Question re cat.

This could be a long one, so bear with me.
My OH is a train driver, as some of you know.
Well there is a cat thats been hanging round the depot, a ginger tom for around 10 years.
The men at work buy it food etc, alothigh it does catch mice, rabbits etc.
I have seen him once and he only goes to those, he knows will feed him.
He is part feral, some of the other blokes have tried to get him in a box etc in the past, but not managed to do it.
He will sleep in a box, but by the sounds of it will not be put in one, to get him to the vets.
Mark (my oh) tells me hes going really thin over the last few months, bearing in mind his age but when i saw him, he was a big lad.
I seem to think and my oh agree's he needs medical attention, while the blokes will buy him food no one wants to get him looked at, to be honest i think it may be his kidneys.
Do you think if i contacted the cats protection they will give him medical treatment if its not too late?
I don't want to see him, as his image will haunt me untill something is done to help him.
The problem is he dissappears for days, even if mark put notices up not to let him out, the doors and windows are always open.
If he was there i would get him in a box, but like mark has said we need an appointment at the vets and theres nothing to say we will be able to get him.
Its not our cat, but i can't help but think some one has to help him, he needs medical attention even if the only thing to do for him is to pts due to health.

So what would you do?

It can't hurt to ask CPL if they'll help hon. Good on you and your OH and his mates for wanting to help the cat. Let us know how you get on xox

From what i have read cats can live a normal life with 25% of kidney function.
Providing hes not beyond help, and has the correct diet etc.
He has to be at least 10 to 15 years old,thing is vicki if we managed to get him seen at the vets and turn his health around what ever it may be.
I wouldn't want to part, if he allowed me to form a bond, i know my cat would accept another but i don't know if our home would be right for him with the dogs etc.
When i have seen him in the past, he allowed me to stroke him and pick him up, so i don't think hes beyond help.
I will give them a call i have nothing to lose and if it gives us info how to help him.
Mark said he could probably get his hand round his waist hes so thin, but still eating well.

Hope they can help. It's such a shame, isn't it? I can't help but think of him not feeling very well, and with few home comforts when he's all alone.....

Thats just it mark told me about him needing help, and i can't think of him needing help or medical and do nothing, it will haunt me till i help him, even if it comes out of my pocket.
I can't ignore it now i know.
If i did i would be no better than the rest of them that turn a blind eye to his needs.

If he`s eating wel the chances are it could be as simple as a bad case of worms which could be easily remedied - am I right in thinking the guys who have been feeding him don`t want to face the lad having a terminal illness ? If thats what its down to, bless them for caring and for looking after him all those years but they need to understand that if its a treatable condition the sooner he`s seen the sooner he can get well, but if its not treatable, he must`nt be allowed to suffer to the point of dying a horrible slow, lingering, and very painful death

He does sound tame enough to be able to have a try at a home life, even if wanting a lot of freedom about it - he might have been a cat with a home when he was young but got lost or turfed out so he might well want the comforts of another home if given the opportunity again with someone as patient and understanding as you are already being for him :smt001

Would the lads have a whip round to get him treated ? They sound like a decent bunch.

Thats just it, it could be worms, mark said the only driver that used to worm him left to go to another company.
So hes hasn't been wormed for months if not years.
This is what i said to mark, if it does turn out to be kidneys etc and nothing can be done, he will suffer for possible months, and it would be kinder to pts.
All i know is he was an adult when he started hanging around, maybe a few yrs old and came from some type of home before.
He is very much a cat where you have to gain his trust, and for him to see you as ok.
He will come to mark if hes around because he feeds him, just mark daren't get him in a box..........lol
Mark isn't really a cat person although for some reason eric as he calls him seems to got to him, enough for mark to put food in trolley every week.
If we could get him,bring him home then get an appointment and him be here and kept in untill i would, which might be the only way.
I dunno vicki i think some would other wouldn't, they all seem to think no one can get him in the box to start with.