Post-Amputaton Days 3-9

On July 11, Artie's front left arm had to be amputated (background in http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=233369). Artie hated his cape. I'd read about other people using baby shirts in place of capes/cones after amputations or tumor removals. With my vet's approval, I modified a newborn's onesie (sewed up the area over the amputation site and sewed the neck a bit tighter). Artie was very happy to be rid of the cape.

Post-amputation day 3


Post-amputation day 4


Post-amputation day 5 (my favorite photo!)


Post-amputation day 6


Post-amputation day 7


Post-amputation day 8


Post-amputation day 9


Tomorrow: Artie gets his stitches out and can hopefully say good-by to his onesies forever!

Artie is doing great! The vet told me that animals adapt very quickly to the amputations and don't have the same attachment to the limbs or phantom pain that humans have. I was still worried about the adjustment period, though. Mostly about the psychological components: Would Artie be scared by what happened? Depressed? Angry at us?

Nope! None of the above. He's been his normal happy self. I've noticed the last couple of days he's been a bit more subdued. I thought he was depressed at first but later realized he's probably mostly bored and wants out of his cage and room NOW! I try to let him out of his cage as often as I can (his cage is in a back bedroom, so I close the door when I can let him out of the cage and supervise him). He loves romping with his siblings when they visit (I have to pull him back because he's his normal rowdy self).

The first 1-2 days he was somewhat wobbly on his feet and would stumble. By days 4-5 he had his walk down (a cute hybrid of a cat/bunny walk) and was even running (loves his food!). Artie was disabled before and his leg must have been fairly uncomfortable before the amputation (although he never displayed signs of pain and was still his overactive kitten self). I think losing that leg must have been somewhat of a relief for him. My husband thinks Artie is moving around better now than he did with his disabled leg.

I had expected to see a longer adjustment period (learning to walk and still trying to use his missing limb). I'm sure he knows that arm is gone, but he doesn't seem to miss it in any way.

Too true! The funny thing was shopping for the onesies. I've always thought it a bit silly when people get caught up in the pink for girls/blue for boys thing, but I found myself getting completely caught up in it--getting outfits that were blue or had little cars and trucks all over them! I felt so guilty I did finally get him a couple of pink outfits. My husband agreed that "Daddy's Little Girl" and "Daddy's Little Princess" were not appropriate for Artie and would have been more than a little bit odd.

I actually changed them 2x/day. He never had any leakage from the amputation site, but it helped ease my fears of a possible infection.

Thank you for all of the kind comments! Artie's stitches were removed today and he has been released from his "recovery condo" (dog crate). I'm still keeping him confined to one room when we're not around to watch him and at night until I'm confident that he (and the other cats) are comfortable. As long as he doesn't lick his scabs too much, he can stay out of the onesies. Artie tends to be an over-cleaner in general, so we'll have to see how that goes.

As far as Artie is concerned, he is 100% and ready for anything (like getting to explore the entire house again). He is completely over me constantly trying to snuggle him or hovering over him. His attitude is, "Mom, chill. I'm a big boy. I've got this."

Of course my husband can do no wrong in Artie's eyes. Probably because he doesn't "baby" him. His attitude is, "Come on, kid! Let's go in the backyard and throw that football. Then we'll run a couple of miles up a sharp incline and bungee jump home!"

Don't worry--nothing that crazy is going on. But my husband is more inclined to let Artie play with whatever he wants to play with and jump wherever he wants to jump.

I think we balance each other out, though, so that we're "semi-normal parents" for Artie.