i cant afford to take my cats to the vet. is there really a chance that they may have parasites/illnesses?

Question

one cat is male, and is 6 mo. the other is female, and is about 3 mo. obviously the male needs to be neutered, but thats all me and my boyfriend can afford. we will do that soon. the male we got from a friend who got him from his litter. the female we found wandering around outside, with her ribs showing, meowing at us so we gave her food. then she hung out arund the house, and we would pet her. we finally agred to make her a part of our family, and she and the male cat get along great, they sleep together and play and clean each other. but, since she is a stray, is there a high possiblity she could have something? or that if she does, she could give it to him? does she/they really need thier shots if they are both now indoor cats? (they never go outside - its not a safe neighborhood, someone may kill/hurt them for fun). I need a VETS opinion, and maybe some statistics, too. i want to know what the possibility is of my new friends actually needing veterinarian care.

thanks so much!!

Answer 1

You have given these cats a wonderful home and they are young and healthy, protected from the dangers most cats have to face if they are allowed to roam. Spaying and neutering is important for all cats. They will make more pleasant companions for you if they have this surgery. Otherwise neglecting this for the female can lead to marking in the house, going through endless heat cycles -- that will drive you nuts, believe me.

You probably should run the standard tests for leukemia and feline immunodeficiency disease because of her stray background. She can have inherited the leukemia from her mother shortly after birth. The leukemia is not necessarily a death sentence for cats these days. With all the protections she has in your wonderful home she can do very well. Many people also have a leukemia positive cat living with cats who do not have it without the others becoming infected.

I don't give my cats shots anymore. A very good resource for information on cats is www.littlebigcat.com. Jean Hofve, DVM runs the site, has a monthly newsletter, and at least 30 articles on cat diseases, diets, behavior issues etc. She is a past president of the Amer. Assoc. of Holistic veterinarians.

Answer 2

Sorry, but I am not a Vet. However, I have had cats for several years and we had a leukemia scare when we first got our two lovely boys. I understand the money problems, and YES... neutering is probably the most important thing at this moment. Keep in mind, if you don't have them both "fixed" at some point you might find some issues. Animals that aren't fixed (we had some major problems with this with a female) spray sometimes, and behavior can vary. In other words, the worst problem is that they pee all over things. Granted, if they have behavior problems anyway, they might do this.

As far as the veterinary care, this is pretty important. Feline leukemia is very serious, but if one of your animals is infected, sadly the other one will almost undoubtedly become infected. The diseases symptoms have an incubation period, but it can be spread from animal to animal. Depending on how long you've had them, you would probably already be seeing signs, although it can be dormant for a little while. Watch for the warning signs such as blood in the stool, which is a big indicator. Of course, this can also be another kind of treatable disorder, such as worms or colitis (sp?). But if you see this, get them care immediately. I believe with animals vaccinations are important. Any kind of contact they could have with infected animals can be harmful if they aren't properly protected from disease. Animals often have allergies, which is an odd thought, I know. Anything out of the ordinary, keep an eye out for. Just remember, they are as susceptible to things as we are. My sister has a cat with acne! Try to make sure cats have access to grass, because it aids digestion. You can get a little plant from someplace like Petsmart. If they ever have diarrhea for an extended period of time or if they are vomitting a lot, this isn't a good sign. Cats usually don't do this (except mine who eats too fast and pukes because he's a pig). Just watch them and if you notice something strange seek help from a veterinarian. Otherwise, it's not too necessary to worry unless something seems wrong. In your case the former stray has already had extensive contact with the male, so if something were to be spread it probably would have already happened. I hope this helps, because I am no expert, just a fellow animal owner. But, definitely neuter!

Answer 3

You should contact a clinic, they are cheaper. It is very possible they could have lukemia, or any other desease that is spread. Worms and earmites are very common in strays. You already exposed the boy cat to teh girl so if she has anything it too late now for him not to get it. I took a stray from teh street to teh vet and when all cleared, into my hous eiwth my other cat.They could be totally fine but its better safe then sorry. Cats are a financial commitment and you will eventually need to take them to fix them anyway or your little girl will have kittens from that little boy soon. Theres a place T E A M that is a traveling vet, maybe only in CT? but they fix cats and give shots for 60 total!! u should check them out. If cats are healthy they are not that expensize. I took in a stray a year and one month ago and she has cost me over $1,000 because of the treatments she needed and getting her fixed and all that. My other cat i've had for 5 yeras and hasn't cost me tht much, yet.=)

Answer 4

It is a good idea to have them examined at least once by a vet. The parasites that animals can carry are microscopic with the exception of tape worm (which will come out of their rectum in white pieces or segments). If they are going to stay inside forever it's not as important to have them vaccinated every year unless you ever plan to introduce another pet into your home. They can become very susceptible to illness if not vaccinated. Cats carry and contract FIV which is just like human HIV (but is not contagious to humans). They also can carry and contract feline leukemia and many other diseases. Such diseases can be deadly and are serious. It may be a good idea just to save up a little bit of money and have them examined and vaccinated to be safe. It would be much worse to have them fall ill and not be able to afford treatment and have your beloved pet suffer and then die. Prevention is the best medicine. Call your local animal shelter and ask them if there are any low cost vaccination and spay/neuter programs in your city. Many places offer these types of programs to prevent the spread of illness and over population of feral cats. Good luck.

Answer 5

Kudos to you for being so kind as to give the cats a loving home, especially the stray.
There is a chance of just about anything when you are talking about taking a stray into your home. She could have had fleas, ticks, worms, etc...
Contact your local SPCA, Humane Society and they can put you in touch with a good and inexpensive vet. Through them, it cost my husband and I $120 to get our two cats spayed and neutered (we have one of each) and their shots and declawed. That's $60 a piece. It costs us $30 each, $60 for both, a year to get them their yearly shots and check-ups. That's completely affordable no matter what your budget. You can take them separately if needed. I don't know what the prices are in your area, but you need to check into it. You've only got three months, or less, before the female will be able to get pregnant.

Answer 6

Any cat that has been outside for a while, without proper care WILL need at LEAST a check up. There are too many diseases and parasites that the cat can carry. I would not ever introduce an indoor kitty with one that has been feral until you get it checked out.

Feral cats are likely to have:
- fleas, ticks, ear mites
- worms
ringworm and tapeworms are particularly common in ferals
- Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)
- Feline Immunodifiency Virus (FIV, or Feline AIDS)
- Feline panleukopenia (also called feline distemper) is a deadly and extremely contagious virus.
- An upper respiratory virus, highly contagious and potentially blinding or lethal to young kittens.
- Among the scary diseases that are transmissible to humans are rabies, tularemia, and plague.
- Cat-Scratch Fever
- Chlamydiosis
- Lyme Disease
- Campylobacter
- Salmonella
- and more...

If you can't afford vet care, there are many pet insurance companies such as:

http://www.petcareinsurance.com
http://www.petinsurance.com
http://www.petshealthplan.com/

You will need to look around to find the one that works best for you and your needs.

Answer 7

Take them to the humane society or a shelter, they may be able to help you. Also, many vets can issue you a form of credit card so you cvan have the shots done (they are definitely a necessity) and then pay it off over time. In my opinion, if you can't afford to bring your pet to see a veterinarian, you can't affiord to own a pet, let alone two. What happens if they get sick? Can't afford to get them cured so you just let them die? Your heart's in the right place taking in a stray, but you need to think of their needs first, and getting those shots is a top priority which you are responsible for.

Answer 8

There is a very high possibility that the stray cat has intestinal worms or other contagious illnesses. Most stray kittens get parasites from their mom. I found a stray and kept him in a separate room away from my other cat until I took him to the vet. He ended up having roundworms and earmites. Cats can also have FIV which is similiar th HIV and its very contagious. Both of your cats need to be checked by a vet or if you can't afford it, they need to be surrended to a no-kill shelter.

Answer 9

You need to make an arrangement with your vet. Most will take payments on a weekly or monthly basis. The stray female could have any number of diseases or parasites, and can easily give them to the male. She could be carrying feline leukimia or feline AIDS and you won't know it until one actually shows symptoms. Also, if she isn't pregnant yet, she will be soon. You need to have both of them fixed, not just the male.

Answer 10

Your cats should definetly be checked for parasites and worms. It's very common for wild cats to have worms, and some parasites and worms are communicable. You'll need to take a stool sample in to your vets office to have it checked - around here, that only costs about $35 - but parasites can kill your cats if they're the right ones, so $35 isn't much in the grand scheme of things.