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Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat

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Cat Recovery Space Ideas After Amputation
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The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
25 April 2007
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4 March 2024 - 11:28 am
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Luna's mom @caryn just asked here:

Can you refer me to an article, blog or forum topic that discusses spaces for recovering pets, especially cats? We are trying to decide on the best place in the house for Luna to rest and recover. Thank you! At the end of the post is another picture of Luna.

Turns out there's lots of talk about recovery spaces for cats after amputation surgery, but it gets buried in ongoing discussions about other topics. So I'm starting this Forum topic to keep ideas here which will make it easier for members to see where and how other folks kept their cat calm and quiet during recovery.

Please feel free to share your ideas and photos here!

Member Since:
9 January 2024
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4 March 2024 - 11:56 am
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Thanks, Jerry, for starting this topic. Following!

Member Since:
3 March 2023
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5 August 2024 - 11:56 pm
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I’m about to bring home a foster cat from the local shelter in the next couple days. She’ll be with me while she undergoes amputation due to an old injury and stay through the recovery phase. If she gets along with my 2 cats and my tripawd dog then she may stay forever. 

It will be so many big changes for the cat so I want to set her up for the best success and easiest recovery. All I know so far is that she’s about 7yo. I’ll be talking to the shelter more tomorrow to learn things like which leg she is losing and when her surgery date is.

I’m hoping I’ll have time to slowly introduce her to the other pets before her surgery but i do have a spare room where she can recover in solitude. I read the thread about litter boxes which is helpful.

immediately post surgery should cats be crated or have free range of a bedroom? How do you keep them from trying to run or jump onto high things? Is there anything significantly different between dog and cats during recovery? 

thanks for any and all tips!

Member Since:
9 January 2024
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6 August 2024 - 1:38 pm
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Hi,

We bought an animal tent/playspace on amazon that worked great for about a week and then our Luna got tired of it and wanted out. But it was really good for her early containment. Next we put her in our dining room and gated it off so she had a little more space. Eventually we let her have a little more space. Because she is having some issues a few months later, we have a larger area gated off. It seems better for her to have some containment. I hope you'll find a system that works well for you. Let me know if you'd like a link to the tent we bought.

Caryn

The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
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6 August 2024 - 9:50 pm
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luciebird said
 

immediately post surgery should cats be crated or have free range of a bedroom? How do you keep them from trying to run or jump onto high things? Is there anything significantly different between dog and cats during recovery? 

thanks for any and all tips!

Aww thank YOU for helping her recover! And being a foster parent, something in really short supply these days.

So we do recommend that you keep any Tripawd as confined as they are comfortable. Not necessarily totally isolated if you don't have other animals in the house, but if you do, a spare bedroom is awesome. You just want to make sure that there's no way the cat can get stuck under the mattress or behind furniture. Many people put the mattress on the floor to avoid that risk.

Some people put cats in large dog crates during recovery so they don't climb or jump. Cats will tolerate a crate sometimes, other times they won't, it's a hit or miss. Not knowing much about this cat, I would start them out in the spare room would probably be appropriate since you don't know what they will do or how they will react. 

Once stitches are out you can slowly give more freedom in the house, and introduce the cat to your other critters. But I would wait until then.

The biggest differences we see between dogs recovering and cats, is that cats are even more skilled at hiding pain so you want to be extra careful you have good pain management on hand. Cats often make terrible patients so you really want to make sure the pain is kept under control.

How did the visit go? I'm so excited for you! 

The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
25 April 2007
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6 August 2024 - 9:50 pm
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Caryn said
Hi,

We bought an animal tent/playspace on amazon that worked great for about a week and then our Luna got tired of it and wanted out. But it was really good for her early containment. Next we put her in our dining room and gated it off so she had a little more space. Eventually we let her have a little more space. Because she is having some issues a few months later, we have a larger area gated off. It seems better for her to have some containment. I hope you'll find a system that works well for you. Let me know if you'd like a link to the tent we bought.

Caryn

  

Caryn I'd love to see the links and photos, thanks!

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3 March 2023
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7 August 2024 - 11:23 am
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Thanks Caryn and Jerry!

I met the cat, Shira, yesterday morning. she is as sweet as can be. It's her left back leg that she's going to lose, same leg that my dog is missing. She was mostly holding it up when standing already so hopefully she'll adjust quickly once she recovers from the surgery. Her surgery is today and I bring her home tomorrow morning. The time frame is much shorter than I was expecting so will definitely take the advice to keep her separate from my 2 cats and dog until her stitches are out especially since my cats play rough with each other.

I set up a space in the open closet of the spare room that I will put a screen across the front to keep her in. As she recovers, I can open that up to the rest of that room. The closet has carpet but the rest of the room is wood, are the wood floors as much of a challenge for cats as they are for dogs? Should I get more rugs for her?

Image Enlarger

I have to say it is easier going into amputation recovery the second time knowing a bit more about what to expect. Also much easier going in as a foster parent without that strong emotional attachment and the stress of the decision making process trying to decide if it's the right thing to do or not.

The Rainbow Bridge



Member Since:
25 April 2007
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7 August 2024 - 12:34 pm
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Oh wow that was fast! By the time this is over you will be an expert at recovery!

The recovery space sounds and looks good. Thanks for sharing!  She may need more space sooner than you think!

Yes, I would definitely get no-slip rugs for her. Cats are definitely more nimble but they do need all the traction they can get. Ask the clinic to shave her fur between her paws if she's got a lot of fur there, and do a nail trim too while she's under or in their care. That will also help.

Good luck tomorrow! We can't wait to meet her. Holler with any questions.

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