Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Hi all,
My oldest (14 yrs) Sasha is a new tripawd. She had her right front leg removed in September.
She's finally readjusted to almost 100% of her old self which is fabulous because back in September, we thought we were going to lose her.
Anyhoo, We have had a new dog for about 6 months now, he's about 1 yr old, that is still learning from Sasha to leave her alone and I want to give her and my other cat Peaches a high perch to go to if/when they need to be higher than the dog. Unfortunately, he's still chasing my other cat Peaches and she just can't find anywhere to get high enough away from him.
So, I'm looking for suggestions on a cat tree that not only my front declawed Peaches can use, but that Sasha (as a front declaw + front right leg amputee) can use.
Does anyone have a cat tree they really like and that their cats use constantly?
I found one on Overstock.com (http://www.over.....oduct.html). Do you think this could work? Is there anything I need to watch out for when purchasing a tree that Sasha (the tripawd) can use?
Thanks!
Kristie
Front leg cat amputees can easily jump up due to the power in the rear legs. The problems is safely going down and taking all that weight on one leg. Mona is also a front leg amputee. It's very easy for her to jump up to high places and she can easily go down stairs. She is more thoughtful when going down from heights of 3-4 feet where the is nothing to shorten the landing. I've placed boxes below her favourite high spaces which she uses as "steps". She's also developed a dismount she uses at times where she actually lands on her hide legs first.
Some cats love cat trees, some don't. I have a small one where my other cat hangs out to see outside but Mona has never been interested (she hangs out below and bites at the other cats tail and they playfully swat at each other). If you do get a cat tree for Sasha it might help her if the platforms are large enough to accommodate her length when coming down because she may need to "bunny hop" down. I suspect at least one of your two cats will like it.
Unfortunately Sasha's only defense from the dog is gone (her claws). A few swipes quickly teaches the dog to stay away. The dog needs to learn to leave the cats alone. I have no suggestions how to train the dog to quit chasing - it's probably fun for the dog but stressful for the cats. Perhaps other dog owners or dog trainers will have some suggestions.
I hope you find something that works. And, remember, you know what cats are like:
Oh my gosh that comic is so funny!
This is a GREAT question and one in which I would love to hear more feedback from other cat pawrents so we can include these tips in our Tripawds Gear Blog .
Mona's Momma is correct, it's the front legs that take the brunt of the weight when descending and jumping down so you really want to make sure they have lots of assistance via steps.
I'm glad to hear that Sasha is otherwise doing so well!
Don't forget to check out all of our Tripawds Kitty Bloggers and this great post about Tripawd Kitties from Dr. Kennedy, a rehab vet in South Carolina.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
I have been meaning to write a blog post on this topic for MONTHS!! My fiance and I built our cats a massive cat tree long before Sebastian lost his leg and we regularly discuss building one that's better for him now. It's actually pretty good as is, but I worry about him falling when his jerk brothers decide to wrestle.
And I have a big goofy hyper dog that has difficulty understanding that the cats are not his playmates. So I feel like you and I are in very similar situations!
My advice for the cat tree would be to get something with wide platforms, much like the one in your link, that Sasha can jump up onto and jump down from. And don't get one that's too high unless you are confident she won't stumble and fall from the top level. Even 4ft up would probably be enough, right? Up to you.
As for training the dog to be nice to the kitties - it's really like any other dog training. My dog is a lab/collie mix so he is super easy to train. Others might take more time. Focus on burning up excess energy (especially since he's young), consistency, and positive reinforcement. We tend to have "trouble" when our 3 cats are chasing each other around and the dog wants to join in, so we are now in the habit of just calling him over to us and rewarding him in some way (food, toy, love). He also shows his collie side by herding the cats, but regular mental and physical exercise helps that tremendously.
Let me know what you decide on for the tree and how it goes!
This is a great topic for all future kitty tripawds!...........but I have nothing to add haha.....Jill doesn't like cat trees, she's only happy sitting on the couch lazy kitty that she is.
I bet this would be totally different for rear/front tripawds....Jill needs sort of a slanty step type thing to jump up on the bed, it's hard for her to use narrower steps to jump UP........going down she has zero problems.
Jill is a 9-year-old tuxedo kitty. She was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in June 2012 on her toe in her right hind leg. Her leg was amputated on 12/12/12 and she completed four rounds of chemo (2 of Carbo, 2 of Doxy) in April 2013. "Like" Jill's facebook page: https://www.fac.....tty?ref=hl Proud member of the WINTER WARRIORS!!!! Her blog can be read at http://jillsjou.....ipawds.com. xoxo
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