Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
Tripawds is your home to learn how to care for a three legged dog or cat, with answers about dog leg amputation, and cat amputation recovery from many years of member experiences.
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Our 12 year old cat has badly broken his front right leg and we have to choose between amputation and euthanasia 🙁 We of course want to go the amputation route but are just worried about quality if life, given his age. He's also an outdoor cat so it would be a huge adjustment for him. He's also not super playful so keeping him active would be difficult. I've read it's a lot harder for them to adjust if they remove a front leg compared to a back one because of the weight balance/adjustment. Just looking for some advice on what to do.
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Hi Megan, welcome. Your future posts won't need approval so post away.
I'm so sorry about your cat! What a terrible situation to find yourselves in. How did the break happen?
It's tough to make a decision like this when it comes to an older, outdoor cat. But if he is otherwise healthy there is no reason why he wouldn't do well. Yes front leggers have a bit more of a challenge but cats are so agile that we rarely see that as an issue in them, moreso in dogs who are heavier and less agile.
There's no need to change anything about his activity level if he's not overweight, so you wouldn't need to do much to modify his routine. However, being an outdoor three-legged cat poses a lot of risk. One less paw to defend himself is not good, also jumping from high places isn't either. One way to resolve that is by building a catio, which lets him enjoy the outdoors yet be completely safe. Some cats can thrive outside, like Fang did for many years. But again, it's risky.
What does your vet think about him being a good candidate?
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