Please help !

[babybombo]

My cat has come home covered in tar.
I got most of it off of his coat, by washing it off then I had to cut chunks of it out.

Now he's getting agitated and wont let me anywhere near him to get the rest off.
He has some on his pads and in between his toes and he keeps trying to lick it.
Is tar poisonous to cats, will it make him ill ?

Should I just leave him to calm down a while then try to get it off of his paws, or is this urgent enough to have to take him to the vets ?

Please reply quickly because Iam really worried about it!

[excelsior]

get to the vet -- sharpish!

[excelsior]

would be interested in update when you return

[lankeela]

Use margerine and get it right in between the toes and wipe it off with tissues. Put newspaper on the floor. When you have got as much as you can off with the margerine wash the feet in warm soapy water (no detergent). Dry with a towel.

The tar is somehow diluted by the margerine and it breaks down quite easily. Problem will be getting the cat to co-operate, but its a useful tip for dogs.

[smudge]

Hi babybombo - sorry to hear about your cat - they certainly keep you on your toes don't they?!

Great advice from lankeela - also found this which may help you:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1& cat=1391&articleid=1081

[babybombo]

Thanks for your answers guys.
My mother told me about using margerine but he'd had enough and wouldn't co-operate, thanks lankeela.

Smudge, they certainly do! That link was great thanks, I had searched for things like that and had been unable to find anything so thanks.

excelsior thanks for your advice, I phoned the vet and she told me to take him over straight away. He's still there now =(
When I was taking him over he wasn't moving much and kept closing his eyes. When we got there she took him out of his cage and he wouldnt stand up.
The vet said that before he came home he had probably already licked himself all over as its their natural response.
He's to stay over night, he's being anaesthetised while he is vigourously bathed to get rid off all of the tar, they are putting charcoal in his stomach and then he's to go on intravenous fluids. My poor boy =(

She took our number "incase anything happens during the night" I just hope hes going to be alright.

Thanks again for everyones reply. =)

[excelsior]

fingers crossed for you. licking himself was the worse thing he could have done... thanks for the update - please keep us informed tomorrow or whenever

regards

[babybombo]

Thanks excelsior, Im glad you answered me so quickly the first time, you may have saved my little guy's life as I wasn't sure wether to take him to the vet or not.

I've to phone the vet in the morning, if he's ok and everything's went well he should be home around tea time tomorrow so I'll probably post around then.

Thanks again

[excelsior]

looking forward to reading it.

don't let it spoil your nights sleep .. he is in good hands.

once again, fingers crossed

[natalie_1982]

Hi Babybombo, I have only just read this thread - so sorry to hear what's happened to your boy! Jezebel seems concerned (she's sat on my knee staring intently at the screen at the mo), let us know how he gets on at the vets. I swear they do these things to worry us sometimes then be showered with extra love and fuss, just like when they do a disappearing act for a few days and turn up as though nothing has happened! I'll keep my fingers crossed for your boy :-)

[babybombo]

hi natalie, thanks for your post and concern.

I know, as the vet went to get the permission to anaesthetic form for me to sign I said to him
"Why do you do this to me ?!"

I was holding back tears the whole time!
Im so worried about him but as excelsior says, Im going to try and not let it ruin my nights sleep.

Give Jezebel a great big hug from me! They can always sense when your affected by something cant they!

Thanks again

[GypsyGSD]

Hope thinks go well, will be thinking of you both GypsyX

[babybombo]

Thanks very much gypsy =)

[bensmum]

I've just read this - what a horrible thing to happen to your poor cat! Hope all goes well - will be thinking of you both
XX

[wiggal]

I really hope your boy is back to himself soon!
Give him a big hug from me and a hello from my 7 pesky felines!

Wiggal xx

[babybombo]

Thanks guys.

Yes bensmum its horrible, and its even worse because we dont know how it happened! When he came back his collar was also missing so we have no idea what he's been up to!

Thanks wiggal will do! =)

[wolf63]

I hope he is okay.

Yep - you got to wonder how he managed to get covered in tar.

Thnking about your little 'thug'.

Susan, Frankie (thug) and Merlin (Princess)

[excelsior]

good morning babybombo. don't know if you'll see this - i appear to have been booted off the site at the moment & all my postings have been removed.

i've just go home from the night shift - will be in bed within the hour. i have been thinking of you occasionally during the night and hope that you have slept ok.

i hope to be back in business when i wake up this afternoon - i shall sign in (or attempt to) and return to this thread hoping to see an update from you.

all my thoughts are with you - talk to you later (i hope)

till then ......



regards ........





E

[tickledtrout]

So sorry to hear about your cat, have you heard any thing today on how he is?

[annavc]

Just read this this morning - what a horrible thing to happen. Keeping all fingers crossed that he is ok - do let us know. My big furball Sam is keeping his many toes crossed too and probably wondering why I've suddenly hugged him really tight!

[josaphine32]

Thats so sad, poor little man!!!
im just glad your little man came home and did not stay out i hope he is ok , my little monster ran off on monday night, he snuck out as i was getting some coal in, the idiots next door decided to have fire works at 10.30pm monday night,and i havent seen him since, what total and utter twa*s they are,