MetaChat - Cat update. (again)

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26 April 2018

Cat update. (again) Not good news. Something is/has happened to Pan.

For the last few days she has been very skittish. She sits in the yard and then runs when I go outside. →[More:]

This is making it hard to feed her. I can't really just leave the food. If I do the birds and squirrels take it during the day and at night it brings possums and possibly raccoons.

The possums don't worry me as they are gentle and never bother anyone but the raccoons are viscous and will attack the cats. One went after Ginger last November and I had to pepper spray it.

This evening I went and sat for a long time. Ginger showed up at 8 pm as he normally does but then I saw Pan sitting on the sidewalk. She seems to want help but being who she is she is also very reluctant to approach when she is at any potential disadvantage.

The problem seems to be her left eye. When I saw her watching me she had her left eye shut. Later she opened it a bit but not all the way. She also seems to have a bit of discharge.

I put food in her bowl (so proud of Ginger, he stayed with his own bowl) and she hung back for a long time. She began to approach the patio and her bowl but the black and white cat I have tagged Wen showed up and there was a standoff between it and Pan. I managed to get Wen to leave but Pan would not eat while I was outside. I hope she got food.

So this is the plan. Starting tomorrow I will try to trap the black and white cat. It has been spraying everything and it acts like it is in heat. I had thought to TNR it but it is never really hungry so it is getting food from someone. It seems to be a poorly cared for un-neutered pet.

Much as I don't like to do it I think the best route is to try to trap it and bring it to the SPCA. I can't have it disrupting the other cats and I really can't afford to be getting other peoples animals neutered for them. I really don't want to allow another cat to breed unwanted kittens.

The first problem is that it is not hungry so I don't know if it will go for the bait. The second problem is that it seems to keep the same hours as Ginger and I fear I will just keep catching Ginger. He is a sweet character but not super bright.

The second issue is Pan. I'd like to get her to a vet but I know trapping her again will be difficult. First because of the Ginger situation as above and second because she has preternatural intelligence and I fear it will be even harder to trap her this time.

That is the mess at this time.

post by: arse_hat at: 22:22 | 6 comments

Here she is tonight. It's not a great pic because of low light and a lot of zoom but you can see she has her left eye shut.

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by arse_hat 26 April | 22:26

That is a huge challenge. Hugs for you and kudos for tackling their care.

If you catch Wen and then end up catching Ginger, is there anywhere you can keep Ginger so you maybe have luck with Pan?

Or, is there a friendly vet who could provide some antibiodic that you could slip into wet food for Pan?

Any animal rescue folks who could have suggestions?

But...

What you need is moral support and good luck. I'm sending wishes and thoughts for fortune to smile on you all.

posted by mightshould 27 April | 09:07

I got to see Pan up close through the back door at about noon today. I am no expert but the eye looks very bad. She also looks a bit shaggy like she is not grooming as much. Never a good sign.

I have had the trap out since about 9 AM but no luck. I fear she is too bright to get trapped again. A drop trap often works on cats that will not reenter a cage trap but that won't work as long as she will not come for food while I am around.

So I wait.

Thanks mightshould, we need a lot of luck.

posted by arse_hat 27 April | 15:38

Poor little Pan. I hope you're able to catch her. At least she has sufficient instinct to know that the area around your home might just be a safe place for her, so there is hope you might be able to catch her.

posted by Senyar 29 April | 03:37

Thanks Jan.

I sat up until a little after 4 AM. I washed down a lot of the patio and the table and the garden wall with water and Mr. Clean. It will help remove or at least ameliorate the smell of Wen the cat. Not an attractive smell for Pan but I'm sure better than the smell of another cat that challenges her.

Ginger sat in his chair and we waited. The black and white cat came by and I chased it off. About 30 seconds later I heard a couple of low yowls and pan came out. She went to the table where she eats and I was able to fed her.

She is still spooked but she is at least willing to eat while I am there. Looking at her eye in the light of a flashlight it looks very much less gruesome than it did Friday at noon. The red streaked yellow stuff that covered her eye seems to have been some discharge and not the damaged eye itself. I am much relieved.

I hope she gets her confidence back and I can get a better look in the daylight. Not really sure what I will do next. It will depend on Pan.

Ginger was very concerned with Pan and while she ate he prowled around as if watching for the other cat. Considering how poorly Pan has treated him he is being very kind.

posted by arse_hat 29 April | 13:25

That's good news. Thanks for the update. She seems to know you are looking out for her. If nothing else, you may be able to slip some antibiotics into her food (wet food is the way to go with that, or canned chicken/tuna....especially if she's a bit hungry.

Hugs and luck your way.

posted by mightshould 29 April | 14:54

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