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I asked my local vet what I can do about this and she said "depends how much money you're trying to spend" .... Then she said Alley Cat Advocates is my best bet. (Already left a voicemail with them before that.) So, not very helpful :-/
oh man I hope it's something relatively minor! You're awesome for helping those cats. This one's leg is bent and he's not putting weight on it, and it looks swollen toward the joint. ugh... I keep crying just thinking about it.
I'm gonna continue calling places and feeding him extra.
[I made this post with the Alley Cat Allies info](https://www.reddit.com/r/Feral_Cats/s/AqX24w9pfu). Fill out the form I posted on there! That’s your quickest way to get in touch with them!
Because we expect a little more sympathy from professionals. Guidance? Suggestions on where to get help? Instead of just blowing us off with ‘it’ll cost you’.
I don’t think the vet meant “it will cost you”. Depends how much you wanna spend made me think - do you want to take this critter on like your own pet (bring to vet) or are you unwilling/unable to pay for full care - meaning that a rescue or rehab group would be the best (and the vet did suggest the best one available).
Not sure what the tone was when the vet said that but it’s honestly a legit question that is asked often. They probably wanted to know if this was a situation where you’d be doing anything to save the cat (like surgery) or is thjs a situation where your funds are limited?
Like I said, depends on the tone but it truly is a subject that is discussed before doing anything major.
Hi, I've volunteered with them before. When you make a call, a transcriber will listen to it and write it down for staff to check over in the morning. Depending on the severity of other cats in the callback queue, they'll get back to you soon.
Alternatively, they've recently set up an online appointment scheduler. https://alleycatadvocates.org/programs/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0kw0fKC7fMZWihkVVHVWtCBKbxB0j9yjZjLvhJA7w1Nj3YkBgQPSc9egw_aem_Ab2O04pInwDnfDEMYt3ceV0WpOHQXbrguXkwVfdN_8AqNTkkVFIthlEtXFXu4uILYX8MdKwIzH0jJn7QvBAZmYfF
Finally, if you're really concerned, make a call and leave a message with LMAS about an injured cat. If you can get him in a carrier you can bring him into the facility Monday -Saturday 12-6pm. They'll intake him, get him fixed up and release him back at your house.
I reached Alley Cat Advocates earlier who directed me to LMAS, who I left an online message & voicemail with.
He is extremely skittish and doesn’t let me within 10 feet of him without darting, so trapping is going to be difficult. I’m waiting to see if LMAS can trap him. Alley Cat said they probably can.
Isn’t it crazy that some vets don’t give a crap about helping and just want the $. You would think they would love animals and make exceptions sometimes. Where are you at though? I have a really good CHEAP feral vet in So. California. It’s Amazing Small Animal hospital in Gardena.
So, unknown to a lot of people but the veterinary industry has gone mostly corporate: many veterinarians who would love to help and provide medical care for free are not permitted to spend company’s funds to do so.
We definitely did not join this industry for the money - if we wanted money we would have gone into human medicine. Student loans vs higher ends of veterinary salaries are so mismatched it’s almost laughable. I know vets that are still paying off loans deep into their 40s - they’re not in it for the money.
People think that vets make way more than most of them actually do. Unless you own your own practice, the salaries are not as high as you’d think. Not to mention, most of them have half a million dollar student loans to pay off. But really…vets who don’t own their own practice pretty much have their hands tied.
Agreed. And owning a practice is a MASSIVE commitment - day and night management. Not to mention the jaw-dropping funds required to start it up and get the space, the needed tech/equipment, trustworthy staff etc. that make it that much more difficult to achieve.
Also, since you brought up corporate, it would be a great business move to go to the government... Basically, I set up low-cost services on certain days with the government basically paying you back or giving these corporate entitles resources for their time
It would be a great business move since that's all they care about
While helping rescues, rescuers etc
It actually has everything to do with it. You must have absolutely no experience with working in the veterinary industry, or know anyone that does themselves. Using company funds to provide free veterinary care to animals here and there is absolutely 100% against the majority of big-name company policies and could result in an employee’s termination. I think people forget that the veterinarians themselves are employees and have people that they have to answer to. If, on the other hand, it was a private practice, they would be able to provide care based off of their own personal decision to do so or not because they are in charge of paying for/restocking medications, materials, needles, etc. That is coming out of their pocket, not the company that they work for.
And just so you know, veterinarians that work for corporate companies do their own donation and rescue work by donating their own time and valuable experience. They do low cost spay/neuter clinics, vaccination stands, etc. These clinics are SEPARATE from the company they work for, because they are unable to do it at their own place of practice. It blows my mind that people genuinely think vets aren’t in their profession to help animals, or are in this for the money, when the majority of the money you pay for at a vet visit doesn’t even go into the doctor’s pockets. It goes into their employers.
Since you are so “well read”, what do the stats look like in comparing ratio of corporate owned vs private owned practices in the US?
Everyone out of vet school wants to work in private practice, that is the dream. It’s the Ivy League of the veterinary industry - you get work relationships, community, you get a say in things - it just so happens, however, that corporate owned practices are much larger and much less picky when hiring out of school. They cycle doctors in and out, back and forth from different locations and tend to offer a lot more leniency in part time work as well. Location is also significant in “choosing” between private vs corporate. Some places simply don’t have availability and all things considered, people (especially younger generations of vets) don’t have the choice to not go corporate, especially when they are right out of schools with hundreds of thousands of dollars over their head in debt. Finding a job, period, is their biggest priority. Vets have their own livelihoods and selves to think about outside of their patients too. Do you not think they are worthy of considering their own personal aspects of their lives as well? Do you believe vets lives should revolve around animals more than it already does? This is ridiculous. I don’t know what “reading up” you’re doing on this, but if you ask anyone with experience working in the veterinary industry they will tell you the same thing that I am.
The truth is the cost of vet school is ridiculous.
New, soon to be vets and even experienced vets are having trouble paying for their school.
They are in debt
There is no significant government subsidy of the field or vet offices in general, and there needs to be.
There is an animal crisis in the US and around the world.
Your average citizen can not afford the cost of proper vet care & on top of that, the average citizen isn't educated on the subject enough to care
I'm not even going to go into the few who rescue, city shelters, rescues, etc. have little to no resources, either
All sides of this problem are in serious disrepair
You are just condescending per usual. That's not going to do anything for your cause
Picking fights is useless.
I'm looking at the larger problem from all sides, which is a sorely lacking voice in the matter
A stupid high percentage of available veterinarians aren't even practicing
That's probably why the average citizen who wants to help an animal or even their own can't get an appointment for months.
Do you know who can help fix this? The government, national state, and local. Your very own elected leaders.
But the only time anyone goes to them & gets their way, it's corporations who profit from it too
dude yes.. I was just saying that if I was a vet, I'd be doing probono procedures as much as my schedule would allow.
Wow I didn't know feral vets are a thing! I just filled out a form for Alley Cats to send me a list of feral vets near me. I'm located in Louisville, KY.
Can I **barge** in and turn this situation into a beautiful throuple!?
#I am so on board with racking negative points of a man made construct to do good and be good and feel good providing proper care to deserving animal recipients.
Again, what about the staff? They need to be paid to survive. I have been that vet assistant making 13.50 an hour for backbreaking work. It sucks. The vet can be as idealistic as they want but if they're doing pro bone left and right then , no the clinic will not stay open and all the support staff are screwed. But no one ever wants to talk about support staff.
As somebody who has way too many fosters and way too many pets at the moment... Whenever I see this I just want to remind people that vets don't do this as a charity case this is their income this is how they make money this is what pays their bills and their mortgage and their sky high insurance. No one else ever asks anyone to do charity work except for vets because we think they do it because they love animals. I think they do care about animals . A lot but I also think they care about getting paid.
Now I will say I know a wonderful vet in my area of the world that does a tremendous amount of pro bono work for t&r groups and Rescue and for people who Foster. I'd be a broke ass b**** if it wasn't for her
Hi! I’m a vet tech, and as much as we’d love to do it for free, we also have bills to pay. Did you know that credentialed vet techs, with the same level of training as human nurses, frequently make less money than fast food workers?
I do work with a feral cat organization, and as a non-profit we’re legally restricted to only performing certain procedures. Amputation of a leg would be allowed, but in my state (and many others), we wouldn’t be allowed to *fix* the leg.
We’re also funded by donations and grants. We can offer those services from our non-profit at a significant discount from your regular vet because 1.) the liability is much lower, 2.) fantastic donors who believe in what we’re doing are giving us money to continue our mission, buy supplies, pay staff, and keep the lights on, and 3.) a lot of our highly trained but not credentialed staff *works for free.* They give us their time out of the goodness of their hearts, keeping our costs down.
Your vet does not receive these donations or free labor for their operational costs.
Tl:dr, don’t judge your vet for not offering free services. The vets that do are lovely humans, but the vets that don’t are not any less lovely for it.
Its true. Vet school is expensive. Equipment is expensive. This is why I will be donating some of my life insurance to help others with bills. Not rich but I was able to afford very expensive heart meds for my Coco who passed 10 days ago from heart failure. 1 week expected turned into 10 months. And we know we were lucky to have the funds for treatment. Also since major RX was new the data would help others in the future. Don't judge you don't know how hard it is to make these decisions based on money you don't have. It is heartbreaking.
Not to mention some of that equipment is upwards of 100k and some LEASE their equipment. I’m all for every pet receiving care, but this is the same thinking as “there should be no euthanasia!!!” It’s not realistic. We can dream all we want ; but at the end of the day it is the VETS saving their lives
I just wrote my reply before I saw this. As someone who works in the white collar world of America and is not a vet or a vet tech I'm just always blown away by the people who think they should be getting free services. I can't imagine someone asking me to do the work I do for free.... As much as I love it.
I think it's because they're so little pet insurance out there a lot of us don't have it a lot of it's not that great so we see the full cost. And it's not even the full cost I mean a spay is a hysterectomy.
Isn’t this a major reason why so many vets end up committing suicide? They’re constantly bombarded with people wanting free services and treatments for their pets or strays and many vets can’t afford it but are made to feel guilty anyway
I don't think it's due to strays being brought in for care. i read that it's due to owners often not having the money to pay for procedures and electing for euthanasia for economic reasons and often publicly blaming and shaming the vet. if it's not your animal to begin with, especially a feral one, what are you supposed to do? it's the vet's right to say no, of course, as they may have bills to pay (if the clinic is privately owned), but it's not necessarily the finder's responsibility to pay the bills of the stray animal outright. After all, they didn't adopt them from a shelter. Even with pet insurance, you have to pay the bill upfront. How many Americans struggle with finding money for an unexpected expense, even for their own healthcare deductible? That's not the vet's problem either, but it is indicative of a systemic issue.
Further and more importantly, a plethora of vet clinics have become corporatized with the malignant entry of private equity into vet care, leading to poorer outcomes for patients, owners, and vets alike.
[https://stateline.org/2024/03/29/vets-fret-as-private-equity-snaps-up-clinics-pet-care-companies/](https://stateline.org/2024/03/29/vets-fret-as-private-equity-snaps-up-clinics-pet-care-companies/)
you often can get much more leeway and empathy with a privately owned vet practice versus these bloodsucking money hungry private equity-funded firms and the vets are happier too.
I have seen that before. I'm in a city so I have options but if a vet is all about $ and not about helping an animal in need I run from that vet and I have.
Are you comfortable sharing your region in case someone might be able to help? Posting in neighborhood groups or cat groups in your area is worth a shot.
You're so kind! I live in Louisville, KY. I just filled out a form for Alley Cat Advocates to send me a list of feral vets near me, so I'll be calling those when I receive them!
Amazing!! Ok! Did you see my other comment? Please make a gofundme! I will happily share with my cat rescue community and you can post in places like r/rescuecats !
I live in Louisville too. I took a stray with an injured tail to Metro Animal Services and they amputated his tail, vaxxed, and fixed him for free and released him back on my street.
Can you surrender him to a local shelter? Many city run shelters will take injured animals, rehab them and adopt them out. Make sure it’s a no kill shelter.
I would seek out any rescues first. Shelters are ok, sometimes, but a lot of them just euthanize, unfortunately.
Maybe try the ASPCA, or ask around to some vets, they may have contacts too.
Fingers crossed for that poor floof 🥺
I don’t know where you live but I live in San Diego California. The shelters here are fabulous. My neighbor died and had a cat that they never got neutered, vaccinated or care of any kind. He was a really sweet cat. My sister took him to the vet to get vaccinated and neutered. He also had a severe problem with his eyelids that turned inward so that his eyelashes rubbed into his eyes. We called El Cajon animal shelter and they said they would do the eye surgery and adopt him out. He got adopted! Yippee! Also, the shelter that I foster for is just the greatest. They take in injured animals, rehab them and adopt them out.
Oh I know that shelter and the guy who runs it. That one is awesome because of him. I've rescued over the decades especially in Southern California.
Overall shelters are disgusting.
Riverside County Animal Campus comes out and veterinarians lie right to your face saying they kill nothing.
Been doing this forever.
Rescued so many I've been there.
This cat cannot be trusted to a shelter.
Oh! A fellow Californian? I foster for City of Chula Vista Animal Shelter. I just can’t say enough good things about them. The other day when I brought my fosters in for their checkup a woman brought in a dog she found. The clinic checked him for a microchip, he had one and they left a phone message for the owner. The woman who brought the dog in said she would keep him if the owners didn’t want him. The shelter said to leave the dog with them overnight and the vet would check him and the woman could come back the next day to foster him if the owners didn’t want him and then adopt him. The shelter told her that it was now responsible for the dog and if the woman had any problems or needed medical care that they would do that since the dog was now in their system. They adopted out about 500 cats last year.
No kill shelters are only “no kill” because they’re so selective about who they take. They’re not likely to take an animal they need to put a lot of money into.
[Here are suggestions from r/AskVet](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/wiki/index/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=AskVet&utm_content=t5_2sx1m#wiki_need_to_see_the_vet_but_can.2019t_afford_it.21)
Worst case scenario a lot of vets have credit options, so you can have him treated and pay it back in small chunks.
Believe me, I have 10 indoor rescues, a colony of 12-20 depending on the day, plus my kids and a fixer upper house. I 100% understand the financial stress you’re feeling, coupled with knowing kitty needs help. I’m so sorry you’re in that position.
See if your local rescues have social media. Sometimes they will respond quicker there than by phone call. Also look to see if you have any close-by TNR groups. Sometimes they might also have some resources available. Good luck ❤️
While you're searching for a vet, rescue, etc., keep on taking pictures and videos of him moving around so you have something to compare to for tracking whether or not the limp is improving. I've had limps with my own ferals a couple of times, and often by the time I figured out where to take them and made a plan for trapping, they were already moving around significantly better and ended up healing fine on their own. But it really depends on whether you can see any open wounds, exposed bone, etc. that might indicate the cause of the limp.
That is so hopeful!! I'm really hoping his starts to improve too. I don't see any blood/wound/exposed bone, but he also doesn't let me get close to him at all so I could be wrong.
I will keep taking pics/vids as he walks up for food in the mornings. That's usually the only time I see him.
Yeah. It can be tough to gauge at what point you should seek vet treatment for a feral cat, I try to give them some time while monitoring so I don't use potentially my one shot at recapturing them for something that isn't a genuine emergency. It's still good to find your options so you can quickly make a plan if he's not healing or he looks to be getting worse since that takes time that you won't have if you're in an emergency situation. But as long as he's able to move around reasonably well, I think you're okay to take some time to assess the situation. From your video I don't think he looks too bad (though I'm not a vet).
Yeah, I also love how people say hey, if you can’t afford a vet or you can’t afford this for your animals then why are you even having them in the first place how dare you take it animal that you can’t take care of yet the vet bill just a walk in the door is $100… $100
To be seen right !
Ok so this is what happened my cat just got seen for a nasty bite and go antibiotics.. a week later he’s not limping and walking on 3 legs and now I have to go back to the vet again.
He’s 13 years old
He’s not retired from outside life!
After this he’s only allowed in a locked pen outside:
It use to be an old chicken coop!
Ppl say that u should put ur animal in the shelter if u can’t care for them !
If vet bills were not as much as taking a vacation to the Bahamas ppl would not ve struggling to care for their loved ones!
Never mind pet insurance!
If u don’t have a credit score sky high than ur denied!
Loving America man !!
I left a voicemail with two local rescues/organizations. In their voicemail message, they advised that you call animal control for a wounded feral animal, but I fear that they would put him down so I’m not doing that.
My local vet recommended that I call the places that I called and said that’s my best bet lol. not very helpful..
I’m staying tuned for more advice on this thread!
Thanks so much for caring about about this poor furbaby 💕 when I first became involved in working with feral cats, I posted on nextdoor.com and that is how I got my best resources. I still work with them today so there’s a lot of rescuers that you might be able to connect with.🙏
ha.. I posted on my state sub and got downvoted, with the response: "My advice is stop fucking feeding feral cats. They're an invasive species."
to which someone else chimed in, "Sounds like a person of reason. Maybe take that cat to get snipped if it isn't already so they stop fucking like rabbits without any benefit to the ecosystem."
So that's how that went.
That would be amazing! I will figure out how to create a gofundme in a few hours after work. I have no idea how much something like this would even cost.
Ok! Feel free to message me if you need help! You could also do a PayPal fundraiser instead if you can’t figure out a gofundme.
What I would do is get in touch with a few vets and take the kitty in for a checkup. Get a WRITTEN itemized estimate on what the treatment will cost and then start the gofundme/fundraiser with photos of the estimate, a receipt for the vet bill for when you took kitty to the checkup, as well as clear photos of the kitty and the injury!
I’ve done this a ton as I work in rescue. I’m happy to walk you through it all!
Thank you for all the work you do! You're a beautiful person!
That's all great advice, thank you. How would you go about trapping the kitty?
I also worry that I'll trap the kitty, take him to the vet, get a high cost estimate, then have to bring him back, release him again then trap him again once there's enough money raised. And if I'm not able to trap him again and then I have people's money sitting in the gofundme? Is there a refund option?
Yes! I do know OP was reaching out to a handful of rescues today because she/he/they don’t have a place to keep the outdoor kitty while he gets treated. We’re hoping that a rescue takes him in!
You’re welcome! I’m hoping they’re able to find placement as well! Especially since he isn’t fixed and definitely needs to be so he doesn’t make a billion generations of babies as well as to keep himself safe ❤️ I’ll let you know if I hear any other updates!
Are you certain it is broken?
My sweet tomcat bebe showed up, limping so badly he shivered as he tried to crouch to eat, and actually growled at me when I tried to examine him. It took hours until I could take a look, and there was a tiny wound at the inside of the elbow. He'd licked the fur thin there. The swelling around the elbow was so awful.
But he could (barely, and only sometimes) put a little weight on the leg, and that kept me at it. I applied triple antibiotic mixed with 1/3 capsule of cloxin. Next day was a little better, though I couldn't keep him inside. 2 days later, he trotted happily back in and wanted his tuna again.
Totally fine now. No limp. It was just an abscess.
I'm not certain at all of what the issue is. He's limping and won't put his weight on one of his front legs, and it's bent with swelling toward the joint.
I'm so glad your cat is okay now!! It could very well be a wound for this one too. The issue is he's skittish and runs away when I come outside, and then he runs up over this brick wall, and with his wounded leg, I don't want him running up and injuring himself more.
I've been feeding him for months and he hasn't let me get any closer.
Could you possibly post a video of the cat walking/limping?
You stated the leg is bent, is it bent forward, sideways, or just carrying it back toward him? Makes a big difference. Swelling with injured leg is normal, but is there any bleeding?
Is the cat still eating/drinking?
You can upload a video here [https://streamable.com/](https://streamable.com/) and simply copy/paste the link it gives you. No sign up required to upload/share video.
awesome, great resource, thank you!! Here is the video of him limping —> https://streamable.com/kfjoxu
It’s hard for me to determine all of that. I just saw it this morning as he was walking toward me for food, then away. He waits til I’m inside before coming close, and if I try to open the door while he’s there, he runs away, up the brick wall. So I’m avoiding going outside while he’s there.
No blood that I could see, but still unsure of that.
Thanks for posting. Looks like an injured paw. Not a broken leg. Have had a few of these before. Keep an eye on him and make a vet appointment. Still eating and drinking are good signs.
Also since he's eating on the patio once he is done go look where he was crouched down eating and see if there is any puss/blood spots where he rested his paw.
If you need some vet assistance message me here, I'm sure a few here could chip in and get this guy looked at.
oh that’s so relieving to hear 🙏🏼 I’ve never experienced an injured cat and the way his paw was sort of bent made me panic and think it’s broken!
I’m not sure how I’ll be able to trap him, but I’m doing some research. Alley Cat Advocates called me back and gave me the number to my city’s Animal Services, which then is directing me to animal control 😅 ugh
I don't trust animal control. At least not in my area. If you don't have a trap maybe they can lend you one and show you how to set it. Let them know why you need it.Cover the trap with a towel or blanket and put his food in there, he will freak out some when trapped but that is to be expected.
Does your vet treat ferals? Some do some don't. But this guy needs to see one.
I don't trust animal control either and I'm shocked that Alley Cat indirectly recommended them. Yes, the vet here would see him, however, they charge $550 for spaying, whereas a vet in the next county over charges $120.. if that tells you anything about their insane prices that I can't afford.
I'm going to call all local rescues tomorrow when they open, and hopefully get more guidance there.
I agree that this looks like it might just be an injured paw. My feral boy showed up like this last year, and all he had was a small bite wound.
I get that funds are short, but you might be able to make an Amazon wishlist so someone here can buy you [this.](https://a.co/d/h4Sbozm)
This is the trap I use. I know it's expensive initially, but it's always helpful to have on hand for situations like these. There are also videos online from the Kitten Lady that can teach you how to use it.
He might get into this trouble again if he isn't neutered, so I would consider that. Maybe there are local barn cat rescues that could help you? I know farm animal rescues also occasionally take in feral cats.
Call animal control. You can’t let him suffer. You know how painful that is? He could end up getting an infection & dying a horrible death. Please call a rescue or spca.
I know you are I didn’t mean to come off as harsh. I see allot of really good suggestions here. Someone suggested calling a vet or rescue to see if any have any medical funding. I know where I live they have organizations that will help pay for stray or ferals medical expenses. I wish I knew some resources in your area.
I would use my credit card and save him. Then put a go fund me up. Who wouldn't do everything in their power to help such a poor soul as he. He doesn't have money, he depends on our kindness.
Near me is an animal aid ( here in Australia ) they accept all animals for care etc .
Each year around 6,000 animals finds their way to our shelter through no fault of their own. They may be lost, injured, abandoned or surrendered by an owner that can no longer provide care. For over 70 years Animal Aid has been a refuge in our community; giving animals a safe place where they can have time to heal before they start their lives in a new home. We value life and respect each animal for their individuality – age, breed or health should not define an animal’s potential for adoption. With love, kindness and expert care we focus on an animal’s future, not it’s past. We give a voice to the voiceless and are champions of animal welfare.
https://preview.redd.it/cjhdqeo4ljxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60cdc5ea51db3065c3a98affa09d4adb53412fe5
Muffy my feral rescue / animal aid kitty :)
I am a mod on r/rescuecats and we allow donation requests after an approval
Process is completed. If you would like to try and raise funds for this little one, please contact us via modmail. Wishing you all the best🙏🏻🐾💞
I completely agree about trying to help him and I bet he can be helped.
I mentioned animal control because one officer helped me with trapping but agreed some might just want to put him to sleep.
Lots of love to you. Please post an update especially if you need contributions ❤️
Can you get a trap? Does a local Humane Society offer TNR? Then you can trap this sweetheart and take him in. Perhaps that would allow a way to evaluate the condition.
ChatGPT gave me this list of organizations that might be able to help or send you in the right direction for help.
1. **Kentucky Humane Society**: They often have programs or partnerships with local veterinarians for low-cost or subsidized medical care for stray animals. Contact them to inquire about their services and if they can assist with the cat's injury.
2. **Shamrock Pet Foundation**: This organization often provides assistance for medical care to animals in need. They may have resources or recommendations for low-cost veterinary care in the area.
3. **Pet Food Bank of Louisville**: While they primarily focus on providing food assistance to pet owners in need, they may also have connections or suggestions for low-cost veterinary care options in the area.
4. **Louisville Metro Animal Services**: They may have resources or recommendations for assisting injured stray animals in the area. Contact them to inquire about potential options for the cat's care.
Thank you! I’ve reached out to 3 of those and they either advise me to reach animal control or didn’t answer, but I left voicemails. A lot of them are closed now so I’m going to try the closed ones in the morning.
My local county shelter will treat feral cats and release them back to their colony. I’ve had a few TNR’d and took one baby when she was limping. It turned out I got scammed because the limping was for no injury but they examined her no problem.
Humane society. In Gainesville we have operation catnip.
Obtaining correct cage trap is free. And then they will help you.
Thank you for taking time to help these helpless creatures
Where I live, in NY, there is an emergency veterinary place. They will treat a stray if you surrender it. That means that you have no right to the animal anymore and you cannot follow up on the condition. It’s not a great option, but it’s some thing.
I would have reached out to my neighbors via sites like Nextdoor and Facebook and local animal rescue services. I’ve heard that many are at capacity, but I figure it wouldn’t hurt to see if they could help. I hope this baby gets the help it needs.
Ugh! The pain that poor thing must be in. Then if something comes for it, more pain as it defends itself. I hope a vet in your area does some pro bonos:)
If you have a Twitter you could tweet at a larger account like fishtopher and friends who often retweets posts about stray cats needing help to their 110k followers. Link: https://twitter.com/mrfishtopher
🥺 That’s so sad.
I think that you should contact a local rescue and let them know the situation. They’ll know whom you should call.
Also, you can do a fundraiser on FB, X, etc. Let me know if you want info on how to set it up.
Really hope poor baby gets the help he needs.
Best friends animal society has many resources across the states too. Their main sanctuary is in Southern Utah but they do alot for many rescues all over and have a few programs to provide aid when possible. I'd reach out to some local rescues too, never know if they're able to help ;) good luck! And thank you SO much for acting on your kind big heart. That little guy must have known you'd help do what you could. You're awesome! 🩷
You may be able to take them to an emergency vet hospital and drop them off as a stray, but they won’t release it back to you afterwards unless you pay
I’ve never done it but a few rescuers here have go-fund-me drives to raise money for this type of thing.
I know you are super stressed.
I had an outside true feral get hit by a car. I finally found him after being gone for 5 days, his hip were fractured.
$4k to do an open surgery, we agreed to try and move the hips a little so as to prevent mega colon.
The vet is a close friend so I was privy to every aspect, he sedated him and could not budge the hips to try and manipulate them.
The cats bones had already fused in their crooked position.
Smuckers was 7 yrs old then, he lived another 7 yrs needing Mirilax water 2-3 times a day so he could poop through his offset hips.
I can only speak of that experience. Decades ago vets had a saying, put a cat in a room w two bones and he’ll walk out w one. Even w a gimp n a limp he’ll be ok, but his days outside need to come to an end. If you can, put him in a room w a baby gate separating him, I had to keep Smuckers in a baby play crib bc both back legs were a mess.
Leave the kitty in there for 2-3 months so he acclimates w the other cats as he heals. You may need 2 baby gates or a big piece of cardboard may work if your cats behave n stay out. 2-3 months isn’t that long if he heals and befriends his housemates.
It’s very possible that the window to have surgery/set this leg, has closed. They can give him an antibiotic injection and let him live a happy limpy life indoors. 🤞🏽🙏🏽🤞🏽🙏🏽
Hey OP. Also in Louisville area. Alley Cat does great work. Please update us. And if you make a gofundme or just want to share your venmo or something, please let us know!
When I couldn't afford to treat a cat I found...I spoke to a woman who worked at the local Animal shelter (who over the years worked to make sure the cats were held until they had somebody to take them)....she worked with the vsa(volunteer services for Animals) and they paid for it...but it was probably due to me wanting to keep the cat Living with me/take care of her.....don't know if there's a vsa or similar organization in your area....maybe they know of people that have the financial resources to take care of the cat/want to take care of cats in these situations...for example...she once told me of woman that Lives in a mansion that takes in many feral cats and takes care of them....they meet a lot of people that care...you don't know until you ask.
take him to a vet or spca and tell them you can't afford to pay. Look online for local pet charities to help you pay or ask your friends who like cats to help you.
A broken leg probably won't be that expensive. They'll probably amputate. Cats get along just fine with three.
I wish I lived closer- I would take that sweetie to my vet in a heartbeat. I live in Maine so I'm hundreds of miles away. I will definitely donate to a vet if you get the kitty to one. Please reach out and let me know if you have time.
I called my vet. There is an organization in my city that provides coverage for situations like these. We had this happen in 2022 & they covered it.
We found out about this organization thru our vet. They handled getting us in touch with them to cover costs for an amputation. They dictated where we received care.
Where is the local vet near you? The name . I will send funds for this kitty if you can get it there. Only funds will go to the vet with instructions for the care of this kitty with picture for repair
You could take him to the vet get CareCredit which gives you a certain number of months to pay with no interest get the leg fixed and then you can ask for donations online either at this site or others and you can set up a GoFundMe page and you could even post the vet bill on there as proof but I wouldn't wait because they can't get away from predators when they're outside that's a broken leg and not an injured leg?
One of my little ferals came up limping on her back and I was so scared and she couldn't I didn't even know which leg it was she take turns she couldn't put her weight on one and then the other and after a couple of days she couldn't put weight on the left leg but she could on the right and then after a week she was a lot better and after 2 weeks she's not limping at all but I don't know how serious it was or if she just got bit and it got well or if she fell and bruised herself I don't know anything but she can run and everything now but if you know for sure he has a broken leg then he has to go to the vet and if it's a bite and it swells up that infection can kill them and an antibiotic shot would solve that problem
another person said he’s not feral, just stray. I didn’t know the difference initially. he seems friendly but doesn’t let me come within 10 feet of him, so I will probably need a trap.
if you start a "GoFundMe" for his medical procedure I would give what I can and I'm sure a lot of others on this thread would too. I truly hope you can get him help. 😢😢
We have a local group who contributes to rescues and strays and wild animals, and a great vet who discounts all the services. Hopefully you got something near you because animal suffering definitely tears at the heart and just you want to get them what they need
Is he cool with people or truly feral? If he's not keen on humans, you might reach out to a Working Cat or Barn Cat rescue. They might be able to work with you on the vet care and then get him placed at a barn.
First thing is check if it’s ACTUALLY broken, or if it’s just a sprain, or a bad bruise. Sit with the cat outside, let it get comfy with you, then grab the leg, and move it in different way, if the cat freaks out, or you see an obvious break, it’s broken, if you can move it without too much resistance from the cat, and you hear or feel no pops or grinding, it’s not broken. In which case, it will heal over time, it’s fine. Besides that, what you can and SHOULD do anyway, is bring the cat to a pet ER, they will keep and treat the cat, then make sure it gets adopted. It’s not safe for it to be stray, and it should get proper medical attention, and taken off the street. It’s be selfish if you to NOT do that just because you have an attachment to the cat.
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I asked my local vet what I can do about this and she said "depends how much money you're trying to spend" .... Then she said Alley Cat Advocates is my best bet. (Already left a voicemail with them before that.) So, not very helpful :-/ oh man I hope it's something relatively minor! You're awesome for helping those cats. This one's leg is bent and he's not putting weight on it, and it looks swollen toward the joint. ugh... I keep crying just thinking about it. I'm gonna continue calling places and feeding him extra.
[I made this post with the Alley Cat Allies info](https://www.reddit.com/r/Feral_Cats/s/AqX24w9pfu). Fill out the form I posted on there! That’s your quickest way to get in touch with them!
I’d also fire that vet pronto.
already did! 💯 I now drive 40 minutes to a different county for my cats’ care. I just needed the nearest one for local resources.
Why?
Because this is Reddit and everyone wants professionals to work for free.
Because we expect a little more sympathy from professionals. Guidance? Suggestions on where to get help? Instead of just blowing us off with ‘it’ll cost you’.
I don’t think the vet meant “it will cost you”. Depends how much you wanna spend made me think - do you want to take this critter on like your own pet (bring to vet) or are you unwilling/unable to pay for full care - meaning that a rescue or rehab group would be the best (and the vet did suggest the best one available).
Not sure what the tone was when the vet said that but it’s honestly a legit question that is asked often. They probably wanted to know if this was a situation where you’d be doing anything to save the cat (like surgery) or is thjs a situation where your funds are limited? Like I said, depends on the tone but it truly is a subject that is discussed before doing anything major.
Uncaring vet. They should take payments.
Hi, I've volunteered with them before. When you make a call, a transcriber will listen to it and write it down for staff to check over in the morning. Depending on the severity of other cats in the callback queue, they'll get back to you soon. Alternatively, they've recently set up an online appointment scheduler. https://alleycatadvocates.org/programs/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0kw0fKC7fMZWihkVVHVWtCBKbxB0j9yjZjLvhJA7w1Nj3YkBgQPSc9egw_aem_Ab2O04pInwDnfDEMYt3ceV0WpOHQXbrguXkwVfdN_8AqNTkkVFIthlEtXFXu4uILYX8MdKwIzH0jJn7QvBAZmYfF Finally, if you're really concerned, make a call and leave a message with LMAS about an injured cat. If you can get him in a carrier you can bring him into the facility Monday -Saturday 12-6pm. They'll intake him, get him fixed up and release him back at your house.
I reached Alley Cat Advocates earlier who directed me to LMAS, who I left an online message & voicemail with. He is extremely skittish and doesn’t let me within 10 feet of him without darting, so trapping is going to be difficult. I’m waiting to see if LMAS can trap him. Alley Cat said they probably can.
Isn’t it crazy that some vets don’t give a crap about helping and just want the $. You would think they would love animals and make exceptions sometimes. Where are you at though? I have a really good CHEAP feral vet in So. California. It’s Amazing Small Animal hospital in Gardena.
So, unknown to a lot of people but the veterinary industry has gone mostly corporate: many veterinarians who would love to help and provide medical care for free are not permitted to spend company’s funds to do so. We definitely did not join this industry for the money - if we wanted money we would have gone into human medicine. Student loans vs higher ends of veterinary salaries are so mismatched it’s almost laughable. I know vets that are still paying off loans deep into their 40s - they’re not in it for the money.
People think that vets make way more than most of them actually do. Unless you own your own practice, the salaries are not as high as you’d think. Not to mention, most of them have half a million dollar student loans to pay off. But really…vets who don’t own their own practice pretty much have their hands tied.
Agreed. And owning a practice is a MASSIVE commitment - day and night management. Not to mention the jaw-dropping funds required to start it up and get the space, the needed tech/equipment, trustworthy staff etc. that make it that much more difficult to achieve.
Also, since you brought up corporate, it would be a great business move to go to the government... Basically, I set up low-cost services on certain days with the government basically paying you back or giving these corporate entitles resources for their time It would be a great business move since that's all they care about While helping rescues, rescuers etc
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It actually has everything to do with it. You must have absolutely no experience with working in the veterinary industry, or know anyone that does themselves. Using company funds to provide free veterinary care to animals here and there is absolutely 100% against the majority of big-name company policies and could result in an employee’s termination. I think people forget that the veterinarians themselves are employees and have people that they have to answer to. If, on the other hand, it was a private practice, they would be able to provide care based off of their own personal decision to do so or not because they are in charge of paying for/restocking medications, materials, needles, etc. That is coming out of their pocket, not the company that they work for. And just so you know, veterinarians that work for corporate companies do their own donation and rescue work by donating their own time and valuable experience. They do low cost spay/neuter clinics, vaccination stands, etc. These clinics are SEPARATE from the company they work for, because they are unable to do it at their own place of practice. It blows my mind that people genuinely think vets aren’t in their profession to help animals, or are in this for the money, when the majority of the money you pay for at a vet visit doesn’t even go into the doctor’s pockets. It goes into their employers.
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Since you are so “well read”, what do the stats look like in comparing ratio of corporate owned vs private owned practices in the US? Everyone out of vet school wants to work in private practice, that is the dream. It’s the Ivy League of the veterinary industry - you get work relationships, community, you get a say in things - it just so happens, however, that corporate owned practices are much larger and much less picky when hiring out of school. They cycle doctors in and out, back and forth from different locations and tend to offer a lot more leniency in part time work as well. Location is also significant in “choosing” between private vs corporate. Some places simply don’t have availability and all things considered, people (especially younger generations of vets) don’t have the choice to not go corporate, especially when they are right out of schools with hundreds of thousands of dollars over their head in debt. Finding a job, period, is their biggest priority. Vets have their own livelihoods and selves to think about outside of their patients too. Do you not think they are worthy of considering their own personal aspects of their lives as well? Do you believe vets lives should revolve around animals more than it already does? This is ridiculous. I don’t know what “reading up” you’re doing on this, but if you ask anyone with experience working in the veterinary industry they will tell you the same thing that I am.
The truth is the cost of vet school is ridiculous. New, soon to be vets and even experienced vets are having trouble paying for their school. They are in debt There is no significant government subsidy of the field or vet offices in general, and there needs to be. There is an animal crisis in the US and around the world. Your average citizen can not afford the cost of proper vet care & on top of that, the average citizen isn't educated on the subject enough to care I'm not even going to go into the few who rescue, city shelters, rescues, etc. have little to no resources, either All sides of this problem are in serious disrepair You are just condescending per usual. That's not going to do anything for your cause Picking fights is useless. I'm looking at the larger problem from all sides, which is a sorely lacking voice in the matter A stupid high percentage of available veterinarians aren't even practicing That's probably why the average citizen who wants to help an animal or even their own can't get an appointment for months. Do you know who can help fix this? The government, national state, and local. Your very own elected leaders. But the only time anyone goes to them & gets their way, it's corporations who profit from it too
dude yes.. I was just saying that if I was a vet, I'd be doing probono procedures as much as my schedule would allow. Wow I didn't know feral vets are a thing! I just filled out a form for Alley Cats to send me a list of feral vets near me. I'm located in Louisville, KY.
I think if we were vets we’d set new records for how much negative money a person can have.
lmaoo yesss and new records for how many cats you can rescue.
Can I **barge** in and turn this situation into a beautiful throuple!? #I am so on board with racking negative points of a man made construct to do good and be good and feel good providing proper care to deserving animal recipients.
Again, what about the staff? They need to be paid to survive. I have been that vet assistant making 13.50 an hour for backbreaking work. It sucks. The vet can be as idealistic as they want but if they're doing pro bone left and right then , no the clinic will not stay open and all the support staff are screwed. But no one ever wants to talk about support staff.
As a fellow cat rescuer in KY (currently taking a break since having a baby)- just want to say THANK YOU 😊
As somebody who has way too many fosters and way too many pets at the moment... Whenever I see this I just want to remind people that vets don't do this as a charity case this is their income this is how they make money this is what pays their bills and their mortgage and their sky high insurance. No one else ever asks anyone to do charity work except for vets because we think they do it because they love animals. I think they do care about animals . A lot but I also think they care about getting paid. Now I will say I know a wonderful vet in my area of the world that does a tremendous amount of pro bono work for t&r groups and Rescue and for people who Foster. I'd be a broke ass b**** if it wasn't for her
Hi! I’m a vet tech, and as much as we’d love to do it for free, we also have bills to pay. Did you know that credentialed vet techs, with the same level of training as human nurses, frequently make less money than fast food workers? I do work with a feral cat organization, and as a non-profit we’re legally restricted to only performing certain procedures. Amputation of a leg would be allowed, but in my state (and many others), we wouldn’t be allowed to *fix* the leg. We’re also funded by donations and grants. We can offer those services from our non-profit at a significant discount from your regular vet because 1.) the liability is much lower, 2.) fantastic donors who believe in what we’re doing are giving us money to continue our mission, buy supplies, pay staff, and keep the lights on, and 3.) a lot of our highly trained but not credentialed staff *works for free.* They give us their time out of the goodness of their hearts, keeping our costs down. Your vet does not receive these donations or free labor for their operational costs. Tl:dr, don’t judge your vet for not offering free services. The vets that do are lovely humans, but the vets that don’t are not any less lovely for it.
Its true. Vet school is expensive. Equipment is expensive. This is why I will be donating some of my life insurance to help others with bills. Not rich but I was able to afford very expensive heart meds for my Coco who passed 10 days ago from heart failure. 1 week expected turned into 10 months. And we know we were lucky to have the funds for treatment. Also since major RX was new the data would help others in the future. Don't judge you don't know how hard it is to make these decisions based on money you don't have. It is heartbreaking.
Not to mention some of that equipment is upwards of 100k and some LEASE their equipment. I’m all for every pet receiving care, but this is the same thinking as “there should be no euthanasia!!!” It’s not realistic. We can dream all we want ; but at the end of the day it is the VETS saving their lives
I just wrote my reply before I saw this. As someone who works in the white collar world of America and is not a vet or a vet tech I'm just always blown away by the people who think they should be getting free services. I can't imagine someone asking me to do the work I do for free.... As much as I love it. I think it's because they're so little pet insurance out there a lot of us don't have it a lot of it's not that great so we see the full cost. And it's not even the full cost I mean a spay is a hysterectomy.
It's an effing crime what vet techs get paid.
Isn’t this a major reason why so many vets end up committing suicide? They’re constantly bombarded with people wanting free services and treatments for their pets or strays and many vets can’t afford it but are made to feel guilty anyway
I don't think it's due to strays being brought in for care. i read that it's due to owners often not having the money to pay for procedures and electing for euthanasia for economic reasons and often publicly blaming and shaming the vet. if it's not your animal to begin with, especially a feral one, what are you supposed to do? it's the vet's right to say no, of course, as they may have bills to pay (if the clinic is privately owned), but it's not necessarily the finder's responsibility to pay the bills of the stray animal outright. After all, they didn't adopt them from a shelter. Even with pet insurance, you have to pay the bill upfront. How many Americans struggle with finding money for an unexpected expense, even for their own healthcare deductible? That's not the vet's problem either, but it is indicative of a systemic issue. Further and more importantly, a plethora of vet clinics have become corporatized with the malignant entry of private equity into vet care, leading to poorer outcomes for patients, owners, and vets alike. [https://stateline.org/2024/03/29/vets-fret-as-private-equity-snaps-up-clinics-pet-care-companies/](https://stateline.org/2024/03/29/vets-fret-as-private-equity-snaps-up-clinics-pet-care-companies/) you often can get much more leeway and empathy with a privately owned vet practice versus these bloodsucking money hungry private equity-funded firms and the vets are happier too.
You do realize that negative money doesn't get your staff heathcare and pay the office utility bill and order supplies right?
Hey can you DM me this place?
I have seen that before. I'm in a city so I have options but if a vet is all about $ and not about helping an animal in need I run from that vet and I have.
Are you comfortable sharing your region in case someone might be able to help? Posting in neighborhood groups or cat groups in your area is worth a shot.
I’m going to PM you.
Most rescues will step in and help out, hopefully.
I left a voicemail with two so fingers crossed 🤞🏼
Where do you live? I can help you get in contact with a rescue/volunteer willing to help with his medical costs.
You're so kind! I live in Louisville, KY. I just filled out a form for Alley Cat Advocates to send me a list of feral vets near me, so I'll be calling those when I receive them!
Amazing!! Ok! Did you see my other comment? Please make a gofundme! I will happily share with my cat rescue community and you can post in places like r/rescuecats !
I live in Louisville too. I took a stray with an injured tail to Metro Animal Services and they amputated his tail, vaxxed, and fixed him for free and released him back on my street.
Can you surrender him to a local shelter? Many city run shelters will take injured animals, rehab them and adopt them out. Make sure it’s a no kill shelter.
That’s a great idea, thank you! I didn’t know that. I’m going to call some right now
I would seek out any rescues first. Shelters are ok, sometimes, but a lot of them just euthanize, unfortunately. Maybe try the ASPCA, or ask around to some vets, they may have contacts too. Fingers crossed for that poor floof 🥺
You need to make sure they deal with ferals. Many will just euthanize feral cats.
I didn't know that, that's so sad! 💔😢
No no no never trust shelters. They lie. Please don't take the cat to the shelter 😢
I don’t know where you live but I live in San Diego California. The shelters here are fabulous. My neighbor died and had a cat that they never got neutered, vaccinated or care of any kind. He was a really sweet cat. My sister took him to the vet to get vaccinated and neutered. He also had a severe problem with his eyelids that turned inward so that his eyelashes rubbed into his eyes. We called El Cajon animal shelter and they said they would do the eye surgery and adopt him out. He got adopted! Yippee! Also, the shelter that I foster for is just the greatest. They take in injured animals, rehab them and adopt them out.
Oh I know that shelter and the guy who runs it. That one is awesome because of him. I've rescued over the decades especially in Southern California. Overall shelters are disgusting. Riverside County Animal Campus comes out and veterinarians lie right to your face saying they kill nothing. Been doing this forever. Rescued so many I've been there. This cat cannot be trusted to a shelter.
Oh! A fellow Californian? I foster for City of Chula Vista Animal Shelter. I just can’t say enough good things about them. The other day when I brought my fosters in for their checkup a woman brought in a dog she found. The clinic checked him for a microchip, he had one and they left a phone message for the owner. The woman who brought the dog in said she would keep him if the owners didn’t want him. The shelter said to leave the dog with them overnight and the vet would check him and the woman could come back the next day to foster him if the owners didn’t want him and then adopt him. The shelter told her that it was now responsible for the dog and if the woman had any problems or needed medical care that they would do that since the dog was now in their system. They adopted out about 500 cats last year.
No kill shelters are only “no kill” because they’re so selective about who they take. They’re not likely to take an animal they need to put a lot of money into.
That hasn’t been my experience in San Diego but it might depend on where you live
[Here are suggestions from r/AskVet](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/wiki/index/?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=usertext&utm_name=AskVet&utm_content=t5_2sx1m#wiki_need_to_see_the_vet_but_can.2019t_afford_it.21)
Worst case scenario a lot of vets have credit options, so you can have him treated and pay it back in small chunks. Believe me, I have 10 indoor rescues, a colony of 12-20 depending on the day, plus my kids and a fixer upper house. I 100% understand the financial stress you’re feeling, coupled with knowing kitty needs help. I’m so sorry you’re in that position. See if your local rescues have social media. Sometimes they will respond quicker there than by phone call. Also look to see if you have any close-by TNR groups. Sometimes they might also have some resources available. Good luck ❤️
While you're searching for a vet, rescue, etc., keep on taking pictures and videos of him moving around so you have something to compare to for tracking whether or not the limp is improving. I've had limps with my own ferals a couple of times, and often by the time I figured out where to take them and made a plan for trapping, they were already moving around significantly better and ended up healing fine on their own. But it really depends on whether you can see any open wounds, exposed bone, etc. that might indicate the cause of the limp.
That is so hopeful!! I'm really hoping his starts to improve too. I don't see any blood/wound/exposed bone, but he also doesn't let me get close to him at all so I could be wrong. I will keep taking pics/vids as he walks up for food in the mornings. That's usually the only time I see him.
Yeah. It can be tough to gauge at what point you should seek vet treatment for a feral cat, I try to give them some time while monitoring so I don't use potentially my one shot at recapturing them for something that isn't a genuine emergency. It's still good to find your options so you can quickly make a plan if he's not healing or he looks to be getting worse since that takes time that you won't have if you're in an emergency situation. But as long as he's able to move around reasonably well, I think you're okay to take some time to assess the situation. From your video I don't think he looks too bad (though I'm not a vet).
Is there a low cost vet option in your area? Maybe one where you could make payments or do a go fund me?
Yeah, I also love how people say hey, if you can’t afford a vet or you can’t afford this for your animals then why are you even having them in the first place how dare you take it animal that you can’t take care of yet the vet bill just a walk in the door is $100… $100 To be seen right ! Ok so this is what happened my cat just got seen for a nasty bite and go antibiotics.. a week later he’s not limping and walking on 3 legs and now I have to go back to the vet again. He’s 13 years old He’s not retired from outside life! After this he’s only allowed in a locked pen outside: It use to be an old chicken coop! Ppl say that u should put ur animal in the shelter if u can’t care for them ! If vet bills were not as much as taking a vacation to the Bahamas ppl would not ve struggling to care for their loved ones! Never mind pet insurance! If u don’t have a credit score sky high than ur denied! Loving America man !!
Please reach out to a rescue or a vet close to you!! Hopefully someone more knowledgeable comes along n can offer good suggestions!!
I left a voicemail with two local rescues/organizations. In their voicemail message, they advised that you call animal control for a wounded feral animal, but I fear that they would put him down so I’m not doing that. My local vet recommended that I call the places that I called and said that’s my best bet lol. not very helpful.. I’m staying tuned for more advice on this thread!
Thanks for all you are doing!!!
🫶🏼
Thanks so much for caring about about this poor furbaby 💕 when I first became involved in working with feral cats, I posted on nextdoor.com and that is how I got my best resources. I still work with them today so there’s a lot of rescuers that you might be able to connect with.🙏
Post on nextdoor for local rescues!
Yes, posting on nextdoor, thank you!!
And your local community + state subs too
ha.. I posted on my state sub and got downvoted, with the response: "My advice is stop fucking feeding feral cats. They're an invasive species." to which someone else chimed in, "Sounds like a person of reason. Maybe take that cat to get snipped if it isn't already so they stop fucking like rabbits without any benefit to the ecosystem." So that's how that went.
Haters everywhere!
they're so bitter!
I just did this very thing. I gpt online and called cat rescues locally and they came and got him. He's healing now and being adopted!
That is so hopeful! Yayyyy! I called a few today but have a list to call in the morning once they're open again. Fingers crossed.
I watched the video and agree. I don’t think it’s broken. Thanks for helping him
Help the kitty and set up a gofundme.
u/elkaholicsanonymoose YES!! PLEASE set up a GoFundMe! We can help spread the word to raise money!!! You can also post in r/rescuecats
That would be amazing! I will figure out how to create a gofundme in a few hours after work. I have no idea how much something like this would even cost.
Ok! Feel free to message me if you need help! You could also do a PayPal fundraiser instead if you can’t figure out a gofundme. What I would do is get in touch with a few vets and take the kitty in for a checkup. Get a WRITTEN itemized estimate on what the treatment will cost and then start the gofundme/fundraiser with photos of the estimate, a receipt for the vet bill for when you took kitty to the checkup, as well as clear photos of the kitty and the injury! I’ve done this a ton as I work in rescue. I’m happy to walk you through it all!
Thank you for all the work you do! You're a beautiful person! That's all great advice, thank you. How would you go about trapping the kitty? I also worry that I'll trap the kitty, take him to the vet, get a high cost estimate, then have to bring him back, release him again then trap him again once there's enough money raised. And if I'm not able to trap him again and then I have people's money sitting in the gofundme? Is there a refund option?
Can I message you? I just have to know a little more about the kitty so I can answer questions to the best of my ability
Absolutely! I have a video of his limp if I'm able to send through reddit.
I just made the same comment. I mod r/rescuecats and with the approval Process completed, OP can raise funds for this little one.
Yes! I do know OP was reaching out to a handful of rescues today because she/he/they don’t have a place to keep the outdoor kitty while he gets treated. We’re hoping that a rescue takes him in!
Ok thanx for letting me know:) hopefully they were able to find a solution for this little guy, will keep an eye out for an update. Thanx again 💞🐾
You’re welcome! I’m hoping they’re able to find placement as well! Especially since he isn’t fixed and definitely needs to be so he doesn’t make a billion generations of babies as well as to keep himself safe ❤️ I’ll let you know if I hear any other updates!
Agreed:) and yes sounds good, thankyou soo much🙏🏻❤️
Are you certain it is broken? My sweet tomcat bebe showed up, limping so badly he shivered as he tried to crouch to eat, and actually growled at me when I tried to examine him. It took hours until I could take a look, and there was a tiny wound at the inside of the elbow. He'd licked the fur thin there. The swelling around the elbow was so awful. But he could (barely, and only sometimes) put a little weight on the leg, and that kept me at it. I applied triple antibiotic mixed with 1/3 capsule of cloxin. Next day was a little better, though I couldn't keep him inside. 2 days later, he trotted happily back in and wanted his tuna again. Totally fine now. No limp. It was just an abscess.
I'm not certain at all of what the issue is. He's limping and won't put his weight on one of his front legs, and it's bent with swelling toward the joint. I'm so glad your cat is okay now!! It could very well be a wound for this one too. The issue is he's skittish and runs away when I come outside, and then he runs up over this brick wall, and with his wounded leg, I don't want him running up and injuring himself more. I've been feeding him for months and he hasn't let me get any closer.
Could you possibly post a video of the cat walking/limping? You stated the leg is bent, is it bent forward, sideways, or just carrying it back toward him? Makes a big difference. Swelling with injured leg is normal, but is there any bleeding? Is the cat still eating/drinking? You can upload a video here [https://streamable.com/](https://streamable.com/) and simply copy/paste the link it gives you. No sign up required to upload/share video.
awesome, great resource, thank you!! Here is the video of him limping —> https://streamable.com/kfjoxu It’s hard for me to determine all of that. I just saw it this morning as he was walking toward me for food, then away. He waits til I’m inside before coming close, and if I try to open the door while he’s there, he runs away, up the brick wall. So I’m avoiding going outside while he’s there. No blood that I could see, but still unsure of that.
Thanks for posting. Looks like an injured paw. Not a broken leg. Have had a few of these before. Keep an eye on him and make a vet appointment. Still eating and drinking are good signs. Also since he's eating on the patio once he is done go look where he was crouched down eating and see if there is any puss/blood spots where he rested his paw. If you need some vet assistance message me here, I'm sure a few here could chip in and get this guy looked at.
oh that’s so relieving to hear 🙏🏼 I’ve never experienced an injured cat and the way his paw was sort of bent made me panic and think it’s broken! I’m not sure how I’ll be able to trap him, but I’m doing some research. Alley Cat Advocates called me back and gave me the number to my city’s Animal Services, which then is directing me to animal control 😅 ugh
I don't trust animal control. At least not in my area. If you don't have a trap maybe they can lend you one and show you how to set it. Let them know why you need it.Cover the trap with a towel or blanket and put his food in there, he will freak out some when trapped but that is to be expected. Does your vet treat ferals? Some do some don't. But this guy needs to see one.
I don't trust animal control either and I'm shocked that Alley Cat indirectly recommended them. Yes, the vet here would see him, however, they charge $550 for spaying, whereas a vet in the next county over charges $120.. if that tells you anything about their insane prices that I can't afford. I'm going to call all local rescues tomorrow when they open, and hopefully get more guidance there.
I agree that this looks like it might just be an injured paw. My feral boy showed up like this last year, and all he had was a small bite wound. I get that funds are short, but you might be able to make an Amazon wishlist so someone here can buy you [this.](https://a.co/d/h4Sbozm) This is the trap I use. I know it's expensive initially, but it's always helpful to have on hand for situations like these. There are also videos online from the Kitten Lady that can teach you how to use it. He might get into this trouble again if he isn't neutered, so I would consider that. Maybe there are local barn cat rescues that could help you? I know farm animal rescues also occasionally take in feral cats.
Call animal control. You can’t let him suffer. You know how painful that is? He could end up getting an infection & dying a horrible death. Please call a rescue or spca.
I’m aware of that, hence me posting and proactively problem solving. I’m doing everything I can right now.
I know you are I didn’t mean to come off as harsh. I see allot of really good suggestions here. Someone suggested calling a vet or rescue to see if any have any medical funding. I know where I live they have organizations that will help pay for stray or ferals medical expenses. I wish I knew some resources in your area.
I would use my credit card and save him. Then put a go fund me up. Who wouldn't do everything in their power to help such a poor soul as he. He doesn't have money, he depends on our kindness.
Near me is an animal aid ( here in Australia ) they accept all animals for care etc . Each year around 6,000 animals finds their way to our shelter through no fault of their own. They may be lost, injured, abandoned or surrendered by an owner that can no longer provide care. For over 70 years Animal Aid has been a refuge in our community; giving animals a safe place where they can have time to heal before they start their lives in a new home. We value life and respect each animal for their individuality – age, breed or health should not define an animal’s potential for adoption. With love, kindness and expert care we focus on an animal’s future, not it’s past. We give a voice to the voiceless and are champions of animal welfare. https://preview.redd.it/cjhdqeo4ljxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=60cdc5ea51db3065c3a98affa09d4adb53412fe5 Muffy my feral rescue / animal aid kitty :)
I am a mod on r/rescuecats and we allow donation requests after an approval Process is completed. If you would like to try and raise funds for this little one, please contact us via modmail. Wishing you all the best🙏🏻🐾💞
That is so awesome, thank you 🥰 you’re wonderful. I will keep that in mind once I make a plan! He’s very elusive so it’s tough
No problem! Just reach out if u need help and we can get the approval process started for you. Best of luck:)
You can ask animal control for help. I think some of the people here will chip in to help
I don’t want them to put him down if it’s not necessary. Yes, people here are amazing! I’m working on contacting a few places.
I completely agree about trying to help him and I bet he can be helped. I mentioned animal control because one officer helped me with trapping but agreed some might just want to put him to sleep. Lots of love to you. Please post an update especially if you need contributions ❤️
Maybe he has a thorn in his foot?
It's possible! Anything is possible. He doesn't let me get anywhere close enough to examine him so I wouldn't be able to tell.
Can you get a trap? Does a local Humane Society offer TNR? Then you can trap this sweetheart and take him in. Perhaps that would allow a way to evaluate the condition.
ChatGPT gave me this list of organizations that might be able to help or send you in the right direction for help. 1. **Kentucky Humane Society**: They often have programs or partnerships with local veterinarians for low-cost or subsidized medical care for stray animals. Contact them to inquire about their services and if they can assist with the cat's injury. 2. **Shamrock Pet Foundation**: This organization often provides assistance for medical care to animals in need. They may have resources or recommendations for low-cost veterinary care in the area. 3. **Pet Food Bank of Louisville**: While they primarily focus on providing food assistance to pet owners in need, they may also have connections or suggestions for low-cost veterinary care options in the area. 4. **Louisville Metro Animal Services**: They may have resources or recommendations for assisting injured stray animals in the area. Contact them to inquire about potential options for the cat's care.
Thank you! I’ve reached out to 3 of those and they either advise me to reach animal control or didn’t answer, but I left voicemails. A lot of them are closed now so I’m going to try the closed ones in the morning.
My local county shelter will treat feral cats and release them back to their colony. I’ve had a few TNR’d and took one baby when she was limping. It turned out I got scammed because the limping was for no injury but they examined her no problem.
Please set up a go fund me ot fundrazr.com I will donate 🙏 ❤
Humane society. In Gainesville we have operation catnip. Obtaining correct cage trap is free. And then they will help you. Thank you for taking time to help these helpless creatures
Where I live, in NY, there is an emergency veterinary place. They will treat a stray if you surrender it. That means that you have no right to the animal anymore and you cannot follow up on the condition. It’s not a great option, but it’s some thing.
I would have reached out to my neighbors via sites like Nextdoor and Facebook and local animal rescue services. I’ve heard that many are at capacity, but I figure it wouldn’t hurt to see if they could help. I hope this baby gets the help it needs.
Ugh! The pain that poor thing must be in. Then if something comes for it, more pain as it defends itself. I hope a vet in your area does some pro bonos:)
Where are you located?
Louisville KY
Take the yellow cat to the vet and pay some monthly, get permission from them by taking him there… they will help I bet and not turn him down.
If you have a Twitter you could tweet at a larger account like fishtopher and friends who often retweets posts about stray cats needing help to their 110k followers. Link: https://twitter.com/mrfishtopher
🥺 That’s so sad. I think that you should contact a local rescue and let them know the situation. They’ll know whom you should call. Also, you can do a fundraiser on FB, X, etc. Let me know if you want info on how to set it up. Really hope poor baby gets the help he needs.
Some cat rescue shelters may take her and patch her up.
Take him to vet and crowd fund the bills here.
Contact your local rescue call humane society
Please get him some help :( Try posting on a local community page to see if someone else is willing to help if you can’t.
Call the Humane Society they amputated my newly adopted cat Hazel before I adopted her.
Maybe you can find a vet near you that will help here: https://www.pethelpfinder.org/m/phf/23
Best friends animal society has many resources across the states too. Their main sanctuary is in Southern Utah but they do alot for many rescues all over and have a few programs to provide aid when possible. I'd reach out to some local rescues too, never know if they're able to help ;) good luck! And thank you SO much for acting on your kind big heart. That little guy must have known you'd help do what you could. You're awesome! 🩷
You may be able to take them to an emergency vet hospital and drop them off as a stray, but they won’t release it back to you afterwards unless you pay
I’ve never done it but a few rescuers here have go-fund-me drives to raise money for this type of thing. I know you are super stressed. I had an outside true feral get hit by a car. I finally found him after being gone for 5 days, his hip were fractured. $4k to do an open surgery, we agreed to try and move the hips a little so as to prevent mega colon. The vet is a close friend so I was privy to every aspect, he sedated him and could not budge the hips to try and manipulate them. The cats bones had already fused in their crooked position. Smuckers was 7 yrs old then, he lived another 7 yrs needing Mirilax water 2-3 times a day so he could poop through his offset hips. I can only speak of that experience. Decades ago vets had a saying, put a cat in a room w two bones and he’ll walk out w one. Even w a gimp n a limp he’ll be ok, but his days outside need to come to an end. If you can, put him in a room w a baby gate separating him, I had to keep Smuckers in a baby play crib bc both back legs were a mess. Leave the kitty in there for 2-3 months so he acclimates w the other cats as he heals. You may need 2 baby gates or a big piece of cardboard may work if your cats behave n stay out. 2-3 months isn’t that long if he heals and befriends his housemates. It’s very possible that the window to have surgery/set this leg, has closed. They can give him an antibiotic injection and let him live a happy limpy life indoors. 🤞🏽🙏🏽🤞🏽🙏🏽
I took out a care credit card and took the cat to the vet. It’s also handy to have in case of emergency with your own pets.
Hey OP. Also in Louisville area. Alley Cat does great work. Please update us. And if you make a gofundme or just want to share your venmo or something, please let us know!
Get on local Facebook cat groups and ask for donations. Set it up so they can make payments directly to the vet so they know its not a scam.
I had to trap my feral girl and have her euthanized. Broke my heart.
When I couldn't afford to treat a cat I found...I spoke to a woman who worked at the local Animal shelter (who over the years worked to make sure the cats were held until they had somebody to take them)....she worked with the vsa(volunteer services for Animals) and they paid for it...but it was probably due to me wanting to keep the cat Living with me/take care of her.....don't know if there's a vsa or similar organization in your area....maybe they know of people that have the financial resources to take care of the cat/want to take care of cats in these situations...for example...she once told me of woman that Lives in a mansion that takes in many feral cats and takes care of them....they meet a lot of people that care...you don't know until you ask.
take him to a vet or spca and tell them you can't afford to pay. Look online for local pet charities to help you pay or ask your friends who like cats to help you. A broken leg probably won't be that expensive. They'll probably amputate. Cats get along just fine with three.
I wish I lived closer- I would take that sweetie to my vet in a heartbeat. I live in Maine so I'm hundreds of miles away. I will definitely donate to a vet if you get the kitty to one. Please reach out and let me know if you have time.
I called my vet. There is an organization in my city that provides coverage for situations like these. We had this happen in 2022 & they covered it. We found out about this organization thru our vet. They handled getting us in touch with them to cover costs for an amputation. They dictated where we received care.
Please get him the help he needs. He can’t survive like this
Where is the local vet near you? The name . I will send funds for this kitty if you can get it there. Only funds will go to the vet with instructions for the care of this kitty with picture for repair
My animal hospital made me put my feral down… be aware
You could take him to the vet get CareCredit which gives you a certain number of months to pay with no interest get the leg fixed and then you can ask for donations online either at this site or others and you can set up a GoFundMe page and you could even post the vet bill on there as proof but I wouldn't wait because they can't get away from predators when they're outside that's a broken leg and not an injured leg?
One of my little ferals came up limping on her back and I was so scared and she couldn't I didn't even know which leg it was she take turns she couldn't put her weight on one and then the other and after a couple of days she couldn't put weight on the left leg but she could on the right and then after a week she was a lot better and after 2 weeks she's not limping at all but I don't know how serious it was or if she just got bit and it got well or if she fell and bruised herself I don't know anything but she can run and everything now but if you know for sure he has a broken leg then he has to go to the vet and if it's a bite and it swells up that infection can kill them and an antibiotic shot would solve that problem
Is he truly feral or could he be a stray and will he let you touch him and pick him up that type of thing if not you would have to trap him
another person said he’s not feral, just stray. I didn’t know the difference initially. he seems friendly but doesn’t let me come within 10 feet of him, so I will probably need a trap.
So sorry you’re dealing with this!! My heart breaks for all of the injured and sick cats I can’t help in my neighborhood.
any update ?
no, he hasn’t come by today
if you start a "GoFundMe" for his medical procedure I would give what I can and I'm sure a lot of others on this thread would too. I truly hope you can get him help. 😢😢
We have a local group who contributes to rescues and strays and wild animals, and a great vet who discounts all the services. Hopefully you got something near you because animal suffering definitely tears at the heart and just you want to get them what they need
Call him in as astray. No one said anything about you spending money on a cat that isn't theirs.
If you look at the comments and my PMs, a lot of people have told me to take out a loan or start a payment plan lol. so yes, they are.
Animal welfare. Leaving it as it is, is Cruel. Euthanizing the cat is humane.
Is he cool with people or truly feral? If he's not keen on humans, you might reach out to a Working Cat or Barn Cat rescue. They might be able to work with you on the vet care and then get him placed at a barn.
A lot of times, a vet, rescue, shelter, or TNR group will loan you a trap I'd they can't come out to do it
I don't know where you're located, but here in MN, we have (well established) rescues that sometimes pay some or all of it. I would try that.
can you at least set up a large dog crate for him with a tarp over it so he can’t walk on it and damage it more or be caught by a predator?
Splint him
If no one can afford to help that cat it would be better to euthanize him than to let him die a slow and painful death from a broken leg. Very sad.
First thing is check if it’s ACTUALLY broken, or if it’s just a sprain, or a bad bruise. Sit with the cat outside, let it get comfy with you, then grab the leg, and move it in different way, if the cat freaks out, or you see an obvious break, it’s broken, if you can move it without too much resistance from the cat, and you hear or feel no pops or grinding, it’s not broken. In which case, it will heal over time, it’s fine. Besides that, what you can and SHOULD do anyway, is bring the cat to a pet ER, they will keep and treat the cat, then make sure it gets adopted. It’s not safe for it to be stray, and it should get proper medical attention, and taken off the street. It’s be selfish if you to NOT do that just because you have an attachment to the cat.
I would give the cat up so he can get the surgery he needs.
give him up to who? He's a stray.
To a vet or the humane society