What can I buy over the counter to treat my cat's mange?
Phone your vet and tell him that you suspect your cat has mange and would he be willing to treat it and that you do not have the money presently, and could a payment plan be arranged whereby you pay a minimal amount now and then settle the bill in two weeks time. Until the problem is properly diagnosed, it is best not to experiment with over-the-counter drugs which may very well worsen the problem (if it is an allergy, for instance). Good luck.
Can dogs get mange from a really dirty house?
Undoubtedly, it is very sad that this dog is forced to live under such conditions. However, mange is a skin condition for which there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there. To understand mange, see this excellent site that explains it very well http://www.florapetnaturals.com/mange-fa...
What should you do if a stray cat keeps hanging around your house?
Observe his behavior. Not all stray cats are feral. Does the cat appear in need of rescuing, that is not feral but abandoned or lost? How involved do you want to get? How close is the cat ‘hanging’? Does the cat appear healthy and well fed (probably not abandoned?) If so post a picture on a neighborhood website, he may be a beloved pet. If not, is the cat scrawny, flea infested? If the cat is friendly and seems in need of rescue, there is probably a vet nearby who could check to see if the cat has an identifying microchip (lost) and is in good health and can update the cats rabies shot. Tell the vet the cat may be feral before you let him loose. The vet may also (as my vet did) be able to hold the cat for adoption. Be a mensch.
Why do stray cats just look like normal house cats, while stray dogs look utterly disgusting and lost?
How could you even say that? How could you pass judgment on stray dogs by describing them as “utterly disgusting and lost”? Is it their fault that their owners abandoned them, or they were born under an auto shop as a result of irresponsible people? Is it their fault that they have inadequate nutrition, which makes them susceptible to mange? Is it their fault that they don’t have any food, so they are skinny, and have patches of hair missing?They were dumped or abandoned by their owners, or perhaps wandered away while their family was traveling. Is it any wonder that they look lost? I read about a poor dog whom you would describe as “disgusting” who was dumped on a bridge, the intent being that the dog would fall into the river below and drown. This dog tried to catch up to the car in which the despicable people who dumped him were riding. Fortunately, someone who did not care how the dog looked (his fur was so matted that he could barely run) - and had compassion, saved the dog, and rescued him. The innocence of this animal evidenced by his behavior by trying to race to the car is in stark contrast to the evil heartlessness of the people who dumped him.As to your original question, I have rescued feral cats since I was 25. Some of them were thin, and also had mange. Their ears were torn, they had eye infections, and they generally appeared very unkempt. It is entirely possible that you are looking at stray cats who have a food source, in spite of their heartless prior owners.I think you should read Steven Woodward’s book, “Abuse Through the Eyes of a Dog”. This book will hopefully open your eyes to what millions and millions of stray dogs endure every day in this world, and give you some understanding and sympathy toward those who were born through no fault of their own.
A stray cat showed up to my house and I let him kind of hang around outside. He seems to be taking care of himself but he constantly meows. Why is that?
All of these are great answers. I was at one of my employees house and a stray kitten came to us outside of his home rubbing on our legs and crying. It was crying a lot and looked very healthy. However he said several times that he would kick the cat as hard as he could. So I thought taking the cat with me without even thinking about who it might or might not belong to was better than a prison cell for me. She was very loving and liked to stay in the hood part of my sweat shirt. I took her home and to keep her away from my other cats while I was outside I let her stay as I walked back out to bring in more paperwork. She jumped down and ran off. I left and came back hours later she ran up to greet me. I took her to the vet the next day and found out she was not a kitten. She was six months old. So she got fixed and shots and checked out. She has never tried to go outside (I won't let my cats outside) and is still very loving and talking (crying) for attention when I am in the room. One of my cats was on medication and not doing very well when I found her and he died a month after she adopted me. Because the new cat is an attention hog it took my mind off of the death of my other cat. All of the advice given here by the other Quorans should be taken into consideration. I did not even think about putting up flyers as in that neighborhood there are too many feral cats and whoever let this cat out or never let them inside was not a responsible owner in my judge mental opinion. I see too many of them run over or being shot by animal haters. I think as one Quoran wrote that maybe she was looking to adopt a new human. It is interesting that my other cats wake me up to feed them. She wakes me up to be loved on and played with. Best wishes
Can dogs gets Mange from cats?
Any mammal can get Socratic mange, including humans! Although transmission from animal to animal is thought to be through direct contact. Dog and cats in close contact with an infected host are susceptible. Animals can also become infected from fomites e.g. infested pens and blankets, combs, brushes, collars and any upholstered surfaces. Young and poorly nourished animals are the most susceptible to infection.
Stray cat with mange?what should i do?
although there are treatments for mange, you cannot be sure that it has mange until you take it in to a vet. Do your cats have their vaccinations up to date? have you recently had them checked out by your vet? when you say fighting, is it just some scratches or bite wounds as well? If this cat is a stray, call the local humane society to pick it up, if it is sick, it needs to be cared for, and if nobody is willing to care for it, it deserves a humane death instead of being hit by a car, chewed up by a dog or die of feline leukaemia or infectious peritonitis by itself under a bush or deck slowly. If you can trap it and get it looked after you may find that it is not a bad cat, just simply an unkempt one and it might learn to live with your cats. In the end, don't trust it has 'just mange', it may carry any number of other diseases, that may not only be dangerous to your cats but perhaps to dogs or humans also, like rabies for example. I don't like to see these cats be euthanized either, but it is better to have a humane death, than a miserable life and suffer for some irresponsible human's actions. You never know, it might be tattooed or microchipped and then you can try to locate the owner. Good Luck to you and your cats with this situation.
Veterinarians, my outdoor half-feral cat has a large cheek wound. How do I keep him from scratching it open (again)?
I’m not a vet, but I have had experience with feral cats with similar problems. Your cat is trying to relieve the pressure of the abscess on his face. You cannot discourage this, because it is very painful for an abscess not to drain. He needs to get the poison out.I suggest you try to trap the cat so he can be sedated at the vets and the abscess can be drained. Be sure to cover the trap with a towel as you transport him to the vet so he will not become overly frightened. The vet can give him a long acting antibiotic (Convenia) that should kill the infection. While you are there, you should have him neutered, which will prevent the frequency of future fights with other cats.I don’t suppose that, after you have had him treated, you would consider bringing him into your home? Every single cat that I have (16) was previously feral, and all eventually tamed down beautifully. You can start out by putting him in a room away from any other cats you might have in the house where he feels safe. He will learn to trust you as you feed him and give him fresh water every day.It is best to feed mostly wet food, because dry food can cause diabetes and kidney issues, as well as urinary issues, with male cats.I have never vaccinated any of the cats I’ve rescued over the last 30 years, and have never had an issue with disease in my house. Conversely, I lost a kitty to a vaccine-induced tumor, which is very common in cats.