCA will always take a poorly/injured animal.

If you make it clear he is in a bad way you may get more help.

good luck.

[tantrumbean Graduate]

Some vets might be willing to treat him if you ring up and say you've caught (that might be the difficult part) a stray who is ill... They don't have to, but I know people that have got their vets to help with similar things. Especially if you have a good relationship with your own vet, it might be worth a try?

[jennstron]

Yes I could try that. But judging by the state of his eye I would say it needs removing.

Yeah we have told them and shown pictures, they say we have to prove he is a stray. This would involve canvassing the local area. Thing is, no one will own up to having that cat because it is clearly mistreated.

[Pixel Graduate]

I'm not a vet (yet- applying to go to University at the moment), however, I have been interning at a vets who regularly get cats in from the cat's protection league as strays, so whilst I'm not qualified, here's my two pence. What I would say is that without a vet looking at that eye, it could be anything ranging from an infection to FHV-1. Also, the stray could be harbouring FIV, FeLV plus a plethora of other diseases (he could also be carrying any diseases your cats have been immunised against if he is a true stray) which could potentially infect your own cats.

Have you tried ringing the cats protection league? If that fails, then your next best bet might be to pop him in a cat carrier and take him to your local animal shelter, I know the RSPCA generally has a waiting list for animals, but your local independent shelters may be able to help a bit more. I'd strongly advise keeping him away from your own cats right now, as eye infections are really common with the FHV virus.

He sounds like he really needs a vet, I'd get back on the phones and try to find a shelter/vet that will take him. Have you got a local PDSA/blue cross vets in your area- if so, they may be able to help. If they still demand that you need to 'prove' he's a stray, perhaps pop a few flyers on lamp posts around your area?

Sorry that I can't help more, but I hope you find a vet for this chap soon! His eye may even be as simple as antibiotics if it is an bacterial infection, but there's no way of knowing unless you've had a vet look at it properly.