Another question about one of the Feral's I care for...Her eyes...

[BillITPro]

Troubsy one of the cats in the feral colony I have in my yard has a heavy discharge from her eyes. She is VERY Feral and won't let me touch her at all. I was wondering if there is anything I can put in her food that might help her at all? Thanks as always!


Bill

[sugarcatmom]

I'm wondering if Troubsy's eye discharge is herpes related, in which case 250mg of Lysine powder (you can find it at any health food store) twice a day in her food might help. It wouldn't hurt, anyway.

[BillITPro]

sugarcatmom,
Thanks for the reply I was actually putting that in the food all winter long and I figured I'd stop for a bit about a month ago. I will start with it again tomorrow. I don't want any of them to suffer they're like my extended pets....
Waaaaaay extended sometimes



Bill

[rainbow]

Bill, I hope the lysine helps .....please keep us updated.

[badger]

I've heard lysine is more effective if you use it intermittently, say two weeks on, two weeks off.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Another possibility for the eye discharge is Feline Leukemia, one way it is spread is licking eyes, nose, mouth - which cats living in close quarters will often wash each other. Because there are a wide variety of clinical signs FeLk often may be misdiagnosed or caught very late. Unfortunately FeLk is very common in feral colonies and kills 85% of persistantly affected cats within 3 years.

Any chance you could catch this one & have her Vet checked & tested?

[BillITPro]

@Badger I was thinking the same thing hence me stopping giving it out all the time I figured take a break for a bit because anything always taken usually means a resistance build up at least in humans....

@Growler I could maybe trap her but she is VERY feral she's only about 6-7 months old and when she goes to eat the others usually back off (I've even heard her growl...No pun intended Growler but she actually kind of growls when the others come near her when she's eating). And truth be told what with getting downsized last August and then having surgery on my arm in September money is very, very tight atm and the economy is such where there aren't any jobs out there so I am in the process of trying to start my own consulting company (I have been doing it on "the side" for years now). I will see if my vet can give me a break and I'll try to bring her in if it doesn't clear up in a couple of days. She was like this in the winter and that's when I started giving them Lysene and it helped I assume because it did clear up but she is much worse now.

Again thanks for the feedback everyone....
It's nice to know there's a place where people get it....
What I mean is you all get that animals are special and need to be treated properly...Sadly a lot of people don't get that.


Bill

[14+kitties]

Bill - you are an angel for caring. And yes, we do get it. We just need to make more people aware of "it"!
As for the growling - I have a couple of those too. It seems like the ones who had to fight the hardest when they were little. Usually the runt. When mine were small I spent their feeding time in the garage with them to make sure they each got what they should but I was lucky and managed to get to them when they were still tameable.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by BillITPro

She was like this in the winter and that's when I started giving them Lysene and it helped I assume because it did clear up but she is much worse now.

I have her in my that it is nothing too serious & will keep my your vet can help out perhaps even w/a deferred pymt plan to get her checked


Yes this is a great forum ( Marko super admin) & all of us are here for 1 reason - the animals

[NoahGrey]

You could be the sign of early upper respiratory infection? some symtoms are eye/nose discharge. Also nasal congestion/trouble breathing/open mouth breathing

ACO22

[MOOSEDRY]

Originally Posted by BillITPro

It's nice to know there's a place where people get it.... What I mean is you all get that animals are special and need to be treated properly... Sadly a lot of people don't get that.

you're right. it is great to have a board full of caring pet owners wanting to help each other in times of need. there's nothing in the world like "pet love", right everyone? and, for those who don't get "it" - that's their loss!!!!!

tracy

[Love4himies]

Thanks for caring, bill . If it is a bacterial infection, the kitty will need antibiotics from a vet.

I had a cat that I was feeding on my deck and once she had her food, she would growl at both me and my cat until she finished cleaning herself, then she would be half friendly again. (She actually liked my Jasper more than me)

[BillITPro]

Well her eyes look better already...Much better actually but now I have two other questions...Sorry to be a PITA...
1-ACO22 you mention open mouth breathing she does that sometimes and actually always has not all the time but sometimes does that mean she might have an upper respiratory problem or do some cats just do that?
2-All of a sudden they don't seem to want to use the shelters I have under my pool deck for them even on a rainy miserable day like today. Any ideas why they would stop using them all of a sudden? They lived under there all Winter long and now they seem to avoid them kind of odd

Thanks all for any and all input!!
If anyone needs any computer help I am here for you


Bill

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by BillITPro

1-ACO22 you mention open mouth breathing she does that sometimes and actually always has not all the time but sometimes does that mean she might have an upper respiratory problem or do some cats just do that?

Are you sure it's a breathing thing, or could it possibly be a Flehmen response to something she smells? Does she do it for very long? Do you see visible panting? Cats generally don't open-mouth breath unless they're under stress, over-heated, or have respiratory or cardiac issues. If she really is mouth breathing, that is potentially concerning.

Originally Posted by BillITPro

2-All of a sudden they don't seem to want to use the shelters I have under my pool deck for them even on a rainy miserable day like today. Any ideas why they would stop using them all of a sudden? They lived under there all Winter long and now they seem to avoid them kind of odd

Could temperature or ventilation be an issue? Have you inspected the shelters recently to see if there's something "funky" about them? It could also just be that they'd rather hang around outside, like spring fever.

And you're not a PITA!! You're awesome for taking these kitties under your wing.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by BillITPro

2-All of a sudden they don't seem to want to use the shelters I have under my pool deck for them even on a rainy miserable day like today. Any ideas why they would stop using them all of a sudden? They lived under there all Winter long and now they seem to avoid them kind of odd

Any new cats move into your yard or raccoons, squirrels, possums etc that might've taken over the shelters?

Did they get sprayed w/cat pee? or skunk spray?

Dead & decaying mouse/bird in there?

[BillITPro]

Troubsy's eyes look MUCH better it's amazing how fast and how well the L-Lysene stuff works makes me want to take next time I get something wrong with me

As far as the shelters go I will be checking them out Saturday if the weather holds there must be something wrong I hope it's not any other critters I will post back when I know and thanks!


Bill

[growler~GateKeeper]

Happy to hear Troubsy's eyes are looking better