{"id":511,"date":"2019-01-17T12:55:27","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T12:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ailurophile.co.uk\/?p=511"},"modified":"2021-03-18T12:58:04","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T12:58:04","slug":"what-to-do-if-you-find-an-ill-or-injured-cat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ailurophile.co.uk\/?p=511","title":{"rendered":"What to do if you find an ill or injured cat….."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A couple of days ago, scrolling\nthrough posts on a social media feed, I saw something  that both unsettled and saddened me. A cat had\nbeen found in someone\u2019s shed, and they had posted to try and locate the cats\nhuman carers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unsettling part to me was that the cat had been left for six days before this action was taken. It reminded me of a message I received little over a year ago regarding a cat locally to me that was in an outbuilding and not looking particularly well. The cat I was contacted about was indeed not well, and when I first approached him I initially had concerns he wasn\u2019t alive. Thankfully, he was. He had a severe infection, among other things, and with treatment made a full recovery. He was neutered, chipped and is now a very much loved family member. The boy found in the shed wasn\u2019t as fortunate. He hadn\u2019t moved simply because he couldn\u2019t; his back end was so damaged by a potential road traffic accident, he was unable. He was chipped, and his human family sadly had to consent to euthanasia on welfare grounds.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I appreciate that a lot of\ncats are free roaming, and there\u2019s the possibility of them returning home under\ntheir own steam, generally if a cat that doesn\u2019t know you isn\u2019t moving away\nfrom you to try and gauge if they are safe or not, it\u2019s highly likely they feel\nunable to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people are concerned\nthey will be held responsible financially if they take an injured or ill cat to\nthe vets. But without intervention, there\u2019s the possibility that the cat won\u2019t\nsurvive and will suffer unnecessarily before they pass away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below is a list of simple steps\nto take if you find an injured or ill cat:
\n
\n1) Check if the cat is responsive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n2) Check if the cat has been injured or 
\nis a potential infection risk.
\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Make appropriate precautions if the 
\npossibility of infection is present.
\n
\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4) Call 0300 1234 999 which is the 
\nRSPCA cruelty line and choose the
\nappropriate option.
\n
\nOnce the option has been responded to, obtain a\nreference number to take the cat to receive veterinary attention. While there,\nthe vets will also be able to check for a microchip and notify any family who\nmay be missing their cat if a chip is located. The RSPCA will cover a certain\namount of costs. If the total amount isn’t covered, you could set up a\nfundraising page to encourage likeminded friends to donate to the outstanding\ncosts. Funds can be sent directly to most veterinary surgeries if they are informed.\nIf a chip isn\u2019t located, it\u2019s also a good idea to contact local rescues to try\nand obtain rescue back up for the cat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone is capable of taking affirmative action. Taking the\ninitiative in this situation can make a massive difference to the cat you\u2019re concerned\nabout, and can give them the chance at a long, happy life they deserve or the\nrelease that\u2019s needed if they\u2019re in suffering that can\u2019t be medically\naddressed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With situations like this, I\u2019m reminded of a quote by Lily Tomlin: \u201cI always thought somebody should do something about that. Then I realised I am somebody.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n