Amputee cat

A poster called Fleurpepper has an amputee cat. I believe he manages very well. Maybe she’ll see this.

I know of a couple of cats who lost a leg and both did very well indeed, still able to jump up and climb trees.
If your cat has had this done I am sure s/he will manage ok,

Not cats but I know of many tripod dogs and they adapt really quickly. I wonder if there’s a Facebook page that would offer advice.

Our cat hasn't lost a limb but he did have to have his tail amputated. We were told that he wouldn't be able to balance well enough to jump onto and between things.

No-one told him that and he just carried on as normal. I'm sure the same thing applies to cats losing legs - they'll find a way to adapt.

SueDonim

A poster called Fleurpepper has an amputee cat. I believe he manages very well. Maybe she’ll see this.

Yes, Minou was a stray we found with a leg hanging off, then fallen off, with a terribly infected stump. He was totally wild and it took me one month of patience and outside feeding until he would come to me and I could take him in, and take him to the vet.

They amputated at the shoulder, and 8 years later he is doing so well and is very happy. But hewas about 2 at the time, and strong, despite not being able to hunt properly or being fed.

Also his left front leg.

I have a tripod cat; she had her left back leg amputated about four years ago due to cancer. She is now 16 and a half, living the life of Riley. The vet recommended that she become a house cat as she would not be agile enough to climb fences so I trained her to walk with a harness and lead. She comes outside into the garden where we take a stroll around whilst she investigates every bush and under the sheds. She sits on a garden chair - with a cushion - to enjoy the sunshine on summer evenings. She adjusted very well to having three legs and once her fur grew back we all forgot that she had lost a leg. She now rules the roost, has comfortable snoozing areas throughout the house and eats us out of house and home. The vet said that she would learn to live with three legs and she was right. I’m sure your boy will soon adapt.

My cat was 18 years old when a dog attacked her and she had to have her right back leg amputated.
Two weeks afterwards, she jumped over a 6 foot fence and scared me to death, but was perfectly fine!
We are 2 years on so she's now 20 years old. Completely deaf, but having a great life. She goes out as much as she likes through the cat flap, but she tends not to venture out of the garden these days.
After the op I had a folded quilt for her to sleep on my bed so she had support around her. I carried her up and down the stairs for the first week or two but after that she managed on her own.
It's astonishing how quickly she recovered, particularly at her age.
Your gorgeous boy will surprise you with his resilience too.

Losing a front leg is much easier. Minou was never ever going to be an indoor cat. He jumps around and runs all over the place, and is a brilliant mouser. Just can't climb trees, but doesn't seem to bother him at all.

Thanks everyone! Feeling far more optimistic now.
George has always been an outdoor cat too, he is desperate to go out which of course he can't until staples removed. So pitiful at the moment it's so upsetting.
Once again, many thanks, much appreciated.

I think you can be certain that he will adapt to three-leggedness quite easily.

If there had been any doubt, the vet would have told you so, and advised you to consider the alternative that none of us like.

As he or she was willing to amputate, I am sure all will be well.

Depending on what attacked him, he may be nervous about going out and want you with him.

My old cat refused to leave the garden without me for weeks after his brother had died. We actually went back to walking on the lead, which Trold had been used to when we were travelling. After a while, he regained his confidence and went out alone.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Thing is he is not remotely nervous about going out, the total opposite. Always limping to the patio doors and crying, took him 10 days to use a litter tray, not what he is used to, he hates it and the eventual upshot was pretty spectacular . We will not go there !
Hopefully all will be well . Does not help that his younger brother is very anxious , never quite sure who to nurse !

The best cat we ever had lost a front leg. We thought he'd been run into by a vehicle.
He got fed up with the bandage and the saucer thing to stop him biting it off. But once recovered, he was a brilliant cat, active and highly sociable.
Unlike humans, they don't seem to mourn the lost limb or compare themselves with how they were before.