Found a skinny stray cat with fleas and a bad tail. What to do?

Thank you for trying to help Forest! Because he is an outdoor cat there is a good chance he may have fleas or gastrointestinal parasites that are causing some issues. You may want to try to apply Frontline plus to the back of his neck if he will allow you to do so safely. The best option would really be to take Forest to a veterinarian for evaluation as any number of things could be causing his thin body condition and skin lesion. There may be a feral cat rescue in your area that would be willing to work with you to trap Forest, make sure he is vaccinated and neutered, and do a health exam. Good luck and I hope Forest is doing better soon!

It would be impossible to tell what's wrong without an exam. If he will let you handle him, catching him and bringing him to a vet so he can be sedated, checked for illness or injuries, dewormed, vaccinated, etc can help ensure he stays healthy, and doesn't get ill or spread disease to other pets once re-released. If you can't handle him, most humane societies have humane traps you can rent and smelly wet food or warmed up chicken can be used as bait to entice him to enter. As for food, any [commercial adult cat food](https://www.petco.com/category/cat/cat-food) should be good for helping him gain weight and stay healthy once he's been seen by a vet. Science Diet, Nutro, Royal Canin, Purina, etc all offer great options for food.

How lovely of you to look after this stray! There are a number of things that could cause him to lose weight, such as intestinal worms, diabetes, kidney disease, or hyperthyroidism to name a few. He could also possibly have fleas. It's important to make sure your cats are up to date on their flea treatments and deworming treatments. As for the stray, I would take him into the SPCA if you don't want to assume financial responsibility for him. They can get him the veterinary attention he needs and find him a home. Otherwise, you can take him into the vet yourself :-)

I'd take her into the vet for a check. She might have intestinal worms causing her to be really skinny, and the sneezing can indicate a respiratory infection. She needs to be checked out thoroughly by a vet so her medical issues can be diagnosed and treated. Best of luck.

I don't think I can help very much. I can't really tell what is wrong with the skin. Thin, weak, poor appetite, those are things that more likely indicate internal illness. In a stray, unvaccinated cat, FeLV or FIV would be on the top of my list. There is no cure for these viruses. We also can't prescribe medications, even OTC, as it is illegal.

Hello. Samson may have allergies, or a parasitic skin infection, such as what is seen with fleas & skin mites. Ear infections can also cause a cat to scratch in some of these areas. Have you spoke to your neighbors to see if they are aware of the cat's condition? Perhaps they are have financial difficulties. You can certainly offer to purchase & apply a good flea & tick product on Samson ( Bravecto for cats is an excellent choice ), or even volunteer to take Samson to the vet at least one time. You can also supply Samson with some extra food, when he comes by. Seeing a pet in need is a sad thing, especially when all you can do is stand by & watch. Do whatever you can to help this poor guy, but just be aware, not all people appreciate unsolicited advice or assistance. Good luck with Samson & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

He needs to be seen by a veterinarian. He could be suffering from an overactive thyroid gland or kidney failure, or is losing his hair due to mange mites. Mites are easily treated with a miticide. An overactive thyroid is also treated relatively easily (your vet will give you the particulars, there are several ways to treat) and even for renal problems there are various ways to give him good quality of life. It may be useful if someone in your neighborhood takes him in as their pet for treatment, and you all could pitch in for the vet costs.