VET/RSPCA question.

[Berlin]

About 12 weeks ago a stray cat showed up at the hotel I'm running and it was skin and bones, had half a tail and both the fox and the buzzards had had a go at him. He was hanging in his skin. he also had mange, worms and fleas.

Not the prettiest sight.

Because he's been in the wars, we called him Rambo.

Now, since then we've deflea'd him, dewormed him, fed him up and he looks a picture of health... apart from one thing. He keeps coming back with pieces of skin missing. Not just fur, but the skin underneat the fur aswell.

For all the world it looks like these are being cut off with scissors! The fur around the holes are cut in steps as if done with scissors. The holes range from 1cm across to tonights beauty which is a gorey 5cm across!!

He won't let me anywhere near him at the moment and if I can catch him (he's usually the friendliest cat in the world) I'll take him to the vets tomorrow.

Are there any vets on here that know of a condition in cats that makes them lose patches of skin as if they've been cut with scissors or climbed through a broken window?

If the vet says its inflicted. How much can the RSPCA do to find out who/how it's happening? Its not in a place where he'd be easily able to do it to himself. Its usually on his back or sides

Cheers,
Carl

[Bri w]

"cut in steps"

Could they be teeth marks?

Trip to the vet, once he/she has calmed down

[Speedy Claire]

Haven`t a clue and it sounds awful. Is odd that as you say the hair is cut in steps as if with scissors? is this cat just coming to the hotel for food and a fuss or have you rehomed it?

If he`s just a visitor to your hotel i`m guessing that he`s returning to the same household he came from and judging by the state of neglect he was in when you found him I would`nt be surprised if thats where the physical abuse is taking place, if it is some kind of abuse.

Best of luck and I really hope you catch him tomor and can get him to the vets or maybe the RSPCA

[Berlin]

Hi Claire,

Thats what we're thinking. he's moved in permanently but goes off on his daily wander and we've seem him up to half a mile from the hotel.

There are only (and I have to be careful here for legal reasons) "one or two" houses near the hotel that he could possibly be going to. We're in the middle of nowhere here. The other thought was that somehwere on his route there's a greenhouse or similar that he squeezes through but surely if he'd been injured on it once or twice he wouldn't go through again?

He's now had about a dozen of these injuries and the next always seems to be just as the last in healing. If I can get a pic tonight I'll post it. (he's in a huff in the shed, outside at the moment).

C

[dizzyblonde]

cat litter tray and keep him in. Give him chance to recouperate.
Does he have a pair of nuts as this makes them wander off in the search for lady friends, and they always come back like they is in the wars. Well actually come to think of it, all three have had them chopped but they go off on their 'holidays' for a day or six twice a year!
Could he be climbing through broken glass in the greenhouse? cats are a bit dim!

On the serious side if he has come from another dwelling thats one serious account of neglect if i ever heard one...why on earth would someone inflict pain on an animal by scissors :-(

[Berlin]

He's "nut free" and spends about 4 hours a day out doing his rounds. Always seems to head off in the same direction and come back from the same direction. The rest of the time he does a great immitation of a cushion! :)

Can you get GPS tracking for small animals?

C

[Speedy Claire]

He's "nut free" and spends about 4 hours a day out doing his rounds. Always seems to head off in the same direction and come back from the same direction. The rest of the time he does a great immitation of a cushion! :)

Can you get GPS tracking for small animals?

C

Hmmmmmmmmmmm if you could possibly get one small enough you could maybe get him to swallow it? :D

Thinking further about it what do the cuts look like? are the edges jagged or is it more like a clean cut. I truly can`t see that someone would deliberately cut him but then again there are some wierdo`s out there.

I`m thinking that you could be right and perhaps it is glass that`s doing it. Maybe the reason that he wandered into your hotel in a state of neglect is that his owners either moved or died. He could be going back to the home he is familiar with but his only access is via a broken window? he would come back to you for food cos he now knows that your house equals food, warmth and comfort but going back to the other house to try and find his owner.

[DarrenSV650S]

You do actually get pet trackers

[Von Teese]

Sounds like your kitty has been tortured!
I'm sorry but cut in steps, wounds without any abscesses there prior, no infection, all the telltale signs of cruelty, probably by children.
What a shame!
No wonder you cant catch him! He must be wary of who is going to cut him next.
Is he long haired or short haired?
I know some people that cba to groom long haired cats will cut the knots out with scissors and sometimes can injure their animals but this sounds unlikely.

I would keep him in a bit and let him calm down.
I had a petsafe in ground cat collar system to prevent my cats leaving the garden, you could do this to stop him going back, animals are creatures of habit and even if he is being tortured he might not be able to help himself going home where he gets badly treated.

Hope you get it sorted out and bless you for caring, wish more people did xxx

[james160987]

my friends mum has a cat, till recenlty it was ok,

it suddently started scratching and biting its hair out in patches, right down to the skin ( how you describe)

they found out it was due to stress ( yes thats right stress in a cat) as they aslo have two friednly basset hounds that like to play ALOT, cat doesnt want to play, dogs hassel, cat goes to mummy, mummy tells cat to go away as shes busy at the time, cat gets stressed pulls hair out,

so now theyve started keeping the dogs away from her more and giving her a bit of extra attention and it seems to be helping,

[Von Teese]

James, that wouldnt account for the fur being stepped though as if cut with scissors.

It could be stress could be abscesses could be a lot of things but with the description of the fur seemingly cut away, I cant see it being anything other than human interference.

[Milky Bar Kid]

We had a cat that did the pulling its own hair out thing and it CERTAINLY didn't look like it had had chunks of skin CUT out with scissors!!!

I agree with VT, and having spoken to my mum, who is also a vet nurse, I concur that this appears to be abuse.

I hope you manage to get the cat to the vets and away from the people who seem to be doing it. They need to rot in hell. It is one thing to harm another human (who can probably comprehend it) but to hurt an animal that trusts you, that is sick.

[the white rabbit]

Lots of speculation, but you need to let an expert see him.

If he regularly comes in, can't you trap him in (shut him in), guess might be difficult if it's a hotel, then let the RSPCA take a look?
For example if you can trap him in the shed (obviously I've never seen your shed), with some food and most importantly some water he will be fine until they can come and look at him.

I'd call the RSPCA and talk the situation over, then they will tell you what can be done. I thought we had an inspector on here, but can't remember. Does sound like removing him from his environment for a bit is required, either to let whatever is causing it be treated, or prevented from happening whatever it is.

[Von Teese]

Any advice or ideas on here is speculation at the moment as none of us are able to examine the cat.

I wouldnt involve the RSPCA at the moment, I would take him to the vet and see what they say first.

RSPCA wont deal unless it IS a cruelty case and at the moment it seems that this isnt a known fact yet.

Also proving who has done this will be impossible and therefore no action can be taken to prosecute.

Main thing is to get him checked over and some antibiotics and the wounds cleaned and stitched if necessary (unless they are abscesses or hot spots that the owner has had to cut the hair away to treat)

[the white rabbit]

If it can be caught yes, of course. But in some ways it is a distressed stray animal. I am thinking here what to do if it can't be caught.

The RSPCA don't only deal with cruelty, they give advice on welfare (which might be catch it and take it to a vet).

The main thing here is once it can be got hold of, don't let it go until someone can take a look at it.

[Speedy Claire]

Yes the RSPCA would willingly help with advice and they will investigate if they suspect abuse.. as you say there`s only a few houses in that area I would imagine it wouldn`t take much. Obviously it`s up to you as you have to live in that area with those people but it could be something simple yet on the other hand if it is abuse then the people responsible need to be brought to task in order to stop them having any other animals.

The RSPCA will be more than happy for you to keep the poor cat at your home as it saves them the trouble of having to rehome.... this can`t be abcesses as abcesses leave a jagged opening, not a straight cut. He would have lots of abcessess too (judging by the number of cuts) and you`d see them on him if they were ready to burst.

As others have said, keep him indoors and if he won`t let you near him to pick him up, throw a towel over him and wrap him up like a baby to get him to the vets. Good luck

[suzsv650]

http://www.gpscattrackers.com/

Quite Pricy tho

[RatchetJob]

http://www.gpscattrackers.com/

Quite Pricy tho


Cheaper european alternative here (http://www.mr-lee-catcam.de/pe_cc_o2_en.htm)

See here (http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/159581,lost-and-found-could-gps-keep-tabs-on-your-pets.aspx) for news article describing some pet tracking technologies.

[Kinvig]

Cheaper european alternative here (http://www.mr-lee-catcam.de/pe_cc_o2_en.htm)

See here (http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/159581,lost-and-found-could-gps-keep-tabs-on-your-pets.aspx) for news article describing some pet tracking technologies.

Please upload the movie of yourself attempting to attach a camera & harness to your cat!!!!

[Speedy Claire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Ys0J4rvFQ&feature=related

[Berlin]

Usually catching his is anything but an issue, he usually comes looking for me for a "cuddle". (loves it). I usually can't get rid of him. But last night he was obviously in distress and wanted to be alone. Hopefully tonight he'll be in better spirits and come for a scratch.
He'd eaten his breckie this morning and gone out again so he should be around when I get in tonight.

fab trackers! I'll look into this if the vet says its worth it!

C

[Berlin]

Still can't catch him but I have managed to get some photos of the wound.

He's still eating which is a good sign. The hole has started to dry out and now down to about 2.5 cm. Looks nasty though.

c