outdoor cat is sick and can't trap

by crazycatlady

i take care of a feral mother & daughter. i got both fixed with shots, etc about 1 year ago. the daughter cat is almost 2 years old now, i dont' know how old the mother is. the daughter for almost 2 weeks now is acting very strange. i thought she was in heat (even though she's fixed) at first because she was staying in her makeshift shelter & if she would come out she stayed away from me (she was always bouncy & happy to see me every day when i would go to feed them). this behavior all started when another stray showed up on the scene about a week prior & has since moved on. then just this past weekend i noticed she had some matted, wet looking fur on the side of her neck. i was able to cut some of it away & it had the odor of poop, then yesterday i noticed her scratching around her ear & noticed she has a sore (about half the size of a dime). she has also been walking very low to the ground & is keeping her distance from me. the mother cat seems to look for her, but wants to stay away at the same time. both the mother & daughter cat are both eating, but the daughter seems lethargic to a point. please help with any suggestions. i wanted to try to put neosporin on the sore today but i couldn't get near her. i don't think trapping is a possibility, as she is keeping her distance.

Answer by Kate
Hi
Well it definitely sounds like she has either a parasite problem fleas or ringworm etc or she has been bitten on the neck and it has become infected. Either way you can't treat something that you don't know for sure what it is.

So trapping is the only answer, especially as she is showing signs of lethargy which means that she may becoming worse.

There is alwasy a way to trap them somehow, usually it just takes a little time and patience. i have another friend who rescues stray cats and she knows that sometimes it is the only way to get them proper help. if you are having trouble getting her, you may be able to get some help and advice from either your local vets or a local animal charity who will be used to this sort of situation.

i do hope you can get her seen by a vet soon,, poor little thing sounds rather miserable in her current condition.

besty wishes Kate

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