Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hello.
My darling kitty Bella, who is almost 4 broke her right front leg and we had to have it amputated. Bella was always a very energetic, happy, loving, snuggly kitty.
Since her operation (13 days ago as of today (1/17/17)) her incision healed well and she had her stiches removed. The vet said we were allowed to let her out of her containment room and since then she has been hiding under our bed. She does not come out except for going to the bathroom and to eat which are both in a room across the hallway. She purrs like crazy when we pet her under the bed and loves the attention.
My concern is that she won't come out for anything else. she doesn't want to be taken out from under the bed, won't explore to down to the main floor, won't jump up on top of the bed, nothing.
When I can expect to start seeing my kitty come back to normal??? I miss her!!!
Hi Bella and family, welcome! Your future posts won't require moderation so post away.
I'm sorry she lost her leg, that's not easy. But oh wow there is SO much going in her favor!
her incision healed well and she had her stiches removed
going to the bathroom and to eat
She purrs like crazy when we pet her under the bed and loves the attention.
My first observation is, how are your floors? Are they slippery? As for jumping, well that's pretty scary when your body is operating at a whole new level. I'm guessing it's just her way of taking things slowly.
Does she make any vocalizations as if she's hurting? Is she showing any other pain indicators?
All animals are different in their recovery rates, so try not to panic. Nine days is still pretty early even for cats. My guess is she just needs more time. Have you talked to your vet about all this? What's their theory?
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hi Jerry-
Thank you for the welcome!
In the bedroom and her food/litter room the floors are carpeted, the hallway between the rooms is wood. When she broke her leg she did so after she slid across the wood floors so I'm wondering if she isn't hesitant about that.
She does not make any vocalizations of pain whatsoever. She's very happy and content under the bed. Flips over, rolls over on her operated on shoulder, and just keeps purring.
I did ask her vet about the behavior and they said that she is feeling insecure and really just needs to build her confidence and will do things on her own time.
But I'm impatient and want to know if there's anything I can do to help her. 🙂
Ohhh my gosh yep, try adding traction to those slippery floors and see what happens. You can get carpet runners at Costco for like $10, or just use yoga mats. Cats and dogs both need to feel confident on slippery surfaces when they lose a leg.
Sounds like otherwise she is doing great! Laying on her amp side too? WOW!
We're in the Tripawds Chat room right now if you want to hop over.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Overall, Bella sounds like she is really doing well. Purring, rolling around, eating, drinking, pottying...all good.
Some of the other kitty members will chime in, but it seems that "hiding" is something a lot of them do st first. I think so e have tried boarding up their hiding place, but for the most oart, they eventually start coming out.
I think, as Jerry noted, the hardwood floors are definitely an obstacle for her, physically and emotionally. She definitely equates those hardwood floors to her hurt leg.
@et js know how she's doing after you get the f@oors covered.
Extra ear scratches to Bella for us!
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!
Hi and Welcome to you and Bella,
Im sorry Bella lost her leg due to a injury . Bella only being 4 will get along and adjust very well! PROMISE
I would want to make sure she is not in pain first! You would know if she is not herself even under the bed. By her reaction to you
Does she growl or fight you in anyway when you try to get her out from under the bed? Can you pet her like normal. She is eating like normal.
How long was she on pain meds and what was she on?
Is Bella the only cat or pet in the house?
When she is out how is she getting around ? Cats in general go under the bed during recovery if allowed.
Would it be an option when she comes out to eat or go to the bathroom to block off access to under the bed?
Stuff pillows comforters anything to block it off. You can even take the mattress off and put on the floor if thats a option.
Provide a alternative safe place to sleep and hang out other then under the bed? Open a closet door she might hang out in there. Her carrier with a towel over it , a cardboard box cut open so she can access it easy . Just some options,
We put exercise mats & rug runners down on our hardwood floors. It has made a huge difference in our Purrkins (front leg amp) confidence! No more slipping.
Keep us posted please
Scratches to Bella , love the avatar picture and the with the red bow😺
Hugs
Holly & Purrkins
You've been given great advice and Holly asks really good questions. My tripawd kitty Mona hides under the bed when she feels insecure such as a stranger in the house.
Look at bringing Bella out of her secure space to spend time with you sitting on your lap, looking out the window, being brushed, etc to give her some enjoyment and stimulation. Another "secure" space could be under a shelf in a closet, under a table draped with a blanket, anywhere where it is easy to access her but gives her a feeling of hiding and coziness.
Hope she comes out soon!
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Thank you everyone for all the info.
First, I do not believe Bella is in any pain. She doesn’t shy away from us, and will come out from under the bed to rub up against us if we hang out long enough. She will try to dig her claws into the carpet if we try to pull her out, but she did that before she broke her leg so that’s just normal Bella.
She loves being pet and gives us kisses and she is eating normally and using the bathroom normally.
Bella was on pain meds for 5 days. Even while she was on the medication she would roll over onto her bad shoulder. So it doesn’t seem to have been overly painful for her to deal with.
She is the only cat/pet in the house, unless you consider my 6 month old daughter to be a pet ;).
She moves great. She has no problems getting around that I can tell and just seems to really enjoy the dark and peace under there for now.
I did order a carpet runner this morning for our second floor landing to hopefully give her some of that confidence back on the wood floors. Our main floor does have area rugs all over it so I’m not concerned there. The second floor is where she broke her leg on the wood floor so I think it just holds some very bad “juju” for her.
I think I’m going to empty out my nightstand and put a blanket in there for her to use and see if she uses that at all as a safe place. She will come out and if I have a sweatshirt lying on the side of my bed she will curl up on that and sleep instead of being under the bed.
When I visit her this evening, I will see if she will come out for me to hold and look out the window. It’s a good suggestion.
Thanks everyone! I greatly appreciate all the insight!!
Becky & Bella
Hi Becky & Bella,
Glad to hear Bella is not in pain! & Getting around good when she is out!
Let us know if the carpet runner helps Bella. Has Bella been coming out from the bed more?
Would you mind sharing how Bella broke her leg on the wood floor?
I think it is helpful to share that kitties can and do break their legs. Indoor kitties and outdoor kitties.
More awareness would be helpful & not to mention we are on the Tripawds site!
We are now down to 3 legs and we need to really protect those 3 legs from injuries.
I just think awareness is HUGE and we can hopefully help other kitties by sharing our stories.
We also had a 16 year old kitty Garfield who broke a leg on our wood kitchen floor, he was sitting on the kitchen table, one of our other cats jumped up on the table and Garfield tried to get away and slipped off the tables edge and onto the wood floor.
I tried to catch him and there was no time, it was a blink of a eye ! Garfield was on the floor with a compound fracture bleeding from his back leg. Garfield's age & health made him not a candidate for amputation surgery. We had to say Goodbye to Garfield that horrific day.
Im so glad that Bella did not have the same fate!
I hope the week got better and Bella is out and about!
Hugs!
Holly & Purrkins
GARFIELD
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!
Hi Holly & Purrkins-
Well Bella used to use our house as her personal Indy Speedway and she slid out around a corner on the wood floor, and slid right into a decorative door we have leaning up against the wall. The door fell on her and I believe the handle is what landed on her right arm to snap it like it did.
It was a horrible accident to say the least.
I cleaned out under my nightstand and put a blanket in there and she has been loving it in there. Much easier for us to give her attention from that position. She will still get skidish if we happen to come across her and she's out on her own without our prompting and she runs right back to under the bed.
She has attempted to be adventurous and went to go investigate the bathtub until she hit a bottle and it fell and scared her. Then it was back to the bed!
I can see flickers of her old personality there, and I can see that she really wants that back, so I'm hoping once that carpet is in that will help with that issue.
Thank you for all the support!
Becky & Bella
Thank you Bella ! For sharing !
I know first hand its not easy to even think of what has happend let alone share the details.
All accidents are horrific! They are just that accidents nothing we can do ,but we can learn from them. And that we do.
Im glad to hear you are seeing the flickers!
Your thinking is right on! Bella is scared, the wood floor and the door ,now any little thing like you saw in the bathroom is scary to her, like post dramatic stress!
Have you tried Feliway diffuser or the pheromone sprays?
I am a huge fan of the Multicat which you dont need 😉 You could just try the regular Feliway.
I think the diffusers are always worth a try! It might make all the difference in making her feel more grounded (comfortable) Just a idea. They aren't always a 100% fix but they can be.
Did you guys do anything with the door? She might be scared to come out if she even see's the door.
I think the carpet will definitely help with her confidence!
Purrkins back feet were slipping on our floor, nothing drastic but enough to see ,we needed to do more.
The carpet runners have made a huge difference for him! He uses the runners and the area rugs now and skips any bare floor!
He races on the carpet like he did on 4 legs. 😻 Plus cats love carpet!
Keep us updated please , paws crossed the runners make a difference for her!
She will get passed this, patience and lots of love and attention!
A link on more ideas on helping with fear.
http://animalwe.....with-fear/
Hugs !
Holly & Purrkins >^,,^<
Yes, as Holly said, Bella will work through this as she gets more and more confident. The carpet should definitely help...even if it takes her a few days to get used to the carpet itself!!
Bella IS making progress a d will have ALL her sparkle back before long!!
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!
Hello All-
I would like to provide everyone with a positive update!
When I got home from work this evening I went to visit with Miss Bella. I stuck my head under the bed to where she was and she immediately came out. I was then able to coax her out from under the bed and got her to come out to the landing and even stepped down to the top step!
To me this was very encouraging, especially when she decided she'd gone far enough but stayed out on the landing to rub around on the banister before going back to her safe spot.
Yay progress!
Very Happy Becky and Very Brave Bella
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