Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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So with this whole new to cats thing, comes the strange concept of an animal you can apparently leave home alone for a little while ago long as there's a clean litter box and plenty of food and water. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It's just weird.
Here's my trouble. I've obviously never left Smore alone. I've always been here aside from one weekend when my Mom watched her. So she's obviously not used to her human not showing up for dinner, breakfast and playtimes.
I've discovered that Smore does not portion her own food well. I tested giving her two days of food today and she ate it all. Back when, she used to just eat what she was supposed to. I know because I tried it in October before I kew my mom could watch her. Now though Smore just eats. She's shy of 10 pubs which the vet and I agree is too much. Obviously I'm worried about her eating so much in a short amount of time because of her weight and because I just worry. After losing my dog, I know I'm oversensitive to the idea of losing Smore and therefore worry more than I should.
Should I just stop worrying and let her be for the weekend? Does anyone have tips for leaving your cat? It's only 2 nights if you were wondering.
I'm hoping part of her weight gain is just winter and postspay.
Tina and Smore
(with the spirit of Pebbles watching from the Rainbow Bridge)
Smore is my tripawd kitty who adopted me one summer evening. She had an injury to her front left leg and had to have her leg removed July 17th. She was only 3 or 4 months old at the time. Now she moves faster than some four legged cats!
Both of my cats tend to put on weight. I actually weigh out their food by grams on a scale and feed them in different places (Mona is a closet eater). Eli also goes into Mona's closet to ensure it's all eaten and then he goes outside to catch rodents (I'm not sure what he eats out there). Since Smore is only inside you have a lot of control of what you feed her. I found it really made a difference to weigh the food rather than measure it. Also I split the food in two and feed in the morning when I get up and when I get home from work. The only "treat" they get is their dental kibble but I usually try to just brush them instead.
I know a number of people who leave their cats alone for two days. I don't because they have access to the outdoors and it would be hard to control the food (Eli may eat it all right away). When the cat-sitter comes she feeds them each the full amount for the full day.
I don't think it's a problem if Smore had food left for 2 days. Perhaps divide it up into 4 bowls placed at different locations. At least she'll get exercise going bowl to bowl! Most importantly is to ensure she has access to lots of water.
Don't worry if she eats it all at once. The worst thing that will happen is that she'll throw up. Remember when she had the amputation? She probably did eat any food for over 24 hours. I don't think Mona had anything for 36 hours.
I also leave a shirt or sweater of mine that Mona likes to sleep on when I'm gone.
Now go and enjoy your trip,
Kerren and Mona
I love reading these posts from cat tripawd moms!! 
It makes me smile hearing the antics of these kitties!
I have no advice other than we all become hyper worry warts on this journey...just goes with the territory. I always trynto remind myse@f thst whatever comesnup, I'll deal withnit...always have, always will.....so no need to worry!
Let me know kf Smore cops an attitude when you get back. Not sure if that's a myth or not that cats pout and snub their owners for a few hours if they go away.
Be safe...have fun!
Hugs!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
I am the worst person to ask about kitty weight management because mine (not Jill, her brother Jack) barely eats and he is huge. As for leaving Smore alone, I totally get your worry, the first time I had to leave Jill I was worried. I have to travel a lot for work, so it was inevitable. She's not been left alone a ton of times sometimes up to 3 nights and she does TOTALLY fine.
I have heard from some tripawd kitty parents that their kittys do gain some weight after amputation because they don't move around AS much (we know they still move around a lot!) but maybe not as much as they normally would. Sorry I don't have more advice to offer on that front!!
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
Have you looked into one of the automated feeders? I haven't used one myself, but my daughter has one for her dog. It is programmed to dispense a certain amount of food twice a day. That might be an option rather than worrying if Smore is eating too much at one time or not getting anything the last day you have to be gone.
Kathi and Murphy
Murphy is a five year old Lab/Chessie cross. He was hit by a car on 10/29/12 and became a Tripawd on 11/24/12. On 2/5/13, he had a total hip replacement on his remaining back leg. He has absolutely no idea that he has only three legs!
UPDATE: Murphy lived his life to the fullest, right up until an aggressive bone lesion took him across the Rainbow Bridge on April 9, 2015 and he gained his membership in the April Angels. Run free, my love. You deserve it!
Oh gosh I wish I could offer you advice but when we leave Wyatt Ray alone, bad things happen! I do like the automated feeder idea, that's definitely the way to go.
I've had cats in my past and they can certainly be left alone without any other issues. I think mine kinda enjoyed the peace and quiet while I was away (I was a student then so you know how that goes!)
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Before Steve was on a special diet and medicine for her GI issues, we would bring the Yorrick to his dog walker's house for sitting and would just leave 3 clean litter boxes and a couple of large bowls full of food and water for the cats. Our cats are used to twice per day measured feedings that they graze throughout the day from, but they seem to know to regulate themselves when we're gone. Normally, cats do not self regulate and will glut as in eat and eat and eat beyond the point of being full.
Now when we go away, I leave slightly less dry food out for the two boys and have my dad come over twice a day to give Steve her wet food and laxative. Steve still eats the dry food in between her wet food meals (which I wish she wouldn't), but the laxative keeps her regular.
I'd say that for two nights, just leave a bunch of food, and let Smore do as she will. Any longer, though, an automated feeder or a petsitter who can stop by twice a day to drop some food in her bowl would be a good idea.
Right rear leg amp due to injury from unknown cause (but don't tell her she's missing her spare...yes HER!)
Read our blog here: http://stevetheprettytripawdkitty.tripawds.com/
And find Steve's new Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/stevetheprettytripawdkitty
Don't know if any of you in the U.S. are using any of those apps and videocameras to see your pets while they are away.
Here's a link to the PetziConnect from Petzila. Doesn't solve the feeding problem, only works for treats.electronic pet sitter _ PetziConnect.
Daniela
Our awesome Golden Boy was diagnosed for OSA in April 2014 in the proximal humerus, front-leg amp on 05/20/2014. Finished chemo (Carbo6) on 07/10/2014. Ongoing treatment: acupuncture + K-9 Immunity Plus ( 3chews) and home-cooked no-grain diet. Stopped Apocaps because of liver issues. Liver issues: controlling altered enzymes with SAM-e and Milk Thistle. October 17: started having seizures. Taking fenobarbital for seizures. April 18: started prednisone.
Have you anyone who can at least pop in to fuss & feed?
Not ideal as they can be costly & you don't really know them, but there are companies who offer sitting services too which may help so she doesn't feel so alone & can be fed as required & water freshened etc.
I couldn't personally leave my animals alone without anyone but thats me...i'm a little over sensitive & a worrier about everything so prob not the best person to comment here, but gives you a broad thought process if nothing else from all angles which you no doubt are sourcing. 
That Petziconnect is hilarious! I could just see myself yelling, "Wake up, wake up, I'm here tossing you treats." My cats tend to sleep 50% of the day and when it's summer, they are sleeping outside. At least they'd get some exercising chasing the treats.
I forgot to suggest to close all doors to the bedrooms and bathrooms and know where your cat is when you leave. My cats like to play kick the door - one on the inside of the bedroom door and one on the outside. Sometimes the cat inside the room kicks the door shut. When my cat sitter came over she found him locked in the bedroom. Yup, he peed. After than I would close all doors when I left and missed that the same male was sleeping in one of the bedrooms. I closed that door and the cat sitter heard him crying out when she came over the next day. Yup, he peed.
Another thought is to take him to a friend's house for cat sitting. I did this once with a kitten who had a lot of fun, my friend was exhausted. I've also had a friend's kitten stay over and then I was exhausted.
Let us know how Smore managed.
Kerren and Mona
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