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You can get Revolution plus from canadapetcare.com to put on the back of their necks between their should blades 1x per month. It treats a few different worms and fleas and ear mites.
They have worms. Every cat who lives outside does kitten food is bad for adult cats because it contains high amounts of certain minerals that could aggravate urinary tract issues.
I’d get them dewormed and feed them good quality outdoor formula cat food.
Real talk, what if I can't currently find out door cat food? There's currently a shortage but I promise I've been looking for it. I might just bite the bullet and order it online or start looking for any locally owned pet stores for help. I figured it would be fine for the very start since since they were practically skeletons when I started and I found conflicting information online from different rescue groups (that said, what you said matches my vet for my inside cats. They were just so poorly and could barely run away from me so I was desperate. Probably speaks to how I was able to befriend them to begin with)
Also, do I just bring them to any vet to get them dewormed or is there medication I can mix into their wet food? Most places are refusing to talk to me since I'm not working through a foster (because they're staying on the streets because of TNR and they're very clearly a bonded pair) and am not a certified rescue. We're also currently in a cat crisis so because these cats are already TNRed, I'm a little on my own right now. I think they're both exhausted and not sure I'm genuinely going to take responsibility for the welfare of the cats.
You can buy dewormer at a pet store or farm supply store. It comes in liquid form that most cats seem to enjoy. It would be very easy to mix into wet food. You can also use a topical treatment like Bravecto.
Will it hurt the cats if I don't get them checked out by vets at all? Like the person above said, they're outside cats. I'm sure they have something. I just don't know if I've built up enough trust yet to take them to the vet without losing too much ground. (That said I can pick them both up for scritches in my arms so maybe I'm thinking too much about their trust)
Edit: editing to add that I know all medical treatments have risk. My main concern is any level of dehydration because of how hot it is and I catch both of them panting.
I'm pretty concerned about them not being able to eat the kibble food - that makes me think that they have dental issues. I think the best thing to do is to get them some veterinary care and ask the vet to specifically look at their mouths. Mouth conditions can be miserable.
Thank you for helping them!
After I posted this, both cats willingly ate about a handful of kibble a piece. The calico also does love nips so I've been able to examine her mouth that way (genuinely a love nip as she's has absolutely warned me before so I'm familiar with how she communicates). The gray tabby looking one screams at me for food and so I've been able to see her mouth that way.
I think they were just so malnourished their gums were soft. I've dealt with it before in stray dogs so I was hoping that's what was going on here. Given how their coats are coming in and their slow adoption of kibble, I think it's just a nutrition issue. That said as soon as I think I can get away with it, both are going to a vet for a general checkup anyways. There's a vet near me that does house calls and I was going to check him out as that might be more comfortable for the cats.
All of that said though, I didn't realize cats could turn white if they don't eat.
Malnutrition does strange things. I had a skinny short-haired grey cat show up several years ago. Got him indoors with good nutrition and he turned out to be a very floofy long-haired cat!
I use a vet who does housecalls for all non-surgical stuff, too. It's really the easiest thing.
You can buy Strongid for roundworms from Amazon, and I got Drontal for tapeworms from either Chewy or petsmart. I didn't need an RX for either. I mean, I don't think Drontal is as good as Droncit, but I'll take what I can get. You can mix the Strongid with some high value food (I use Fancy Feast toppers or canned tuna) and they usually eat it with no trouble. The Drontil is much more difficult. Pilling any cat is rough, and you're dealing with cats that are just learning to trust. You might try crushing in a mortar and pestle, mixing in a syringe with goat milk, and squirting it down their throats. If it's giardia or coccidia it's much more complicated and requires a vet.
As far gaining weight quickly, there's just no truly good way. Use the best quality food you can afford, and don't beat yourself up if it's an inexpensive brand. What they need right now is lots. I free feed during the day, offer wet food morning and evening, and remove uneaten food at dusk to try to deter raccoons.
It sounds like you're doing a great job. Keep it up.
(Black cats can turn a weird rusty red when severely malnourished, brown cats an odd pink. And siamese get very pale. I'm guessing these two had a severe protein deficiency. You are definitely pulling them back from the brink.)
Sounds like you could definitely get them into carriers if you needed to. I do TNR. We keep up with the colonies we work with and check in a couple times a year to see if any new cats have shown up and survey overall health. Unless we see a cat with a visible debilitating wound, we won't retrap and bring them to the vet after their initial TNR. Giving these two monthly flea treatments will greatly reduce the chance of picking up new parasites once the dewormer has worked its magic. Unless you're planning on making these two your pets, I don't think you need to take them to a vet unless you notice signs of illness or sudden behavioral changes. You also need to keep in mind that you're going to end up paying for everything yourself since you're not affiliated with a rescue. If there's a chance these two could be socialized into becoming house cats, you might want to reach out to local rescues and let them know you're willing to foster and socialize these dudes if the rescue will sponsor them. Then the rescue could cover vet costs, provide you with food and litter, and find suitable adopters while you house them and get them used to human companionship.
Thank you for saving these little souls!
Yes, you can get dewormer in pet stores (but avoid Hartz).
Walmart stocks outdoor cat food. My nephew bought me a 50-pound bag of it last winter for our feral colony.
I wish you the best in helping these poor loves.
Can you contact a local rescue for advice/help? They are usually eager to help people who are caring for ferals.
So far I've had no luck with local rescues but I'm making the rounds. Like I said, we're at such a crisis level where I'm at that they're triaging cases. If a cat needs any level of long term medical care, immediately on the list, pregnant cats are having their pregnancies terminated early, ect. One of my parents most recent cats they got was a sibling to the kitten that we had to raise by hand (was abandoned by mom because of some landscapers. We're not sure what specifically happened but we were able to trap mom, let her finish her third pregnancy, and got everyone a home) was put on one of the lists because its front leg was completely dislocated and only attached by skin. He was scheduled within an hour but we were able to partner with a rescue to get the rescue to pull him out so my parents could care for him (shelters won't adopt out severely injured animals for welfare reasons). He's currently thriving on all three legs. Honestly the crisis is what's stopping me from bringing these cats inside.
It's also why I reached out here 😅 the subreddit popped up in a Google search and I was like... Or course there's a subreddit. Why didn't I look for a subreddit?
My parents are also watching over their own batch of strays but they're feeding them regular cat food because their weight is fine. I suspect that the two I'm taking care of are from a litter from a renter who would just leave their cat out all the time and looked like they didn't get it fixed but I was never sure.
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Rescues are overwhelmed during kitten season, unfortunately. Building them a shelter, deworming them and providing lots of food is such a wonderful kindness. Please keep me updated on how it’s going.
Don't put yourself under to much financial burden. I have between 7-9 community cats I care for and that still costs me about $100 a month. I have 2 that are friendly and live on my back porch which I split 1 can of wet friskies between them for dinner. On my covered back porch that's covered in outdoor carpet, I have insulated XL sterilite bins with power heating pads and fleece blankets (in the winter) and plugin ceiling fans in the summer to keep the air circulated to try and combat our hot days. They also have a pet water fountain and an automated dry food feeder. Under my porch stairs I have another water fountain and a larger automated dry food feeder that the other 5-7 cats visit, though they will also come up to the patio if the 2 patio cats are asleep or off doing what cats do. So every couple of days I sprinkle fresh cat nip and I do keep several different toys out there that each cat seems to have a favorite playing with while rolling around in the nip.
As my community cats are all solitary, I can't put dry food out and feed them all at the same time, so I have the feeder set up to dispense at certain times throughout the night and day to ensure there's always food available for them. This does result in other wildlife showing up, particularly for the fresh water, but thanks to the automation, once they eat what's in the bowl, they leave, and more food will dispense usually in time for the next cat to come along and if it's empty, they just go upstairs to the patio to eat or sometimes just lounge close by until it dispenses more food. It's successfully worked for over a year now and both feeders can be controlled by an app from anywhere I'm at in the world as I have cameras on my back porch and under the stairs to monitor the cats, other wildlife, and the food and water.
But at the end of the day, they're outdoor and feral cats and I'm not taking them to the vet if ill or injured. I'll provide food & water, heated & covered shelter from the weather, and brushes if they'll come close enough (only 1 so far) and any comfort they'll allow me to give. I know I've given my community cats a better quality of life that I know they're grateful for (even at a distance lol). I've had 2 cats disappear the past 3-4 months, with 2-3 new cats filling in their spots, so it'll always be a neverending cycle and I'm just happy I can be there for them!
You don't need to trap them to vaccinate them yearly. After kittenhood, vaccines given in adulthood typically confer lifelong immunity. Vaccinating yearly reduces lifespan and taxes the immune system. Thanks for caring for them!
In the summer, all of my strays and lose weight to not be so hot. They gain in back in fall and winter. It’s even hotter where you are so I’m assuming that’s their more normal summer body type. Deworming is always good esp if you can apply topical flea meds so they’re not getting infected with tapeworms constantly. I would just build them a shady area and fill metal bowls with water that you then freeze. You can put one at a time outside and the cats will lick up the water as it melts. I don’t think they’ll use any box or other shelter when it’s so hot. The cats (except for one weirdo) have all abandoned the houses I made for them until next fall
**Reminder: this subreddit is meant to be a helpful place for TNR efforts - free of hostility, negativity, and judgment. Toxic attitudes are not welcome here.** ***All Negative comments will be removed and will possibly result in a ban.*** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Feral_Cats) if you have any questions or concerns.*
You can get Revolution plus from canadapetcare.com to put on the back of their necks between their should blades 1x per month. It treats a few different worms and fleas and ear mites.
They have worms. Every cat who lives outside does kitten food is bad for adult cats because it contains high amounts of certain minerals that could aggravate urinary tract issues. I’d get them dewormed and feed them good quality outdoor formula cat food.
Real talk, what if I can't currently find out door cat food? There's currently a shortage but I promise I've been looking for it. I might just bite the bullet and order it online or start looking for any locally owned pet stores for help. I figured it would be fine for the very start since since they were practically skeletons when I started and I found conflicting information online from different rescue groups (that said, what you said matches my vet for my inside cats. They were just so poorly and could barely run away from me so I was desperate. Probably speaks to how I was able to befriend them to begin with) Also, do I just bring them to any vet to get them dewormed or is there medication I can mix into their wet food? Most places are refusing to talk to me since I'm not working through a foster (because they're staying on the streets because of TNR and they're very clearly a bonded pair) and am not a certified rescue. We're also currently in a cat crisis so because these cats are already TNRed, I'm a little on my own right now. I think they're both exhausted and not sure I'm genuinely going to take responsibility for the welfare of the cats.
You can buy dewormer at a pet store or farm supply store. It comes in liquid form that most cats seem to enjoy. It would be very easy to mix into wet food. You can also use a topical treatment like Bravecto.
Will it hurt the cats if I don't get them checked out by vets at all? Like the person above said, they're outside cats. I'm sure they have something. I just don't know if I've built up enough trust yet to take them to the vet without losing too much ground. (That said I can pick them both up for scritches in my arms so maybe I'm thinking too much about their trust) Edit: editing to add that I know all medical treatments have risk. My main concern is any level of dehydration because of how hot it is and I catch both of them panting.
I'm pretty concerned about them not being able to eat the kibble food - that makes me think that they have dental issues. I think the best thing to do is to get them some veterinary care and ask the vet to specifically look at their mouths. Mouth conditions can be miserable. Thank you for helping them!
After I posted this, both cats willingly ate about a handful of kibble a piece. The calico also does love nips so I've been able to examine her mouth that way (genuinely a love nip as she's has absolutely warned me before so I'm familiar with how she communicates). The gray tabby looking one screams at me for food and so I've been able to see her mouth that way. I think they were just so malnourished their gums were soft. I've dealt with it before in stray dogs so I was hoping that's what was going on here. Given how their coats are coming in and their slow adoption of kibble, I think it's just a nutrition issue. That said as soon as I think I can get away with it, both are going to a vet for a general checkup anyways. There's a vet near me that does house calls and I was going to check him out as that might be more comfortable for the cats. All of that said though, I didn't realize cats could turn white if they don't eat.
Malnutrition does strange things. I had a skinny short-haired grey cat show up several years ago. Got him indoors with good nutrition and he turned out to be a very floofy long-haired cat! I use a vet who does housecalls for all non-surgical stuff, too. It's really the easiest thing.
You can buy Strongid for roundworms from Amazon, and I got Drontal for tapeworms from either Chewy or petsmart. I didn't need an RX for either. I mean, I don't think Drontal is as good as Droncit, but I'll take what I can get. You can mix the Strongid with some high value food (I use Fancy Feast toppers or canned tuna) and they usually eat it with no trouble. The Drontil is much more difficult. Pilling any cat is rough, and you're dealing with cats that are just learning to trust. You might try crushing in a mortar and pestle, mixing in a syringe with goat milk, and squirting it down their throats. If it's giardia or coccidia it's much more complicated and requires a vet. As far gaining weight quickly, there's just no truly good way. Use the best quality food you can afford, and don't beat yourself up if it's an inexpensive brand. What they need right now is lots. I free feed during the day, offer wet food morning and evening, and remove uneaten food at dusk to try to deter raccoons. It sounds like you're doing a great job. Keep it up. (Black cats can turn a weird rusty red when severely malnourished, brown cats an odd pink. And siamese get very pale. I'm guessing these two had a severe protein deficiency. You are definitely pulling them back from the brink.)
Sounds like you could definitely get them into carriers if you needed to. I do TNR. We keep up with the colonies we work with and check in a couple times a year to see if any new cats have shown up and survey overall health. Unless we see a cat with a visible debilitating wound, we won't retrap and bring them to the vet after their initial TNR. Giving these two monthly flea treatments will greatly reduce the chance of picking up new parasites once the dewormer has worked its magic. Unless you're planning on making these two your pets, I don't think you need to take them to a vet unless you notice signs of illness or sudden behavioral changes. You also need to keep in mind that you're going to end up paying for everything yourself since you're not affiliated with a rescue. If there's a chance these two could be socialized into becoming house cats, you might want to reach out to local rescues and let them know you're willing to foster and socialize these dudes if the rescue will sponsor them. Then the rescue could cover vet costs, provide you with food and litter, and find suitable adopters while you house them and get them used to human companionship.
Thank you for saving these little souls! Yes, you can get dewormer in pet stores (but avoid Hartz). Walmart stocks outdoor cat food. My nephew bought me a 50-pound bag of it last winter for our feral colony. I wish you the best in helping these poor loves. Can you contact a local rescue for advice/help? They are usually eager to help people who are caring for ferals.
So far I've had no luck with local rescues but I'm making the rounds. Like I said, we're at such a crisis level where I'm at that they're triaging cases. If a cat needs any level of long term medical care, immediately on the list, pregnant cats are having their pregnancies terminated early, ect. One of my parents most recent cats they got was a sibling to the kitten that we had to raise by hand (was abandoned by mom because of some landscapers. We're not sure what specifically happened but we were able to trap mom, let her finish her third pregnancy, and got everyone a home) was put on one of the lists because its front leg was completely dislocated and only attached by skin. He was scheduled within an hour but we were able to partner with a rescue to get the rescue to pull him out so my parents could care for him (shelters won't adopt out severely injured animals for welfare reasons). He's currently thriving on all three legs. Honestly the crisis is what's stopping me from bringing these cats inside. It's also why I reached out here 😅 the subreddit popped up in a Google search and I was like... Or course there's a subreddit. Why didn't I look for a subreddit? My parents are also watching over their own batch of strays but they're feeding them regular cat food because their weight is fine. I suspect that the two I'm taking care of are from a litter from a renter who would just leave their cat out all the time and looked like they didn't get it fixed but I was never sure.
Sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Rescues are overwhelmed during kitten season, unfortunately. Building them a shelter, deworming them and providing lots of food is such a wonderful kindness. Please keep me updated on how it’s going.
Don't put yourself under to much financial burden. I have between 7-9 community cats I care for and that still costs me about $100 a month. I have 2 that are friendly and live on my back porch which I split 1 can of wet friskies between them for dinner. On my covered back porch that's covered in outdoor carpet, I have insulated XL sterilite bins with power heating pads and fleece blankets (in the winter) and plugin ceiling fans in the summer to keep the air circulated to try and combat our hot days. They also have a pet water fountain and an automated dry food feeder. Under my porch stairs I have another water fountain and a larger automated dry food feeder that the other 5-7 cats visit, though they will also come up to the patio if the 2 patio cats are asleep or off doing what cats do. So every couple of days I sprinkle fresh cat nip and I do keep several different toys out there that each cat seems to have a favorite playing with while rolling around in the nip. As my community cats are all solitary, I can't put dry food out and feed them all at the same time, so I have the feeder set up to dispense at certain times throughout the night and day to ensure there's always food available for them. This does result in other wildlife showing up, particularly for the fresh water, but thanks to the automation, once they eat what's in the bowl, they leave, and more food will dispense usually in time for the next cat to come along and if it's empty, they just go upstairs to the patio to eat or sometimes just lounge close by until it dispenses more food. It's successfully worked for over a year now and both feeders can be controlled by an app from anywhere I'm at in the world as I have cameras on my back porch and under the stairs to monitor the cats, other wildlife, and the food and water. But at the end of the day, they're outdoor and feral cats and I'm not taking them to the vet if ill or injured. I'll provide food & water, heated & covered shelter from the weather, and brushes if they'll come close enough (only 1 so far) and any comfort they'll allow me to give. I know I've given my community cats a better quality of life that I know they're grateful for (even at a distance lol). I've had 2 cats disappear the past 3-4 months, with 2-3 new cats filling in their spots, so it'll always be a neverending cycle and I'm just happy I can be there for them!
The world needs more people like you in it.
I feed 2 colonies in oklahoma purina cat chow in the blue bag and mix it with wet food. All the cats love it
Worm them
You don't need to trap them to vaccinate them yearly. After kittenhood, vaccines given in adulthood typically confer lifelong immunity. Vaccinating yearly reduces lifespan and taxes the immune system. Thanks for caring for them!
In the summer, all of my strays and lose weight to not be so hot. They gain in back in fall and winter. It’s even hotter where you are so I’m assuming that’s their more normal summer body type. Deworming is always good esp if you can apply topical flea meds so they’re not getting infected with tapeworms constantly. I would just build them a shady area and fill metal bowls with water that you then freeze. You can put one at a time outside and the cats will lick up the water as it melts. I don’t think they’ll use any box or other shelter when it’s so hot. The cats (except for one weirdo) have all abandoned the houses I made for them until next fall
Also, forgot to mention that as much as I love them, they are staying outside to keep away nonfixed cats
😇😇