Bobcat Fever What it is and How to Protect Cats

  

Recently I read in our local newspaper an article about a cat that had been infected with Bobcat fever.  I learned that the disease was found in bobcats and it was transferred to cats from a lone star tick.  

An infected cat will have a very high fever and will feel hot when you touch them, they will not eat or drink water and they will sleep more than usually, they will also have jaundice (white in eyes will look yellow).  As the bobcat fever disease progresses the cat will have difficulty breathing and will suffer from dehydration.

Know that you cat may be bitten by a tick, and you will remove it but you will not know if the tick is infected until five to 20 days because that is how long it takes to have symptoms of the disease.

Be aware that your cat may have Bobcat fever without seeing a tick, because the tick may bite and fall off.  So, its best to watch for any symptoms mentions and take your cat to the veterinarian if you cat has any signs of this disease.

Even if your cat is an indoors and never goes outdoors you should keep up with flea and tick medication because if you have a dog they can bring in ticks.  I have found a few ticks on me after gardening and those ticks could have bitten my indoor cats.  

I treat my cats with revolution topical monthly but plan to talk to my veterinarian about a treatment that will kill the tick before they bite my cat.

Other information 

* Identify the lone star tick as the black tick with the bright white spot on their back.

* Bobcat fever does not affect dogs or humans. 

* If you have recently adopted a cat then make an appointment with the veternarian to get vaccines, wellness check and monthly flea and tick treatment. 

How to Take Care of Barn Cats

  

My local shelter is now accepting stray and feral cats for barn cat adoptions. These cats provided that they are sterilized, with rabies vaccine, and are in good health are intended for farms that are in need of snake and rodent control.

 

Many people assume that a cat if it's “hungry” will hunt and kill its supper.  Therefore you would not feed the cat.  Know if you assume this then you are wrong, the cat will eventually move on to another farm or house in the area that will provide it with food.

 

The best way to keep a barn cat is to feed the cat food kibble.  Set a bowl of food in the barn along with fresh water and allow the cat to eat the kibble throughout the day. The barn cat will become dependent upon the food and will hang out in the barn or close to it.  

Here is a photo of cats in my shed.  I have provided them with food and an insulated shelter. They keep the shed rodent free along with the outdoor gardens. 

 

The food and water along with straw for sleeping will attract the cat to the barn where they will eat food and kill mice and other rodents in appreciation of the care that you provide them.   

Barn cats are feral cats that were born outdoors and are fearful of humans.  They normally kill and eat their prey even though they have eaten a bowl of cat food.  Fresh meat is a way to supplement their diet and hunting comes naturally to them and they enjoy it.

 

When we moved into our home in the woods our yard was loaded up with field mice and snakes.  My friend who has a farm told me to put out a bowl of cat food and fresh water in the morning and the feral and stray cats in the area will eventually come. She told me to feed them and they would rid my yard of pests.

 

I kept the cats in my yard by taking care of my feral cats with an outdoor shelter, and daily food and provided them with fresh water.  I also trapped them and paid for their sterilization, rabies, and other necessary cat vaccines.

 

So if you are planning to adopt a barn cat, please take steps to provide the cat with food water, and an outdoor shelter that will keep them dry, warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. When you take care of the cat, then they will rid your yard of rodents.

 

 *Note feral/barn or other cats that live outdoors are good hunters. A domesticated house cat is not a good hunter.  Many times they will play with the rodent and sometimes the housecat is afraid of the rodent.

Stray Cat with Scratched Eye

 

As a caretaker for a feral and stray cat colony, we always watch for injury or sickness. If a cat shows signs that something is wrong we do trap them for medical care. One cat was viewed with blood in their eye and we did not hesitate to trap this cat and take to the veterinarian.

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The cat had been scratched and the veterinarian gave the cat a shot for infection and for pain. Along with the shot we were told to keep the cat indoors and that the cat must wear a collar. This fabric collar would prevent the cat from scratching its eye. We also had to take care of the cat by administering drops into the injured eye twice a day.

While at the veterinarian we had the cat's nails trimmed as this would make handling the cat easier.

Adding the eye drops to the cat was something I could not do alone. My husband had to hold the cat as this treatment wasn’t quick or easy. The cat thought we were trying to hurt him and each time it was time for treatment the cat would hiss at us and try to escape its cage.

We cared for the injured cat for two weeks then took him back to the veterinarian for his check-up. The eye healed well and vision was fine.

Note: The injured cat was kept in a cat cage that was located in a room where there was a Feliway diffuser. This cat product is a good choice especially when the cat is suffering from anxiety or stress. It helps to comfort and reassure a cat when it is coping with a challenging situation. It helps to prevent stress associated with any change to a cat's environment.

Follow-up The Feliway enabled us to handle the cat and to socialize the cat to be comfortable around humans. We were able to find adopters that had experience with feral and stray cats. 

Caring For Injured Outdoor Cat

We rescued one of our TNR cats because he was injured, limping due to a large wound on his leg. A humane animal trap had to be used to catch this cat and while the kitty was in the trap I contacted my neighbor and she said she would call her veterinarian. The cat was rushed to the veterinarian for medical care.

Photo of Sylvester the cat.

Sylvester the cat was at the veterinarian hospital for a week and is now recovering in my heated garage for the next ten days. You would not know that there was a cat in this garage because it is hiding behind boxes. Occasionally there is a meow but other than that no cat can be seen.

I stayed in the garage for an hour to set up the insulated cat house with new self-heated bed, then added an elevated chair with a cat bed that was directly under the heat lamp. I also filled a litter pan with feline pine and set up a feeding station with dry cat kibble and a fresh bowl of water. When all my tasks were completed I turned to face where the cat was hiding and found that he came out and was sitting behind me. He showed no aggression and this is a good sign.

No medication needs to be administered only rest until wounds heal. We thought two weeks but have changed our minds due to the coyote in our neighborhood and decided it would be best to socialize the cat to be more friendly with humans so we could put him up for adoption.

My neighbor who helps me with the neighborhood cats told me that if I could socialize him then she would take him. Hoping that there is a happy ending for this rescued cat.

Providing For Your Cats in Your Will

Over the years my husband and I have rescued many cats, some we found adopters for others we paid for their vaccines and spay or neuter and released them to a colony. Then there are the FIV cats and the older cats that nobody wanted that we provide a home for. We share our home and our life with animals that depend on us but what happens to the cats if we die?

Many people will provide for their children and church but omit long term care of their pets. Pet owners assume that their loved ones will take in their cats but unless there is a provision in their will chances are family members will change their minds and take that cat to a shelter.

If you died tomorrow what would happen to your cat?

Many cats become strays when their people die. Nobody wants them.

Have you made arrangements with a family member to take your pet? If so did you make it in writing and have their signature on file with your will? It is no guarantee that they will care for your pet but it is a contract. You can go one step further and provide for your pet in a trust.

Who will love and care for your cat when you die?

I have friends who have a provision in their will that states that specific people will reside in their home to take care of their cats. Generally, a contract is drawn up by an attorney and this document is motorized by the person who is to inherit the house and the taking care of the cat.

A cat we took after a tornado, Cats people never found.

Presently I have a mature cat in my home that I agreed to care for when my neighbor passed away. My neighbor had a trust set up and monthly I am compensated for his care. Also, money was provided for his medical care and all I need to do is make the appointment at the veterinarian and all of the cat needs is provided at no charge.

When a pet owner adds a provision in their will for their animals, it shows that they love the animal and are responsible.

Week old kittens rescued when their person passed away,
no provision as to who would care for them. 

One cannot assume that your beloved cat will be adopted by your family or friends. Even if they said yes they would take your pets, a verbal contract cannot be enforced after you die.

This is Leo, his people died and he was left in the house.  2-weeks of meowing neighbor left him out, He was lost, confused and suffering from the death of his person.
We rescued him

Who will care for your cats if you die tomorrow? Have you made provisions in your will for your cats?

Winter Feeding Station for Feral Cats

Whenever the weather is cold or snowing it is important to have a feeding station that will keep the food from getting wet. It is also important to keep to your feeding schedule because the cats are dependent upon you.

Cat in winter

On chilly mornings in winter it is easy to think that it is too cold to go feed the feral cats, but you should know that these cats are accustomed to a certain feeding time and they will come out of their warm and safe shelters to go to the feeding station. If food is not there they will sit and wait, waiting could cause these cats to develop frostbite so if you feed the cats at 6 in the morning then keep to your schedule through the winter season, the cats are dependent upon you for food and water.

An insulated wooden feeding station 

This morning it was a chilly 37 degrees Fahrenheit and even though I would have preferred staying in bed all cozy under the down comforter I got up at 5:30AM and put on my winter hoodie and my insulated hiking boots. Then took to the trail to hike to the feral cats feeding station.

The feeding station is a wooden insulated box with an entrance and an exit and it is elevated so that rain water does not pour into the box. . I also have a feeding station set up in my yard for the stray and feral cats that frequent my shelter in the shed and a station in the woods.

Two bowls are set inside the feeding station for dry kibble food and water. Two cats can fit inside the box. Food is never left in the feeding station as it would attract predators. I feed the feral cats twice a day, 6 AM and 4 PM.

Know that if there is snow, you must still feed the cats, if you cannot get to them then they cannot get to you so take your snow shovel and clear a path to the cats. Here are photos of my feral cat feeding station in my yard and of the path we cleared in winter to get to the cats at the colony.

Pathe we cleared to cat colony

You can make a feeding station from a plastic storage container and styrofoam insert for insulation. Follow directions for a shelter, but instead of cutting for one entrance, add an exit also. No straw needed, this is for food and water. The insulation is helpful as it will aid in preventing the food / water from freezing.  I found this video at YouTube.com and think the directions are easy to follow.