Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Unfortunately my boy is having his back leg amputated after a trauma, this is happening right now and honestly I feel pretty fragile about the entire situation.
We were hopeful after the event, that the leg would recover and had started to make plans of a cat fenced backyard. He had free roam of the neighborhood the past 2 years, and you could tell that made him happy. We live in a very slow, safe neighborhood, and what eventually got him was not expected. This cat loves being outside and having his freedom. Which is why we decided that a cat fence, which would be very easy to implement in our yard, would be a good middle ground for both our cats .
Now that the leg is coming off, I am educating myself on how his life is going to be. One thing I keep reading is that back leg amputees should live their lives inside. I understand why. I'm having a hard time making that decision, not just for him, but for his sister too, who likes to go outside but stays in the yard. I hate to change her life because of him.
I suppose my question is, would a cat fenced backyard still be an option for my buddies? They would have the run of the backyard, without being able to get over the fence, and unlikely that other animals could get in. They would still have the ability to come into the house whenever they needed through a microchip cat door we installed. A catio was discussed, and is still in the picture, but would like opinions on this idea first.
Thank you.
Hello and welcome. I’m sorry about your cat. What’s his name? Age?
I am on my phone now so I will write more later but I wanted to get your post approved so others can chime in. Stay tuned!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
jerry said
Hello and welcome. I’m sorry about your cat. What’s his name? Age?I am on my phone now so I will write more later but I wanted to get your post approved so others can chime in. Stay tuned!
His name is Skids, he is 2.5 years old. Dany is the sister, she's just a month or two behind him in age. Was a feral we domesticated after she was abandoned by her mom.
Thanks for the approval!
Well I tell ya' what, these kitties are mighty luckyntonhave you as their human!
I kmow it's scary to go through the surgery andnp recovery, but we are right here by your side the whole way. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 🙂
STAY CONNECTED and ask any questions you maynhave about recovery. We have THE BEST KITTY EXPERTS whonhave been thru the whole process and hsve tons off knowledge.
I think your "cat yard" is an EXCELLENT idea!! It's a win/win.
Update when surgery is done. Will Skids be spending the night at a 24/7 clinic or are you bringing him home today?
Lots of 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 there! Just wanted to say welcome and I am sorry you are having to deal with this but, rest assured, you have come to the best possible place for information and support. I love the idea of the cat yard too, but as I don't have a cat myself, will be interested to know what TEAM KITTY make of it. Stay tuned, as one of them will be along soon for sure.
I know you are feeling fragile, and this is hardly surprising in the situation, but what shines from your post is you dedication to your cats and your determination to give them the best life possible. I have no doubt at all that you will find a solution, and Skids and Dani have great times ahead of them.
Big hug,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Ruby, Staffy, born June 2022, became a Tripawd, November 2023, adopted January 2024.
Also Angel Tripawd Meg (aka The Megastar), who died in April 2023, aged 14, after seven glorious years on three, and Angel Staffies Elsie Pie and Bille. In the pawprints of giants...
benny55 said
Well I tell ya' what, these kitties are mighty luckyntonhave you as their human!I kmow it's scary to go through the surgery andnp recovery, but we are right here by your side the whole way. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 🙂
STAY CONNECTED and ask any questions you maynhave about recovery. We have THE BEST KITTY EXPERTS whonhave been thru the whole process and hsve tons off knowledge.
I think your "cat yard" is an EXCELLENT idea!! It's a win/win.
Update when surgery is done. Will Skids be spending the night at a 24/7 clinic or are you bringing him home today?
Lots of hugs
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
That's very nice of you to say, thank you. There's a part of me that feels like a bad owner because this happened, and I'm trying to quash that feeling.
Skids is out of surgery now, and I got the call the he has woken up. That's a relief! I will get a call tomorrow morning about how he's doing, and might get to bring him home tomorrow evening. The vet has been great, they normally don't operate on weekends and have treated him like one of their own this week.
megstamum said
Hi there! Just wanted to say welcome and I am sorry you are having to deal with this but, rest assured, you have come to the best possible place for information and support. I love the idea of the cat yard too, but as I don't have a cat myself, will be interested to know what TEAM KITTY make of it. Stay tuned, as one of them will be along soon for sure.I know you are feeling fragile, and this is hardly surprising in the situation, but what shines from your post is you dedication to your cats and your determination to give them the best life possible. I have no doubt at all that you will find a solution, and Skids and Dani have great times ahead of them.
Big hug,
Meg, Clare and Elsie Pie xxx
Thank you for the super nice words, they mean alot. <3 I also am interested in what Team Kitty thinks, I think this will be a great place. You've all been very helpful so far!
My tripawd Mona had her front leg amputated in June 2014 and she's doing great. She has a cat door to the outside but has to walk around the house to enter an enclosed garden patio/deck area. The entry too small for dogs. Mona spends most of her summer days sleeping under a bush or in an alcove on a bench. She does not wander. In the winter she is indoors most of the time.
Mona and my other cat Eli both love spending time with me in the garden.
I'm all in favour of a safe outdoor place for cats.
It's best to keep Skids inside until he is fully healed from the amputation. After Mona's stitches were out I supervised her time outside until I realized that she seemed to prefer the safety of the house or her private garden.
I hope Skids recovery goes well.
Kerren and Tripawd Kitty Mona
Hello and Welcome to You and Skids
Sorry to hear about Skids accident can I ask what did get Skids?
Glad to hear surgery is over and successful. Please let go of any guilt this will not help you or Skids. We cant change what happened, but we can change all going forward. You have saved Skids by taking his leg, and you are already looking at what you can do shortly! KUDOS to you!
The indoor/outdoor debate is just that we all have a take on it and please take it all in and do what you feel is best in your circumstance. Purrkins is a front leg amputee he lost his leg from cancer. He is indoor only but allowed outside supervised.
We live in a rural area, and we do not allow our cats out unsupervised we have no fenced in space, and it is unsafe for them here. If I had a cat proof fenced in yard, then that's a different story. I would allow them out and unsupervised IF it was 100 % safe. Meaning no critter is getting in and they are not getting out. I do take both of our cats outside in a cat tent and or on a harness.
I would say cat fence or catio either are great ideas. I like the catio idea because of the safety factor being all enclosed. This is just my opinion. I agree with Kerren not until Skids is all healed up and the stitches or staples are out. I carried Purrkins outside to let him get fresh air in recovery. I didn't let him down.
Please make sure they are sending you home with proper pain management . All vets seem to send home different amounts & different types. That is the biggest issue we see here is the pain management or lack of. Get lots of yummy foods for recovery. The meds can make them picky and have lack of appetite. I got different canned foods for Purrkins, fishy smelly foods stimulated Purrkins senses, and he did eat for me. Not the usual amount but that is ok and to be expected.
Keep us posted and let us know if you have any questions.
Please hear me, toss the guilt it won't fix a thing and will only weigh you both down! Accident = means no fault!
Hugs and keep us posted, please.
Holly & Purrkins❤️
Yaaay! So hoppy Skids is out of surgery and you've gotten such pawesome insight from everyone.
I also see the dedication and love you have for your kitties and am impressed that you are doing your research about giving them the best of both worlds. I love the idea of a cat-fenced backyard that's done properly so no critters could get in and they can't get out. I'm sure there are landscapers and books and all sorts of ways to get it done so it's fool-proof. Whether you go with a cattery or a fence, it's practically guaranteed that they will live longer, healthier lives. There's no greater reward for all of the hard work you're putting into it.
Keep us posted on how he's doing and yes, do make sure he has good pain control OK? An opiod (i.e., Fentanyl), an anti-inflammatory (Meloxicam) and Gabapentin to relieve nerve pain are a bare minimum. Many cats and dogs are now given a 3-day pain control drug called Nocita, so if ask your vet if they used it. Whatever drugs they do give you for Skids, make sure you know the dosages and frequencies of administering them. Oftentimes it takes fine-tuning to get them just right.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Purrkins said
Hello and Welcome to You and SkidsSorry to hear about Skids accident can I ask what did get Skids?
Glad to hear surgery is over and successful. Please let go of any guilt this will not help you or Skids. We cant change what happened, but we can change all going forward. You have saved Skids by taking his leg, and you are already looking at what you can do shortly! KUDOS to you!The indoor/outdoor debate is just that we all have a take on it and please take it all in and do what you feel is best in your circumstance. Purrkins is a front leg amputee he lost his leg from cancer. He is indoor only but allowed outside supervised.
We live in a rural area, and we do not allow our cats out unsupervised we have no fenced in space, and it is unsafe for them here. If I had a cat proof fenced in yard, then that's a different story. I would allow them out and unsupervised IF it was 100 % safe. Meaning no critter is getting in and they are not getting out. I do take both of our cats outside in a cat tent and or on a harness.
I would say cat fence or catio either are great ideas. I like the catio idea because of the safety factor being all enclosed. This is just my opinion. I agree with Kerren not until Skids is all healed up and the stitches or staples are out. I carried Purrkins outside to let him get fresh air in recovery. I didn't let him down.
Please make sure they are sending you home with proper pain management . All vets seem to send home different amounts & different types. That is the biggest issue we see here is the pain management or lack of. Get lots of yummy foods for recovery. The meds can make them picky and have lack of appetite. I got different canned foods for Purrkins, fishy smelly foods stimulated Purrkins senses, and he did eat for me. Not the usual amount but that is ok and to be expected.
Keep us posted and let us know if you have any questions.
Please hear me, toss the guilt it won't fix a thing and will only weigh you both down! Accident = means no fault!
Hugs and keep us posted, please.
Holly & Purrkins❤️
He was jumping over a wooden privacy fence a few doors down, and best we can guess, lost his footing causing his back leg to get trapped between two of the panels. He may have been there for 2-3 hours before I thought something might be up and went looking for him.
Thank you for the kind words. I totally understand about not having a fence in your case, and it seems like you've made some great accommodations for your babies.
Will do on the food and pain management , our vet is awesome and I'd trust her with my life!
jerry said
Yaaay! So hoppy Skids is out of surgery and you've gotten such pawesome insight from everyone.I also see the dedication and love you have for your kitties and am impressed that you are doing your research about giving them the best of both worlds. I love the idea of a cat-fenced backyard that's done properly so no critters could get in and they can't get out. I'm sure there are landscapers and books and all sorts of ways to get it done so it's fool-proof. Whether you go with a cattery or a fence, it's practically guaranteed that they will live longer, healthier lives. There's no greater reward for all of the hard work you're putting into it.
Keep us posted on how he's doing and yes, do make sure he has good pain control OK? An opiod (i.e., Fentanyl), an anti-inflammatory (Meloxicam) and Gabapentin to relieve nerve pain are a bare minimum. Many cats and dogs are now given a 3-day pain control drug called Nocita, so if ask your vet if they used it. Whatever drugs they do give you for Skids, make sure you know the dosages and frequencies of administering them. Oftentimes it takes fine-tuning to get them just right.
Thank you for the reassuring words! I look forward to being able to see him hopefully tomorrow.
We're pretty happy with our plan for the fence. My husband is a carpenter and spent a few hours this week researching and cutting up some prototypes. We were really betting on the leg getting better. 🙁
Recovery is on the kinm, already had the guest room set up for him so he could get around easier, so that's out of the way. Good info on the pain meds, I'll ask when we pick him up!
Hi there!
It sounds like Skids is well on the mend now and will be hopping around like crazy soon. Like others have said, make sure to keep a good stock of pain meds for the first few days and be sure to block off your under bed area because he will go there if given the chance. I speak from experience on that because Tuxedo my kitty did just that when he came home following his surgery. Tuxedo was a 9 year old outdoor/indoor kitty who lost his rear leg and partial pelvis due to a roaming dog.
As to whether a cat fence or patio will work for you, I believe it will depend on how determined Skids is to reestablish his control of his outdoor domain. This option did not work for me. Tuxedo and his brother Dazzle loved being outside. And I felt so cruel by keeping them solely indoors. So like you, I looked into many ways to allow him to retain some of his outdoor experience. He refused to wear a harness. So I put in a cat fence. Unfortunately for me, he quickly learned that even if he could not go over, he could go under it by digging. To counter this, I had concrete placed all along the fence line. For a few days I thought I had succeeded in keeping him semi contained and I gradually increased his outdoor unsupervised time. Then one day I heard this strange scratching and found Tuxedo on the roof! That darn cat had evidently climbed up a tree and then jumped from it to the house. Needless to say, from that point on, Tuxedo (and Dazzle by association) only gets to go out for very short supervised trips.
Hugs and best wishes to you!
-Dawna, Tuxedo, & Dazzle
mommatux said
Hi there!It sounds like Skids is well on the mend now and will be hopping around like crazy soon. Like others have said, make sure to keep a good stock of pain meds for the first few days and be sure to block off your under bed area because he will go there if given the chance. I speak from experience on that because Tuxedo my kitty did just that when he came home following his surgery. Tuxedo was a 9 year old outdoor/indoor kitty who lost his rear leg and partial pelvis due to a roaming dog.
As to whether a cat fence or patio will work for you, I believe it will depend on how determined Skids is to reestablish his control of his outdoor domain. This option did not work for me. Tuxedo and his brother Dazzle loved being outside. And I felt so cruel by keeping them solely indoors. So like you, I looked into many ways to allow him to retain some of his outdoor experience. He refused to wear a harness. So I put in a cat fence. Unfortunately for me, he quickly learned that even if he could not go over, he could go under it by digging. To counter this, I had concrete placed all along the fence line. For a few days I thought I had succeeded in keeping him semi contained and I gradually increased his outdoor unsupervised time. Then one day I heard this strange scratching and found Tuxedo on the roof! That darn cat had evidently climbed up a tree and then jumped from it to the house. Needless to say, from that point on, Tuxedo (and Dazzle by association) only gets to go out for very short supervised trips.
Hugs and best wishes to you!
-Dawna, Tuxedo, & Dazzle
Good info, thank you mommatux. I really am looking forward to having him back in the house.
k5119 said
He was jumping over a wooden privacy fence a few doors down, and best we can guess, lost his footing causing his back leg to get trapped between two of the panels. He may have been there for 2-3 hours before I thought something might be up and went looking for him.
Just wanted to add if you haven't googled cat fencing please do.
I (my opinion only) would not trust a regular wood fence Skids is young and bound to go up and over or as Dawna said under too, things to keep in mind, minus a limb won't change a lot, Purrkins scales whatever he wants and should not! I just make safer routes in the home so he can do what he wants ie stairs.
Look forward to hearing Skids is home and what you guys decide on in the future.
Holly & Purrkins❤️
Hello and a late welcome to you and Skids. I don't have any cat specific info for you but Team Kitty has taken care of you!
My current Tripawd is a little Pug mix named Elly who lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. Elly is a little over three years old now and can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do. Because she will be spending all her life as a Tripawd I do moderate her activity level a bit and work on her core strength and keeping her weight down.
I am curious about a cat proof yard- can't wait to see what you come up with! My parents had a cat that would come and go as she pleased through a second story bathroom window. She would climb the fence then over to the chimney were she would then climb up to the first story roof. The ridge-line of the roof was just below the bathroom window.
I hope Skid's recovery is quiet and smooth!
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
Purrkins said
Just wanted to add if you haven't googled cat fencing please do.
I (my opinion only) would not trust a regular wood fence Skids is young and bound to go up and over or as Dawna said under too, things to keep in mind, minus a limb won't change a lot, Purrkins scales whatever he wants and should not! I just make safer routes in the home so he can do what he wants ie stairs.Look forward to hearing Skids is home and what you guys decide on in the future.
Holly & Purrkins❤️
Yes, cat fencing is what I was speaking of in previous posts. I was hoping anyone here could give me some insight on what works and what doesn't, seems like a great place to ask!
krun15 said
Hello and a late welcome to you and Skids. I don't have any cat specific info for you but Team Kitty has taken care of you!My current Tripawd is a little Pug mix named Elly who lost her right rear leg after being hit by a car at 7 months old. Elly is a little over three years old now and can do pretty much anything a dog her size and age can do. Because she will be spending all her life as a Tripawd I do moderate her activity level a bit and work on her core strength and keeping her weight down.
I am curious about a cat proof yard- can't wait to see what you come up with! My parents had a cat that would come and go as she pleased through a second story bathroom window. She would climb the fence then over to the chimney were she would then climb up to the first story roof. The ridge-line of the roof was just below the bathroom window.
I hope Skid's recovery is quiet and smooth!
Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls
Thank you so much Karen, your words mean alot! How do you go about working their core muscles?
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