3-legged cat

Hi

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about 3-legged animals?

I am fostering a 3-legged kitten. He was brought to the vet to be euthanized, but the vet couldn't do it. The kitten didn't get the surgery right after he was ran over by a car. He lived in a cage for about a month when finally a lady up until 2 weeks ago paid for his hind-leg amputation surgery.

Anyway, the kitten is about 4.5 months old now. He doesn't seem to know how to walk on 3 feet. He drags his other hind leg. He is fine otherwise.

Is there anything that I should do to help him build strength on his other leg? (vitamins, exercise etc). Or is it going to happen by itself in time?

Thanks.

I hope he will learn in time. He get surgery amputation only 2 weeks ago, right? And before that he "lived" in a small cage with his severy wounded leg, yes? So he has hardly any experience of using his hind legs in 6 weeks...

Does he lets you handle him? Pet him? You may perhaps try to massage the other leg. And perhaps also the rest of the amputaded leg. Carefully of course...

Anyhow. As I know most amputated cats do well as three legged. They can get a good life if indoor pets. So there is seldom need to put them to death because of it!

I did read a sad but beatiful true story:
A group from shelter went to trap a feral cat. But in the trap there was another cat. A three-legged cat!

After some searching and talking with people in the neighborhoud the information was this homeless cat lost his leg while homeless. Managed somehow to live through it. Learned to manage on three legs. It was surely no live, but he did survived.

The story ended well as they found a woman who wanted to share her home with him...

Good luck
and keep up your excellent work!

He should be bounding around- sounds like major nerve damage or a problem with the spine to me. Three-legged cats and kittens are usually up the same day acting like nothing happened.

Yes, he had the surgery 2 weeks ago. Or maybe 3 now, since it has been a week since I got him. And yes, before that, he was living in a cage for a month with his severely injured leg. Even after the surgery he was in the cage for 2 weeks, no where to bounce around since there was noone to take care of him. So, the last week was the first time he was able to walk around freely after 6 weeks living in a cage (God knows when he was ran over before he was taken to the vet).

He can occasionally walk on his leg, but usually just drags it probably because it is easier ??

By the way, this kitten came to me from Turkey! Instead of being euthanized, he came to USA, and hopefully will have a wonderful home soon. He is a very sweet, affectionate and lucky boy

I had a 3 legged cat for 2 years.
his front leg didn't function and we kept it with a gauze (bandage?).
It was never amputated and he used part of it as a crutch when walking.

when I first found him he walk but he couldn't run [very well] or jump or do much so I started playing with him, slowly moving a piece of string then faster and faster [over time].. I also started moving the string upwards so he had to try to catch it.
I would also put an obstacle [as if it were a wall] so he would have to try to jump, [imagine a horse jumping a fence.. that sort of thing].. not a huge obstacle of course.. something tiny, then a little higher, etc...
with every acomplishment he got a treat.
he was probably 3 months old when I found him.
He managed quite well as a 3 legged cat.. he could even climb trees.

I don't know much about how to treat a cat with an amputated leg, in my case I had to change the bandage every day, masage the cats leg and work with him until he learned to do more things other than just walking [or limping..]

He can occasionally walk on his leg, but usually just drags it probably because it is easier ??

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he's probably dragging it because he doesn't recognize it as his leg anymore.
My cat did that at the beginning.
I'ld encourage him when he uses it.. almost all the progress I did was by playing with him, it made him use his other leg and then he'ld realize "hey, I can use it!".. well not exactly like that, but I hope you can get what I mean.

I hope he finds a good home I'm so glad he wasn't put to sleep.

Yeah, he may just need some time to get used to it, after being cramped in that cage for so long.... usually 3 leggers have no problem at all - my mom's friend had a 3 legged cat due to his diabetes and he was the happiest cat ever... if he doesnt start to use it more with encouragement and massage, I'd get him into the vet to check for some kind of nerve damage - if he can't feel it there, of course he wont use it... but hopefully, he just needs to get used to it some... keep us updated and thank god he was saved!!

Thanks for all the answers.

Do you think I should first work with him and wait until he starts using his leg before putting him on adoption in our web site, or is it Ok if someone wants to adopt him like this and work with him themselves??

It is probably going to take some time until we will be able to find the right home for him or until someone will actually want to adopt him as a 3-legged cat!! So, I guess there is no harm putting his picture on the web site right now (but perhaps wait until taking him to the adoptions)??

Originally Posted by dodo

So, I guess there is no harm putting his picture on the web site right now (but perhaps wait until taking him to the adoptions)??

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No, it doesnt feel right. Put him in when he is ready or at least almost ready.

You took on the responsibility. It is yours now. It would be OK if you personally knew somebody knowleable and trustworthy - you could ask.

It is a feeling, I cant describe it 100%.

Dont do that, I beg you.

I really don't think anyone, or someone who doesn't care, would want to adopt a handicapped animal. I know that the person who will want to adopt him one day will be a special person.

I don't understand what can be wrong with putting his picture on the web-site right now. You can always tell people who are interested that, he can go to his new home when he is ready... Although I am experienced with tiny kittens, or sick/healthy cats, I am not experienced with 3-legged animals. (Otherwise, I wouldn't be asking people these questions.) There may even be someone who is a lot more experienced, seeing his picture and wanting to do this. Also, we are so picky in adopting out our cats that, we decline maybe 75% of the applications even for the 'normal' cats. I am not going to just give him away to the 1st person who wants him.

And of course I want the best for him. I don't want to get rid of him and make him someone else's responsibility. I wouldn't take him in the first place if that was what I wanted. I was just asking...

How can people be so cruel and irresponsible!?!? as to abandon an animal in pain in a cage!

You could put his picture out now to see if there is any interested. I had a 3 legged cat briefly last yr. Would it make a difference on the severity of the amputation. Tommie for instance since the was shot -my vet amputated the entire hind leg and then wrapped the muscle remaining around that hip joint. Too bad I never took any pictures. plus the leg was amputated within a day or two of the injury. The next day I was amazed on how well he was moving around-he never did seem to miss it!!
Maybe his leg muscle are weak from not being used???
I wish you the best of luck.

Hi ,I have a three legged cat, his name is Bertie,he's 3years old rescue from Qatar by cat protection, at first he was a bit wobbly getting around, but we got him some indoor friends to play with,one is deaf, he's a bit slow sleep a lot ,and the other one is a Persian ,all cats are three .but they play but sometimes go off and leave Bertie on his own so I am looking for another three legged cat ,they are so lovely ,give you love and cuddles and love to play ,even go out in the garden ,they can't get out and go on the lead on the from lawn ,which they all love, so give him time ,but if not I am around to offer a forever home and I'm home all the time .Lorraine Ryan

I have had a 2-legged cat and two 3-legged cats. They learn to thrive without limbs. It just takes time. Mustang Sally, the one with onl6 2 legs, lived to be 19. One thing you can do for hisremaining back limb is exercise it. See if you can get him to lie on his back and tickle his belly. That should make him kick out his back leg. If you can get him to lie on his back calmly, you can also move it back and forth and also in a walking motion to train the muscles for walking. Whoever said to massage the amputated site...DON'T do that. There are very sensitive never endings in the amputated limbs. You could cause severe pain and phantom limb syndrome (yes, that does exist in cats). The good news is that he's young and should heal well.

Ugh, I hate autocorrect. He has sensitive NERVE endings in his amputation site.

Hi,

This is a very old post, from 2005. This 3-legged cat got adopted by a family who also had an adopted daughter. 

Whoops! Sorry about that. It popped up on my feed as being new. Glad to hear the baby went to a good home!