I can't believe this is happening again...added picture

[Moesha]

I believe I've posted in other's threads about Juliet and maybe even Jose. Both were stray kitties that showed up on my back deck in the last year. First was Juliet. She would come to eat for several weeks, perhaps a month or two, before letting anyone get close to her. It took forever it seems to be able to touch her. When she showed up she had a bulging belly, that I assumed was kittens. She never gave birth, and eventually I was able to trap her in Morgan's carrier and take her to the vet. She had a severe hernia. That was repaired last May. Then she had to stay in a cage inside the house for a couple weeks so that she didn't do damage to the repair work and need another surgery. Her time inside made her more receptive to human contact and even though she is back outside, she's quite tame. Then last fall, Jose showed up as a feral/stray. Again it took ages for him to allow anyone to touch him. After weeks and weeks of feeding him, he warmed up SLIGHTLY, at least so we could scratch his head while he ate. Then one day when showed up with what looked a stick hanging from his tail. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a stick. It was his tail that had been skinned of its fur. A plan had to be put into action to get him into the carrier for a trip to the vet for testing/shots/neuter/tail amputation. Again, he had to live inside in a cage for a week or so to keep the bandage on the tail. He got used to people and is back outside with Juliet, but is friendly enough to allow you to pet him.

Now...for the last month or so, a new stray kitty has been hanging around only at meal times. My 8 year old neice named him Gary. (I thought that was quite fitting as a found kitty name.) Well, Gary wasn't around for one meal time at all last week. Even though I'd put out his extra bowl of food every day. I didn't fill his bowl up this morning, but lo and behold, after feeding Juliet and Jose this morning and coming back inside, there was Gary waiting for Jose to finish so he could eat. I watched him walk to the food bowl and noticed what looks to be a limp. Then when he was leaving it looks like his back leg on his right side is hanging funny. I don't know if it is dislocated or if he'd been hit or what has happened. I couldn't see any sore places, of course my inspection had to come from inside the house looking out since he is no where near the stage where he will let anyone touch him. He barely lets me look at him without running. There wasn't any blood on the porch where he had been sitting. I'm going to have to try to find someone with a humane trap to borrow inorder to capture him and take him to the vet. That isn't an easy thing to do on a Sunday. Plus I don't know that I will actually be able to get him. There's no guarantee that he'll show up. I've also got to get Juliet and Jose lured into the house so that they don't get in the trap if I'm able to find one. Then I'm scared if he has to have a leg amputated, I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I cannot move him inside. Plus he isn't tame at all as far as I can tell. I'm sick with worry about him and just don't know what to do other than find a way to trap him and get him to the vet and go from there. :(

ETA: While I was uploading other pictures, I got this one off of my phone. It is a picture of Gary taken about a month ago just outside the back door.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/schweetmoe/0313081813.jpg

[Taz_Zoee]

You are doing wonderful things for these kitties. That's why they are coming to you. Maybe if Gary does need to have his leg amputated you could find him a home. You have been successful in getting the other two tame enough, I'm sure you can do it with Gary too.
Thank you for helping these kitties in need. :) Good luck with Gary.

[catmandu]

Oh Dear I Am Praying For My Little Namesake Will Not Have To Have His Leg Amputated , And That You Can Get Him Into The Humane Trap.

I Remember When We Set A Humane Trap To Catch Pouncer Roccalno, And I Caught Just About Every Porch Cat Who Comes Around Here And They Were Not Happy Campers.
Please Keep Us Updated On Gary.

[moosmom]

Moesha,

You're doing a wonderful thing for those babies. Keep doing what you're doing.

HUGS

donna

[Anikaca77]

You have had your hands full.

Please keep us posted if you get Gary.

I'm sure we can help with some funds if you need us to. I hope it's nothing serious though.

Melissa

[Laura's Babies]

I think you have a Found Cat's Hotel! They come to you for food and help when they know they need it. GOOD FOR YOU and the kitties!!

[Medusa]

One step at a time. Try not to think the "what if's". If you can trap him and get him to the vet, the news may be better than you anticipate. You're doing a wonderful job, so keep in mind that they wouldn't have the care if you weren't there. Please keep us posted and try not to project too much into the future.

[Moesha]

I have found a trap to borrow. Just got back from picking it up. I waited an extra couple of hours to feed Juliet and Jose, hoping that Gary would be around and I could catch him tonight and bring him inside. Gary was not here for the evening feeding. It is raining though. So hopefully he has found a dry place to bed down for the evening and will be hungry in the morning. I went ahead and put the trap outside on the deck, not set of course, so that he wouldn't be frightened if he is here in the morning. I tried bringing Jose and Juliet inside but that wasn't going very far. They stepped inside the door, but when I tried to put Jose in the laundry room with food, he said NO WAY JOSE! ;) So we'll see how things go in the morning.

[Emeraldgreen]

I'm so glad that you have been there for these 3 cats! They are very blessed to have you. :)
I hope that you will be able to trap Gary and get him to the vet to have his leg looked at. I guess the only way they'll be able to properly examine him will be under sedation. Maybe they will be able to treat it at the same time in whatever way is needed (i.e. cast or amputation) so he doesn't have to go under twice.
It is alot to think about with him being feral and the possibility of having 3 legs. You do seem to have 'cat whispering' abilities though and perhaps you might be able to slowly tame him if he were kept inside in small room while healing. Maybe a no-kill rescue place might agree to keep him during his recovery and by then he might be tame enough for you to continue getting him used to people in your home before finding him a new one? Sounds so difficult but maybe possible.
But Medusa is right, taking one step at a time is a good idea or else the whole thing becomes so overwhelming. Hopefully it is nothing more than a sprain that might heal on it's own. I wonder if they could neuter him while he's under if the leg doesn't prove to be very serious? Please let us know if you need help with this. Thanks for being so caring for these guys. :)

[Moesha]

When I get him to the vet I'll have him tested first for FIV/Leuk etc. I'll also make sure that he is neutered and has vaccinations if they are able to do something for his leg.

I do appreciate the offers of support. There's no way that I could take any money from any of you though. There are others that need the help and donations more than I do. I think about Jen, Kim, Rebecca and others that have huge vet bills at the moment. We'll manage here somehow. Thank you again though! I'll keep everyone posted.

[Moesha]

Well, Gary just showed up for food. Of course I had to go out and set the trap and get Juliet and Jose inside. He ran off around the side of the house. But I have Juliet and Jose inside, and boy Jose is NOT a happy camper. I hope he will let me touch him again. I looked out and spotted Higgins, the only one of the front porch cats that associates with the back porch cats sniffing my stinky foods. So he is inside now too. It's a zoo! Hopefully Gary will return to eat some more. Good news though. He took off running using both legs.

[kimlovescats]

Well, Gary just showed up for food. Of course I had to go out and set the trap and get Juliet and Jose inside. He ran off around the side of the house. But I have Juliet and Jose inside, and boy Jose is NOT a happy camper. I hope he will let me touch him again. I looked out and spotted Higgins, the only one of the front porch cats that associates with the back porch cats sniffing my stinky foods. So he is inside now too. It's a zoo! Hopefully Gary will return to eat some more. Good news though. He took off running using both legs.


That's great that he is back to eat and putting weight on both legs! Hopefully it isn't anything too seriously wrong with his leg! I know you live in my general area, but not sure where. I am going to PM you and tell you of one program in this area that treats, neuters, vaccinates and releases feral cats! IF they find that they can become pets, then they will place them for adoption!

THANK YOU for what you are doing for these kitties!

Kim

[Moesha]

Well, I kept everyone inside for over an hour and Gary didn't come back. So they are all back outside and happy. I had to take a picture of poor Jose hidden in the laundry room in the "junk" pile. I'll upload it when I get it off of the camera. I don't know how it is going to go in the morning. I'm going to try it again. At least I'm not so sick to my stomach seeing Gary's leg doing better than it was just hanging this morning. Thanks for the good wishes!

ETA: Here's a picture of Jose at the end of his stay in the laundry room. Forgive the mess, it is the storage area.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v310/schweetmoe/040.jpg

[CultureJunky]

I guess it could've been a sprain that Gary had? That has happened with Sunny before she sprained her leg jumping down off the fence and we took her to the vets she had a painkiller then was literally fine in about an hour. I really hope it's nothing more serious than a sprained leg. Gary is lovely. Good luck with him :)

[Moesha]

It didn't happen this morning. Juliet and Jose wouldn't allow me near them, so they were still outside when I had the trap set. Gary came and was partially lured in, but Juliet was skulking around too. So Gary ran off. We'll try again. He was using the leg though.

[kimlovescats]

It didn't happen this morning. Juliet and Jose wouldn't allow me near them, so they were still outside when I had the trap set. Gary came and was partially lured in, but Juliet was skulking around too. So Gary ran off. We'll try again. He was using the leg though.


I'm sorry it didn't work. Hang in there! ;)

Poor Jose looks so cute in the picture!!!