09/11/2024
I was contacted by a Kissimmee resident about a month ago asking for assistance with trapping some sick/injured feral cats in her yard. One had a very swollen leg and the other had a large lump on his back. I agreed to help, but was honest about the fact that I didn’t have the ability to help financially due to a lack of funding. She said that was fine and just wanted my expertise with trapping them and to also evaluate what to do with them. I agreed and we set up a date for me to start trapping.
After catching many racc**ns and the friendliest cat in the colony, Pearl, we finally caught the first injured cat. He— Blackie— was looking much worse than I expected; his leg was very swollen from a severe infection, he had a head tilt I figured was likely from one or multiple ear infections, and he was very very frail. I was able to transfer him from the trap and into a wire cage overnight so he would be comfortable before the vet appointment and he was set up with food, water, and a litter box with a towel over his cage so he would feel safe. For a young feral tomcat, he put up no fight. Probably because of the horrific condition he was in.
At the vet appointment (I was not present) there were some fumbles and complications. Blackie’s leg swelling was a massive abscess that burst while the vet and tech were trying to restrain him and he was exhibiting neurological symptoms. The vet suspected rabies, which was quite literally impossible as he had been exhibiting the head tilt and “neuro” symptoms for months and rabies would have taken him much faster. Still, they suggested euthanasia and rabies testing and the feeder was not given alternative options. He tested negative.
First of all, doing a physical evaluation on an injured feral cat without any kind of restraint, whether physical (beyond hands with something like a cat squeeze) or chemical (lightly gasing them (aka “boxing down”) or a short-lasting injection) is going to bring out the absolute worst in them. I will always advocate for restraint methods that will make handling as low stress as possible. Yes, Blackie was beyond a doubt medically fragile and therefore I can see why the idea of sedation might be concerning, BUT, him fighting the vet and tech isn’t any less concerning and/or potentially damaging. That lack of restraint was also how the vet got his finger pricked by his nail, which is what ultimately led to the euthanasia suggestion. Neither option were without risk, but from what I understand of how things were handled there was definitely room for improvement and things I would want anyone reading this to know are not ethical handling practices. Any cat, socialized or feral, deserves to be handled with dignity and respect.
Second, Blackie likely would not have survived even with aggressive treatment. He was frail, neurological (either from actual neurological issues or severe ear issues), and as an unaltered male in that condition he likely had FIV if not also FeLV. His infection was severe and would not surprise me if it had spread. In the end, Blackie had one last good night where he was safe inside with the woman who had shown him compassion, then went to sleep and was released from the lifetime of fighting he had known as a feral cat.
You might ask why I’m sharing a case with such a sad ending. It’s because this is the reality of rescue; with every win comes a loss, but sometimes euthanasia really is the best option. Of course I want every cat to survive and live on with fantastic quality of life, but sometimes that simply isn’t possible and releasing them from their pain is the best option.
For anyone wondering about the second injured cat, they have not been seen for weeks and have very likely passed away.
What’s important to remember is that no outdoor cat, feral or stray or owned, is safe. All cats should be kept inside unless they are under constant supervision and either on a harness or in an enclosed, “escape-proof” area.
📸Pearl in the trap & Blackie under the RV.
