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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / December 2004Fur-loss.
Next-door's cat has adopted us. We are feeding her as nobody else bothers to. She has lost fur about 1 1/2 inches across on both sides of the bum, patches are nearly meeting at the tail. We have told the owners twice but last time they didn't even bother to reply. She is 11 now but as the owners won't take her to the vet and we have no legal standing what do we do? She is a sweet little cat and deserves better. She is in no apparent discomfort or pain but should we just say b****r it and take her to a vet, paying the cost? I don't reckon that it is alopetia as it is localised, certainly not fur loss through stress as she purrs continuously. Could it be thyroid deficiency? She sleeps 23/24 yet is always game for a good chase around. Any help welcomed. TIA Icedog. Could be flea allergy, which can cause hair loss. If you can feel scabbing on the skin, flea allergy is likely. You could try a couple of doses of Revolution, 4 weeks apart, if the skin doesn't seem too irritated. That would cure fleas and few other parasites as well. Or you can sneak the cat off to your vet. Never an easy call. Sharon Talbert Campus Cats > Next-door's cat has adopted us. We are feeding her as nobody else bothers > to. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Icedog. As Sharon suggested, it could be fleas or if the patches are close to her tail it could be her anal glands are cuasing her discomfort. This is a horrible situation you're in. People like your neighbour don't deserve to have a cat. Alison > Next-door's cat has adopted us. We are feeding her as nobody else bothers > to. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Any help welcomed. Another "benefit" of free-roaming - you have no idea what the cat could have gotten into or been exposed to. If I were you, I'd take the cat to a vet -- and after, keep her. If your neighbor doesn't like it - tell him to learn to live with it or you'll bring him up on animal abuse charges -- Neglect and failure to provide veterinary care is animal abuse. > Another "benefit" of free-roaming - you have no idea what the cat could have > gotten into or been exposed to. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > bring him up on animal abuse charges -- Neglect and failure to provide > veterinary care is animal abuse. I second this post. Also, in most of the US, once a pet has roamed off the property it is considered stray. Most people don't consider that with cats, but it is true. You could 'kidnap" the cat, and make it yours, or surrender it to a shelter or you could call the local humane society and see what they recommend about forcing the neighbors to take care of the cat. I kinda vote for anal gland issues. but Im not a vet, just a crazy cat lady > Next-door's cat has adopted us. We are feeding her as nobody else bothers > to. She has lost fur about 1 1/2 inches across on both sides of the bum, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Icedog. Sounds like pure negligence to me. Do you have a shelter you can call about this, or an animal control number? Surely this cat deserves a better life, and proper access to a vet!  Signaturemonique > Sounds like pure negligence to me. Do you have a shelter you can call about > this, or an animal control number? Surely this cat deserves a better life, > and proper access to a vet! It sure is abuse. However, usually its not such a good idea to involve animal control - especially when the cat needs medical ($) care. Unless the cat is a kitten, calling AC often results in the cat's demise. I know how heartbreaking and frustrating it is to see a cat in need of medical care neglected, and the overwhelming urge to help. But there are "other ways" to handle situations like this that won't put the cat's life in jeopardy... if you take my meaning... Aggravating as hell, aint it? Phil >> Sounds like pure negligence to me. Do you have a shelter you can call > about [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > animal control - especially when the cat needs medical ($) care. Unless the > cat is a kitten, calling AC often results in the cat's demise. Sigh. What about an animal abuse hotline? I've never had to try something like that, but maybe it would scare them into being good owners? > I know how heartbreaking and frustrating it is to see a cat in need of > medical care neglected, and the overwhelming urge to help. But there are > "other ways" to handle situations like this that won't put the cat's life in > jeopardy... if you take my meaning... By putting the so-called owner's life in jeopardy? That would be my first instinct ... > Aggravating as hell, aint it? I wonder if one could (hypothetically) catch the cat and deliver it to a friend who lived very, very far away and could take proper care of it. Who knows, though. A co-worker just told me that a vet got in trouble with the law for catching stray cats, altering them, and releasing them again. Apparently, once she'd brought them in the house, they were legally hers and she was abandoning them. Nevermind that she was just trying to help the overpopulation problem. Signaturemonique, caretaker of Oscar An 11 year old female cat is likely to have an extremely difficult time finding an adoptive home through a shelter and is likely to be euthanized. A no-kill facility will not generaly be eager to take a senior citizen cat and were it to do so, it would be extremely stressful for the cat to spend months or years in an institutional facility. It freaks me a bit that people are so cavalier in saying "bring the cat to a shelter" or "call animal control". What CAN you do as a neighbor? You can certainly flea the cat. Get a package of Advantage or Frontline Plus and once a month, say hi to the cat and squirt the package on the skin below the back of the cat's head. (See the package for instructions). Cost is less than $10/month and you're doing a good thing. Royal Canin makes a good skin and hair food. It's pricey, but buy a bag of the "skin and hair" food and let the cat eat from it when he visits. Or give it to your neighbor as a present. :> Or borrow the cat for a vet visit unbeknowst to your neightbor, get a diagnosis and then, paper in hand, sit the owner down and tell him what the cat needs. But try the flea medicine first. Might as well eliminate the obvious. > >> Sounds like pure negligence to me. Do you have a shelter you can call > > about [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Sigh. What about an animal abuse hotline? I've never had to try something > like that, but maybe it would scare them into being good owners? Anytime you involve the authorities you run the risk of the cat ending up in a shelter and being killed. > > I know how heartbreaking and frustrating it is to see a cat in need of > > medical care neglected, and the overwhelming urge to help. But there are [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > By putting the so-called owner's life in jeopardy? That would be my first > instinct ... LOL! That's what I usually feel also, but its not exactly what I meant. Outdoor, free-roaming cats are well known for.... getting lost.... disappearing.... > > Aggravating as hell, aint it? > > I wonder if one could (hypothetically) catch the cat and deliver it to a > friend who lived very, very far away and could take proper care of it. Ahhhh! Now you're (hypothetically) catching on. > Who knows, though. A co-worker just told me that a vet got in trouble with > the law for catching stray cats, altering them, and releasing them again. > Apparently, once she'd brought them in the house, they were legally hers and > she was abandoning them. ROTFL! That's a *very* familiar (and personal) story! Happened to me more than once. Once, I just released the cats so my cages were empty. I told the cops I was trying to *trap* the cats and take them to a shelter! Good thing the cops didn't know the difference between a carrying cage and a trap! Some municipalities are vehemently against TNR - even though the trap/kill policy is a well proven failure all over the country. Nevermind that she was just trying to help the > overpopulation problem. The anti-TNR morons are stuck in a perpetual cycle. And they are morons because after years and years they *still* have the same problem with no end in sight. Phil |
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