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Moe cat just became a tripod.
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Member Since:
29 January 2016
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29 January 2016 - 9:15 am
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Hi guys,

My buddy Moe, a black smoke domestic shorthaired kitty, just came home from the vet last night and is resting quietly, affectionate and a little off-balance.

I adopted this hungry guy back in 2008, with an estimated age of around 5 years, so we think he's 12 or 13.  

In fall 2014 we caught a very small tumor on his front right leg, where he'd been bitten by another cat years & years ago.  The vet team did their best to remove it but it turned out there were several small tumors and though they tried to get them all, the lab results showed that there was still gonna be some cancer left.  Since there was nothing else to do but remove the limb, and it was a local type of tumor, I decided to just keep an eye on it.  He recovered ok from that surgery, never wanted to mess with the healing site, and healed well.  

But, of course, the cancer slowly grew back over 2015, got pretty big, and then began to lose fur on one side.  Moe started limping in the last few weeks, and finally a few days ago he started aggressively grooming it.  Figured it couldn't be put off any longer, brought him in to the vet for an evaluation and we made an appointment for the surgery.  I set up the bathroom for a recovery stay and kept him in there the day before surgery so he'd be familiar with it.  For a hiding/resting box, a big storage tub on its side with a pet blanket, plus a towel over most of the opening.  Near that, one of his usual beds on a warm mat.  And I made him a low tray litterbox, since his usual one looked like it'd be hard to use.

I picked Moe up from the vet last night.  They said he'd done very well, and they gave him a dose of the painkiller right before I took him home, so he was all loopy and enjoying head-pets.  Very sad meows on the ride home; he hates the car rides at the best of times.  I failed to kick the family out when I went to let him out of his carrier, so there was a little ruckus with everybody at the bathroom door and Moe hoping to get to the other side of it.  That's been the only excitement though.

He's recovering now, though he hates being stuck in the bathroom for recovery and when he's not resting he's being nosy at the door.  He's getting around okay though it clearly exhausts him and he goes back to rest in his hide box afterwards.  He's accepted food by hand a couple times and gone to eat on his own from his bowl, and he's used his litterbox on his own as well.  He's accepting affection at the 'people' end of his hide box when he feels like it.  He got his last dose of the liquid painkiller this morning and will be starting soon on the kitty NSAIDS.  The site looks healthy.  He's got staples which will be removed at his next appointment in two weeks.  I've tried to do five minute cold packs a couple times, he doesn't seem interested but I'll keep trying.  

He's usually an outside cat, only coming in to walk around and make sure he still owns the inside of the house.  He spends most of his time in a big doghouse on the back porch of a fenced-in yard.  But apart from the surgery recovery, it's cold out there now and he's got such a big nekkid patch!  I know he wants to go back out but I'm not sure how or when that'll work.  Maybe in a couple weeks, after his gets his staples out, I can take him out for some supervised porch time?  

Thanks for reading, I love my little kitty buddy, I'm so worried for his cute butt, and telling you guys all about it really makes me feel better.  <3

-Lith

Livermore, CA




Member Since:
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29 January 2016 - 9:47 am
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Hello and welcome.  Your future posts will not have to wait for approval.

Sounds like you were and are quite prepared for Moe's surgery and recovery.  As for letting him back outside it will have to wait at least until the staples come out of course.  After that he will probably be looking to get back to his normal routines.  Did the vet have any opinions?

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Virginia







Member Since:
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29 January 2016 - 10:26 am
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Hi Lith and Moe!

Applause to you for doing such an OUTSTANDING job of preparing for Moe's recovery! You covered all the bases and clearly have Moe's well being at the forefront.

Thank you for sharing your buddy Moe with us and letting us know how things are going. You've posted some valuable information for other kitties starting this journey.

Another kitty member here, Mona and her human Kerren, will chime in with support and insight. I think most kitties also take so e pain meds for avout five to seven days...maybe. But Kerren can offer insight along those lines.

Looking forward to more updates on this very special cat! Pictures too!

Hugs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!

On The Road


Member Since:
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29 January 2016 - 10:45 am
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Hey Lith and Moe, welcome! Sorry he had to lose that leg, it's always a tough decision but I'll bet he feels soooo much better with that nasty cancer all gone away.

We are always so hoppy when a new TriCat joins us. We were dog-centric for so long, and we love learning about our kitty friends' lives on three. Thank you very much for taking time to share your recovery journey with us (and hopefully beyond too!). Sounds like Moe is doing pretty darn well!

We'd love to see him! Want to share some photos? Here's how to add images, let us know if you'd like assistance.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

Member Since:
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29 January 2016 - 2:15 pm
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Thank you all for your encouragement and kind words.  <3  Moe has been snacking and resting today.  He's already much more confident but obviously not yet having a great time.  Still not a big fan of the ice pack treatment either.  But I got some photos together.  🙂

Here he is back last March, recovered from the first surgery, in his natural pose, upside-down on the deck.  At this point, his fur had grown back and he was looking great all-around.

Moe in MarchImage Enlarger

This is October, coming back from a walk in the yard.  His leg was getting pretty thick but still looked okay besides not being quite the right shape.  

Moe in OctoberImage Enlarger

Here he is today, resting in his hide box.  The look says, I am NOT ready for my closeup.  The site looks pretty red here but that's the iodine or whatever from the surgery.  

Moe resting after surgeryImage Enlarger

And here he was a couple minutes before that when he was hungry enough to come out and demolish some wet food.  Luckily he's easy to give pills to, stick one in a lump of wet food and hand feed it to him, everything disappears.  

Moe eats after surgeryImage Enlarger

I have a cone collar for him if he needs it, but he hasn't shown any interest in the site as yet so he's avoided that indignity so far.

Keeping him 100% inside at least until the staples are out sounds like a good idea to me.  If he gets too cabin-fever-ey I'll try letting him in the other room for a window view for a while.  I'll ask the vet what kind of outdoors timetable they'd recommend when I see them again.  

Thanks folks, and I'll keep you updated.  <3 

Livermore, CA




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29 January 2016 - 2:27 pm
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I LOVE his coloring-is that what 'black smoke' means?

I've developed a little interest in coat color genetics recently since adopting my second tripawd Elly a pug x beagle (supposedly).  She is piebald with black ticking- my last four dogs have been solid black so she is really interesting to me.

Is Moe's coat white underneath with black tips?

I hope his recovery continues uneventfully!

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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29 January 2016 - 9:24 pm
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Yes, Moe has very pretty fur.coloring!

Glad he seems to be handling recovery fairly well. The fact that he is eating is really good this early!

He'll be lazing around on the deck again in no time!

Hugs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!



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29 January 2016 - 11:14 pm
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I'm sorry to hear the cancer returned. Hopefully the amputation got it for good.

I'm so impressed with how prepared you were for Moe's recovery. My cat Mona also had her front leg amputated 19 months ago. She's doing great but the recovery was a little stressful. Mona was either squirming around the floor like a worm or racing around the house climbing the walls. I think the pain killer made her a little nutty. I kept her in a spare room and after 2 days I gave her some time to watch the world through the patio doors in the dining room. That made her very happy,

I too would wait until the stitches are out before letting him outside (unless strickly supervised). Mona loves to roll around in dirt and gravel so I waited until it was safe.

One of the key things to be aware of is pain management . Make sure your phone the vet if you think Moe is in pain at all.

Moe has a lovely coat. Looking forward to more photos.

Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona

Schofield, WI
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30 January 2016 - 8:15 pm
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 Moe is beautiful!  Welcome to you both and so sorry you have to be here.  As Kerren said very impressive your preparation for this journey was. I think you thought of everything.  So glad to hear Moe is doing well and hopefully you can proceed to an uneventful rest of your recovery.  Hugs,

Linda, Ollie, Riley & Spirit Mighty Max

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31 January 2016 - 12:36 pm
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krun15 said
I LOVE his coloring-is that what 'black smoke' means?

I've developed a little interest in coat color genetics recently since adopting my second tripawd Elly a pug x beagle (supposedly).  She is piebald with black ticking- my last four dogs have been solid black so she is really interesting to me.

Yes indeed! Just as you say, white with black tips. Also, all his paw pads are black. Coat color is such an interesting subject! The other day I was sucked into an article about chimera bicolors, so many beautiful things that can happen with those coats.

Thanks for all the encouragement, everyone. And thanks for calling him pretty!  😀  

Moe is doing well. He has one more day of pain management meds, though I heard him spend a few minutes grumbling yesterday (quietly but clearly uncomfortable) so I'll take Kerren's advice and contact the vet on Monday and see what help they can offer.

I've let him out of the bathroom for two short walks. Yesterday afternoon we sat inside by the French doors for a while and surveyed the domain. Everything seemed to be in order and he went back to his hide box on his own. Today he got to the kitchen, decided that was far enough, and lay down for some rest and head rubs. One problem is part of the floor that's smooth tile. The part of his back feet he's putting his weight on while he balances is too furry for the tile and he has to work hard to walk on it. Back in the bathroom, he hopped up on my lap while I was crouching to clean stuff, and made me sit down and rub his face. What a good boy.

His expression is still mostly 'tired' though he did pop back to 'alert' for a while for his window time. I'll see if I can add some more photos. I'm trying to remember to take one of his side every day so I can tell how well the site is healing.

Here he is deciding if he wants to walk any more than this today:

Moe reaches the kitchen.Image Enlarger

And here he is having made the decision not to walk any more than that today.  

Moe getting scritches.Image Enlarger

-Lith and Moe cat

Virginia







Member Since:
22 February 2013
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31 January 2016 - 5:18 pm
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YAY FOR MOE!! clapSounds like Moe is making progress, actually, very good progress!

You may want to get a couple of non skid scatter rugs for your kitchen floor. They would definitely help with his mobility and his confidence.

Thanks for the great photos AND the great update!

Higs!

Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie 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!

Member Since:
29 January 2016
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5 February 2016 - 1:01 pm
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Hi guys!  

Just a one-week update: Moe is doing well, very hungry and less grumbly.  He's visibly annoyed that his surgery side is too tender to roll over onto when he's floor-flopping - several times I've seen him stretch out and start to roll and then go 'oh wait no!!'  He's getting around okay, though he looks kind of awkward and grumpy about it.  If I leave his door open, though, he'll eventually come find me in the office to ask for some more dinner.  

His surgery site looked a little angry one day, I think he might have kicked or licked it, and he let me do a couple of warm damp-towel compresses on it.  I tried to do another one the next day and he got all cranky and got up and left.  But, it looks okay again now so I think maybe he kicked it by accident when he was trying to scratch his ear.  I was also a little worried that I was mistaking a seroma for normal extra kitty skin poochiness, but I compared some photos from day 1 to just now and I think it is indeed just extra skin poochiness.  

He's got one more week till he goes back and gets his staples out.  I'm looking to see if I can find one of those inflatable donut collars to use instead of the cone, if he gets too groomy with the site.  

Moe by the window.Image Enlarger

Here he is surveying the deck and showing off his long whiskers in the sun.  

-Skye and Moe

On The Road


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24 September 2009
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5 February 2016 - 6:35 pm
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Aww he's so gorgeous! Well who can blame him for being grumpy, he did lose a leg after all 😉 But it sounds like things are going well overall, so glad to hear it. And yes, keep an eye on that incision, don't let him mess with it.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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11 February 2016 - 1:08 pm
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Hi again!  

Thanks, Jerry!  Yeah I can't blame him. 

Two week follow-up.  Moe got his staples out this morning.  Oh man he did not want to go in the carrier to go to the vet though, he saw the carrier and got up and went in his hide box.  He knows what's up.  

The vet said he was doing great.  Got him home and had some more food, then he wanted out.  We sat on the deck for a while in the sun, very nice.  He's a lot more steady getting around, now, and doesn't look so frustrated when he's walking.  He's acting like his usual cute butt self when he's lounging in his warmer bed.  And he's very hungry.  

Here he is watching out for weird noises in the neighbors' yard.  

Moe watching outImage Enlarger

Feeling pretty good!  -Lith and Moe

Westminster, MD
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31 August 2013
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11 February 2016 - 2:54 pm
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What a handsome kitty Moe is !! I just wanted to stop by and say that I wish you and Moe the best of everything going forward. He seems like he is adjusting very well, and not letting anything stand in the way of his appetite, and enjoyment of his life 😄🐾

Bonnie, Angel Polly, Pearl, and Zuzu 

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