Common worries for cats post amputation ..

Common concerns

Will my pet be able to walk, run and climb normally post-amputation? 

According to Dr. Henson, the answer is almost always yes. Animals with painful conditions are better able to concentrate on balance (instead of pain) when a diseased limb is removed. Plus, pets scarcely seem to miss the limb - even if they are large breeds. A quick glance around the VMC's Animal Cancer Center supports this notion, as photos of "tripods" chasing squirrels, hunting with their people and sitting atop high window perches abound.

Will my pet adapt to the way his body has changed?

People considering amputation for their pet are often quite worried that their animal will be behaviorally and emotionally challenged by the removal of a limb. In reality, and unlike human beings, animals are not emotionally attached to their body parts. One of the reasons we love animals is their ability to be in the moment, focusing on the quality of their experience. This tendency makes them remarkably resilient. "One of the great things about dogs," Dr. Henson says, "is that when presented with adversity, they overcome."

What will recovery demand of my pet and me?

Pet owners are often shocked to find that the majority of animal amputees are walking one day after surgery and fully healed within two weeks. While the surgery itself is invasive and painful, post-surgical care focuses on managing that pain and keeping the patient quiet in order to facilitate healing. Beyond keeping them quiet, people with amputee pets also need to monitor the surgical site and assist the pet with rising and walking immediately following surgery.

Limb amputation is a surgical procedure commonly performed in cats to remove a diseased or injured limb, either front or rear. Although there are reported cases where multiple amputations have been performed on the same pet, amputating more than one limb is extremely uncommon.

Cats function exceptionally well on three legs and are able to run, walk, and play without pain or discomfort. Cats do not suffer the psychological distress of losing a limb the same way a human does. The primary purpose of the limb is in movement. Because cats do not need to perform fine motor skills they easily adapt to having only three legs.

The loss of a limb sounds catastrophic but 3 legged cats adapt well and are usually as agile and active as 4 legged cats. The loss of a limb would be catastrophic to humans, but our limbs are more specialized (2 for walking, 2 for manipulating things) while a cat's limbs are all used for walking.

Three-legged cats need help grooming areas that would normally be groomed by the now-missing leg. Don't expect a recent amputee to be 'back to normal' immediately, but don't be over-protective. He must work out his new limitations and how to compensate for a missing leg. He must build up additional strength in his other limbs. He can't do this if you carry him everywhere.

After an initial adjustment period, which is sometimes painful to watch, he will probably be able to jump and climb much as before. If he has lost a hind leg, he may not be able to jump as high. If he has lost a foreleg, he may find landing more difficult, especially when jumping down from a high place. At first he will make some mistakes and you can expect some minor (hopefully) injuries, but he will quickly work out his own limitations and even find alternative routes to favorite places.

It is important that a three-legged cat is not allowed to become obese because he has fewer limbs on which to distribute his weight. It is also important that he get exercise, gentle at first to help him adapt to his condition and more active later on to strengthen his remaining limbs. Most 3 legged cats adapt well enough to become as active and energetic as they were before losing the leg - but you can't expect this to happen overnight and it may be painful to watch him adjusting.

Some kittens lose a limb very early on because the umbilical cord get tangled round it and stops it from developing, because the mother cat is inexperienced and mishandles the kitten (sometimes biting off the kitten's paw due to a fault in her grooming behavior) or through some other birth defect which caused the limb to be deformed. If the leg is amputated early in life, the kitten grows up on 3 legs and doesn't know any different. There are very many happy and healthy cats in the world whose nickname is "tripod".

A caring owner can think of other ways in which to help a disabled feline companion, but beware of being overprotective. A disabled cat still requires some semblance of independence to allow it to fulfill that inner 'catness' that we love in our feline friends. Most seem unaware of their disabilities and they do not expect life to make allowances, but a helping hand and some adjustments to their lifestyle and perhaps your own lifestyle will ensure a disabled cat has a healthy, happy and safe life.

After Surgery - helping the three legged cat

A three legged cat may be very confused straight after surgery as to why they suddenly cannot easily do the things they used, like jumping, climbing, running etc. This initial period of time can be very distressing for both the cat and the owner. There is likely to be many awkward and painful movements and the occasional accident.
This period can also be distressing due to the fact that the cat may become frustrated and depressed and the cat’s behaviour may change accordingly, such as refusing to groom and comfort eating. This is understandable and varies from cat to cat depending on their personality but can be reduced with the right care and support from the owner.

Things to do to help your three legged cat through this initial period of adjustment:

• Make sure their litter tray is accessible and not too far away from where they are resting. Often getting to the litter tray in time can be a problem at first or if depressed may not want to make the effort in getting to the tray if too far away.
  
  
• Make eating easier my temporary removing the surgery collar. These large collars are designed to stop the cat nibbling at their wound and stitches but it can make eating and drinking very difficult.
  
  
• Make sure the cat has a quite warm and comfortable spot to recover from the surgery and to get used to his disability.
  
  
• Some help with cleaning after toileting may be required as they may not be able to clean themselves properly at this stage.

Long term care for your three legged cat 

Getting used to their disability may take some time for some cats but it can be made a lot easier and quicker if their living environment is made more accessible and manageable for their disability.
It is important to mention here though that as much as it may be distressing to watch, allowing your cat to try and do things for themselves is important to long term recovery and a happier life. If you carry them around or lift them up onto things too much they will become reliant on you and never learn to do things for themselves or build muscle tone.

• Furniture – moving furniture closer together initially will help a cat to get from one piece to another if this is something they liked to do before. As they gain in confidence and strength over time the furniture can be returned to their normal positions.
  
  
• Small ramps can be built or bought to help a cat get to their favourite place if this is somewhere a little higher than normal, say a bed or window sill.
  
  
• Litter tray – Some re training may be required here if the cat becomes depressed and refuses to use their tray.
  
  
• Place them in the tray after meals
  
  
• Make sure the sides of the tray are not too high
  
  
• Removing any lids from the top of litter trays may initially help.
  
  
• Food - three legged cats may become less active than they once were and couple this with the comfort factor of eating and weight gain can become a real problem. So ensuring that a feeding routine is put in place early on will help to combat this problem.

Also distraction from the desire to eat all the time is needed from the owner. So when the cat cries for extra food instead of giving in to them, try playing a new game with them. Over time this over eating behaviour will be forgotten and the bond between you will have become stronger, helping to comfort and provide a happy more active life for your cat.

picture by paul houle

Pet wheelchairs and prosthetics

Although amputee or paralysed dogs have been using specially designed wheelchairs for several years now it only been recently that some manufacturers have designed them for cats.
The use of a wheel chair for a cat very much depends on the cat’s personality and age. A young cat is far more likely to be able to adapt to using a chair than an old cat. And if your cat is a very active outdoor cat that liked to climb trees etc it is likely that the use of a chair would be unsuitable.
These wheelchairs are also not really suited to the outdoors and so are really only suitable for cats who lead an indoor life only (outdoor use can be made under supervision).
There are many discussions and concerns about the use of a wheel chair for a cat amongst the animal professions and it is right for these concerns and discussions to be carried out. So it is always advisable to discuss fully with your vet the possible implications of using a wheelchair for your cat and whether or not your cat would be suited to its use.