Next Door's Cat Again

tesuhoha

At the end of the day, its still her cat. However, he has been in here today and been fed. He sat on all our laps. When he was on my husband's lap he asked me to get his stethoscope (he is a plumber). He listened to the cat's chest and said it was very congested so he has ordered some cat antibiotics and is going to give getting the cat well a shot. There is nothing to lose really because the cat is ill and will die anyway. I don't think we can take him to the vet and can't afford it anyway. The antibiotics are £3.76 and would probably be prescribed by the vet anyway. He weighed him and will give him them according to weight so can't do any harm.

The cat looks better today. Before the cat's eyes were sunken in his head but now you can see them and he is filling out a bit.

meritaten

he sounds dehydrated- is he drinking water? please don't give him milk as it will not help. especially a 'congested chest'.
I cant make you take him to the vet - as you say, his owner is next door and it is HER responsibility.
You have already done more than a 'neighbour' would be expected to do - so all I can do is support you! and I do.
Is there any way you could persuade a vet to see him as a stray and get the RSPCA to foot the bill? I know someone who found a stray and took it into the vet - who upon suspecting it was quite sick phoned the RSPCA to arrange the vet bill to be paid. It was - and this person later 'adopted' the cat straight from the vets. but, in this case you know darn well it isn't a stray!
Poor thing - and poor you! your kinds hearts are coming through on here! I do hope with your care and love this cat pulls through!

iammumtoone

I know you are trying your best and trying to help, but please do not try to self diagnose/treat the cat. You might do it more harm than good. It needs to see a vet. I understand you can't afford it and you shouldn't have to pay - its not your cat. You could try to ring the local vets, explain you have found a stray and are prepared to try to help but can't afford the fees and ask it they have any kind of fund to help in this situation. You could also ring the RSPCA/CPL and ask the same question. It is possible you could get it looked at for a small fee or even free.

EDIT: cross posted with meritaten. Personally I would be telling the vets etc it is a stray, as it seems it is now, as it has been abandoned.

CharlieRabbit01

As other people have said don't feed the cat cows milk. Cats are lactose intolerant and as a lactose intollereant human drinking cows milk will upset your digestive system which is probably why its being sick etc.

Good look with the cat, have a chat with RSPCA about care for it if you can't afford it.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

bald patches sign of flea's or a skin mite allergy treat him now for flea and worms and put a dog flea collar in the vaccuum for now before your infested.

dont feed him milk even though he likes it we all crave things we cant have and he'll crave it like no tomorrow if you cant shift him onto water or by lactofree milk.

he really should see a vet, have a word with you local cats protection branch, explain the situation, they may agree to call a vet and ask if they are willing to let you take it there to be checked over provided you make a small donation to them the RSPCA may wish for you to take it to a vet for them to build a case against your neighbour to document the suffering if you can get the RSPCA even remotely interested.

bulk the cat up with rice and chicken bits to soothe a bad tummy.

as the poor chap has been outdoors most his life, and he looks to be in bad shape now, he may have FELV or have contracted FIV from the flea' (nothing you can catch).

get your asthmatic husband and yourself some antihistamines from the chemist that includes pet allergy mindfull they cause drowsiness if so take at night. dont take for long periods as the become less affective, take for 7 days then none for 7 days and rinse and repeat.

askon FB if friends have a spare litter tray, and get some cheap litter, so if you do keep him in overnight (we have a weather system coming in in the next few days heavy rain and heavy winds) he has somewhere to go.

Blackpool_Saver

What sort of a nurse must this woman next door be?

I would hesitate in handing him over to the RSPCA they would likely put him down, It's not fair but it seems he needs you and you are doing a great job. Have you a PDSA nearby, they will see animals for donation

Treevo

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

bald patches sign of flea's or a skin mite allergy treat him now for flea and worms and put a dog flea collar in the vaccuum for now before your infested.

dont feed him milk even though he likes it we all crave things we cant have and he'll crave it like no tomorrow if you cant shift him onto water or by lactofree milk.

he really should see a vet, have a word with you local cats protection branch, explain the situation, they may agree to call a vet and ask if they are willing to let you take it there to be checked over provided you make a small donation to them the RSPCA may wish for you to take it to a vet for them to build a case against your neighbour to document the suffering if you can get the RSPCA even remotely interested.

bulk the cat up with rice and chicken bits to soothe a bad tummy.

as the poor chap has been outdoors most his life, and he looks to be in bad shape now, he may have FELV or have contracted FIV from the flea' (nothing you can catch).

get your asthmatic husband and yourself some antihistamines from the chemist that includes pet allergy mindfull they cause drowsiness if so take at night. dont take for long periods as the become less affective, take for 7 days then none for 7 days and rinse and repeat.

askon FB if friends have a spare litter tray, and get some cheap litter, so if you do keep him in overnight (we have a weather system coming in in the next few days heavy rain and heavy winds) he has somewhere to go.

Please ignore the above and do NOT give the cat rice, OP. They are obligate carnivores - they have no use for rice or anything that isn't an animal product or water.

Person_one

Unless you are a vet, you really shouldn't be giving other people's animals antibiotics.

tea_lover

Please don't feed someone else's cat antiobiotics! You have no idea what medication he may already have taken, and no diagnosis from a vet.

You can see that he isn't going into his own house to be looked after, but there could easily be another well-meaning neighbour feeding him also. If you were both to start giving him un-prescribed drugs think of the damage you could cause.

tesuhoha

Ok, its wasn't my idea about the antibiotics anyway. I've been spying on the neighbour's garden with binoculars this morning! House is definitely all locked up but no sign of the cat. There is a cat basket out in the open, so I suppose that is where he has been sleeping.

The next thing, I see her walk past the front window. So I look outside and her Mini is parked in the road. It definitely wasn't there this morning. I went out into the back garden to hang out some washing and I hear her next door making lots of cooing noises. You can't see over our hedge and she never speaks to me even if she realises I am in the garden but I don't know if those noises were for my benefit. Surely she must have been expecting a dead cat, not fatter cat.

Anyway I went upstairs and looked out of the side window where you can see a glimpse of her garden and the cat is lying motionless on his side in the sunshine even though her back door is open. It gave me a nasty feeling as for a moment I thought he was dead but then he raised his head. I had to move as I didn't want her to see me and the next time I looked he was gone. So I don't know if she fed him but if she hasn't then he will be round here later. I was going to go to Pets At Home later to buy some more food but who knows she might take him with her now the weather is getting colder. I wouldn't put it past her to have him put to sleep and we would never know. However, maybe her conscience has got the better of her.

So I'll report any further developments.