Posted by: Lois Lindemann on: January 13th, 2008 
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Should you become a three legged cat you will still be able to enjoy your pampered cat lifestyle. Here is some advice for the newly three-legged cat:
1. Prepare to become a local legend
Everybody loves three legged cats. Absolutely everybody. Even the man next door who didn’t like you at all when you had four legs will say “Ah!”. Make the most of your fame and use it to your advantage.
Train the paperboy. He will think you are so cute that he will turn up with little treats for you hidden in his pockets, you will hardly be able to keep up with him as he does his round because you have to keep stopping to eat them.
The two children across the road will fall in love with you and worship you. Allow them to pet you, then they will feed you bits of chocolate biscuit when they think no-one is looking.
When your human pet has gone to work, hang around looking very sad and neglected. You will be able to persuade the nice lady who lives up the road to set out early for work, just so that she can stop and make a fuss of you. When you sneak into her house later on, she will feed you little dishes of tuna fish, allow you to sleep in front of her fire and play with her own cat’s toys.
2. You will discover just how stupid some humans can be
Some foolish people will completely fail to notice that you only have three legs. They will make stupid remarks such as “I think your cat’s limping, is he alright?” Do these humans really think that you can’t run about on three legs? They seem to manage, even though they only have two. Do not allow these idiots to rub your ears, for they are not worthy of it.
3. Develop some new climbing techniques
At home, you may need to be more imaginative. When your human pet thinks that an unattended dish of trifle is out of your reach, you can prove her wrong, by climbing onto a chair, then jumping onto the table, before finally launching yourself at the work surface. Mmm custard, your favourite thing in the world…
However, it is best if you do not attempt to climb any tall trees, this will result in an undignified failure. Instead hang around on the ground looking disinterested and mock the four legged cats who attain more height, but who look most ungainly as they clamber upwards.
4. Play cat and mouse.
Hunting birds is more difficult when you have only three legs, it is so much more effort to leap in the air. You may prefer to develop a taste for mice instead. When you get really old and lazy you might even try hunting worms. Or slugs. (But don’t let your human pet see you do that, or she will shout “Yuk!” and decline to cuddle you.)
5. Train your human pet to pander to your every whim
Your human pets will worry greatly about your three legged status and will be acutely aware of your every difficulty, so make the most of their feelings of guilt and use them to your advantage.
In the first weeks after your operation, decline to eat anything apart from the finest cuts of meat. Your humans will be extremely vexed about your health and will happily serve your choice of food.
When you begin to recover, pull your claws wildly on the carpet of the bottom step of the stair and on the base of the sofa until your dozy humans get the message and provide you with recumbent scratching facilities.
Once you are fully mobile, remember to look as if you are struggling from time to time, this will allow you to keep your human pets’ undivided attention. If you see one of them walking home laden with as much shopping as they can carry, hop out pathetically to meet them, making sure that you appear to be struggling to walk, then ride home in state, sitting on their shoulder whilst chuckling inwardly at how much they are struggling to carry you and all those bags. Once you have reached home in this manner and been placed gently back at ground level, run off at top speed with no difficulty whatsoever.
You will quickly discover that your three-leggedness is not necessarily a disadvantage as some humans might think; in fact it often makes it much easier for you to train the local humans to worship you and do your bidding.
Dear Kate
Please don’t beat yourself up over Abby. All our tripods have been in similar situations where we wonder ‘what if…’ but the truth is that what is happening right now is the most important thing.
I still reflect at times on what I could have done to prevent JJ’s situation. I was chatting to a friend on the phone in the garden one sunny afternoon when the most horrendous cat fight was going on in the next garden. My friend commented that it sounded like ‘JJ was giving some cat a hard time’. We laughed, as it was typical of JJ to look for trouble – then I saw JJ limp into the house through the cat flap. Two hours later having thought he had gone to sleep on my bed, I called all the cats for their tea. No JJ. On going upstairs he was lying in the middle of my bed in a pool of blood with his back leg at an awkward angle. By this time my wonderful vet surgery had closed and I had to go to the on call vet who was absolutely hopeless. Two weeks later after failed tendon surgery, the leg died and my lovely vet had to amputate.
What I am trying to illustrate is that I agonised for months about what a terrible mum I was, why had I laughed and joked, why had I not checked him earlier, why had I left it too late for my own vet to see him.
Like most incidents in human life, unless there is a frame of reference to apply, such as previous experience, we have no warning and can only deal with things as they occur. We only have the ‘benefit’ of hindsight. You weren’t to know that on this occasion Abby would be trapped in the curtain, it was an accident. Otherwise we would all be inspecting our homes for potential feline accident blackspots and getting neurotic in the process. There are some things that we can predict with knowledge (like not having vases of lilies around which cats could eat and get poisoned). I’ve heard of a cat that had to have a leg amputated because it fell off the top of a cat climbing post! Who could have predicted that?
As you say, Abby is a fighter – she will get on and cope with this – and so will you.
Best wishes Anne
Thanks for the words of wisdom Anne. As it’s still very early days i’m only just beginning to get my head around what has happened. Just rang the vet and she’s pulled through surgery well. So now onto the next step which is thinking positively and giving all the love and help she needs to recover. Can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate you responding to my post. XXX
You’re welcome, sorry if I was a bit preachy – it was 5 in the morning so wasn’t fully awake. I’m pleased she’s now over the surgery and there are loads of tips on this site for the next stage…
Anne
I also have a rescue kitten who sustained an injury requiring her leg to be removed. Honestly I still feel guilty, that’s normal, just know that kittens will be curious regardless of our best acts of prevention. If she’s anything like Ella Catticus she will be back and even better in no time. Try to allow yourself to take in the emotions, just don’t let them overwhelm you, your kitten has already gotten over it 🙂
My 3 legged cat loves being outside so several times a day i walk him round the garden on a leash. I want to know if its ok to fit a cat flap and give him the freedom he wants and live normal life again. I rescued him a month ago he is well settled and is familiar with his territory.
Hi Dawn, The hardest thing for me to do was to give my tripod the freedom to go back outside because of my fear. However, she now comes & goes as she pleases when the weather is warm and she is very happy about it. They are normal cats, they just happen to have 3 legs. Give your kitty the freedom, everything will be okay. Keep a close eye the first few days but I’ll bet that as soon as he figures out he has some freedom, he’ll be very happy to take advantage of it. Hugs from Sonja & Tre’pod
Dear Sonja
Thank you so much for the reassurance i know he will be so happy to have his freedom again he would rather be out than in. Many thanks, Dawn
You are very welcome Dawn, hardest thing to do as a tripod mama is to give them their freedom back, you are so afraid that they will get hurt, again. My little Tre’ (we call her Tre’pod now) lost her front right leg to cancer and for several weeks I kept the stairs blocked off. Then one day I saw her going down the deck stairs like she owned them, took the gate down right then and there and she goes up and down like nothing now. She hit her 1 year anniversary at the end of March and still, every day, I’m amazed at her. She has just taken her adversity in stride and gotten on with life. It has taken me much longer to get over her cancer and I still worry about her every day but she’s amazing. You’re boy will teach you lots because they don’t see themselves as handicapped, it is just what life has given them and they just live it. Enjoy your boy. Hugs from Sonja and Tre’pod
Sonja
I took your advice had a cat flap fitted and set my cat free. He loves his life now, no more leash. He doesnt wander too far from house and always comes back he is never in now loves his freedom it was the best thing i ever did and would advise others to go for it. I phoned the vet as well and they said the same as you. I feel that his life is enriched he can do normal catty things, nighttime is his favourite time. It has changed both our lives for the better ive actually been able to get some housework done, when i wasnt working i was walking bertie round the garden 5 – 6 times a day. Thank you so much for giving me the confidence to do it. Take care
I am so happy for both you and Bertie! We love our babies so much and want the best for them and sometimes it’s scary because it means giving them a little freedom that we aren’t sure we want to give. My little Tre’ loves to go outside so I try to leave doors open a crack so she can come & go as she pleases. Loving a tripod teaches us so much about adapting. I’m so happy that your Bertie is out and exploring like a kitty should. Sitting here smiling, I’m so happy for you. Hugs from Sonja & Tre’pod
Hi just to update lucky is hoping around madly on three legs now and ambushing the door any time anyone come in or out he is doing amazingly well.
Love pads x
So happy for you, your son and Lucky, he truly is a lucky cat. They are amazing animals and he will only get better and better. Hugs from Sonja & Tre’pod
Hello! I was happy to find this website…i am about to adopt a rescue cat from the RSPCA who has recently had his entire back leg removed due to a bad injury.
I wondered if you have any advice on pet insurance? Does your insurance consider this a pre-existing condition?
How have you dealt with this?
Thanks!
Yes having an amputation would be a pre-existing condition – but nothing else can go wrong with that leg once it isn’t there! So hopefully all the treatment will have been done by the time you adopt the cat. Once that is over then it is convalescence and progress all the way.
Thanks Ann… i am tyring to find insurance for him but no luck so far. Do you know of any pet insurers who will take on a cat with this physical disability?
Congratulations on your new addition!
Dear Rachelle
Try Petplan. A bit more expensive than some but they cover for life not just up to a certain age. The excess I pay has gone up a bit over the years but they are now eleven so bits are dropping off them as they get older LOL. One set of teeth and eleven legs between the three of them.
My original four, now three cats, have been with Petplan since kittens, Tara had treatment for a upper respiratory tract infection before I insured them so that is classed as ‘pre-existing’ but she hasn’t had one since! Given they’ve all had pancreatitis (Amber died) and teeth extractions, plus Jaspurr had an abscess and cat flu, JJ had a dodgy tum from birth and has since had treatment for asthma including Liverpool Veterinary Hospital stay 2 years ago and monthly inhaler prescriptions since (counted as continuing claim), behavioural treatment for spraying round the house plus the amputation, they have certainly all had their money’s worth. Thousands!
My vet says that Petplan don’t quibble over the forms as some companies are prone to do. Also he just gets me to sign the form and the payment claim amount is made direct to the vets so I don’t even have to pay up front.
Thanks! Very helpful. I will look into Petplan.
🙂
Hello. I needed some advice possibly. We have a 6yr old rescued cat named Lazarus. He isn’t normally an “outside” cat but he got out Friday before last (now 9 days ago but came home after 6 days…) and we had been searching shelters (he’s microchipped) and posting flyers looking for him. He came home this past Saturday with a badly broken front left leg and missing 2 toes on the outside of his paw. We and the dr’s have no idea what could of happened. It looks as though they’ve been sheared off,bones and all. Its not jagged or mangled,just a clean slice. Anywho,it must of happened right after getting out that Friday because infection had set in and the smell OMG it was horrible. But no other wounds,cuts,breaks,scratches or anything anywhere else on him. The dr’s want to amputate his front left leg. What I’m worried about is it being a FRONT leg. If it was a back leg I could see it being easier for him to adjust to it. He’s in the hospital right now and I’ve been watching him hobble around and he is having a terrible time. Another thing is that he LOVES being outside and its getting harder & harder to keep him indoors. Once his leg is gone there would be no outside for him. I’m wondering if maybe it would be in his best interest to do tis to him? Not only would he have to re adjust to life missing a limb,but he would lose his outside time as well. Any advice? Thanks.
Charlotte, I have a now, 12 year old, baby that has made it wonderfully to her 1 year anniversary of having to have her front right leg amputated due to cancer. PLEASE believe that Lazarus can go through this and be a perfectly happy, healthy, normal cat. They are amazingly adaptable animals and once they realize that the leg is gone, they just get on life. They have no idea that they are handicapped because they aren’t in their mind. I cried buckets over having to make such a terrible decision and it was harder because my little Tre’ was 11 but it was the best decision I could have made. She is now a happy, healthy, beautiful baby and I don’t look back and say “what if” because she is perfect to me. Your love for your baby is obvious but know that your love will allow the amputation and then you’ll just love him all that much more because of his special circumstances. I allow my Tre’ to go outside but she has never been much of a wanderer. She’s seldom out more than just a few minutes and seldom out of sight but you may have to make the decision to put a shelf in front of a window where there is a nice breeze and that will be his outside. You may also have to make steps in places where is is a little high as getting down with 1 front leg can be tricky. We have steps all over the place and Tre’ has learned to use them both going up and down. I know this is a really hard decision but believe me when I say, to amputate the leg is your best decision and you won’t regret it once he has healed and is on the road to his new normal. Look at the picture that comes up with my post and you’ll see that my Tre’ has healed beautifully. Good luck with your decision and please keep us posted we are a happy community with a lot of very special cats. Hugs to you all from Sonja and Tre’pod
Dear Charlotte What has the vet said? Is he planning to amputate? Please be reassured that it isn’t the end of the world. My JJ had severed tendons in his back leg and the leg died over a couple of weeks, the smell was awful and my vet had no choice. I cried all over the vet and JJ. It was the best decision ever. Hope this site can help you as there are cats losing front and back legs, that are still going on to have full lives. They adjust a lot better than we do and once he’s over the surgery and worked out what’s possible, there will be no stopping him. The first few weeks are traumatic as you will find from other people here, who have their own stories to tell of good recoveries and how their cat has adjusted. Mine climbed an eight foot wire fence yesterday trying to catch birds.
Anne,thanks. The dr wants to amputate. I’m lucky to work at a veterinary clinic here BUT our vets don’t handle the major trauma cases. They do surgeries for basically everything else and even did an exploratory abdominal surgery on my OTHER cat a year ago this month =/ But a docter from another hospital would be the one doing the amputation. Basically what worries me the most his how happy would he be afterwards. He LOVES going outside and its almost impossible to keep him in. But we have absolutely no idea what happened to him. Whatever it was sheared the toes right off his left foot and broke his leg. Since I have no clue how or where he went to get hurt like this,and the fact that without all his limbs,climbing or defending himself would be a physical impossibility,he would be forbidden to go outside. =( I don’t think he’d cope well with that. My kids and I love him to death. He loves belly rubs and even drools when you do it lol. He LOVES dogs and plays with them like he was one. He is a cool cat. I’m just thinking longterm here and if id be doing him any favors by removing his leg and taking away the main thing he loves which is going outside.
Dear Charlotte, my little Abby injured her front right leg after getting her claws tangled in a curtain and falling off the window sill. It was horrible seeing her hurt and in so much pain. She too LOVES going outside and playing in our yard. Our vet told us her best option was to amputate. It was the hardest decision we’ve ever had to make. Yesterday was exactly two weeks since she had her front right leg amputated. I was worried how she would cope and how she would move about, use her litter box and clean herself. So far her recovery has been exceptional. While it’s been hard for us watching her adapt, she doesn’t seem bothered at all. Once she was allowed out of her cage (10 days) her mood improved and she is happy getting on with life. She still forgets that her leg is missing and you can see her trying to use it in her litter box but as soon as she realizes nothings happening she quickly switches to her left. She had her first afternoon outside on the weekend and LOVED it. As she has no idea that she’s ‘disabled’ i’m sure it won’t be long till she’s up to her old tricks and trying to escape over our back fence! So don’t be too worried. Once you’ve gone through the normal emotions of feeling upset and worried your little Lazarus will show you just what a clever and adaptable cat he is. I really feel for you as I was in the same situation only a fortnight ago…but I can assure you things will get better and quickly! xxxx
And thank you for your response by the way =)
My cat had the same injuries and they took the whole limb
It was horrible to think about but anatomically it’s the best option for the well being of the cat
My cat is unstoppable and it’s only been 6 months
Read back on these posts it will make you feel much better
One day at a time…….I can appreciate you are looking long term but see how he is once the leg is amputated. He will need you to be calm and care for him as he recovers. You will be making adjustments in the house to help him get around and he will work things out for himself, including those first wobbly steps outside. Do you have a garden or yard? Or does he go straight out on to the street?
A familiar feeling to all of us here is shock and grief and all those fears of how he will manage and how we will cope. At the moment he needs you to be brave and strong as you would be if the kids were sick. Look after yourself, have a cry, talk to your kids about what he will be like once he’s had the surgery, discuss what he will need to get better (like peace and quiet) and so on. Take care.
Hi again. Just thought id post again and tell yall his leg is being amputated as I type this. After about 25 radiographs/xrays and 3 specialists studying them,they have concluded that it looks to of been caused by a fan belt in or under a car (no clue where though).. All the toes on the front L leg were broken and the “pinky toe” had been literally ripped right out,but as far as the arm/paw being broken,it seems it was only dangling because of nerve damage. No other breaks at all besides the toes. But the nerves were shot all the way up into his arm pit SO the leg had to go. But finally,3 and a half weeks after the actual injury and 2 weeks in a hospital and finally ITS OFF lol. Ill keep y’all updated. Maybe ill figure out how to post pics too if its possible =) Thanks!
please read all back posts, to amputate is to give them their life and freedom. they will adjust it doesnt matter front or back…. we must give them chances and they will amaze you with their ability to adapt.
Just thought i’d post an update on Abby. It’s now two weeks since she had her front right leg removed. She is healing beautifully. And while it is still a bit sad to see her adapt to life without her leg she doesn’t seem too fussed at all. I have put a few little steps for her to use but so far I haven’t seen her use them once! Little champion, she has no idea that she’s now ‘handicapped’! I let her outside for a few hours on the weekend which was a little nerve racking. She’s been trying to get out for days and gets quite cranky when we don’t let her! She has this naughty habit of escaping over the fence into the next door neighbors yard. I originally thought the three legged situation would stop her but somehow I think i’m gonna have to keep a close eye on her! I’ve attached a photo of her in her cage at day 7 post surgery. Her fur is now beginning to grow back and the stitches don’t look so puckered. Pretty soon she’ll be looking her glossy beautiful self. xxx
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/p480x480/546493_10150717321462903_608127902_9487444_1453067561_n.jpg
I’v read all of the posts on here and whilst I’m delighted to hear that all the cats seem to be adapting my cat’s situation is slighlty different. His name is Panther and he is more or less 3 years old, he is one of three cats that have been abandoned by my house so I feed them daily and look out for any problems they may have (and had them all ‘done’). They all sleep in the garden on the couch at nightime (when the dog has gone to bed) and spend hours running round the aloe vera fields that surround the house. Panther had a swollen foot and after many different diagnosis the vet opened the foot up and found a tumour, I have been advised that it is likely he will lose the leg but out of the three cats he is the only one who doesn’t like human contact he’ll come close but he doesn’t like being touched and he won’t stay indoors he becomes very agitated when a door closes so I guess you could say he is a true ‘streetcat’. I am just worried about him being outdoors, his two friends miss him so much they look for him each day and he has been gone a month. After the surgery he will be spending time recovering with the local Cat charity who can offer him the best post-op care and then a decision will be made on when/if he can come home. I just keep wondering if he’ll be able to adapt to a life on three legs as he doesn’t want to be a housecat, will his friends be able to look after him, will he still have an enjoyable life, I will always look after him as best as he will let me but I don’t want him to be in danger when he goes out on his daily rounds. As for his friends, well he bumped into one at the vet yesterday (the little scab on Minstrels ear diagnosed as cancer not a good day lots of tears) and as soon as he realised who it was they just sat staring at each other and trying to touch (I think he may have staged a breakout had Smudge turned up too they really are the three amigos) another reason why I don’t want him to not be allowed home. Sorry for droning on but what I really would appreciate is any advice/opinions I have been tossing and turning all night thinking about him.
Hi to update on lucky he has had his stiches out now and he seems fine, think my son is going to take him out into the garden to see how he does.
Dear Claire.
The Vet told us the main reason cat’s need help is to find food, ie a wild cat might not survive because its hunting ability would be more limited. However if you provide food I can see no reason why your cat would not adjust, my son’s cat has adjusted wonderfully. The vet said there have been instanses of cats climbing tree’s with only one front leg and they manage fine.
See how it goes but I hope you all will be reuinted soon.
Love pads x
Charlotte,
Our Bonnie had her right front leg amputated in January and you wouldn’t know it if you saw how she races around the house. She is constantly climbing and jumping all over everything. She is much faster than our other larger cat and more than holds her own in their wrestling matches. Her fur has grown in and there is just an empty furry space where her leg used to be. She is such a sweet and lovely kitten with loads of personality. She had some issues adjusting to three legged litter box during a bout of diarrhea right after we brought her home but she managed to figure that out as well (thankfully!). There have been a couple of times where she’s reached up for something with her claws and gotten her paw stuck because there’s no other paw to push off with and I have seen her fall off things while climbing or walking because she just ran out of paws. She just deals with all these things. She’s a trooper and a love and I’m so grateful to have her with us. Your cat will adapt and be back to herself soon. Don’t worry!!!
We are not going to let her outside (we promised the shelter where she came from that we wouldn’t) but she has access to a screened in porch where she can take in the sights and sounds of the outdoors.
Charlotte,
The cat i am planning to adopt had a similar incident. He was found by the RSPCA with a badly broken leg last Oct. They tried to mend it twice but was not healing so they amputated the hind leg in March 2012. I visited him last weekend and he was already walking about and seemingly quite good natured. In fact he was the most friendly cat at the RSPCA adoption centre!
The only thing is he aquired a nervous “over-grooming” as a result of the trauma and being kept in a shelter with other cats. This would go away once he was in a home and feeling more settled.
Basically he seemd to be almost normal after only 2 months! He was a very happy cat with only a few little stumbles now and then.
I thought you would like to see this movie of our 3-legged cat, Pumpkin, playing with his new iPad app! Pumpkin lost a back leg when he was hit by a car while crossing the street. He is doing very well, as you can see. We love him so much!
http://youtu.be/wsk0p3AeG54
Hi again. My three-legged cat has now come home from the RSPCA where i first met him. He had his entire back leg removed on March 5. At first he was very happy to be in his new home, but now after 2.5 days he has suddenly showed erratic signs of distress and imbalance. He was playing and runnning about with a little toy mouse and then he suddenly flipped out and started screaming and trying to climb things as if in agony.
I wonder if he has over-exerted himself and maybe bruised his stump and other back leg from falling/running too much. He has only been in a shelter since the amputation so not much exercise.
Has anyone experienced this?
I called the emergency Vet as its Sunday and they said to monitor him and try to keep him contained in only part of the house so he can manage with the new/large/awkward space.
I have all hardwood floor which might be making him extra slippery for him. he is also shaven from the waist down so probably not enough padding( fur) to ease the shock of falling on the boney stump.
Can anyone recall similar behaviours with their cat after a couple of months of surgery?
He is probably also ajusting to having a home, in addition to the fact that when he was in a cage, he had little freedom to move around. He now has lots of space and things at different heights.
I plan to call the RSPCA on Monday as soon as they open…but any reassurance/similar scenarios would ease my worry for him.
He is sleeping now…but doesn’t like to have to walk anywhere.
I should also mention that he has not defecated in nearly 2 days. He has finally urinated this morning in his litter box…
Any thoughts?
Me again – i finally got an out of hours number for the RSPCA and they said this behaviour happened a few times while he was in their care. It’s due to falling and hurting himself. He’s not quite mended so he’ll need to slow down a bit.
Poor guy.
Thanks everyone. This blog has been really helpful.
Hi Rachelle,
Don’t panic! My three-legged cat was exactly the same following his surgery.
It took him a little while to adjust to balancing on three legs. He fell over when he was playing fairly often. Sometimes he seemed to lean on the leg that wasn’t there just before he toppled over. He adjusted fairly quickly, give it a few weeks.
I can’t remember how long it took for normal bodily functions to resume, but I remember being worried, so it must have taken a while.
Thanks Lois! It’s been anxious start to Sunday morning…but i feel its under control now. I love him soooooooooooo much and was worried i had extended his abilities by getting him to chase and play with his toys.
I think he will just need to slowly build up his strength on his other back leg. There are so many things new for him right now even beyond the amputation.
The RSPCA said it happened a few times in their care and they put him on pain killers.
He’s a handsome black cat just lust yours! Would post a pic if possible.
🙂
Hello all, what a brilliant site full of so many caring people. I am so pleased I’ve found it, I have read through many of the previous posts and they have given me hope for my cat George.
George got hit by a car last Friday, and had his back leg amputated on the Sunday. Thankfully no other injuries & returned home to us 3 days ago. It has been an emotional roller coaster for all of us. George is the most beautiful happy, friendly cat you just had to look at him and he would start purring. He has so much love for everyone! Even at the vets waiting for his op they had him out his cage giving him cuddles hes made a real name for himself! However all has changed he has lost his purr.
He returned home on Thursday, he was so happy, shaking his tail and purring we couldn’t believe how agile he was, he was, just like the old George just minus a leg! It was amazing all the worry & distress we/he had been through seemed to be over. I was told to have him on house rest & just to keep him away from anywhere he could fall which I did. On the Friday he found his cat toys and used his scratch post and even went up the stairs, ( i did try and stop him but there was no chance he was determined!) he had a vet check in the afternoon & they were so pleased with him. I told them of his antics and they didn’t seem concerned that he was over excreting him self. However like I said before all has changed since Saturday morning. He fell to the floor in agony hissing and yelping at his stump like he was in a cat fight with his leg. This has happened numerous times over the weekend. He’s been pacing around the room and putting himself in the corners of the room. He seems shakey on his leg and refuses company. I havent heard him purr all weekend, its like he’s depressed. It’s so sad and I’m at a lost of what to do.
I know it’s really early days as the op was only week ago and I have a vet appointment in the morning.
I’ve read that many of you had your cats on room rest & even cage rest, have I done wrong thing giving him the house and not taking his toys away? Do you think he’s hurt himself?? I just don’t understand the change in him.
Any advice would be much appreciated or just to hear if this happened in your cats recovery.
Kind wishes to you all
Hayley &George cat xx
Hi Hayley,
My cat did exactly the same thing. He obviously had some pain and seemed to interpret it as coming from his missing leg. If we were cuddling him at the time he tended to bite us, which was fun!
It happened quite often for the first few weeks then gradually less and less. I had forgotten he did it at all until someone else posted something similar here a while ago. I think it’s fairly common. Don’t panic.
Hope it’s good news at the vets and George continues to recover well.
Hi Hayley, we were told to keep Abby confined for 10 days post op to allow her to start healing and to protect her from being over active. After a few days she was moving really well so we made the mistake of letting her out of the very large cage we had hired to put her bed and litter box in. She immediately jumped up on the couch and then climbed onto the window sill. At first we were excited but then after she had climbed back down to the floor she jumped as though someone had kicked her and proceeded to hiss and spit and went and hid behind the tv cabinet. Took us ages to get her out. So back in the cage she went. After the 10 days were up she was moving really well and was allowed out. Within a few days her purr was back and she was her happy self. My theory is that she must have aggravated the wound and nerve endings by over exerting herself. Am sure if you give George a bit of rest he’ll be just fine xxx
Hi Hayley, Cats, like humans do have phantom pain in their removed limbs and they do get depressed. Very likely George is having some pain and very possibly phantom pain, be patient, his purr will come back. Also one of the things I found when my Tre’ had her right front leg amputated is that they pick up our emotions so quickly. I know that you are scared and emotional, because we’ve all been there, but when you are with George, always be upbeat and positive, he’ll pick up on that and it will help to keep him from becoming depressed. I kept my Tre” in a separate room for a week and then started bringing her out after that. She is now the happy beautiful cat she always was, just minus a leg. Give George time, lots of love and lots of spoiling and he’ll come around, he just went through 2 major traumas, the accident and then the amputation. And there is lots of support here and at your vet, take advantage of it, it helped me get through a terrible time with my baby. Big hugs from Sonja and Tre’pod
Just an update on George, he is healing well and his stitches are now out. He still has episodes of agressive phantom pain. His purr is occasional but at least returning! He has a lot of anger towards me which I find very sad but I hope in time this will change. His relationship with his sister is not so good she still growls at him but they are now sharing the same room at night much to her disgust a right little madam! I hope with time things will improve but at least we are going in the right direction now! I shall keep you posted. Thank you for your kind words and support. Hayley xxx
Hayley, He isn’t mad at you dear, he’s mad at the situation. He is probably a little depressed and still struggling with the major traumas that he just went through. Give him time, love, attention, a lot of spoiling and he’ll get through this. Don’t neglect his sister because she needs attention too but they both just need some time, things will get better. I have 4 babies and one of them is a tripod. The youngest still picks on the tripod even though it has been over a year, but it is better than it was. Don’t give up, love and time will heal George’s wounds and his spirit will heal as well, he just has to figure this all out. Hugs to you all from Sonja and Tre’pod
Thank you for your quick reply means lots. I will sleep better just knowing it can be a normal part of recovery. I will also try and find the old post you mentioned. Thank you xx
On a happy note to all, Ella Catticus has just celebrated her first birthday!
Having officially spent half of her life as a tripod I can only say to those are in the process of a cat amputation, hang in there, they will be back and better before you know it!
Thank you all 🙂
Sarah b and Ella Catticus
Thanks for this great website.
I live in New Zealand and haven’t seen many 3 legged cats.
Our 8month old black kitten Jinx (who would of guessed) broke his left front leg on Satuday night. Pet insurance isn’t a thing well known over here. The quote to fix the leg was out of our reach and I couldn’t bare the thought of a fantastic cat healthy in every other way would lose its life because of a broken leg. We have opted to have it amputated (not cheap either). Jinx had his operation yesterday and is still at the vets. I have been googling 3 legged cats and have seen that they can have a wonderful life. I have also shown my children video clips on youtube of well adjusted 3 legged cats and also managed to find a couple of pics of what he will look like when he gets home (stitches and being shaved) so it isnt such a shock for them.
I know in my heart we have made the right decision to save Jinx my tripawed cat.
Hi Le’a, you’ve absolutely made the right choice. Abby had her front right paw amputated after nasty dislocations at her elbow and wrist. It took her about two weeks before she was back to her old self. My advice would be to hire a large cage to keep your little one restricted for a bit. We were told to keep Abby confined for 10 days and I honestly believe it gave her a head start in the healing department. Now she’s running and jumping almost as much as she was previously. She’s a little slower now but has no idea she’s ‘disabled’ :-). Have attached some pics for you xxx
http://instagr.am/p/J8cuM0r6Cu/
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150708376707903&set=a.10150329232967903.348395.608127902&type=3&theater
Congrats on new zelands first tripod!
Your kitten will be back to normal in no time
The limp is a bit sympathy inspiring ( and they know it) but trust me they are just as fast and playful
Best wishes with Jinx 🙂
Sarah and Ella Catticus
Hi there – i need some advice for retraining the use of the litter box.
My cat had his back leg removed in march ( before i adopted him from the RSPCA). I saw the litter box they had in his cage which was a small shallow plastic tray with only a handful of wood chip pellets for litter. They said that was all he needed.
I tried this and he was not impressed – urinating was messy as hardly anything to soak up the moisture. He then started pooing outside the box with his front legs IN the box. I have been usng a lot more litter and even tried a bigger tray, but still no luck.
I think he is unaware his bottom is not in the box.
I’ve tried picking him up into the box while he’s doing his business, and this only made him angry. ( understandably)
Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?
Thanks
Hello Rachelle,
My boy had his front leg removed 2 weeks ago now and I had a similar problem. I just went and bought him a REALLY BIG litter box lol. He seems to forget though that his “scratching arm” is gone and its funny watching him try and cover his stuff with an invisible arm lol. But yeah id use the regular old litter again and get him a big litter box and try putting it in a corner. If he still hangs his butt over the side,then get him a litterbox mat to put on the sides facing away from the corner. Thhat way if he does miss then it saves you the mess. OR you can try one of those “dome” boxes with the lid and little door for them to get in and out of. It has a flap like a doggie door so if he backs up too far then he would be able to feel the door so maybe he would scoot back into the box =) Its worth a shot! Best of luck to you. -Charlotte .W. Largo,Fl-USA
Thanks Charlotte! I did have a hooded litter box with the flap door, but he still kept his bum sticking out the door! 🙂
I think when he starts going outside again, he may not even need the litter tray. For now, i will push it into the corner and i have loads of newspaper around the floor. Maybe a larger tray is necessary.
Your kitty sounds like he’s recovering quickly. The phantom leg phenomenon is quite interesting. Ferguson tries to scratch his chin with his non-existent foot and he actually looks like he’s deriving some satisfaction from it! Precious little critters aren’t they?
Ella Catticus gets this look on her face like what the heck is going on? Didn’t I just cover that? 🙂
Obviously their muscles stay strong
Abby still tries to use her right paw (that’s no longer there)…she gets this confused look on her face and then gets cranky and switches to her left. Thankfully there haven’t been any ‘missed kitty litter’ experiences. We did have her in an open litter box after she had her amputation but she wasn’t really impressed. She’s now back to using her covered litter box and is fine. Am sure it’s just a time thing Rachelle, and maybe it’s a ‘boy’ thing. Whatever the reason i’m sure he’ll figure it out. Amputations are a lot to get used to! xxx
Hi
I have joined the three legged cat owners club this week.
On jubilee Monday, i had arranged to travel to the North East of England.
on route my car broke down. The electrics had failed. the RAC looked in the engine bay and after 20 seconds said that my alternator belt was frayed and they did not carry spares and that I would have to be relayed home.
on the way home i was moaning to the transporter driver about the fact that my car was only just a year old.
when we got home he kindly looked in the engine and just lifted the belt out. I could see immediately that it was covered in fur.
i asked the lady who was house sitting for me if she had seen Zac at as I had now been away for 7 hours, she said she had not.
deep down i knew that the fur belonged to Zac and in fairness had convinced myself that I had killed him and his body must have dropped out of the engine bay whilst I was travelling.
i rang my mother to tell her that I thought I had killed my cat. I was making the call whilst in the garden. i suddenly heard some meowing, for a moment I thought it was coming from the shed where the tumble drier is kept so for a moment was relieved as if he was in there, no way could I have done him damage.
sadly he was not. I went round the side of the house no where to be seen.
As i came back through the side gate, I heard this thud looked up and saw him coming down the garden path closely followed by one of my dogs.
I could also clearly see that he was dragging his rear let leg behind him.
i took him to the emergency vet, they kept him in over night dressed his leg and allowed me to pick him up the following evening.
when I picked him up they told me that he had been a lucky cat and that I had to take him to my own vet. i paid them just short of £400.00 and took him home.
he had a bad night as he was struggling with his leg being bandaged.
I took him to the vets in the morning.
at about 12 mid day I got a call from the vets to say that they would have to amputate his rear back leg. to be honest I was so taken by suprise as I was not expecting to hear that, my initial reaction was that they put him to sleep! he had always been a cat full of character and the boss on our small close.
the vet told me to think about it and they would respect my wishes.
I must admit I did also ask how much the operation was going to cost as money was an issue and Zac is not insured.
in the end I just told them to remove his leg, this was 06/06/2012
he is now home. we are on day four. he is finding it hard as am I, I live on my own, work and also have two dogs one of which is also not in the best of health.
i am hoping that I have made the right decision as yet he has not had a pooh using his own functions!! he had to go back to the vets on saturday ( yesterday) and have one induced but now back home has still not managed to do one himself.
i am shattered and will be back at work tomorrow. I do have a large cage for him that I can leave him in, I have padded it out with old duvets so that he can not bang himself, When he rolls over he yowls in pain which upsets me.
hopefully next week i will see an improvement and start to believe I have done the right thing for him!
Noel
Hi Noel
Welcome to the club! And yes you have made the right decision. What a terribly traumatic week you have both had. However the worst is over and Zac will recover and so will you. It is easy to start blaming yourself but please don’t beat yourself up over what sounds like a tragic accident. When JJ was attacked and got bitten by a feral tom cat and then got tangled up in wire trying to climb back over an 8 foot fence with his back leg half hanging off, I was on the phone to a friend (2 years ago now). JJ had slunk in whilst I was joking with the friend that JJ was scuffling with that tom cat again ha ha! When I found him on my bed several hours later I thought nothing of it until I realised he was lying in a pool of blood which had soaked through to the mattress. Emergency vets to try and stitch back the severed tendons and two weeks in plaster. The leg died and had to be amputated – I cried all over the vet.
The first few weeks he will need peace and quiet, the cage is a good idea. Try and fit a small tray in if you can – he will learn to balance in time and once the stitches are out he will find his own pace. Try leaving the door open once he wants to get out but he may still want a bolt hole -I covered my cage with a blanket so JJ felt safe if the other cats got a bit boisterous and had somewhere to escape to.
There are several good tips on this site for helping him climb up on furniture etc. I rearranged the cat climbing tree so the platforms were lower. JJ is back to being boss cat and bullies my other two terribly. He runs like a greyhound and tries to climb the fence. Back leg amputation means he won’t be able to jump up very well which might be a blessing if you want to keep him close to home.
Take care
Anne
Noel,
You made the right choice. I have recently adopted a cat who only just had his hind leg removed in March. He has been with me for 1 month and is already climbing fences and jumping up to the window sill. These cats are so courageous and are reminders that one can overcome any hardship.
Give him lots of love but don’t cater to him. he will learn on his own and will grow stronger and more confident as a result.
🙂
Hi Noel, It was the right thing to do, don’t doubt yourself. Just remember if you had gone through this you wouldn’t be functioning like normal either. My suggestion is to give him some extra liquids, water, tuna juice, chicken or beef stock, extra water mixed in to some soft food. Sometimes the pain meds give them constipation and it may be painful for him to go on top of the balance issue. It will happen and he will recover and still have all the personality he has always had and more. Our tripods are very special babies. My Tre’ is an amazing little girl that I learn from every single day and she has done so much better than I ever hoped she would. Zac will amaze you, just give him some time. One other thing you should be aware of is phantom pain, he may or may not struggle with that, Tre’ didn’t and it has been over a year now for her but just be aware of it, it might freak you out the first time it happens if he has it. Hang in there and give Zac time and love and some spoiling. Keep us posted, hugs from Sonja & Tre’
Absolute correct decision
I don’t know how old your zac is, but Ella Catticus got her front limb amputated after having her paw cut off and leg badly broken in a chain and sprocket
I still want to cry when I think of that night but Ella could care less and runs about like a mad cat!
You’ll only love him more and cats are resilient and live for the moment, so you have already been forgiven ten times over by him 🙂
Take care of yourself that’s the best gift you can give him,
The better you are the faster he will recover
Best wishes
Sarah and Ella Catticus
thanks for the welcome comments.
Zac has been home now for a week and there is definitely some positive progress.
a long, long way to go.
some days he just lies in his cage and then on days like today he ventures out and hops around.
he has just had some tuna, i am just feeding him small amounts for now , we take each day as it comes.
he is pooing now though only every two days at the moment.
on monday he will be having his stitches out which will be another hurdle jumped over.
i will give a further update after the weekend.
Take care fellow three legged cat owners
Zac also says thanks for you kind words of support!!
Bye for now
Noel
Hello everyone! I am a new owner of a tripod kitty named Chaos! I originally went to the shelter to adopt a puppy, but my kids were drawn to the cattery to play with the kitties. When we went into the cat room, there were about 30 different cats playing, romping and begging for our attention. It was a little daunting! Then I saw a kitty who was limping across the floor; she had the most amazing bright eyes and smooth inky fur. Her back right leg was missing due to an injury she sustained back in January. She had been at the shelter ever since. Well, my heart broke and I was instantly captivated by her. I KNEW I had to take her home.
Two days later, she was laying on our couch purring away. She is so gentle and loving, but very skittish. I can imagine it’s because she is so young, and who knows what she went through before her shelter days. Although the shelter was excellent in caring for her and her cattery mates, it was not a home where she felt safe.
It’s been a week and she is getting used to our current kitty (Zen the siamese) and our home. She likes to hide and it’s almost impossible to find her when she does (thank goodness I put a bell on her lol) But she also loves to be brushed and snuggled.
Any hints to showing our new little girl we love her and she is safe now? <3 <3 Thank you for creating this page!!!
Hi Jessica, Welcome to the wonderful world of tripod ownership, you are now among a very special group of people with a lot of love in their hearts. Give your little Chaos some time. It is a big adjustment learning to walk on 3 legs and now she is in a new environment with people she may not be sure of yet. She’ll adapt to her new home and family and will soon be completely happy and at home with you and your family. Good luck and hugs to you for being so loving. Sonja & Tre’pod.
I love the name chaos! Watch out a tripod could easily live up to that name 🙂
Best wishes and enjoy your new addition
Sarah and Ella Catticus
Good Morning all.
Two weeks have now passed since Zac had his leg removed!
They have by no means been the easiest of times for him however with out a shadow of a doubt he is improving!
His stitches have been removed and the wound is healing well.
One of the things that Zac used to love to was travel in reverse trying to get away from you whilst staring you out. He finds it very frustrating as he can not do this any more and tends to fall over. He gets quite cross and yowls!
The phantom pains are still coming and it is disturbing to hear him when he cries out but they do pass quickly and he seems to forget him.
this has been a rough couple of weeks for Zac without a doubt as he is one of three loved animals in my household.
He has grown up with a Rottie bitch called Xena she should be 11 on the 05/09/2012 which I know is a great age for a dog of her breed, sadly on the Saturday before Zac,s accident she went to the vets as she was hobbling on her front legs. before I knew it she was having some minor surgery to do a biopsy on a lump on her front right foreleg. The result was a malignant mass growth that can not be removed due to location.
On the Saturday you could not see the growth as it was on the back of the leg well 16 days on it is the size of a tennis ball and I am worried that it may start to burst the skin from the area where she had the stitches so I am watching it daily knowing that very soon I am going to have to let her go.
What is so frustrating is that she wags her tail she will still come on walks and still eats so to anyone else who does not know her she looks and appears fine!
so we will have to see what happens. She and Zac sleep together and even yesterday when I got home from work Zac was curled up in her legs it seems as if they both know that not is all right for either of them.
so despite Zac showing signs of recovery there is still a sad shadow hovering over our home! i have been saying to friends that I will not be having any more pets after she has gone but even as I say it I know it is not true.
when you choose an animal in most circumstances you know that you are going to outlive them and all you can do for them when you have them is care for them, enjoy them and in my case share them. All three of mine have numerous aunts and uncles. You also know that there will be a time when you will have to let them go to avoid suffering and you do it as it is the right time for them.
Believe me when I have to do this for Xena and I know it is going to be sooner than later there are going to be lots of tears as she is a very popular individual on account of her nature!
I will do right by her, I am pleased though that she has been around for the early part of Zac’s recovery as her maternal instinct has been to snuggle up to him and keep him warm!
Right off back to bed if there is room as both dogs and the cat are on it m mother would be horrified but I think even she would understand just at the moment i want them around me as much as possible just at the moment.
take care fellow tripod owners!
Noel, Zac, Xena and Oscar ( if I was to use the two gold fish’s names then I think you would start to worry about me!!! what the heck, Tommy and Freddy!! LOL
Hi Noel, So happy to hear that Zac is doing well, I’m sure he’ll continue to improve. But am also so sorry to hear that Xena is having problems. My Tre’ lost her leg to cancer and it devastating news to receive. Our furr babies become our children and I’m protective and worry about all 4 of my cats. Like you, I swore I’d quit getting animals but I just can’t, they add so much to life, including sorrow. But I guess if we never had to experience the sorrow, we would never appreciate the love and the good times like we do. I’ll keep you in my thoughts, it brought tears to my eyes while I read your post because your pain is so familiar to me. I’ve lost so many. Please keep us posted on all your babies. Big hug from Sonja, Tre’pod, Haley, Gimpy and Trixie. (Sorry, no fish).
Hi everyone Just thought I would update you on Panther, well the results finally came back from the Vet and it wasn’t good news. The tumour he has in his foot was a type of cancer that is normally found in lungs as well so poor Panther has had to be knocked out again to have x-rays to see if he has any tumours anywhere else. Well he seems to be clear at the moment but I have been told he’ll have to have regular 6 month x-rays just to make sure. However his x-ray showed up something very strange he has a bullet in his back left leg I have no idea when this happened possibly before he turned up at my house but I do live in an area where there is hunting and I have to say the treatment of all animals on this island by some people is truly shocking. Anyway Panther is due to have his front leg removed next week (and the bullet) and then he will be rehabbed with a very lovely lady who we call Catwoman she’s amazing and will provide all the care he needs while he adjusts, I’ll see him every couple of days and then when he is up and about I’ll bring him home and get him used to his new life and he can reunite with his friends. It’s going to be a huge time of adjustment for us all but all of the positive comments here have made me think it will all be okay. So I guess this time next week I’ll have my very own Tripod. Take care everyone and I’ll keep you posted.
Claire & Panther : )
i brought home Peggy tonight,she is a 3 legged cat, me and my mother were driving and out of no where see this limping cat run across an ally, shes about 3 months old, grey with white chin,chest,tummy and legs, i just had to take her home shes soooo skinny. shes grown on me these past 2 hours, shes soooo pretty with big green eyes 🙂
She is so lucky to of found you,it’s fate hope all goes well.
My cat bruno has come on leaps and bounds since he lost his leg in Feb this year.
Keep in touch with how you both get on
Andrena
Peggy sounds like a lovely and very lucky tripod!
Give her love and some rest and she will be pounding around soon 🙂
Best wishes
Sarah and Ella Catticus
Pouncing not pounding
Word complete doesn’t always work with you 🙂
Just 8 days after his operation I received a call from Catwoman who gave me the news that the vet had cleared him to come home. It was a nerve wracking day and to be honest I think I was more nervous than Panther. He had two attempts at the gate and succeeded the 2nd time, I was quite happy to leave the gate ajar for him but he took offence at this. The only negative was that his friends who were so happy to see him while in the cage immediately ran off when he was released. So it’s been a couple of days now and his friends have finally started to hang out with him again, Panther and I have carried on as normal he even started using my leg as a leaning post when his friends were being a little agressive but we’ve made it through and he seems to be getting back into the swing of things I’m so glad I gave him this chance and I have put word out around the neighbourhood that the three legged black cat belongs to me so any problems they know where to come. I’d like to say a big thank you to this site as it made me realise there were options for Panther and it wasn’t the end for him, as I see him leap over the gate off into the field I realise that he has a different life now but it is still a good life. Miaow for now. xx