Pigeon is still flat. He will lay in one spot and not move and only eat if I bring him the food and put a bit in his mouth. The swelling has centralized under his left rear leg and there are ridges in the swelling? Like little canyons and they crackle when they are pressed. He is avoiding me at all costs (probably tired of getting pilled to death). I am supremely worried about him and hope that this week when I take him back that Ben will be able to fix him. But I will say this- his trust meter with people is on low right now even with me. 🙁 He still cannot put full weight on his back legs and they are still showing signs of tremors. I would say, this beautiful boy has been a victim of hate. 🙁
Feral Cat Behavior
Blogging about feral cats and life in general
If you want, I can put his case on a Facebook group called CatCentric. They may have some clue as to what happened to him. If you want to write out the symptoms (if only because I might miss some or write them down inaccurately from your posts), I can put it to the group and see if anyone has some ideas on how to help.
It’s possible that Pigeon has a hidden puncture wound, and it’s causing the swelling. Our feral Sammy limped around for a few days, before I could trap him, and the vet said the abscess in his front leg had already ruptured, and he was healing, but Sammy got a shot of antibiotics anyhow. When a cat is in pain, they don’t want their humans touching them, that’s for sure. I am sorry that he’s injured, and hope it will clear up soon, whatever the injury is.
He has had surgery and I will be waiting for the full report in the morning. I had to rush him to the vet this morning because his fever went past 105 and he was still flat as a pancake. When the vet turned him over to explore his damaged hind-end, I could see where the bruising had turned ugly blue and red and there were lumps everywhere. The vet opened one of the lumps and drained this really nasty smelling pus out of it. So they were going to sedate him and clean him out completely due to the abscesses that until now weren’t all that visible under all that swelling. Looks like a gang of something jumped him even though so far no bite wounds have been found.
Pretty sad when you consider that he is the most lovable of cats to both humans and other animals. He wouldn’t harm a fly. But I am so happy because I thought they might have to put him down. I couldn’t even handle the thought of losing him right now.
The Eastside Cats were right about the puncture wound – only Pigeon must have several. Thank goodness he is in good hands now.
In all my years of rescue, I have never seen abscesses play out like this. Generally they stand alone and pop out when they are infected and you can open them and drain them and put the kitty on antibiotics and all is good. I have never had a cat with so many abscesses showing up all at once after the generalized swelling has gone down. He will stay another day with the vet and be home tomorrow Lord Willing. One of this abscesses keeps breaking open and is draining heavily. Even through everything he has been through, all he has done is growl a couple of times when they go to treat him. I’ve never even heard him growl, that is how good-natured this boy is in life. We had our cat hater in the neighborhood move a few months ago, and I was worried another one had come in to take his place. I’m glad that worry has been laid to rest.
There is an organization online called Grief Share and I went to a local meeting yesterday. It was a good-sized group and it is faith-based. I found I couldn’t find my voice when it was my turn to “share,” but I was told that it takes about 3 months to process and unexpected death of a loved one and it will just take time. They meet every Monday for three hours. I found I couldn’t stay for the whole thing- that’s a lot of peoples’ pain to handle but I am glad I went. I was told that the first few meetings are difficult but just to try again another day.