feral cat with glass in paw

[framinpl]

We have several feral cats around our home besides our own.  One has something in its paw, they will come in and eat and sleep in our home but it will let me pet it but not pick it up.  Is their something I can put in its food for it to fall asleep so I can clean its foot and examin and remove what ever is in it paw.  Or can I get the liquid that you see in movies to put on a cloth the put him to sleep.  He gets blood on my kitchen floor and this has been going on for over a month.  It might be a piece of glass from a candle holder that broke on our deck.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

I think that putting something in the cat's food is risky.  There is a chance that the cat would eat this medication, leave your home before it takes affect, and get killed when it is knocked out by a predator, or run over.  Additionally, another of your cats could eat the tranquilizer instead of the wounded one.  Only injectable tranquilizers have fast or immediate effect and can be dangerous.

You do have to get this cat to the vet though.  A month with a glass foreign body may require surgery to remove, systemic antibiotics,  and flushing of the wound daily for several days.

Is there a vet around that performs house calls near you?  Veterinarian's and their staff have the proper and safe equipment to collect this cat if you can isolate him in a room of your house.  

You could also try to catch this cat with a pillow case.  The pillow case trick is performed as follows:   Use the largest pillow case that you have.  Prop up the open side with something so the cat will have easy access inside.  You could even put his food inside the pillow case for several days to get him used to it.  Once he is inside you simply pick up the pillow case at the open end and he is ensnared without too much stress.  Cats find the inside of pillow cases comforting usually, but if he acts like a spitfire have a cat carrier handy.

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

You can get acepromazine from a vet.  If you explain the situition I am sure he/she will give you some.

[DinaGrimes]

We have to sedate our cat when we take him to the vets because he is so aggressive.  We get it from the vet (2 to 3 tablets ~$8.00 - though we only give him one tablet) (for some reason we can't buy only one tablet).  I crush it up into moist food.  The only thing is that it does not put him to sleep.  It just relaxes him somewhat.  It takes about 2 to 3 hours to really relax him.  When we get him to the vet they still need to wrap him in a towel and he still hisses but does not try to bite (which he will do if not sadated).  

You could give the sedative a try.  Have someone wrap him and hold him while you check the paw.

Hope this helps.

[framinpl]

I understand your concern about the cat getting hurt. But I can get this cat to stay inside and I can get it one room and  lock it in ( he just wont me do anything but pet him).  So I am not so worried about the cat getting out and getting hurt.  I don't know any vets that will come to the house. (My husband will throw a fit if I put any money in the cats, we have 4 of our own, and I've been helping out these 4 feral cats, so its a sore spot with my husband)   He is not limping on that paw, and is not bleeding all the time.  Maybe every couple of weeks I see blood paw prints.  It could be a nail, I'm guessing about the glass.  In this case is there I can put in his food if I isolate him so I can clean it and look at it.
Thanks  
April

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

awee your to kind, i think good ideal with sleep pill ask your vet am sure he/she can help you out .