URGENT ADVICE PLEASE! Feral cat needs amputation or be put down

My friend and neighbor takes care of 12 feral cats in her property.One of the cats got a very bad injury in her back leg. I trapped her and took her to the vet but the infection has gotten to the bone so the doctor is giving me an option of whether to amputate it or put the cat to sleep.This vet has helped me in the past with other rescues by giving me a good discount and he'll take care of everything on his end for $1000. A big amount still but I'm willing to do it to save this cat. At the time of sedation for the examination yesterday I forgot to tell the doctor to do a leukemia FIV test so the doctor will perform it tomorrow when surgery is scheduled and call me as soon as the result is available to decide whether I want to continue with the surgery or put him down. Someone told me that it won't heal if he tests positive.I want to save him but I want to make sure that he will be able to make it outside with three legs.I cannot keep him indoors as I have already too many cats and limited space. I live in New York so winters are cold but the cats have winter shelters in the backyard and are fed twice daily. The main disadvantage for this cat I feel will be traffic even though we live in a quiet area with medium flow traffic only in the mornings. Very high traffic is about 2 blocks away but the cats never venture out in that direction. For the most part they stay around the property and pretty much they all get along well with each other except for a fairly new cat in the colony that was a bully but is better adjusted now and getting along better with the others. I live in the suburbs so big predators are not an issue but there are raccoons, skunks and opossums that come out at night to look for leftovers.I could try to find a place for him to live indoors but I feel that he may not be happy inside since he was born outside, it's about 7 years old and has a mother and sibling in the colony and even sick out there for about two weeks before I was able to trap him he's been hanging out with the mother and eating together. He didn't seem to be hiding from the other cats for fear of being picked on just staying in his winter shelter because he was in so much pain.
I feel that he's capable of still living a good life outdoors with 3 legs but I would have more peace of mind if I hear from someone that has had a similar experience and success with a disable feral cat living outdoors. He survived almost two weeks outside before I learned about what was going on and was able to trap him. I feel that if he didn't give up I shouldn't either. Please, I would appreciate any advice anyone can give me. The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow but I don't know whether to go along with it or not.This is breaking my heart.

I know exactly how you feel about wanting to give him a chance but wondering if he will adjust, and I've been through it with Grey Boy (who tested negative).  He didn't have an amputation but the bone in the leg was infected too and they took out the piece that was shattered but left the leg, afraid that to do more would spread the infection.  He really can't bear weight on one of the legs (both front legs were badly injured) but made it and now is fat and happy as an inside/outside cat.  If your boy tests positive, it's an easy decision, but if he tests negative, I believe he CAN adjust.

If you will look at my pictures "Grey Boy's Journey" by my signature, he was able to keep both legs but one is permanently crippled.  I thought he would want to go back out so after the 6 weeks it took for healing, during which he lived in the laundry room with a laundry basket for a bed, eventually I opened the door and he moved back outside and retreated to his old "den" under a broken stand.  He saw the other cat come in and go out and one day he got brave and ran back in.  After that, he would choose to come in when it was going to rain (he always knew).  Now, a year and a half later, he choose to be 85% inside cat and only goes out for short periods of time and then scoots back in.  For awhile he would not go out at all, after he achieved inside cat status, for fear he wouldn't get back in. but he did learn that he has his freedom (he was about 4 when injured and has always been feral) and he has access to comfort and food whenever he wants them.  I still cannot touch him (except once a month to put on flea medicine) but he will eat chicken out of my hand.  He hobbles around.  My land is protected, an acre completely fenced with a 6-foot chain link fence, but intruder cats can climb in (and mine can climb out but Grey Boy probably couldn't now).  He isn't the fighter he was before the accident and neutering and he flees inside when intruder Toms come around instead of challenging them.  However, I have 4 other neutered males who challenge them and run them off.  Raccoons, skunks and possums are around, but that has not been a problem with the cats. They all just give each other space.

If you can't offer the protection of an indoor environment for his full recovery, and permanently if he chooses it, I believe it would be kinder to put him to sleep. However, if you CAN give him time to completely adjust, he may end up being happy as an indoor/outdoor cat or even to OK outside with 3 legs.  He will adjust to being indoors for his recovery in a small space although he will WANT to go out most likely.  Once he is healed and walking well, you can let him out, but if he's like Grey Boy, he will have learned that INSIDE has its advantages. 

I am STILL paying off the vet bill for him and for another who DID have an amputation, which was actually cheaper than Grey Boy since he had to have his bandages changed every 5 days (I can tell you how to do easy transport for ferals to and from the vet if you get the surgery done, since you will have to take him back for stitch removal).  Let me know how this turns out.

It's a tough decision....

But one of your biggest factor is if you can keep him somewhere indoors for the several weeks (maybe a couple of months) it will take him to recover from the amputation. He can't be let outdoors till the wound is completely healed as he could to easily rip stitches or harm himself. Plus he'll need to have time to learn how to walk 3 legged and just operate being a tripod kitty. And is he tame enough to be handled for the extra care his recovery period will require. If you can't keep him indoors or somewhere he can be safely monitored it will be kinder to put him down.

As for putting him outside in general as a tripod... I have a lot of hesitancy in that. The other kitties could bully him and he might be chased off because of it. Or just the other males fighting for top kitty in the colony. Also raccoons will and do kill cats. Not to mention any humans that might pick on him due to his missing leg. 

I do think that kitties in general can live just fine missing a leg, but I also think it would be a VERY tough life for him.

If he is FIV+ I also agree that the kindest thing would putting him to sleep. I think it would just be too much for his system to handle.

You are doing an amazing thing helping all these kitties and now you have one amazing hard choice to make.

Thank you Red Top Rescue and Reikitty for replying. I live in an apartment so I can't house him but my friend that has the colony where this cat belongs to has a house and is my neighbor. She's almost 90 yrs old so I helped her fixed all the cats she was feeding and we take care of the colony together. She has an empty basement that would be great for the cat to stay at least while he recovers but she is more inclined to put him down as she thinks there's nothing left for the cat to live for. I'm coming over to her house to discuss this later. She recently did a reversed mortgage to be able to afford property taxes and avoid selling her house. All for the 12 ferals and her indoor cats. I'm saving money and looking for a career so I can afford the taxes and not lose the house and take care of all the cats(mine included) when she's gone. It's one tough decision after another for me. Thank you again.

I love how the 2 of you together care caring for this colony, wonderful!

Good advice above as well!

Just to add in my two cents, the actual healing process believe it or not doesn't take all that long.

He would need to be recovered indoors for a good 4 weeks, at least the uncomplicated cases I've had.

With a fully managed colony as this is, I see no reason to take his life away. Cats adapt extremely fast and well with 3 legs, almost as if they don't even miss the 4th.

The only issues I see he will be in danger from would be dogs, fox pack and coyotes, which you don't have the latter, but he will likely not be able to outrun a dog now.

Other than that, he would do just great!