Possible health problems with feral cats

[2trotters]

All advice welcomed.
We have two feral cats,both boys, and both neutered. we did have their sister as well until about a month ago, but she fell out with a lorry on the road, we assume something was chasing her. This morning we just caught their mother and she's at the vets as we speak, that's taken some time to do!
We're feeding both the boys regularly, and they're poking their heads through back door sometimes ?
The black boy seems to have a flea or tick problem on his neck and has scratched off quite a bit of fur around his ear. They both have long fur. Looking for advice on how best to treat now and in the future, given that we're unlikely to be able to touch them for some considerable time. So any advice and suggestions welcomed. We haven't had cats or dogs before so it's a long learning curve !!!

[Cussypat1974]

Hi and thank you for caring about these cats!

If a cat is scratching his ear, it is likely to be mites/ear infection. A they are feral, it is hard to tell! So...... Gt a SPOT-ON treatment from your vet (NOT SUPERMARKET). Wait till cat is sleeping and apply.
If the ear scratching continues, there is an infection and it all gets more difficult.

[Lilith]

Hi there and congrats on getting the trust of these cats - sorry to hear about the girl though.

As always - time is the remedy. I knew a mature feral tom with terrible ear problems - he would go near nobody but in the end he came to me for food...eventually he let me stroke his back...I tempted him into a carrier with titbits and got him to the vet for neutering, ear treatment (and treatment for an abscess too.) Thought he'd never speak to me again after he discovered his lost manhood but he moved in, slept on the bed and even let me clean his ears in due course.

Just now your kitties are getting food and learning to trust which is a great advance. Fleas and ticks are horrible I agree, but you might have to wait regarding them too until the cats trust you to handle them sufficiently. A ticklish business (pun intended, been there done that myself!) But you are doing great work!

[bobbys girl]

Well done for taking on these cats.

I've not got much to add to the good advice you have been given. I have a similar experience to Lilith. Tom was a mature feral when he started to call for food. He had a cut to his ear and face where he had been scratching. We got him trapped, treated and neutered. We thought we would never see him again. But....

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Tommy Tupence

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This is Tom when he first came to us.

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Scaredy cat

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Good luck with the kitties. Let us know how you go on.

[Crewella]

Beautiful cat is Tom, such a handsome face and lovely pale markings.

I've had several ferals and ex-strays and agree with the others. In my experience, they're not very forgiving of failed attempts to trap them and get warier and harder to trap the more you try, but seem to forgive much more easily if you do manage to catch them and get them sorted. Sometimes, I think, they're so pleased to be back home again on familiar territory after it's all over that they forget all the hassle of catching them in the first place!

If you can manage to get a spot-on treatment on the back of their necks, you're probably better off with something like Broadline (from the vet, and not cheap I'm afraid) that will deal with worms as well as the external parasites all in a single treatment.

[Cussypat1974]

Is broadline new? Not seen it in vet clinics here! Is ther FINALLY a spot-on that does EVERYTHING??? Ear mites here at the moment so using profender.......

[Crewella]

Broadline is new, from the maker's of Frontline:

Broadline Spot-On Solution for Cats is for the treatment and prevention of flea and tick infestations, biting lice, roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms in cats and kittens.

[Cussypat1974]

Jesus! Is this finally the solution??? What am I missing??? My ferals can actually be done for everything once the are asleep and I am stealthy? gonna ask the vet about this and ordering it!!!!!!! Probably an awful price though???

[Crewella]

It ain't cheap - it's around £6 a pop - £34 for a 6 pack online.

[Cussypat1974]

I bet it will cost even more over here, in euros. I pay 8-10 euro for a stronghold or whatever, plus another 6 or so for the milnemax. I'd be happy to pay more for the few cats I really cannot get done without a week of planning and head scratching for each dose though!

[bobbys girl]

in euros.

Where are you?

[Cussypat1974]

In Ireland, just outside Kells in county Meath to be exact

[twotrotters]

Hi everyone, this is an update on our two wild boys, Charlie and Charcoal. They're both about two years / two years 4 months now. They're still very dubious with us but they arrive regular as clockwork and in between as well for meals, we've provided them with their own house, in the form of a dog kennel ! they will use it but also seem to like wandering about in the wet, so perhaps they have been very happy this last few months, with rubbish weather etc. they've had some worming tablets from the vets and also some drops for the flees on the back of the net, although this is not easy., with them being very nervous. Charcoal has got 2/3 lumps of fur around his neck ( don't know about Charlie as he's not so easy to touch), I thought i might try and cut these lumps off if I can keep him still long enough ? Their fur is very long so presumably the cold won't bother them too much ? we triad various stuff in the kennel, but they seem to like the hay best, so that's what they've got at the moment. The two of them seem to to eat endlessly, and we don't mind that.but they do have a habit now of waiting by the patio doors in the evening, this is so they'll be let in , which of course they are all the time, but to our detriment, because the door has to stop open while they explore the lounge etc. I only hope they appreciate it, all our warm going straight out through the door till they get fed up and decide to **** of for the night !. There's no doubt they're a great couple of boys, so hopefully we'll all look forward to the summer.
This was formally 2Trotters now Twotrotters

[Jacks]

I've had several ferals and ex-strays and agree with the others. In my experience, they're not very forgiving of failed attempts to trap them and get warier and harder to trap the more you try, but seem to forgive much more easily if you do manage to catch them and get them sorted. Sometimes, I think, they're so pleased to be back home again on familiar territory after it's all over that they forget all the hassle of catching them in the first place!

Well done with your boys, twotrotters. I've an ex-feral boy myself and I agree with the quote above!

It took me 5 months to trap my boy, even though I'd got him to come close enough to me to be stroked, by slowly moving his food bowl closer to me until he had to let me stroke his head and along his back as he ate. He was that starving he let me, bones practically sticking out of his skin. Every time I failed to trap him I had to win his trust again, but once I got him (hooray) he was neutered, deflead, etc. and returned to me in a carrier. The vet had to anesthetize him just to examine him. We let him go outside and I was afraid that would be it - he shot off over the fence to his 'toilet' and then came back and sat at my feet!!! Eight months later he moved in. He comes home in the evening for his supper and sleeps the night in the kitchen in a dog basket, and if I see him on the street and call he gallops to me like a little dog. Every day you just know how grateful he is to have a home now. Today it's been wet and muddy and he's been on the sofa sleeping nearly all day. He has 4 females in his family too, one of whom bosses him around. He's a happy lad. You're doing a wonderful thing for your boys, and keep tempting them to let you close with treats and food. I think you'll find they will become more and more comfortable with you in time, especially if you are around a lot.

All the best for 2016!

[Lilith]

Hi Twotrotters - great to read the update and congrats on getting the trust of these boys - naughty lads expecting you to leave a door open for them though, beyond the call of duty that is - you must love them dearly!

But I have a feeling they'll be taking up residence soon...

[Crewella]

That's a great update - thanks for letting us know!

[bobbys girl]

Thanks for the update. Great to hear that Charlie and Charcoal are doing so well.

As much as you want to cut those lumps out, I'd think twice about it. It might spook them.

[JulieJulie]

I've got a feral, had her for several years now and I honestly don't think I will ever be able to touch her - I laugh when people tell me put spot ons on her when she gets near - I did manage to get programme down her for de fleaing and obviously worming is fine, but anything else then she has to be trapped and anesthetized at the vets - thankfully she seems healthy enough at the moment! Against her will I've got her indoors for a few weeks whilst it's really cold - not sure if this is the right thing to do but she has suffered from respiratory issues in the past so I really don't want her getting cold and wet. She can get out, but doesn't seem to have worked out the cat flap, so she's not a prisoner 'as such'. She never ever comes in the house of her own free will, she's the most scardy feral they had ever seen at the shelter - I guess she has never known humans, first or even second generation feral line.