Cat hind leg amputation

Giggles1982

Hi just looking for some advice from anyone with a pet that has an amputated leg please . I found a kitten 3 weeks ago , crouched under a car cornered by a fox , the poor little thing was in a bad way and it was very touch and go for a while , she nearly faced the injection twice ! I've adopted her into my household & she adores my resident cat , 18 month male .

Little kitten , Joy , is about 13 weeks . At some point she had suffered a trauma to her hind leg which has left nerve damage & is somewhat numb , she drags it a little bit so is now damaging the foot , so basically the best thing for it is going to be amputation to prevent further damage .

So I've a number of worries !

First being cost , how much is this going to cost ?! It wouldn't be covered on insurance as its a previous injury , I haven't discussed the cost with my vet yet as I'm afraid to ask !

In general I'm just worried how she ll adapt , I work full time so she ll be alone a lot , but I can try take a few days off post surgery to help her . I'm just wondering will she be able to jump ? Does this mean I'll have to keep her indoors all the time ? I'd like to be able to have her in the garden a bit , I doubt she'll be able to climb ? At the moment she doesn't climb or jump at all , she's a nervous little thing but loves playing with her big brother .

I'd just love to hear some stories & advice from others who have dealt with this , please !

Pumpkinseeds

Firstly, well done for taking on puss, its wonderful that she found somebody to love and care for her. Secondly, there is a rescue cat in my neighbourhood that had one of her back legs amputated. I don't know the family that she belongs to, although I see her out and about sometimes. She jumps up on walls and seems to get around fine.

Another neighbour of ours while we lived in the UK had a cat with an amputated front paw and it seemed able to jump up on the fence and get out and about, it was well able for the great dane dog they had as well.

I'd have a chat with the vet and explain your circumstances and ask about paying off the fees in installments. Good luck and keep us posted.

Stheno

Given she's young she will adapt so much better than an older cat, and the likelihood is that with the existing injury she is not using the leg.

I've had several dogs with three legs and they coped fine. Animals can be surprisingly resilient.

There are loads of toys you could get as well for her to keep her entertained

Well done on taking her in.

Sigma Force

She will adapt just fine, older cats adapt just fine as well the only issue really with older cats is weight if they are over weight for example they need to loose some to help them get around but a 3 legged cat managed just as well as a 4.

A cat allowed to roam outside whether they have 3 or 4 legs is at high risk of ending up under a car so it's best to keep her in or cat proof the garden so she can't leave the safety of the garden, same goes for anyones cats imo.

I had a 3 legged cat and she was fine getting around, flying around the place no bother.

A vet might let you pay bit by bit, it's generally not a very expensive operation unless there's further complications, it's generally around the same price as any standard op..but then again that all depends on the vet so maybe shop around, obviously don't skimp on vet care but vet prices do vary hugely.

JustAThought

My friends neighbour have a three legged cat - it scales walls,invites itself i., lepas up on the table etc - has very mad + adventerous existance!

Would you consider ringing the blue cross - they might bs able to asist you with the vets costs + help negotiate his bills down.

Good look with little Joy she sounds georgous!

Giggles1982

Thanks everybody , we're back to the vet tomorrow for the final decision & to see if she's well enough for the op . Apart from the foot she's now doing great , finally ventured outside the sitting room last night , after 3 weeks ! Is currently purring away beside me on sofa , god love her she doesn't know what's ahead of her ! I had a look again at the foot , the pads are wearing down & a claw is gone :-( she pulls off any dressings I put on ! Poor little thing , I'll keep you updated ! Thanks again

boomerang

Oh, she's gorgeous!

Agree with what everyone has already said, I've seen so many cats and kittens (through involvement with rescue) that needed amputations and they do just fine! She will be as naughty as any other cat, jumping up on the counters! Just watch her weight as her other three legs will be bearing the weight of four, so keep her slim to reduce the chances of arthritis in the future.

It shouldn't be an expensive operation and the recovery is uncomplicated. She'll have her hip shaved bare and there will be stitches but it's very neat and tidy and the fur will grow back quickly. I've had foster cats and foster kittens that have had amputations while in my care and the recovery period hasn't been a bother on them. They got Metacam for a bit of pain relief and it really didn't take any more out of them than neutering would. Once the fur is fully grown back you won't even think about her missing a limb any more.

This is a pic of Beau, one of my former fosters, a few days after his op to remove the front leg. (He had nerve damage like your lady so the leg was just a hindrance to him.) Pic is just to give you an idea of what to expect. It's not gruesome at all. (Click to make the pic bigger.)



And here he is snoozing, ten days after the op, when the stitches had been taken out:



I'd strongly advise you keep her as an indoor-only kitty and maybe just give her supervised time out of doors. Whatever about jumping up on counters there's no way she'll be able to run fast enough to get out of the way of an oncoming car or the attentions of an unfriendly dog. Indoor-only kitties are more prone to weight gain so bear that in mind too.

She is so lucky to have found you! xx

My friend in Denmark has an adult cat missing a back leg.

Firstly, cost, yes, it cost a lot to have the amputation done. People on the cat forum raised the money for Tripod to have his op, which restores my faith in humanity.

Tripod's only issue with adapting to having a missing back leg was that he falls into his own poo. He uses the litter tray like the others but he falls into his own poo and walks around caked in it and my friend has to wash him.

Dr SpudZ

Poor thing maybe best have it put to sleep...

Giggles1982

Hi everybody just an update , well my little miracle has dodged the bullet once more . The vet is happy with her progress , she ll need a toe amputated at some point that she damaged but otherwise it's basically just exercise to build strength ! The limb will never be 100% but as she's so young the vet is happy she ll adapt . She's now managing to run up & down the stairs . She's a little fighter !

Thanks to everybody for the advice :-)

Tipperary animal lover

Delighted for her and you!!

ilovetorun

Delighted its worked out for the both of you, my kitten had to have her back leg amputated a few years ago and is now flying around the place. Animals adapt so well to their circumstances, I'm sure your little one will make huge progress in the future

ebbsy

Above advices all true. Cat had to get it done after getting caught in a trap but adapted no probs.