Feral cats
 

I have a couple of feral cats that come and go as they please. When we can
get hold of them we take them to the vet and have them spayed and get them
shots, etc. We feed them a mix of good quality can and dry cat food. We
would like them to stay around since they keep the mice down. We live on a
farm.

Anyway, this morning one of cats returned after being gone for three days.
It ate several times during the day and then laid in the sun. This evening
it ate a little more and then wanted attention. It was then I noticed that
it's abdomen was extremely rigid. He would let me pet his stomach and there
didn't seem to be any discomfort. I'm wondering if the cat has simply
stuffed itself causing the rigid stomach or could this be a sign of worms or
some other parasite? I've never had a cat that exhibited this regardless of
how much it ate. All the others quit eating when they are full. Will a cat
stuff itself if meals are few and far between?

Thanks for any info
DFB

Feral cats
 

Hi DFB,

Worms can make a stomach extend. If it's extended that much tomorrow --
I'd get him in as soon as you can. It sounds plausible too that he
gorged himself after not eating too much, but I'd be concerned if it
stays like that.

Another possibility, could "he" be a "she" and be pregnant?

It sounds like he lets you pet him, so could you just have a carrier
ready (on the porch or somewhere nearby) and just plop him in? Sometimes
with a cat that starts fighting when it sees a carrier, it's easier to
have it standing straight up and more or less drop him in from the top.
Getting out a carrier though, always scared cats I've worked with, so
that's why it might be a good idea to have one in place and ready.

Good luck,

Rhonda



Hangfire wrote:

I have a couple of feral cats that come and go as they please. When we can
get hold of them we take them to the vet and have them spayed and get them
shots, etc. We feed them a mix of good quality can and dry cat food. We
would like them to stay around since they keep the mice down. We live on a
farm.

Anyway, this morning one of cats returned after being gone for three days.
It ate several times during the day and then laid in the sun. This evening
it ate a little more and then wanted attention. It was then I noticed that
it's abdomen was extremely rigid. He would let me pet his stomach and there
didn't seem to be any discomfort. I'm wondering if the cat has simply
stuffed itself causing the rigid stomach or could this be a sign of worms or
some other parasite? I've never had a cat that exhibited this regardless of
how much it ate. All the others quit eating when they are full. Will a cat
stuff itself if meals are few and far between?

Thanks for any info
DFB

Feral cats
 

Actually, it's a 'he' so pregnancy isn't an issue. I was going to check him
this morning before he got a chance to eat but, as usual, he didn't show up.
I did get some wormer in him last night but I'll take your advice, if his
stomach is still rigid the next time he shows up I'll get him to the vet. As
far as getting him in a carrier, I took the door off of a carrier, sealed
the sides and carpeted the inside and he sleeps in it when he's here so
getting him to the vet shouldn't be a problem. In the time we have lived
here we have spent hundreds of dollars on feral cats, injuries, neutering,
etc. I wish more people would get their pets neutered instead of dumping
them out in the country. ( Couldn't help not including an opinion here)
Thanks for your advice Rhonda.
Dave





"Rhonda" wrote in message
...
Hi DFB,

Worms can make a stomach extend. If it's extended that much tomorrow --
I'd get him in as soon as you can. It sounds plausible too that he gorged
himself after not eating too much, but I'd be concerned if it stays like
that.

Another possibility, could "he" be a "she" and be pregnant?

It sounds like he lets you pet him, so could you just have a carrier ready
(on the porch or somewhere nearby) and just plop him in? Sometimes with a
cat that starts fighting when it sees a carrier, it's easier to have it
standing straight up and more or less drop him in from the top. Getting
out a carrier though, always scared cats I've worked with, so that's why
it might be a good idea to have one in place and ready.

Good luck,

Rhonda



Hangfire wrote:

I have a couple of feral cats that come and go as they please. When we
can get hold of them we take them to the vet and have them spayed and get
them shots, etc. We feed them a mix of good quality can and dry cat food.
We would like them to stay around since they keep the mice down. We live
on a farm.

Anyway, this morning one of cats returned after being gone for three
days. It ate several times during the day and then laid in the sun. This
evening it ate a little more and then wanted attention. It was then I
noticed that it's abdomen was extremely rigid. He would let me pet his
stomach and there didn't seem to be any discomfort. I'm wondering if the
cat has simply stuffed itself causing the rigid stomach or could this be
a sign of worms or some other parasite? I've never had a cat that
exhibited this regardless of how much it ate. All the others quit eating
when they are full. Will a cat stuff itself if meals are few and far
between?

Thanks for any info
DFB

Feral cats
 

Dave: You are terrific to take care of these cats. Yes, you're right. People
should spay and neuter their cats. It would eliminate a lot of suffering.
Gail
"Hangfire" wrote in message
...

Actually, it's a 'he' so pregnancy isn't an issue. I was going to check
him
this morning before he got a chance to eat but, as usual, he didn't show
up.
I did get some wormer in him last night but I'll take your advice, if his
stomach is still rigid the next time he shows up I'll get him to the vet.
As
far as getting him in a carrier, I took the door off of a carrier, sealed
the sides and carpeted the inside and he sleeps in it when he's here so
getting him to the vet shouldn't be a problem. In the time we have lived
here we have spent hundreds of dollars on feral cats, injuries, neutering,
etc. I wish more people would get their pets neutered instead of dumping
them out in the country. ( Couldn't help not including an opinion here)
Thanks for your advice Rhonda.
Dave





"Rhonda" wrote in message
...
Hi DFB,

Worms can make a stomach extend. If it's extended that much tomorrow --
I'd get him in as soon as you can. It sounds plausible too that he gorged
himself after not eating too much, but I'd be concerned if it stays like
that.

Another possibility, could "he" be a "she" and be pregnant?

It sounds like he lets you pet him, so could you just have a carrier
ready (on the porch or somewhere nearby) and just plop him in? Sometimes
with a cat that starts fighting when it sees a carrier, it's easier to
have it standing straight up and more or less drop him in from the top.
Getting out a carrier though, always scared cats I've worked with, so
that's why it might be a good idea to have one in place and ready.

Good luck,

Rhonda



Hangfire wrote:

I have a couple of feral cats that come and go as they please. When we
can get hold of them we take them to the vet and have them spayed and
get them shots, etc. We feed them a mix of good quality can and dry cat
food. We would like them to stay around since they keep the mice down.
We live on a farm.

Anyway, this morning one of cats returned after being gone for three
days. It ate several times during the day and then laid in the sun. This
evening it ate a little more and then wanted attention. It was then I
noticed that it's abdomen was extremely rigid. He would let me pet his
stomach and there didn't seem to be any discomfort. I'm wondering if the
cat has simply stuffed itself causing the rigid stomach or could this be
a sign of worms or some other parasite? I've never had a cat that
exhibited this regardless of how much it ate. All the others quit eating
when they are full. Will a cat stuff itself if meals are few and far
between?

Thanks for any info
DFB

Feral cats
 

"Gail" wrote in message
nk.net...
Dave: You are terrific to take care of these cats. Yes, you're right.
People should spay and neuter their cats. It would eliminate a lot of
suffering.
Gail


Foster cats in my cat room are all shaking their heads in agreement.

Oh yea! kitten season is over. We adopted out the last kitten we had this
weekend and drum roll now people are actually looking at our adults. We
found a home for a tortie we've had in our care for over a year this weekend
:o)

I only have 3 fosters now. It seems strange to have so few. They are all
adults though so I have to keep the numbers down for a bunch of reasons.

The depressing thing is we'll start seeing pregnant moms again next month
:o( so we only have a short time between kitten seasons when it's easier to
adopt out the adults.

Wendy

Feral cats
 

"Hangfire" wrote in message
...
I wish more people would get their pets neutered instead of dumping
them out in the country.

Amen. I live in a small condo development located in a semi-rural area.
People seem to have the idea that there are enough kids and young families
around to take them in or enough farm turf that hunting their keep shouldn't
be a problem. Sadly it doesn't work out that way. The property management
did a recent census and says we have 85 strays on the property - an area
approx. 600 ft wide by 3/8 mile long. Word is that they are hiring a
nuisance trapper to do a roundup. I have seriously mixed feelings on that. I
hate seeing these cats trapped and disposed of under the same rules as
nuisance wildlife. Meanwhile the population that exists is stretching the
limits of those willing to provide food. Some of the more feral or timid can
be seen running around and obviously aren't doing well.

Feral cats
 

Wendy wrote:
"Gail" wrote in message
nk.net...

Dave: You are terrific to take care of these cats. Yes, you're right.
People should spay and neuter their cats. It would eliminate a lot of
suffering.
Gail



Foster cats in my cat room are all shaking their heads in agreement.

Oh yea! kitten season is over. We adopted out the last kitten we had this
weekend and drum roll now people are actually looking at our adults. We
found a home for a tortie we've had in our care for over a year this weekend
:o)

I only have 3 fosters now. It seems strange to have so few. They are all
adults though so I have to keep the numbers down for a bunch of reasons.

The depressing thing is we'll start seeing pregnant moms again next month
:o( so we only have a short time between kitten seasons when it's easier to
adopt out the adults.

Wendy


How do you get rid of the adult cats? I have about three strays I'd
like to find homes for.

--
John Kimmel


I think it will be quiet around here now. So long.

Feral cats
 

"guynoir" wrote in message
...
Wendy wrote:
"Gail" wrote in message
nk.net...

Dave: You are terrific to take care of these cats. Yes, you're right.
People should spay and neuter their cats. It would eliminate a lot of
suffering.
Gail



Foster cats in my cat room are all shaking their heads in agreement.

Oh yea! kitten season is over. We adopted out the last kitten we had this
weekend and drum roll now people are actually looking at our adults. We
found a home for a tortie we've had in our care for over a year this
weekend :o)

I only have 3 fosters now. It seems strange to have so few. They are all
adults though so I have to keep the numbers down for a bunch of reasons.

The depressing thing is we'll start seeing pregnant moms again next month
:o( so we only have a short time between kitten seasons when it's easier
to adopt out the adults.

Wendy


How do you get rid of the adult cats? I have about three strays I'd like
to find homes for.

--
John Kimmel


I think it will be quiet around here now. So long.

We get them spayed/neutered, tested and vaccinated and take them to PetSmart
on Saturdays to show.

W

Feral cats
 

I live in a townhouse area. We have an ever changing feral cat
population. I think some people move and just abandon their cats. I
hate to think of what has happened to the cats who don't show up
anymore. I always hope thay have been taken in but I guess that is
being naive. I leave food out and I have made a nest inside a plastic
storage box in case they need a place out of the weather. I wish that I
could afford to catch them and take them to the vet. I have been unable
to find an organization that can help with the expense of neutering and
inocculating. I can't solve the feral problem but I can't just watch
them forage in garbage bags or starve. Management was trying to find
someone to trap the cats but they didn't want someone who would just
kill them. But they tell us not to feed them. Is there any good answer?