shots/food

Question
QUESTION: Teresa,
Silver is a "wild" kitten we "helped" to raise with his two sisters when we were in my husbands fathers home last April.(So we are assuming they were born in April '07) The young mother kept moving her little family on and off the property around September. When we had to move out in October, we saw that Silver was running up and down some trees that day and decided to take him with us. We now reside in an RV Camping area in our RV. Silver took to his potty box the first day and seemed to settle fine in the RV home environment. He is probably about 6 months old at this time. Of course we found there were wild feral cats, squirrels, and snakes at this location. Silver has been attacked several times by one in particular cat who we were told was a very large female. She has gotten him in his hind quarters and belly area. He has healed from all his wounds that I was aware of. Lately when I am brushing him he attacks the brush and meows when I get to the base of his tail. I also noticed that when I pick him up and try to cradle him with his bottom in my arms and hands he meows. He has been licking himself in the groin area alot. He seemed to be oozing some clear liquid just below the base of his tail. He will not let me look at or touch the area. I'm not sure if he has a sore or infection. Silver has never received any shots yet or been to a vet for financial reasons. I would like to give him his shots myself but need to know what to buy and where to get it over the Internet. I have always fed him dry cat food Purina "Complete Formula". He always has clean water available. What symptoms will show if this is something serious. I really can't spend alot of money on a cat.
So I'm trying to do preventative maintenance myself.
If you could suggest ideas for a better cat food to eliminate or better "digest" hairballs. Is Purina OK?
Do you have any suggestions for his behavior at this time?
Shots I can't give myself? I appreciate any suggestions and answers you can give me at this time. Janet and Silver

ANSWER: Hi Janet, well of course my first advice would be to have him see a vet... but in the meantime you will need to clean that area around the base of the tail. You can start by scissoring off the hair gently to find the wound. I would say that he has an abscess from a bite wound. The liquid you see is puss draining from the wound. Cat bite wound are very prone to infection because the bite wound itself is small and heals  up around the bite causing the bacteria to fester inside the wound and unable to drain out because the opening is sealed. This is VERY painful! Any wound needs to drain and be kept clean and that is what you will need to do. So, you need to find it first, clean it and then keep it open and clean so that it doesn't seal off again. You can use an antibiotic ointment and a cleanser such as hydrogen peroxide or hibitane. If you don't want to vaccinate him then you really should try keeping him inside. Once he is outside he is exposed to all the viruses out there... especially if he is fighting with other cats (especially if he is losing!) I would really really recommend you try to get him neutered and vaccinated by a vet. There are lots of low cost vaccine/neuter clinics around and then you will really notice a difference in your cat. He will not be as involved in fights, he will stay closer to home, and you won't have to worry about his health as much. It sounds like you have become very attached to him and for $50 or $60 it will be money well spent....
Teresa

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


"Silver Streak"   QUESTION: Which shots can I purchase and give Silver myself?
Is there a multiple shot in a single application?
Which internet site do you suggest?
What about food type and hairball control.
Silver is doing very well!!
I applied the hydogen peroxide as a wash 2x a day.
He just licked off the antibiotic ointment.
Janet & Silver

Answer
Hi Janet, I don't order vaccines online and from what I hear there are no places in Canada that we can do it if we wanted to !! I am not sure where you are located so I really can't advise you.. but you can always do a "search"
Yes, you can get vaccines that are combined and in your case with a cat that is outdoors I would suggest a vaccine that has feline leukemia as he will most likely be exposed to it at some point and it is a killer virus ! also you will want the basic upper respiratory protection which is Feline Panleukopenia (Feline Distemper) and Feline viral rhinotracheitis and feline calicivirus (FHV/FCV) Depending on where you are living you may also need the rabies vaccine.
For hairballs I recommend the Iams Hairball food. It gives great results ! Teresa