I have an outdoor "feral" cat (wild) who depends on us to feed her..?

Question

But, I noticed today that she has a cut on her leg and a very swollen paw, after she was finished eating, she washed herself with it, so I know its not broken, is there anything we can put in her food to help with the healing process?

We already trapped the cat this past summer, and had her spayed, and given all her shots..

All your answers were great and helpful, thank you for your care and concern.

Answer 1

First of all, THANK YOU for getting her fixed and for feeding her. So many people treat feral cats as a problem. Truth is... they can be perfectly happy cats if someone gives them a little help (like preventing litters and starvation!).

Given that she's feral, I would just keep an eye on it for now. If she's using the leg and keeping herself clean, and eating... she's probably fine. If you start noticing more swelling, or if it's not improving, it might be time to trap her again and have a vet take a look.

Either way, make sure she has a warm bed to sleep in (a box with some towels works) where she can stay dry & safe. I don't think there's any food additives than would help... I mean, vitamins I guess... but I doubt they'll help her heal any faster. If it starts looking like it's infected though, she'll need antibiotics (which could prove interesting!) and a vet visit. Good luck with her and again, thank you for being kind enough to help her out. I have a feral cat of my own (fixed) who's around 9yrs old now and happy as can be. She won't let me touch her, but she meows at me if she runs out of food or water. I feel bad seeing her outside when my cats are indoors only, but she's got a room she can access and she's nice & plump & healthy. It's not a horrible life. :)

Answer 2

I think keeping a cat outdoors all of it's life is a bit harsh, but I also think keeping a cat indoors all it's life is wrong too, better not to have a cat if it has to be locked up . Cats really need warmth and shelter as well as their freedom to roam, they also need human contact if they're not to turn feral. If you can provide a cat with shelter that she/he can go into when they want, that is dry and warm and has warm bedding, and if you can be sure he/she is well fed and has access to water at all times, and can spend time talking to and interacting with the cat and checking he she is ok and healthy, and IF the winters are not too cold where you live then I'd say the cat would probably opt for the outdoor life rather than life imprisonment Glad to see you've said it wouldn't be declawed!!!! That is never the right thing, indoors or out and no matter where you live. The other alternative, as your mom is allergic to cats and as you may not have much time with the cat if it is kept outdoors all the time is to decide against having a cat at all.

Answer 3

Can You pick up and handle this cat? If not, go rent a humane animal trap (most animal shelters will let you rent theirs), or you can buy one..like the Havaheart trap..I think Ace Hardware still sells them..it may cost you around $60 bucks though. The cat will have to be taken to the vet to be examined, which they will have to do under sedation if she can not be handled. They can sedate her through the trap. Not all vets want to deal with feral cats so you must call your vet and talk to him first. The cat will most likely need oral antibiotics. You will have to slip these antibiotics into her food daily. As feral cats are voracious eaters this should be no problem, you can disguise the medicine in the food. It sounds like the cat could have cellulitis by what you mention..the swelling of the paw. Please get this checked out soon.

Answer 4

If a paw is swollen and no broken it usually is a cat bite wound, cat saliva is poisionous and it causes any bite wounds to swell up and become infected. Without treatment it could go away on its on or it could get much worse. I would contact your local animal control, or get a trap yourself, trap the cat and get it treated. She is going to need the wound cleaned and then need antibiotics, there really isn't going to be anything you can put on her food. If its feral thats gonna cost you, We take all feral cats and put them in a sealed aquarium with anesthesia and let them "fall asleep" on their own then treat them when they are completely asleep. Which makes the treatment more costly, so if money is an issue than just call animal control, but if the cat is feral then they won't be able to adopt her out and she will be put down. So its kinda a hard decision to make. Good Luck!!

Answer 5

Ok. First things first. In some states you have "assumed" ownership of the kitty by feeding it on a regulat basis. #2 Your kitty needs medical attention from a veterinarian. Most states deem that you need to provide medical attention to your animal immediately or at the very least within 24 hours of injury. If the kitty is truly "feral," meaning wild, then it is not handleable. I recommend using a humane live trap to round up the kitty. This way the staff at the clinic can safely handle kitty. And 3rd, please spay / neuter your kitty. There are animals being euthanized every day due to pet over population. Good luck!!

Answer 6

Homeopathic medicine is available to put into her food for wounds. It does not have side effects and can be quite effective. I would try to trap her again if you can and get her to the vets in case of infection. But here is what can work for her.

Go to a Medicine Shoppe, Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, or a health food store for the following homeopathic medicines. A company named Boiron is quite reputable in making these, as well as a few others. Boiron is the one I am familiar with.

This is from my book: The Family Guide to Self-Medication.
These medicines are safe for pets too. Just follow the directions on the product.

Cuts & Wounds:

For serious cuts or wounds or ones that bleed profusely, consult a physician. Wash first with clean water to remove any dirt present if possible.

Hypericum Perfoliatum: wounds in areas that are sensitive to the touch: fingers, toes, matrices of nails. Especially if the nerve endings have been affected.

Ledum Palustre: For puncture wounds, nail, splinter, etc.

Ruta Graveolens: When bone is badly bruised.

You can use these in combination with each other to get the desired results. They are inexpensive, so they won't cost you an arm or leg.

I use homeopathic medicines myself and have found them to be quite effective for many ailments. Best to you and your feral cat.

Answer 7

I don't know if anything added to her food will help, maybe useing a higher quality food may help? Can you try to catch her and take her to the vet? Most animal shelters rent out humane traps, if you catch her you can bring her to the vet, they will have to sedate her and look at her paw. This may also be a good time to get her fixed so you don't end up with 100 feral cats to feed...

Answer 8

Your cat probably has a bite/fight wound. Since you have taken this cat to a vet for spay and vaccines, you may want to call that vet office and ask them if they can give you an oral (liquid) antibiotic to add to her food, since the vet office knows that this cat is feral they may give it to you, however, there is a possibility that they may not (depends on the vet), but it is certainly worth a try. Good luck to you and thank you for doing the responsible thing by spaying and vaccinating this kitty. God Bless.

Answer 9

You need to borrow a cat trap from the local shelter, or Vet, cover & bait it according to Alley Cat feral cat organization, or Project Purrs guide (santa Cruz, Ca. USA) both on line. She needs to be seen by a Vet.
Infection sets in quite easily, and she is more vulnerable to other cats & predators due to being less able to defend herself.
The swelling likely indicates an infection that needs meds to heal. Especially if it is that swollen that quickly.
In the meantime, 150 mg. of vitamin C in ascorbic acid powder, mixed with wet food twice daily helps with healing, along with extra protein .

Answer 10

Bless you for doing the right thing for this cat. Maybe you can call the vet and explain the situation and he may just give you some antibiotics for her, at least it may help to prevent a serious infection. I would not put anything but this in her food. Good luck to you and your friend!