View Full Version : Colony feral found dead
I care for a feral colony at work. The colony includes about 28 cats,
all trapped/tested/vaccinated and fixed.
Today I found one of my brood in the parking lot, dead. She was a true
feral, never a bit socialized except knowing who brought the food and
where he put it. I'd known her for over three years, since she was a
kitten. Unfortunately, she was always cagey and smart, avoiding capture
until just last winter. She was the one responsible for many of the
litters I dealt with before I finally managed--with a lot of help--to
control the colony population. She was among the last of the colony to
be trapped and fixed. Sometimes I think she actually gave herself up
because she was tired of all the kittens.
Anyway, she's gone. I looked her over carefully before disposing of her
carcass. She had no cuts, no scrapes. No puncture wounds of any sort. No
blood was anywhere in the area (she was in a vacant parking space at the
far end of the lot near some thick landscaping). Her mouth and her eyes
were open, the nictating membranes about half-closed. She had no broken
bones, from what I could tell (she was in rigor mortis). In fact, she
looked perfectly healthy.
What do you think are the chances that someone poisoned her? What other
causes could there be?
I cannot afford necropsies on these animals, but if there is someone out
at the colony with poison, I would like to know about it and maybe do
something to prevent it. Poisoning animals is a crime in this state.
Inspired by TV shows like CSI and movies I've seen, I've decided to look
into veterinary forensics. Using that as a search term on Google, I came
up right away with this site:
<http://www.vet.uga.edu/vpp/IA/SRP/vfp/>
Does anyone have any printed texts they would recommend, suitable for
the educated layman, on investigating animal cruelty?
TIA.
In article
>,
wrote:
> What do you think are the chances that someone poisoned her?
Well, after reading the website I posted in my earlier article in this
thread, it seems that toxicology is a particularly daunting forensic
problem. My feral (who I called MamaCat) could have been the victim of a
secondary poisoning; that is--especially given her feral nature--she
might well have eaten another animal that had been poisoned. Like a rat
or even a bird (exterminators poison pigeons around here).
It's very difficult to tell without an examination of the contents of
the throat, stomach, small intestine and analysis of other organs
including the liver, kidney, brain and fat. And even if you perform
those exams, there is no single complete tox panel or test that will
tell you what was the lethal substance. You have to deduce what to test
for, generally using indicators found both outside and inside the
carcass.
It's all very involved and usually quite expensive.
When I found her, given the advanced state of rigor, she'd probably been
dead at least six, but less than 24, hours.
Sorry if this thread is upsetting to others, but I'm finding I miss her
and don't want her death to go for nothing. I'm probably just tilting at
windmills. I wish it wasn't so damned hard.
In article
>,
wrote:
> What do you think are the chances that someone poisoned her?
Well, after reading the website I posted in my earlier article in this
thread, it seems that toxicology is a particularly daunting forensic
problem. My feral (who I called MamaCat) could have been the victim of a
secondary poisoning; that is--especially given her feral nature--she
might well have eaten another animal that had been poisoned. Like a rat
or even a bird (exterminators poison pigeons around here).
It's very difficult to tell without an examination of the contents of
the throat, stomach, small intestine and analysis of other organs
including the liver, kidney, brain and fat. And even if you perform
those exams, there is no single complete tox panel or test that will
tell you what was the lethal substance. You have to deduce what to test
for, generally using indicators found both outside and inside the
carcass.
It's all very involved and usually quite expensive.
When I found her, given the advanced state of rigor, she'd probably been
dead at least six, but less than 24, hours.
Sorry if this thread is upsetting to others, but I'm finding I miss her
and don't want her death to go for nothing. I'm probably just tilting at
windmills. I wish it wasn't so damned hard.
Mary
June 8th 04, 05:22 PM
>I cannot afford necropsies on these animals, but if there is someone out
>at the colony with poison, I would like to know about it and maybe do
>something to prevent it.
I've done necropsies of poisoned animals. I've picked up lots of dead poisoned
animals. If they were poisoned with antifreeze, you should see some foaming at
the mouth. The area around the mouth would be wet and slicked back. If she died
of secondary poisoning from rodenticide, you would possibly see bleeding from
the anus, nose, mouth, ears. You will also see patches of skin that she'd
scratched red and raw. Sometimes they can die of internal hemmorhage or organ
shut down before you see the outward signs. Was she bloated or dehydrated? It's
also possible that she was just nicked by a car in the head which caused a head
injury. I've seen animals hit by cars that looked fine. Their injuries were all
internal. If you'd kept her body, you might have seen bruising the next morning
and that would have given you a better indication of what might have possibly
happened. Necropsies are $75, toxicologies are $25-50. Each state has a state
health lab that does necropsies on animals to test for poison or disease. Vets
do the same service for a little more because they send the bodies out.
Mary
June 8th 04, 05:22 PM
>I cannot afford necropsies on these animals, but if there is someone out
>at the colony with poison, I would like to know about it and maybe do
>something to prevent it.
I've done necropsies of poisoned animals. I've picked up lots of dead poisoned
animals. If they were poisoned with antifreeze, you should see some foaming at
the mouth. The area around the mouth would be wet and slicked back. If she died
of secondary poisoning from rodenticide, you would possibly see bleeding from
the anus, nose, mouth, ears. You will also see patches of skin that she'd
scratched red and raw. Sometimes they can die of internal hemmorhage or organ
shut down before you see the outward signs. Was she bloated or dehydrated? It's
also possible that she was just nicked by a car in the head which caused a head
injury. I've seen animals hit by cars that looked fine. Their injuries were all
internal. If you'd kept her body, you might have seen bruising the next morning
and that would have given you a better indication of what might have possibly
happened. Necropsies are $75, toxicologies are $25-50. Each state has a state
health lab that does necropsies on animals to test for poison or disease. Vets
do the same service for a little more because they send the bodies out.
Ginger-lyn Summer
June 8th 04, 08:23 PM
On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 13:28:39 GMT, wrote:
>In article
>,
> wrote:
>
>> What do you think are the chances that someone poisoned her?
>
>Well, after reading the website I posted in my earlier article in this
>thread, it seems that toxicology is a particularly daunting forensic
>problem. My feral (who I called MamaCat) could have been the victim of a
>secondary poisoning; that is--especially given her feral nature--she
>might well have eaten another animal that had been poisoned. Like a rat
>or even a bird (exterminators poison pigeons around here).
>
>It's very difficult to tell without an examination of the contents of
>the throat, stomach, small intestine and analysis of other organs
>including the liver, kidney, brain and fat. And even if you perform
>those exams, there is no single complete tox panel or test that will
>tell you what was the lethal substance. You have to deduce what to test
>for, generally using indicators found both outside and inside the
>carcass.
>
>It's all very involved and usually quite expensive.
>
>When I found her, given the advanced state of rigor, she'd probably been
>dead at least six, but less than 24, hours.
>
>Sorry if this thread is upsetting to others, but I'm finding I miss her
>and don't want her death to go for nothing. I'm probably just tilting at
>windmills. I wish it wasn't so damned hard.
bearclaw, I wish I had some good information to help, but all I can do
is offer my heartfelt sympathies.
Ginger-lyn
Ginger-lyn Summer
June 8th 04, 08:23 PM
On Tue, 08 Jun 2004 13:28:39 GMT, wrote:
>In article
>,
> wrote:
>
>> What do you think are the chances that someone poisoned her?
>
>Well, after reading the website I posted in my earlier article in this
>thread, it seems that toxicology is a particularly daunting forensic
>problem. My feral (who I called MamaCat) could have been the victim of a
>secondary poisoning; that is--especially given her feral nature--she
>might well have eaten another animal that had been poisoned. Like a rat
>or even a bird (exterminators poison pigeons around here).
>
>It's very difficult to tell without an examination of the contents of
>the throat, stomach, small intestine and analysis of other organs
>including the liver, kidney, brain and fat. And even if you perform
>those exams, there is no single complete tox panel or test that will
>tell you what was the lethal substance. You have to deduce what to test
>for, generally using indicators found both outside and inside the
>carcass.
>
>It's all very involved and usually quite expensive.
>
>When I found her, given the advanced state of rigor, she'd probably been
>dead at least six, but less than 24, hours.
>
>Sorry if this thread is upsetting to others, but I'm finding I miss her
>and don't want her death to go for nothing. I'm probably just tilting at
>windmills. I wish it wasn't so damned hard.
bearclaw, I wish I had some good information to help, but all I can do
is offer my heartfelt sympathies.
Ginger-lyn
In article >,
(Mary) wrote:
> The area around the mouth would be wet and slicked back.
There was this, but not very much. I was afraid she might have gotten
into antifreeze from somewhere in the parking lot. OTOH, what I saw
might have just been drool.
Her mouth was open as if she had been trying to breathe. Is it possible
she choked on something? I find myself wishing more and more that I had
looked down her throat to at least rule out choking.
She was neither bloated nor dried out. Her carcass was in very good
condition. Even her fur looked good, no patches out. There was a spot
on her left forearm that looked as though she had been licking it...it
was smoothed down and looked like it had been wetted.
I've thought about calling around to see what the price for necropsy is
around here, but haven't done so yet.
> toxicologies are $25-50.
Do you know how many panels are possible? I guess it would depend on
the number of different toxins possible, eh?
> Each state has a state health lab that does necropsies on animals to
> test for poison or disease.
Do you know under what department or agency such a lab would fall?
Mary, thanks for the info. It's very hard to think of this animal
suffering antifreeze poisoning, but it's better to know the truth.
God, I hope I'm not getting obsessive about all this.
In article >,
(Mary) wrote:
> The area around the mouth would be wet and slicked back.
There was this, but not very much. I was afraid she might have gotten
into antifreeze from somewhere in the parking lot. OTOH, what I saw
might have just been drool.
Her mouth was open as if she had been trying to breathe. Is it possible
she choked on something? I find myself wishing more and more that I had
looked down her throat to at least rule out choking.
She was neither bloated nor dried out. Her carcass was in very good
condition. Even her fur looked good, no patches out. There was a spot
on her left forearm that looked as though she had been licking it...it
was smoothed down and looked like it had been wetted.
I've thought about calling around to see what the price for necropsy is
around here, but haven't done so yet.
> toxicologies are $25-50.
Do you know how many panels are possible? I guess it would depend on
the number of different toxins possible, eh?
> Each state has a state health lab that does necropsies on animals to
> test for poison or disease.
Do you know under what department or agency such a lab would fall?
Mary, thanks for the info. It's very hard to think of this animal
suffering antifreeze poisoning, but it's better to know the truth.
God, I hope I'm not getting obsessive about all this.
Mary
June 10th 04, 11:20 PM
>Her mouth was open as if she had been trying to breathe. Is it possible
>she choked on something? I find myself wishing more and more that I had
>looked down her throat to at least rule out choking.
It's common for their mouths to be open and eyes slightly open when they die.
>
>She was neither bloated nor dried out. Her carcass was in very good
>condition. Even her fur looked good, no patches out. There was a spot
>on her left forearm that looked as though she had been licking it...it
>was smoothed down and looked like it had been wetted.
She may have been hit by a car. Sometimes they can just get nicked and that's
enough to kill them with no exterior signs of injury. I've picked up a few cats
and squirrels like this. I witnessed them get hit so I know it was a car.
>
>Do you know how many panels are possible? I guess it would depend on
>the number of different toxins possible, eh?
Mine tested for metals, rodenticide, pesticide and a few others.
>
>> Each state has a state health lab that does necropsies on animals to
>> test for poison or disease.
>
>Do you know under what department or agency such a lab would fall?
It's basically called The State Lab. Ours is in San Bernardino, CA. Every state
has one. It's free if you don't want the results. Some people send in animals
for rabies testing or diseases like West Nile.
>
>Mary, thanks for the info. It's very hard to think of this animal
>suffering antifreeze poisoning, but it's better to know the truth.
>
>God, I hope I'm not getting obsessive about all this.
>
It's good to know. If you have some jerk feeding them antifreeze in your own
feeders, you'd want to stop him.
Mary
June 10th 04, 11:20 PM
>Her mouth was open as if she had been trying to breathe. Is it possible
>she choked on something? I find myself wishing more and more that I had
>looked down her throat to at least rule out choking.
It's common for their mouths to be open and eyes slightly open when they die.
>
>She was neither bloated nor dried out. Her carcass was in very good
>condition. Even her fur looked good, no patches out. There was a spot
>on her left forearm that looked as though she had been licking it...it
>was smoothed down and looked like it had been wetted.
She may have been hit by a car. Sometimes they can just get nicked and that's
enough to kill them with no exterior signs of injury. I've picked up a few cats
and squirrels like this. I witnessed them get hit so I know it was a car.
>
>Do you know how many panels are possible? I guess it would depend on
>the number of different toxins possible, eh?
Mine tested for metals, rodenticide, pesticide and a few others.
>
>> Each state has a state health lab that does necropsies on animals to
>> test for poison or disease.
>
>Do you know under what department or agency such a lab would fall?
It's basically called The State Lab. Ours is in San Bernardino, CA. Every state
has one. It's free if you don't want the results. Some people send in animals
for rabies testing or diseases like West Nile.
>
>Mary, thanks for the info. It's very hard to think of this animal
>suffering antifreeze poisoning, but it's better to know the truth.
>
>God, I hope I'm not getting obsessive about all this.
>
It's good to know. If you have some jerk feeding them antifreeze in your own
feeders, you'd want to stop him.
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