What to expect after amputation

I recently rescued a 7 month old cat named Flossie. (I have another thread here)

Essentially, she is missing a significant portion of her left hind leg. We've been observing her since she got home, and it seems like it causes her pain when her nub touches the ground, and she has to take extra care to hold it in the air. I talked to Dr. W (retired vet who is handling the whole situation with these hoarded cats) and we decided that getting the rest of it amputated is the best thing for her. We're going to wait 2-3 weeks for her to heal from her spay and get really comfortable here.

I was hoping to get some insight from your own personal experiences, and maybe hear how your cats have healed and adjusted and such.

I don't really have any advice but I want to thank you for taking in this special adorable kitten.

I haven't read your other thread; but, reading what you wrote here and seeing the pic of Flossie, I *highly* expect she will adapt very well.

The fact that the limb is abnormal and she is having to overcompensate to keep pressure off the limb, she likely will be up and running sooner than you think. I think having a rear limb removed is easier on a cat than having a front limb removed.

Please keep us update on her recovery!

There are several members here with tripod kitties and I suspect one or more will be by and share their experience.

Well, it has been many years, and Tigger has gone on to Cat heaven, but she lived a long and healthy and happy life with one front leg amputated.

PLEASE NOTE: IF IT IS HARD FOR YOU TO READ ABOUT INJURY TO CATS (AS IT IS FOR ME) PLEASE DO NOT READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH.

I had gone away overnight and she had somehow slipped on a back fence. Her leg slid down and got caught between the boards and she was found hanging by the leg the next morning by my cat sitter. I was two hours away in a hotel....I ran out of my hotel room in my bathrobe and checked out at the desk, in bathrobe, and drove frantically home!!

The vet hoped the leg could be saved but felt he couldn't give her heavy pain meds as it might shut down her liver or kidneys. So, I sat with her in my lap all night taking her temperature every hour. The vet said if her temperature dropped quickly, I would need to rush her back to him and they would have to amputate. Oh gosh it was so awful....she howled all night like a human in pain, I could barely stand it. Sure enough around 5:00 a.m. her temperature dropped dramatically so I rushed her to the hospital where the leg was amputated. (Her amputation was done about 3 to four inches from the top of her leg).

Recovery went well, as I remember. She was such a tough little scruffy cat!

When she started to do really well, I worked with her each day on chasing after rope, feather wands, etc. to make sure she was getting agile, and could move without thinking about the missing leg.

One day she snuck out of the house. I remember how terrified I was.

It turned out I needn't have been because she was a holy terror outside.

She became a prolific bird catcher, must to my dismay!! Even with the missing front leg!

She lived for 15 years, and eventually had to be put down for cancer (I think it was kidney cancer).

But, to ease your mind, I think she had a good a life as any cat ever.

If she could come back and talk to you, I bet she would agree.

It was awful at first, but I never regretted the decision that had to be made. 

So sorry your's will have to have another surgery, but I bet it will be easier for him to move around when he doesn't have to worry about stepping on the stump.

Hugs to you for caring for him.

Thanks for the praise. I was so happy my experience could be used to help someone.

So  sorry to call Flossie a He!  

Please tell her I am sooo sorry, what an insult!!, and she is so feminine looking!