Injured Tom Cat

ljonski

I stumbled upon what i think is a large black tom under some bushes in next doors back garden this morning ,as i was doing some clearance work. I have seen it a month ago at the front, squaring up to my cat. However it now looks in a bad way with one of its eyes closed and what seems to be a leaf attached to the side of its nose as if it was glued to it.
On offering some cat food this a.m. it was spooked and crawled off making a sort of coughing noise. I have left it some food tonight where i saw it.(couln't leave any out during the day as the chickens would get it first.) I will check tomorrw when i let the chickens out. I suppose it has got a bad eye through fighting or is there a particular illness that may have caused it ?

butler_helen

No idea but take it to a vets and they can help him at bo cost to you. Our vets works with charities to help injured strays - that's half of why I got mine - the other half was madness!

ljonski

I t may be hard to catch it as it is quite big. It hissed at me and when it was around my cat a month ago i chased it away twice as i didn't want my cat to have another fight and another vets visit .

Mayflower10cat

have you knocked on any neighbours doors to see if it's their cat??? That's what I'd do first.
My first impression when you said about him coughing/blocked up nose was cat flu. Check with your neighbours, if no-one claims him, you a whole new situation on your hands - if you choose to act on his behalf. Take him, if you can, to your vet and see what they say. I've 'found' quite a few cats in distress over the years and taken them straight to my current vet who's always treated them - maybe I've just been lucky with my vets. I've had two different vet practices over 20 years and both surgeries have been so kind when it somes to strays - they've charged me barely 'cost' or nothing at all for treatment, and they've also been very good about rehoming healthy strays for me. If your own vet can't help, I'm very sure they'll recommend a local cat rescue who'll take on your stray for you.

I hope and pray for the best outcome for this poor cat.

ljonski

I suspect it is a stray,although a month ago it was in good condition. It is still quite chunky but looks in bad shape . if it lived local i suspect it could just about manage to crawl back home. I get the impression though that there are a lot of black Toms who become strays for some reason.

spike7451

I'd ask a local rescue center/RSPCE/CPL to pop round with a trap so you can get Tom to the V E T's...

vl2588

I second that ^^

ljonski

I have just been out , there is no sign of him and the food is still there. i remember now i saw him 2 weeks ago drinking from the washing up bowl that i use as an emergency water supply for the chickens and wild birds , that i buried in the garden. I was contantly trying to keep it wet in the extremely cold weather and did think then that it was unusual to see a cat drinking from it. He looked ok then. If i see him again in the next few days i will try and organise a trap and i can probably get him to the local PDSA as i am registered with Mr Hop there . Thanks.

butler_helen

spike7451 wrote: »

I'd ask a local rescue center/RSPCE/CPL to pop round with a trap so you can get Tom to the V E T's...

I third this if you can't catch it alone. Oh and my cat drinks from anything... gutters... bath... sink... moss covered gross watery gaps in walls... urm basically anywhere wet! So I wouldn't worry about him drinking from your bowl.

Good luck and I'm pleased Tom has someone watching for him He will of course not think you're helping, so expect some hisses whilst you rescue him and he thinks you're out to hurt him.

Kaelea

butler_helen wrote: »

No idea but take it to a vets and they can help him at bo cost to you. Our vets works with charities to help injured strays - that's half of why I got mine - the other half was madness!

do please check with your vets this is indeed the case

I once took a stray injured rabbit to a vets, I had to fork out £80 for it, (diagnosis, lethal injection, and cremation)

next time I see a poorly animal .. sorry but I'll be leaving it

(ok maybe I won't cos I'm a soft touch)

ljonski

I have just been out. The food remains untouched and i have removed it because of the chooks.Will monitor the garden during the day. Next door does have their own small male kitten,so i will have to be careful if i do get a trap for teh black one.