A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall The Critter Corner NOT for WEAK stomachs

Most of you read here, that we lost poor Slinky a few months ago - he was one of our feral cats, who came to eat a few meals each day the past few years. This past summer, another very pretty cat starting coming, but only a few times a month. He always looked VERY clean - as if he belonged to someone, but he eats like he hasn't had a meal in forever!

We haven't seen him for over a few months now, and I was hoping he had gone "home". Well this morning, while I was cleaning up the kitchen, one of my cats was making a rukus by the sliding doors - there was Butterscotch! But the poor baby has been in an AWFUL fight with something! His entire ear is chewed up to the point that ALL the fur is off of it! POOR BABY!

I gave him a bowl full of dry food which he gobbled up in a second, and then I put out a small can of food, which was also gone lickety split. I will be looking out for his return, and hope I can help nurse him back to health. He is very skittish, and we won't be able to take him to the vet, but we can at least feed him well.

Does anyone know if the fur will grow back on his poor tender ear???

P.S. He is back now, and eating once again. He doesn't seem as frightened by us right now, and I'm hoping he will try out the cathouse that Don built for shelter too.

ohhhhhhhhh My goodness,,,,,,,,,, Poor Kitty! I know it being a feral cat it probably won't let you touch him,, I hope he becomes trusting of you so you can get close to him,, and possibly treat him somehow,,

if he's like the ones we've adopted in years past, he will have a scar, but the fur will grow back for the most part. i am glad he has you

I am happy to say, that he/she was in the cathouse that Don built most of today. And ate every morsel of food we put out during the day - the only time he went off the deck was when I'm assuming he went to the bathroom - thankfully NOT on the deck! Don was able to put a soft towel in the bottom of the cathouse while he was gone, and he's been sleeping in there since about 7 this evening. I hope he stays safe, and a bit warmer in there.

That is such good news, Lynne----I hope that Butterscotch somwehow understands that you are there to help.---Hopefully rest and food will help a lot.

SAFE and sleeping soundly in the cathouse!


EVER so hungry all the time!
The ear is looking a bit better, but I've noticed that the tip is turned outwards?
Hope it heals ok.

awwwwwwwwwwww ! His ear does look better,, He'll be okay,, and will probably give second thought to a fight with what ever snagged his ear good,, ,,

You're a good Adoptive Kitty Mama Lynne!

yes I say what Diane said...

Hopefully Butterscoth will "adopt" the 'cathouse' that Don built as its permanent residence.--At least there, he/she will be safer.

Poor butterscotch. The ear looks a lot better than the first photo, looks like his fur will grow back too, but his ear might not return to its pointing upwards position, sometimes when trauma occours a haematoma develops, or lesions occour. Neither ae life threatening. Looks like he is getting lots of TLC!

and warmer

ohhh what a nasty fight he got into! it does look like it's healing nicely though. if he's eating and drinking that is a good sign. It looks as though he will be just fine. how nice it is he has a nice warm place to crawl into and some food in his belly.

Poor Butterscotch, His ear looks better on the second photo and the fur will regrow. His ear may not return to its original position if either a heamatoma or lessions have developed, neither of these are life threatening, and he looks like he is enjoying lots of TLC!

Butterscotch disappeared for 2 days, and I was worried that he might have gotten into more trouble. But yesterday, just as we were getting ready to go to our friends' house, he appeared... hungry as ever! We had had about 5 inches of snow all day yesterday, so he must have been very cold as well - the wind was blowing fiercely too!

This afternoon, after a wild night of wind, I saw Butterscotch sitting in the sun on the deck. It was still only 20 degrees out there, but I'm sure the sun felt oh-so-good to him! He sleeps with his head ever ready to run at the first sign of a sound, poor baby!

His ear looks red on the last photo. Is he shaking his head alot? Have you seen him scratching it?

yes, an update is in order. i hope butterscotch is doing better!

UHHHHHHHHHHHHH - Jiffy - that WAS an update!

I think the ear looks red because of the sun shining through it without any fur cover. It looks pretty much the same as from the first day we've seen it. I have not seen him shaking his head, nor touching his ear at all. He is always very hungry, and does sleep in the cathouse from time to time, but not like the first 2 days that he was here when the wounds were fresh.

That's all I have for now...

sorry lynne. i missed your post as it ended up on page one and glenda's was on page 2. so i thought her post was in response to your second post. now that i've confused everyone as well as cindy ever could, i am glad to get the update! thank you

It's quite alright Jiffy - I've been in a fog myself today!

red is not a bad color, in my opinion, for this stage in the healing process. I think he's gonna be fine.

I think cricket is right---

yep me too.

Good to here that he has a healthy appitite too.
Cats are amazing creatures.

If the skin is there the hair will grow back. If you could get some antibiotics into him it would help fight any infection that is sure to come along with an injury like that. you could crush it up into his soft food. I work as a vet tech and we see these kind of injuries a lot. looks like a fan belt got hold of him. Just a guess but had one in the other day that was almost identical to that. Lucky cat but will be ok with time. Hope this helps. Good luck.

How's Butterscotch???

Butterscotch comes daily to eat several times a day. He is extremely friendly, loving pets and rubs and tries to come inside every time. I sooooo wish we could bring him in, but unfortunately we cannot afford to take him to the vet for all the necessary shots, etc if we were to do that, and having 5 indoor cats is a handful as it is already.

But I do love the times when I get to feed him and give him a scratch and rub - he even pushes into our hands when we do that, which makes Don believe that he had to have been someone's cat and was cast outside for some reason - poor kitty.

Here he is tonight, trying to get inside, while I was feeding him about 1/2 hour ago. His right ear is doing so much better - it is even standing straight up once again - I am so happy to see that, as it had been curled back when he got hurt. Now... if he can only stay out of fights - he had another awful one a few weeks ago and lost some fur from his eye back down past the same ear.

Ohhhhhhh He looks soooooo good now! He has really healed nicely! He looks like he is saying,,,,, "just let me in for a minute please!"

You feeding him has lead him to healing so well and now, he is trusting you enough to allow petting and closeness,, which tell alot about you Lynne. He knows he has a good friend in you

aawwww....butterscotch has healed real nice! thanks SO much for the update! he is one handsome kitty. those male cats just don't know when to quit with the fighting do they? we lost our 'pork chop' like that. we're on 10 acres and the neighbor is on 5. our male and her male kitty couldn't come to any kind of agreement with all that land to work with!...go figure??? such is the way of nature, I guess.
glad to see him doing well.

OH Lynne---he is doing so well--I am so happy to see it.----Also glad to see that he is warming up to all of you so well.---perhaps is he stays around long enough the time will be right for you to take him in---or perhaps someone else will find they are in need of a sweet kitty---and gee you happen to know of one----

Thanks so much for the update.

thanks for the update. he looks great now!

Well just my opinion P & P.. I am assuming he is an intact Tom.. which would explain the fighting.
And I assume he is just visiting to get some food. And a safe Haven I dont know where you live but most all cities now have very cheap Spay neuter clinics. Even for Feral Cats. they snip and you release. At least that way they are not contributing to the horrific overpopulation. We can all do something to help! We may not all be able to give them homes but we can sure help with the over population.
You might google Low Cost spay Neuter in your city. I bet you have one. You could probably lure him into a crate with some yummy Tuna. Best of luck!

"Awwwwwwwwww I REALLY wish I could come inside and eat with the rest of the cats!!!"



"PLEASE OH PLEASE won't you let me in???"



His expressions break my heart. But he is fed well, numerous times a day by us, and gets lots of rubs too - he tried to get Don to continue again last night, but is actually scratching him when he grabs for his hand to continue.

We are going to wait and see when our son gets to have a place of his own and takes his 2 cats with him - right now he is only employed as a temp., but that job might become permanent in about 1 1/2 months. After that, if things stabilize here, we "might" be able to take Butterscotch inside.

Lynne,, He looks so healthy now,, His eyes are clear,, his fur the thick ,,,, And He has friends that feed him, No wonder he wants in, He knows it's warm in there and knows that's where the food comes from,, and I imagine he smells the other kitties too, and wants to join in on their comfort!

Aw Butterscoth looks so cute--and--pleading. I do so hope everyting works out for all of you.

about the neutering. We always had our cats spayed or neutered.

The neutering certainly cut down on the children, and while it may have cut down on the fighting it did not stop it. When our "Tigger" came home one too many times with "battle scars" he was given a permanent place to live in our house. The girls thought that was best.


and yes we neutered him just as soon as we were told he was old enough.

Time for another update.
Butterscotch tries harder and harder to come inside each time we feed him, but it's just not possible right now. We do not have the funds to take him to the vet - especially with what we are dealing with, with Oliver being sick. So we feed him NUMEROUS times a day and give him lots of rubs and attention.

Here he is getting in my camera - he wouldn't pose nicely so I took the picture anyway.


He plopped down against the open door and was watching Amber inside.


Being lazy as cats like to be, he decided to turn over for a bite to eat!


More in next post...

awwwwwwwwwwww He looks So Healthy and Sure wants to be a whole part of your family! You've been very sweet with Him Lynne! Thanks For the update!

One can see that you have taken very good care of him/her Lynne---perhpas one day Butterscotch will be able to become a part of the "family" for real....

Thanks so much Diane and Carol.

Butterscotch seems to be very afraid when we try to go out on the deck when he is there - he runs away down the stairs. He will sit on the stairs to wait and see if we leave, but won't come around us - YET!

He does love to be petted when we open the door to feed him though.

I agree with Caroll Some day he will call your place Home,, he almost does already!!
He is skiddish yes, but I think he will come around and eventually both of you can be out on the deck together!