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Crusty ears on stray cat.

Species: Cat
Breed: tortoiseshell
Age: 1-2 years
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. There is a small stray cat I found on my street and have been taking care of for the past two weeks. I'm not entirely sure how old she is. She won't let me touch her and she won't come inside, but I've made her a little bed outside and I feed her daily. I've never had a cat and know very little about them, but a friend told me that it seems she has mange. Her ears are crusty and scabbed, she has a very large sore on the side of her face which bleeds, and she is constantly scratching and wailing. I know she's in tremendous pain; she sits and shakes by my door all day. I can't catch her to get a better look at her condition, but even if I were able to, I can't afford to take her to a vet right now. Is there anything I can do to help treat, comfort, or ease her pain until I can gather the funds to take her to get proper medical care? I appreciate any advice.

Kind regards,
Charleye


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Charleye, and thanks for your question. Thanks for looking after this little one.

This is going to be a hard question for me to answer as there are several things that can cause these symptoms.

It's possible that this is a severe case of ear mites. If so, she could be treated quite easily with a product called . Unfortunately though, you need a prescription to buy Revolution. And, you would need to get close enough to her to put the tube of medication on the skin on her back.

It's also possible that she has a skin and/or ear infection. If this is the case she's going to need some antibiotics.

It's really unlikely that there is anything you can do from a distance to help this poor little cat. You may want to try calling your local humane society to see if you can borrow or rent a live trap from them. If you can trap her, the humane society would likely take her for you and hopefully treat her. If she is really sick they may have to put her down which would be very sad. However, it sounds like she is extremely uncomfortable and it is not fair for her to live like this.

I wish I could give you more helpful advice.

Dr. Marie.


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Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

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Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.