Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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I'm fostering a recent tripawd, left hind leg removed, he's 8 months and just a week out from surgery. My husband and I are seriously considering adopting and we wanted to know what kind of steps or ramps are good for cats who are missing a hind leg instead of a front leg. He's already walking a little a couple times each day so we're going slow but I'm thinking about when he wants to get up and down from the couch or our bed. I saw a few posts about possible cat trees (searching senior cat trees helped), but are there any ones that are better for cats who have a hind leg removed instead of a front leg?
Hi and welcome! How wonderful you are fostering this kitty, I hope you become a foster failure 😉
That is a great question, and one that I'm hoping our experienced Trikitty members can help answer. What I can tell you about Tripawds in general is that it is much harder for a rear-leg amputee to go up stairs, than down. Since animals have all their propulsion in the rear limbs, when they lose one it's twice as hard to go up stairs. Your kitty will eventually get there, but I just wanted to warn you that you may see him struggle a bit in the early days.
Glad you found information about ramps and trees. Did you see this post in the Tripawds Gear blog :
Three Tripawd Tips for Pet Steps and Ramp Training Success
and also
Remember, Safety First with DIY Ramps for Cats and Dogs
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Hello,
I have a rear-legged amp as well. He can get up most places, including the bed, couch, and the bathtub (where I keep the litter boxes).
I do have a set of pet stairs, made by Armarkat, that I use by my computer desk, which I'm really happy with.
I don't think there's any difference with pet stairs regarding front or rear amps.
Hope this helps!
Brad
Jet said
Hello,I have a rear-legged amp as well. He can get up most places, including the bed, couch, and the bathtub (where I keep the litter boxes).
I do have a set of pet stairs, made by Armarkat, that I use by my computer desk, which I'm really happy with.
I don't think there's any difference with pet stairs regarding front or rear amps.
Hope this helps!
Brad
Hi Brad, thanks for your input. Is your cat also able to get down from those places (bed, couch, bathtub) as well unassisted and without stairs/ramps? I could see the assistance with the desk, but the bed and couch are my primary concern right now... All other areas around our house have at least graduation in getting up and getting down (ottoman, chair, table, cat tree, etc)
Yep, like Jerry said, rear-leggers have a harder time climbing up, but coming down is not a problem. In fact Jet usually stretches when he gets to the bottom step, it's kinda cute. I'll try to get a video of him tomorrow. For the bed and couch, if he can't get up on his own, you'd probably be fine with using a stool or box or something like that for an assist up.
How big is he?
Jet said
Yep, like Jerry said, rear-leggers have a harder time climbing up, but coming down is not a problem. In fact Jet usually stretches when he gets to the bottom step, it's kinda cute. I'll try to get a video of him tomorrow. For the bed and couch, if he can't get up on his own, you'd probably be fine with using a stool or box or something like that for an assist up.How big is he?
That's awesome to hear. I may try a step or two here to give him a chance at getting up. He's 8 months old, about 5lbs, so he's still pretty young and small. I'm thinking of something like this for him or stairs like this. In your experience do steps work better than ramps?
That first link looks good, it's similar to the one I bought. I got the 3-step version, but based on the size of your cat, you'd probably want to get the 4-step version.
Here is a vid of the stairs I have, and of Jet coming down:
Also, here is a pic of what I use in another bedroom, to help him get up to a windowsill:
I've never tried a ramp, but that should work as well.
I looooove that video of Jet doing his special stretch...ADORABLE!!! Good feedback too!
Yep, I do believe we have a foster fail in this process! Thanks for giving this kitty a chance at a loving home❤
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!
Jet said
That first link looks good, it's similar to the one I bought. I got the 3-step version, but based on the size of your cat, you'd probably want to get the 4-step version.Here is a vid of the stairs I have, and of Jet coming down:
Also, here is a pic of what I use in another bedroom, to help him get up to a windowsill:
I've never tried a ramp, but that should work as well.
Thank you, thank you!!! This is super helpful, Jet looks so comfortable on the steps. I'll get the four step and see what happens. He's OK on a stepstool with a silicone pad for traction , but he did get a little to confident later and wiped out trying to get to our big cat tree. When he gets bigger and more stable, he may be better with the tree.
You all are also right - we may be a foster failure.... 🙂
How long did it take for Jet (and other hind leg amps) to get the stability to climb without too much trouble? I'm worried about jumping too high/low or too far, and potential injury.
I got Jet a few months after his amp, so he was already used to life on three legs. I think once he felt confident that he could jump up somewhere, then he'd do it. I don't recall him wiping out. But it did make me nervous, so I understand you're concern! Having a tail helps with balance of course. Maybe I'm lucky with Jet. Hopefully others will chime in.
He has gotten knocked down a few dozen times, thanks to my other cat. She likes to smack him in the ass as he walks by, which usually topples him. Never been injured though.
I got my cat trees from Chewy, that big one was only 60.00! The big one has scratching posts all the way down it and that is one of those beautiful ways for our tripawds to stretch and work on their core muscle groups. Huck does his stretches pretty much every day. Part of it is placement. I butted up the tall tree to my couch so the highest part is where the couch is. If we were to have a mishap, he would have a softer landing.
With kittens, they tend to bounce back pretty quickly and think they are bulletproof, lol. One of the pictures is the stairs that I got for Huck. Don't get that one, lol. Jet's are much sturdier and mine can easily tilt over if I don't place it carefully.
I have a bench at the end of my bed ( I had it pre-Huck, lol) and he does use that to stretch and get up on the bed. He almost never uses anything to jump down unless he is on one of the trees.
Furniture placement and throw rugs are important. We have laminate floors, and as long as Huck has traction when he jumps down he is fine.
Huck was younger and he was also in top shape because he was feral when we took him in. He has had no issues up or down the stairs. Matter of fact, he races with the other two to get to the top of the stairs.
All that goes to show is that all of our furbabies are different, just like people.
I hope this helps you at a full fail foster 
Hugs,
Jackie and Huckleberry 
Hugs,
Jackie, Bo, Andy, Oscar, Phoebe, and the coolest feral tripawd kitty Huckleberry 
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