Well, unfortunately, trapping him and getting him
to the vet is what is called for, there aren't any
good subsitutes. Most vets are very well equipped
to handle a cat like George, and it's likely he'll
need sedation to deal with what is going on with his
mouth and the vet would do most, if not all, else
he required while he was sedated.
The degree he is matted will require shaving, which
the vet can easily do. Brushing won't do it, and would
be painful to the cat. Shaving is quick. The cat will
be much more comfortable without the matts.
The problems eating, may very
well be problems with his teeth. There are other things
it could be, but only more serious than his teeth.
He hasn't had any care in his life so the "teeth" theory
is very, very probable. And if that's not taken care of,
it can affect his kidneys and cost him his life.
Runny eyes could be any number of things. Perhaps just
from his lack of care and easily remedied with the proper
ointment. Only a vet is going to be able to ascertain
what's going on there.
That he doesn't vocalize doesn't necessarily need to
be a problem, but again, it's something only a vet
is going to be able to get to the bottom of in a cat
with other problems, and who's never had any care.
There are too many things it "could" be, not worthwhile
to guess/suggest.
Arthritis can be improved vastly with supplements mixed
in canned foods. Not hard at all to deal with an arthritic
cat, and much more comfortable for the cat.
You say, other than this /that/the other thing, George
"seems perfectly healthy" -- he's not. He very definitely
needs veterinary care, and he may well be able to be
put in good order with one trip and your committment to
provide. His problems will only worsen otherwise, and
as with the "teeth" affecting the kidneys, can and will,
lead to far more servere problems for George, even ultimately
death. Cats don't "show" their pain for the most part.
You might not "notice" they didn't feel well until they
were very, very sick indeed, or before it was too late.
The ideal for George, and his only real hope, is that
you buckle down and trap him. Get him to the vet, ascertain
he doesn't have any terminal conditions. Hopefully he
just needs a thorough checkup, little ointment here/worming there
maybe, a shaving, and that the main problem that needs to
be dealt with is his teeth. Then you could take him home,
give him a room in your house and time to adjust. They do
adjust. It's very very possible if you make the committment
that George would ultimately end up a very greatful comfy
housecat. You are really his only hope, which I'm sure you know.
The amount of time it would take to maybe reach the point
of being able to pick him up under the current conditions,
could easily be enough time to enable his current medical
conditions to worsen.
Marek Williams <abc@example.com> wrote in message news:<4je0lv0117pehob17antj35so6lfk2t1nj@4ax.com>...
> There is a stray that has been around the neighborhood for years. The
> lady down the street had been feeding him table scraps out of pity, so
> he decided to stick around. He's probably about 10 years old. Everyone
> calls him Old George, so I guess that's his name.
>
> When I first saw him he was almost feral. He would hiss and scratch at
> anyone who tried to touch him or even came close. Over the past month
> of working with him I've gotten him to the point where he loves to
> have me pet him. He rubs against me as I do so and purrs -- acting
> just like a cat finally. He won't let me get both hands on him at the
> same time, though. Not yet, anyway, although eventually I'll probably
> succeed.
>
> While I am sure I will get him to love me (he already comes running
> when he sees me, tail in the air), there are a couple problems I could
> use some help with.
>
> First, he doesn't seem to groom himself very well. His hair is not
> especially long, but it is really thick and downy. Looks like he was
> engineered for a very cold cliamte. There's more hair than cat.
> Because he's been outside on his own, he gets pretty dirty. Coupled
> with the poor grooming, he has developed some thick clumps of hair on
> his back -- the rearmost three inches or so. When I say thick clumps,
> I mean embedded with dirt and so hard you can't get your fingers
> through them. When I first met him a couple months ago it was sticking
> up about an inch and a half, making him look like he had some horrible
> disease. But it's just thick clumps of matted hair, and only on the
> rearmost three inchs. The rest of his back is normal. I've never seen
> a cat that came close to this degree of poor grooming. I've been
> cutting it off with a scissors slowly -- he still doesn't trust me
> completely so I have to go slowly.
>
> Since it is just in one area, and on the top of his back, at first I
> thought he might have gotten motor oil on it from being under cars.
> That would explain why it is just in one location. But as I have been
> cutting clumps off it appears that it is just natural oil, fine,
> fluffy hair, and dirt. The top part is dirty, but inside each clump it
> is smoother and just his natural hair.
>
> I wish I could get him into my lap and give him a thorough brushing.
> It would take hours! Has anyone else ever run into a cat with such
> horrible matted hair? Is there something that might cause a cat not to
> groom himself very well?
>
> The second problem is that he is totally mute. In speaking with the
> neighbors, no one has ever heard him utter a meow, a cry, or anything
> other than a hiss. He doesn't even try. Like, if a cat wants to meow
> but can't, at least the mouth moves. Old George never says a thing. He
> does purr, though. It's as if this cat is of a species that doesn't
> talk. I mean, if his vocal cords had been injured, he would still try
> to meow. He doesn't even try and seems to be unaware that cats are
> supposed to meow.
>
> My third question has to do with his eating. I've had several cats
> over the years, and he chews his food rather strangely. I've seen that
> he has all four fangs, but haven't gotten to the level of trust where
> he'll let me pull his lips back so I can see the rest of his teeth.
> I've been the only one feeding him, and I've been giving him the
> "senior" and "special diet" canned foods. Just like my previous (male)
> cat, he eats dry food only if he is starving and that's all there is.
> He loves wet food, the more gravy the better. When he chews he holds
> his mouth to one side or the other, to the point where his mouth is
> completely perpendicular to the ground. Sometimes he holds his head
> under his chest, like a backhoe with its bucket tucked up. It's almost
> like he has difficulty swallowing. Oh, and he doesn't shake his food
> from side to side as he grabs a bite like most cats do. He eats more
> like a dog. Does anyone think this might be symptomatic of something>
>
> My final query is that his eyes seem to be a bit runny. Actually, I'm
> not sure if that's true. All my other cats washed their faces so often
> that if their eyes were runny they'd clean it up. Old George just lets
> it sit there. He also seems a bit arthritic, although that could be
> just old age. I found a place on the web that spoke of calicivirus and
> mentioned that runny eyes and arthritic condition were symptoms of it.
> If anyone has any further ideas or observations I'd like to hear them.
>
> And before someone says to take him to a vet, that is not yet
> possible. I'd have to trap him, and even then the vet would have to
> sedate him to keep from being shredded. Other than the above he seems
> perfectly healthy, so I've decided to hold off on the vet until after
> I've developed more trust. Eventually, I will, of course.
>
> Everyone in the neighborhood is amazed that he lets me pet him and
> comb him. I've become known as the "cat whisperer." However, I think
> my efforts are not fully responsible for the progress I've made. I
> think he once had a family, who probably moved away a long time ago
> and abandoned him. Thus, he knows about being petted and loved. He
> just hasn't had anyone for so long that it will take him a while to
> accept me.
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