Cat advice

[Ashley]

We went to town tonight to get gas and there was this poor looking cat/kitten at the gas pump. I couldnt leave her there as its on a very busy intersection. She had watery eyes with a bit of puss so I cleaned them. She is pretty much bones under the solid matted orange fur. She was very happy to get something to eat.

She is very friendly, and rode in the car well. SOmebody had to of dumped her there.

Heres my question. HOw do I go about unmatting her and cleaning her up? She is covered in motor oil, and pretty much destroyed the shirt I was wearing. I put her in the barn for the night as it was dark, but will tend to her tommorow. When we got home she did greet us at he house.

Here are some pics of "Hope" this morning. Also a few of the other barn cats.

 

[MBennettp]

Warm water and Dawn dish detergent will take the motor oil off. It will also kill any fleas on it. It's eyes could be an allergic reaction to the motor oil and other things it was exposed to or it could be an infection. Wash them gently with warm water and after it's bath it may clear up.

Bless you for taking this baby in.

Mary

 

[Watcheye]

Dawn dish soap? I imagine somebody else will have a better idea. Maybe you could call and ask a vet what they would recommend.

 

[MBennettp]

My vet recommends Dawn dish detergent for removing motor oil, my barn cats get into it often. Also, that is what they use to clean up the birds and animals after an oil spill. It is non toxic.

Mary

 

[Ashley]

Dish soap that makes sense. That is what they used on the birds in the oil spill.

 

[Miniv]

Personally, I would bring the little thing indoors tomorrow......Put gloves on and bathe it in warm water and anti-grease dish soap and/or oxyclean. Wrap the little one up in towels and keep it inside for awhile with plenty of food and water......We have a spare bathroom that comes in handy as a kitty room.......don't forget the litter box and a small pile of old towels or an old blanket for a bed. (And remove the roll of toilet paper! LOL)

We've taken in a couple of rescues where our second bathroom has come in handy. We also used it when we first moved here and needed to get our permanent kitties used to the new house.

 

[Marty]

Dish detergent over here too! You should see the oil around that has blasted garage of ours.

 

[chandab]

Dawn dish soap? I imagine somebody else will have a better idea. Maybe you could call and ask a vet what they would recommend.

Its very mild, that's why its been used for years to help wildlife after oil spills. Here's a link to Discovery News article:

http://news.discovery.com/animals/dawn-detergent-oil-spills-animals.html [While the last sentence does say they don't recommended you wash your cat or dog, I believe they are referring to normal washing, not oil-removal such as this case.]

Ok, it took me too long to post, and several others posted basically the same.

 

[Ashley]

I will see what I can do. I dont know that I can bring her, we already have 4 in the house(two are indoor out door and another that comes in at times). Plus I dont have a place to lock her, or anybody that will care for an extra litter box. I already cant clean the litter box and its work getting the kid to clean the one we have. I can give her a bath, and try to get the mats out the best I can for sure.

She has access to the garage that is insulated as well as the open barn that has lots of hay to hide in. Its supposed to get up close to the 40's tommorow so will see.

 

[chandab]

I will see what I can do. I dont know that I can bring her, we already have 4 in the house(two are indoor out door and another that comes in at times). Plus I dont have a place to lock her, or anybody that will care for an extra litter box. I already cant clean the litter box and its work getting the kid to clean the one we have. I can give her a bath, and try to get the mats out the best I can for sure.

She has access to the garage that is insulated as well as the open barn that has lots of hay to hide in. Its supposed to get up close to the 40's tommorow so will see.

I think with the insulated garage and barn access, after her bath, a thorough drying and some more food; while it won't be as nice as the house, she'll be fine outside and have a much better chance of survival than she did scrounging where you found her. The little kitty I picked up on the side of the road a couple weeks ago, already looks and feels much better; and she is in the barn (we don't have room for more house cats), I did fix her up her own little bed (a fleece blanket in a box) and she likes her bed.

 

[Ashley]

they do have the horse blankets they lay on.

 

[MajorClementine]

Personally, I would bring the little thing indoors tomorrow......Put gloves on and bathe it in warm water and anti-grease dish soap and/or oxyclean. Wrap the little one up in towels and keep it inside for awhile with plenty of food and water......We have a spare bathroom that comes in handy as a kitty room.......don't forget the litter box and a small pile of old towels or an old blanket for a bed. (And remove the roll of toilet paper! LOL)

We've taken in a couple of rescues where our second bathroom has come in handy. We also used it when we first moved here and needed to get our permanent kitties used to the new house.

Being a groomer here is what I would do. First of all Blue dawn is very safe to use. DO NOT use oxyclean or any other cleaner. Cat's have VERY absorbent skin and aver very sensitive to chemicals. I would fill two tubs (rubbermaid totes or something) with lukewarm water. Then put some dish soap on your hands and work it into the fur before you get the cat wet. Then (I may wrap the paws in vet wrap if you are afraid of it scratching) holding the body and scruffing the cat, lower it into the first tub and work the soap in good in the water. To rinse the cat put it in the second tub and work the suds out. Dish soap makes TONS of suds so you may have to rinse the cat many times. If you get most of the grime of it will take care of the rest. Towel him dry the best you can then if you could bring him inside in a kennel for a bit (away from the other cats please) til he dries that would help.

The matts I would leave alone unless they look really painful. DO NOT try to cut them out you will most likely cut the skin. If you feel like you can use a 10 blade on your clippers to get under them if they really need removed. He may take care of them himself once he is clean. Good luck.

Just a little PS. I'm guessing a respiratory infection or conjunctivitous for the eye goobers. I wouldn't let him near your other cats.

 

[Riverrose28]

Bless you for taking in this little baby, please don't take it in the house and expose it to your other cats, it may be sick. If it must stay in the barn or garage I would recommend leaving an open dog crate with a heating pad placed under several thickness of newspaper just in case it gets chilled. I would also take this little one to the Vet ASAP to be checked for illness, and wash your hands after handling. Good luck.

 

[Matt73]

Bless you for taking in this little baby, please don't take it in the house and expose it to your other cats, it may be sick. If it must stay in the barn or garage I would recommend leaving an open dog crate with a heating pad placed under several thickness of newspaper just in case it gets chilled. I would also take this little one to the Vet ASAP to be checked for illness, and wash your hands after handling. Good luck.

Ditto. Cats can have/carry some very contagious, serious illnesses (FIV, FeLV ie. Feline Leukemia, Upper Respiratory Infection (Rhino), Distemper, and also a host of parasites and intestinal bacterial infections. It's very important to get any problems under control/eradicated as soon as possible.

Just as an FYI (I know lots of farmers that think that barn cats just look after themselves and so don't feed them or water them or, otherwise, look after them properly), my, now two, barn cats always have food and water out and a litter box up in the hay loft (they use it and also go outside, too). They are given Profender (topical solution) once in the Spring and once in the fall for tapeworms (if a barn cat eats mice, it's got tapeworms etc.). April-November they are given Revolution (selamectin) once/month. March they get their 5-way vaccinations and rabies. Barn cats need just as much (or more) attention as our indoor cats to keep them healthy.

Good luck with her! Let us know how she does

 

[Ashley]

We do have other cats in the barn. MOst of them not by choice. Only one is by choice. They do have a litter box, warm places to snuggle and food/water. The ones I can catch do get dewormed just like the house/indoor outdoor cats.

I wasnt going to mess with the mats until spring as its way to cold her to risk her loseing any hair.

 

[Ashley]

I added some pics in the original post.

 

[HGFarm]

Aw, bless you for trying to help her!!

 

[jacks'thunder]

She looks like a good cat! Good for you for taking her. Kinda makes me wonder if she was by the pump at the gas station and oiley if she came out from under an engine or something like that. My dad found a black cat that way. Anyway she's beautiful(I love orange kitties!

) and I'm sure she appricates the warm dry spot!