Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

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rampman10
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Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

A feral cat I care for has a hairy worm or growth that protrudes about an inch out of his right shoulder. It is dry but attached firmly in his shoulder and it has hairs coming out of it. I did not pull it out because I was not sure if I should. Tapeworms usually are located posterior and I have no idea what this is. I am working on getting him tame and then take him to get fixed and adopted or keep him. I already have two, one was also feral but the sweetest cat now.

I am attaching a picture. I will try to take a better one. Does anyone know what this could be?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Shawn
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Walesgang »

Gosh, no sorry. Never seen anything like that.

If you are unable to get the poor cat to a vet, would your vet be willing to look at your photo to give a view?

How long have you been looking out for him? Has he atways had it? Gut feeling is that the sooner it's dealt with the better if you could bite the bullet and get him to a vet.

From my experience (I have adopted 2 former farm cats) they quickly forgive and forget if they have certainty where their next meal is coming from.

Please let us know how you get on.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Crewella »

Sorry, but I've never seen anything like it either. I'd be wary of trying to pull it out myself too - I'd get the vet to do it in your position.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by hgale »

Hi Shawn, welcome to CC.

I would also echo the other advice to see what your Vet has to say, I've also had no experience with anything like that but it doesn't look very nice!

Please keep us updated and a fuss to your furry friends from us.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Thanks all for your replies. I have been feeding him for a few months and he is just now coming inside for short periods. I can only pick him up for a second before he tries to scratch or bite so I usually put him right back down to try to get him used to being picked up.

It looks like a piece of the protrusion broke off today. I gave him prizantiquel broken up in some wet food and see what happens. I will also take the picture to my vet and see if they can suggest something. I have pyrantel pamoate also but I will check with the vet first. He is still too wild for my vet but if I capture him the city shelter will neuter and vaccinate him at least that is my understanding. I was hoping to let him get more tame first. He is less than a year and I think he can be domesticated. He purrs a lot but still acts aggressively toward me and my indoors cats at times so I have to limit the contact. My indoor cats are vaccinated but until he stops acting out I have to monitor their interaction.

Thanks again for responding and I will keep you posted.

On a different note, my younger cat who I adopted from the shelter seems to only want to scratch upholstery, leather and plastic. I have multiple scratchposts of rope and carpet material which he ignores. I have covered my couch and loveseat with blankets and I will of course never do anything to his claws, and he still tries to scratch things with nail covers on his claws.

I have looked for suggestions online and have tried catnip and dragging his claws on the posts but he still avoids them.

Thank you and have a nice weekend.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Diana »

Hmm that looks odd. Are you sure it was a growth of some sor?

If so lets see how that stuff works. Does it bother him?
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

It does not seem to bother him unless I pull on it which I try not to do.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Diana »

Thats a strange one. When you touch it, he doesnt seem to approve.

How those tablets working that you gave him?
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

I was outside with him today petting him and he started rolling on the patio and he broke off a large piece of whatever it was. Now there is just a little stub. He seemed extra friendly today and my cats really want to play with him. I will keep watching to see if he gets any better or if it comes back.

Thanks for asking about him.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Diana »

That's great news. Whatever it is...it doesn't seem to bother him nor been in any pain and that fact it's breaking off with no added signs that he is in pain...mean it could be just something very minor. Was it hard whatever it was or soft.....sometimes I see things poking from my cats fur but on closer inspection it's just additional fur.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by elastu »

I would suggest you take him to the vet as soon as possible for a neuter, flea and worm and at that time the vet will or should give him an MOT. If you need a trap a local rescue or your vet should end you one.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Diana »

I would agree. Once you gained his trust get him to vets soon as.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

He is still too wild for my vet. The local shelter will neuter him and I think they do a rabies vaccine. I think my vet would have to do the FIV/FELV which is why I was trying to get him tame enough to go. He tried to scratch and bite me twice in the last two days. He purrs when he gets next to my two cats but my older cat who was also feral evidently bothered him and he hissed at her. I have some heavy leather gloves. I will try to pick him up and hold him tomorrow. If I take him to the shelter to get neutered that should help calm him down, but I am not sure he would be calm enough for my vet to give him the other vaccines. I think I will try to call the shelter to see if they can give the other vaccines if I buy them. The growth is now completely gone. It was hard but only somewhat brittle. He must have rubbed it off.

My two indoor cats have been vaccinated but I don't want to take any risks with them.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Beanie »

Hmmm! What colour is the protruding growth? In your photo it comes up as white which seems strange. I would normally expect to see that colouring on an X-Ray! My first thought was is this April 1st? ;)

Can you give an idea of dimensions? Does it look as rigid, as the photo would suggest or is it flexible and does the cat lick at it?

Either way, as others have said, the cat should be seen by a vet.

As for vaccination problems and getting him to the vet. Your local shelter should be able to assist by either loaning you a cage trap or sending a trapper to assist you if they have one. It is not uncommon for scared feral cats to the transferred to a crusher cage (not as bad as it sounds) in order to prevent the cat moving and a vet can administer any appropriate injection / vaccination with the cat wedged in the cage without fear of being attacked.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by bobbys girl »

Beanie wrote:As for vaccination problems and getting him to the vet. Your local shelter should be able to assist by either loaning you a cage trap or sending a trapper to assist you if they have one. It is not uncommon for scared feral cats to the transferred to a crusher cage (not as bad as it sounds) in order to prevent the cat moving and a vet can administer any appropriate injection / vaccination with the cat wedged in the cage without fear of being attacked.
Wish we had done this with Thomas. He was quite easy to get in a regular (large) carry box - but a different story at the vets. One that involved 2 vets and a very large pair of leather gloves! He is now a real sweetie but that first visit scarred (and scared) him so much he still hates the vet. I have to take him and Willow (she's just a little baggage :roll: ) in a borrowed 'crush'. It is the only way they can be vaccinated - over and done in no time and no bloodshed :lol:

When Thomas first started coming to us, I would put food down and then get closer as he ate. Finally, I would only give him food if he let me stoke the top of his head. He would make funny little grumbly noises as I did so. But he learned that I meant him no harm - fusses meant food. I do wish I had used a crush cage that first time at the vets. Maybe subsequent visits would not be so traumatic.

Your local CP or Vet will have a trap like this - use it! In the long run it will be less stressful for all concerned.

Good Luck!
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by meriad »

Good luck with trying to pick him up and getting him to your shelter for neutering and hopefully the vaccinations.

Re the growth, I wonder if he actually had an embedded object like a nail / needle / fish hook that he could have injured himself with ages ago that was working it's way out his system? Keep an eye on the area in case there is still a bit of whatever it was (if indeed it was an object) is still under his skin.

Re your other cat and his scratching - I wonder if it's because he's trying to get the soft claws covers off? Are you able to trim his claws with a nail clipper? Your vet should be able to show you what to do or have a look at a few You Tube videos about what to do. Also have you tried a scratcher that actually lies on the floor vs a post? We have a website here called Zooplus and they sell a cardboard one quite cheaply - mine love it

Good luck with the cat and please do stay in touch and let us know how you get on with him.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Thank you everyone for getting me motivated. I called the shelter today and made an appointment to have him vaccinated and neutered. If I bring him in one of their traps, they will clip his ear, but if I bring him in a kennel they will consider him partially feral and if I pay the costs they will not clip his ear. This is what I will do. I would feel bad having his ear clipped. They will test him for FIV first before they do anything.

Unfortunately the people who do the low cost clinics won't be in my area for a few more weeks so he will have to wait until then. If I take him any sooner, he will get his ear clipped and fixed by the trap and release vet personnel.

There is still no sign of the growth coming back.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Meriad thanks for the suggestions. I have tried several different kind of scratchers. I have posts and the cardboard kind that are on the floor. He is just only attracted to fabric and leather. I have tried dragging his claws on the sisal rope and carpet posts and the cardboard scratchers and he acts like he is afraid of them. I don't know what to do. He knows he is not supposed to scratch the leather because all I have to do is walk up and he runs away.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Janey »

Hi, have you tried placing the scratching posts where the cat scratches? one of my cats used to always scratch the arm of our leather sofa so I placed the post next to where she scratched and like you've done, showed her how to use it and at the same time praised her and gave her a fuss so she associated it with something positive. My cat then started to use it herself, each time she did I praised her. Then I gradually moved the post to the back of the room. Now if your cat scratches various places it's a bit more difficult, I've had foster cats who've done that so I've moved the post about to the areas they scratch most and it has worked with most but not all. I've also found the stronger posts get used more. It is a tricky one though if they scratch everywhere and just have a good old stretch and scratch when passing, or as some do - lay on the floor dragging themselves along! then the post was laid horizontal. Best of luck!
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Janey,

I have put them close to the things he scratches. He ignores them. I also give him positive reinforcement and I don't yell at him but he knows when I walk up he is doing something wrong. We all know how intuitive our cat kids are :)
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Beanie »

Hi rampman10,
Don't feel too worried about having his ear clipped. It is not painful if done properly.

What the rescue is saying is that they will clip the ear if they regard him as feral without an owner. It is a visual way of knowing that the cat has been neutered and something common in the UK, where it usually carried out if the cat is being returned to a feral colony, which is usually being supported with regular food by cat lovers.

Before she came to live with us, our Katie was living with a feral colony and had her ear clipped and was micro chipped by the excellent Celia Hammond Animal Trust. Some years later I rescued her ( a long story which will deflect from your thread) and she spends her time sitting on my lap.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by bobbys girl »

Most of the feral cats around here, including 'The Car Park Cats' (the ones I keep an eye on) have nicks in there ears when they are neutered. It doesn't bother them and it shows that someone is looking out for them! :D
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Janey »

Yep, the gorgeous ferals we care for which we originally TNR about 8 years ago have all been ear tipped, people know then that they are feral and have been neutered :)
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

It probably is not too painful as they would do it when he is sedated for the neutering. But if I keep him I would feel guilty every time I looked at his ears because if I pay a reasonable amount he will always have his full ears. If I later find a different home for him his new owners might feel the same way. I appreciate the words of support but I think it is best to pay for the low cost procedures and let him keep his full ears. The growth has not returned but I will mention it to the vet when he gets neutered in a couple weeks.

I think he has a brother who has been showing up in the yard. Sigh. I am not sure what I can do with him. He might have to be a trap and release. I thought two were my limit, but for now three will have to be it.

Thanks again for your help everyone.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Batfink »

Might just be the way the photo looks to me but its looks like a long thin scab from a scratch that has some hair caught in it. Would explain why it fell off perhaps. Good luck with him. I'm looking to trap a local feral cat (for treatment for a missing paw and neutering) but can't get even close to him :(
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Thanks for the advice and good luck with the feral cat. I am so sorry about his paw. I have found the best way is to get a feral cat's trust is with food. I get some dry food and put a little in a metal or plastic bowl and shake it around noisily. That usually gets there attention. Then I set it down and back away and go get another one while they are still eating from the first bowl. At some point they usually let me start petting their tail while they eat, obviously avoid their head or the food dish, and before too long they come up and rub against my leg when I am outside.

Metal or plastic bowls make the most noise and are more noisy with less food in them.
Do not stare at cats that is a sign of aggression. Blink your eyes slowly if you are watching them. This is a sign you are relaxed.
They tilt their heads when they are curious and I do this back to them.
Back away until you have their trust. I have had a few feisty ones pounce on my feet when I turned to walk away.
If you see any signs of aggression like hissing or paws and claws don't yell but state firmly 'no' and back away and come back later.
Wear heavy leather or rubber gloves if you are going to attempt to pick up a cat for the first time. Leather is probably best.

Good luck.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Lyn from Australia »

I feel the same about the ear tipping or nicks. I wouldn't mind betting too that if I had a GA and woke up with my ear tip missing that it would be painful! I do understand the need in some instances, but if the intention is ultimately home the cat rather than return it to a colony/outdoor life, then attempting to keep the ear is a good idea.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Thanks for the reply about the ear clipping. I don't think there is anything wrong with it either, but I know I would end up regretting it when I look at him later. I think $75 is not too much to pay to have him neutered and vaccinated for a year.

I think once I bring him inside, his brother will move into the backyard. Right now he only visits. I will either have to find him a home or trap and release him I think. I will post a picture here if I can get one. He runs away when I come outside.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by rampman10 »

Good news.

Maxwell was neutered last Wednesday. I went to the low cost clinic and went with all the extras they offered. With the neutering, all the tests and vaccines the total cost was about $127. I think that is reasonable and he did not have his ear clipped. No sign of any new scars. I gave him some pyrantel pamoate before I let him start mingling with my other kids. So far he is doing ok. Sometimes my girl hisses at him but he gets along with the other boy. They are already playing a little. He is a talker and can be quite noisy in the morning. Some of my other cats used to do this also but now sleep late with me. So far so good. Thanks for the advice.
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Re: Hairy worm or growth from feral cats shoulder

Post by Batfink »

Thank you for the advice rampman10. Sorry for the very delayed reply. I thought I had the forums set to notify me of replies but obviously didn't. Great news about your situation. I was able to borrow a trap but sadly didn't see the stray again. I'm still hoping and can get hold of a trap if needed. I'm thinking he is managing somehow and perhaps being fed by someone. I am keeping an eye out for him and perhaps he will come around the house more as it gets colder.
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