Summary: Bugsy is an older stray cat who was hit by a car. The incident peeled back his skin and he was suffering horribly. Linda B was able to trap him and get him the vet care he needed.
Current Status: Bugsy is in for a painful recovery. He will eventually be listed for adoption, but will be quarantined for six months due to Montgomery County regulations.
8/13/2009
About a week ago, my husband spotted an orange injured cat running across the road in front of him about 1/2 mile down the
road from our home. The cat disappeared into the field. Neither of us gave it another thought.
Monday morning I was headed out the front door to go to the gym and I saw an orange cat sitting on the front porch. Actually, he was doing that "sick kitty crouch" position. He ran under one of the cars in my driveway as I went around back to get a trap. I was calling to him and he answered me with quiet meows from the other side of the shed.
Once the trap was set, I went into the garage. The cat immediately went in, ate everything and avoided setting off the trap. I went out to get the dish to re-bait and he followed me part way. As I was re-setting the trap, I kept calling to him. He was only a few feet away and continued to meow at me.
I left for the gym and when I came back, I saw him in the trap. When I ventured over to take a closer look, I was sickened by the sight of him. It looks like he was rolled by a car and in the process, his scruff got caught and totally ripped/peeled back. It looked like he was scalped or literally skinned alive and the skin (what was left of it) was still hanging. There were HUNDREDS of maggots - just a totally disgusting sight and smell.
I called French Creek Vet and told them I was coming in with an emergency. Dr. Mike Engler was the attending vet. He likes to do wound care. Because the cat literally had no scruff that we could pull him out with to do an examination, it was decided to sedate the cat and take it from there.
Several hours later, Dr. Engler called me to let me know that the cat tested FIV positive, was filled not only with maggots outside, but a lot of "undesirables" inside as well. Rounds, hooks, tapes, you name it and it was living inside him. Dr. Engler cleaned up the wound, picked out all the maggots, relieved him of his testicles and the cat was placed on a heating pad with a towel covering him. He has been getting fluids via IV and although he has a good appetite, he's had some trouble keeping his temp up. Dr. Engler included some sugar in the IV for the past 2 days.
As of this morning, he maintained a 99 degree temp overnight, but they wanted to keep him another day or so to make sure he is stable enough to come home. The staff named him Bugsy. :-) It's a pretty appropriate name for him.
From speaking with a woman who lives down the road from me, I've been able to determine that this poor cat has had this injury since before the end of July.
Providing he survives, Bugsy will be quarantined here for 6 months.
Linda
To see pictures of Busgy when he was rescued and after his surgery, CLICK HERE. (Be aware that these are graphic pictures which may be too much for some people.)
∞∞∞∞∞8/15/2009
Bugsy came home today. He had some problems maintaining his body temp while hospitalized at French Creek; however,
tonite his temp is up to 103. He is easy to medicate although he is very scared. The only med he is taking at this
time is Clavamox. We trimmed his nails and he was really good. On Monday we have an appointment to have his bandage
changed.
He's got a good appetite and seems to appreciate having his head rubbed. Poor guy - he is not young by any stretch of the imagination. The teeth he has left are yellow and worn down. He has not had an easy life. It breaks my heart to know there are so many others like him fending for themselves. They were all born as sweet innocent kittens and could easily have been adopted as indoor kitties. Bugsy is only one of countless feral cats who have had a tough life.
If he doesn't make it, I hope he'll at least understand that not all people are insensitive to the countless feral cats out there. Because of cats like Bugsy, I am committed to the cause of Trap, Neuter, Return. It's the only way to prevent future generations from enduring the pain that cats like Bugsy go through.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞8/18/2009
Bugsy is quarantined for 6 months here just as a precaution. Clearly, an animal didn't do this damage - no puncture wounds.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞8/20/2009
I did Bugsy's bandage change today myself. The wound is looking good!!!! I'm hoping to take him to Schwenksville
Vet tomorrow to bathe him. Every day I wash his face, and he loves it.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞8/21/2009
I bathed him at Schwenksville Vet today with the help of an employee there. Bugsy has been so willing to comply with
whatever is being done for him. The employee held his head and neck area up so it would not get wet. This poor cat has
been filthy for so long he gave up on trying to keep himself clean. I am sure this will be the first of several bathings
he will get. Bugsy is a good boy. It 's a shame he didn't get rescued sooner.
At home here, Bugsy is starting to do "elevator butt!!!" I don't believe he's ever done this in his life. And he purrs!!!! He loves his face and nose rubbed and scratched. What a sweetie!
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞8/25/2009
Two weeks and one day after the initial surgery, Bugsy saw Dr. Leslie Gall of French Creek Vet Hospital. Some of his wound
is healing nicely, but she wanted to scrape off the dead skin. The area was covered with lidocaine and after it was numb,
she carefully scraped off the dead tissue. Many staff members of French Creek stop in the exam room to say Hi and check
up on him.
He is a trooper and was extremely well behaved and tolerant; however, he was VERY happy to get back home and into his cage.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞8/28/2009
Bugsy reminded me today that despite the love and help we're giving him, he still retains feral tendencies. We had been
doing bandage changes here every 2 to 3 days. When I lifted Bugsy out of his carrier to place him on the table for the
bandage change, he panicked and tried to lunge forward out of the carrier. It was quite a challenge to get him under control
because he has no scruff to grab! As I was holding him with both hands around his mid-section, he kept lunging forward.
This caused the stitches to tear that were keeping his shoulder area closed. It looked like someone literally tore off
that portion of skin. We rushed back to French Creek Vet where they stitched him back together again and he stayed overnight.
The disturbing thing about this incident is there was no sign of healing in this area of his wound. This might be due to his
FIV status along with his advanced age. When Bugsy came home on Saturday, he was very happy to get back into his cage!
Over the next week, Bugsy had several bandage changes at French Creek Vet. His new bandage is more like a vest than a simple wrap around his neck. Each time they've had to put in one or two more stitches as an area of the wound keeps opening. He's been a really good patient. Bugsy's most favorite thing in the world to do is eat. Standard procedure when working on him is to have a few treats available for him to snack on while his wound is being tended to.
You can tell this cat is familiar with hunger pangs. He literally inhales his food to the point where he'll gorge himself and then vomit. I've changed his feeding schedule. Bugsy has been getting many small meals throughout the day now. This seems to be working to help him keep his meals down. On rare occasions, he'll meow to me to let me know he wants to be fed. Also, although it doesn't happen too often, once in a while he will make eye contact with me. :-) Bugsy used to immediately go to his food, but now he'll wait until I'm finished petting him! He excels at doing "elevator butt" and loves those chin rubs, closing his eyes and purring loudly. The other night he almost rolled over to show me his tummy! But he quickly caught himself and stopped.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞9/4/2009
As the photos show (to see the photos, CLICK HERE), there has been some healing, but it's been a very slow process. Another stitch was put in today.
Linda
∞∞∞∞∞To go back to the Stray Cat Blues Homepage, CLICK HERE.
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