Should I return a sick, feral cat to its colony after vet care?

Oh poor Binx! How lovely of you to look after him! He will need to see a vet right away for this badly healing cut. It may be infected, and that would make him very lethargic. The cut likely needs to be cleaned, and he will probably need antibiotics to treat any infection. Please have him seen by a vet ASAP. If you plan on keeping Binx, I would recommend having him neutered once he's feeling better. That helps reduce roaming behaviors, and may help him from getting into fights. Entire cats typically fight over territory and females, and if he no longer has the sexual desire to mate, that behavior will be reduced.

I think that is a lovely idea! How great of you to want to look after him. Have blood tests and a urinalysis done at the vet first before neutering and introducing him to your cats to make sure he is healthy. Best of luck.

If he seems healthy now then the chance of survival is good. Although, there is always a chance he gets exposed to an infectious disease and/or trauma if he is outside, again. Make sure he is up to date on all vaccines, especially if he is going to be put outside again.

As he was a stray i believe it is important that you take him to the vet for a checkup, vaccination and deworming treatment. you can de-flea him with Advantage spot on, a very effective over the counter flea treatment.

Yes you can take them into the vet to have them neutered if they don’t have owners. That would be lovely of you! It will cut down on fighting, but keeping them indoors all the time. will prevent any fighting. Best of luck.

Without being him in person, I can't say how long you can expect him to live. Having him seen by a vet would be the best indication. Look, even if he only lives a few months, think about how much that would mean to him living in a loving home instead of in a shelter. You'd be giving him a great gift, no matter how long he lives.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I am not a lawyer or with law enforcement so please do not consider this any sort of legal advice. This is a tough one. You can always call the animal shelter/ animal control near you. Perhaps you could just offer the cat food off your property? Start with just a little off your property, then move closer and closer to the neighbor's? Or, if she is friendly toward you and you can handle her, you could consider trying to make her your official pet. In most cases, if you can get her into the vet for a checkup, a vaccine or two, and a microchip-ideally, then she is yours and you can claim her as your own outdoor cat. Of course be aware that other cats may head your way when you start placing food outside - you may end up back where you started. Best wishes to you and the kitty!