Tripod Kitty

My cat Sweetie and a rear leg amputated at the begining of december due to a very bad break. She is normaly outdoors during the day and in our cat enclosure at night. The vet told me she could return outside two weeks after her surgey. I have taken her out on the leash and let her stay with her family (there are 13 others) for periods of time in the enclosure with no problems. She realy wants to go out (she sits at the door and whines) but I am the hesitant one. I think I'm suffering some "bad mommy guilt" because her leg was broken and she was in pain for a day before I found her. I would appreciate any advice anyone has even if it is just moral support for the day I let her back out.

I would keep her inside if you possibly can. Or put her out in the enclosure with the others. It just simply is no longer safe for cats to be outside. I had one cat, that I relented and let out earlier last year. She is no longer with us now. Noddy died in my arms after getting hit by a car. All my cats were inside/outside until late last year. Now with the exception of two pariahs, I have fourteen cats that "used" to be outside 89% of the time inside either the house or the enclosure. A few will cry at the door every so often, but the vision of Noddy dragging herself home is still fresh in my head. They stay inside and safe!

I don't have any advice, but I'm sorry your kitty lost a leg. My sister switched her two indoor/outdoor cats to strictly indoor after losing one to a car in '04.