Lumpy the feral cat that we feed

This is Lumpy. I was trying to get footage of him walking, so his gait would be visible. His back legs are very stiff - when he walks, imagine his front feet take twice as many steps, and his back legs walk like a slow, deliberate and comical cowboy...only it's not comical. I'm not sure if it's injury, or neurological.

He's talkative, not a fan (as you can see) of being touched, though I make a point of trying to have him sniff my hand or touch his forehead each time I feed him, in hopes he might mellow a little more.

Every morning and evening, he's on our porch, ready for food. I am in the process of procuring a trap, as we noticed that he does not appear to be fixed. However, here is my dilemma. I'm afraid that with all of this apparent injuries, bringing him to the vet might be the end for him. I want to get him medical attention - he appears to have some sort of mange on his neck, an injured front paw, the issue with his hind legs (that he's had all the years we've lived here), and occasionally appears to have something respiratory. It is a very difficult decision for me, if after trapping him, the vet advises that he's in terrible shape. Despite the shape he is in, sunny afternoons I catch him laying in our mulch, sunning himself. He "bathes" (though not well). In the winter we have that little house rigged with a timer and a warming pad, which he used this last winter. He just seems like he's had such a rough life :(

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• feral
• cat

[Banana391Returns]

720P FTW!!! I'll tell ya, theres nothing I love more than watching animals feed in High Definition!

[dazzzed63]

Thanks for taking care of him. Cats are wonderful and they all need love and a little help and kindness.

[Jeepersca]

@PierreDeChat ...that's a terrible thing to say! He's actually doing very well, and at present lets me pet and brush him. I've given him anti-flea medication on his back, which helped his fur grow back in. He's doing very well, for what he has.

[sheenacamp]

I'll be the first to post a comment on your video!!

In regards to your reddit post, it almost looks like her may have arthritis or he possibly broke the leg when he was younger and it mended at an odd angle. He doesn't seem in pain, but if he caught by a live trapper, they may opt to put him down or relocate him. :(