What to do about kitten with twisted leg syndrome

by **cmmelton** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:47 pm

Hello all,
I am new to this site and hope that someone can advise me. I run a rescue in Oklahoma. I received an email about a small kitten in Texas that had a twisted back leg. He is so cute, the ACO could not put the needle in him to kill him on his euth day. He is adorable beyond words. Big lemur like eyes with slow blinks, purrs that never quite, snuggles and wraps his fingers around yours. He has wormed his way into all our hearts. The bad news. He went to the vet today for his first checkup to see about his leg and possible amputation. The vet says he cannot urinate or defecate on his own. The kitten has no muscle control. The vet says no operation can fix him. That someone would have to help him potty two to three times a day for the rest of his life and even then, he is subject to infection. I normally don't have a problem advising to euthanize when necessary, but like I said, this little guy has personality plus and is our hearts. Is there a chance for him? Has anyone dealt with this? I just feel like there is someone out there that has no problem helping a kitty go potty every day, but I may be wrong. He is at the vet office...they are waiting for my decision...and I jsut can't tell them to put him down...even the vet remarked about his lemur like blinking eyes and his special personality...so it is hard for him too.
The kittnen is a cute little orange male tabby. His name is Festus Zachary Wislon-Sepulvado...named for all those that helped save him.
Please advise.
Thanks so much,
Cheryl

by **Diana R.** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:09 pm

Cheryl,

Please do not put him down---the little guy deserves a chance to have and can have a full life. I have two cats with paralyzed back legs that I express three times a day and I work full time and have my other animals, some of whom special needs. I have had Simon for six years and he has never had a bladder infection. Harley is also a orange tabby. You can post him here in the rescue area and also on petswithdisabilities.org. If you cannot find him a home I may be interested but I also have a full house. Please give him a chance for a home. Diana

by **cmmelton** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:25 pm

Bless you Diane....thank you so much for your positive reply. It will be now to find someone that can take care of him in the manner he needs to be cared for...I would be grateful if you would consider taking him!

I will get him posted.
THANK YOU!

by **GabrielDeafBlindPupFamily** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:51 pm

I am waiting for Bendy Kitty to weigh in, if you saw him, you would recognize him immediately.

The catpeople have a lot of kitties who need expressing and Bendy wll give you lots of good ideas for moving forward and one of our first 'demands' is a PHOTO .

Please visit Bendy's page at http://www.alittletlc.com/

by **cmmelton** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 5:01 pm

Oh thank you! I could not remember the name and it is Bendy Kitty! One of my friends drove all the way from Oklahoma to North Carolina to save a kitty she had rescued...that kitty was Two Bit!
I can't wait to see if she can help with advice...you guys save him though...I called and read the post to the foster home and she said, well thats it then...we don't put him to sleep!
I just have to find a spot for him pretty quickly...my foster home has other kittens and they are sick...we are going to have to try and keep him as healthy as possible so that he won't get any infections.
Please keep sending me all the tips and advice you can send!

by **critters** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:24 am

I took a 100% paralyzed and 100% expressed boy, Buddy. In fact, the people in the car behind the one that hit him kept him for at least a week. http://www.handicappedpets.com/pics/buddy.htm

You'll also need the info in the sticky on the incontinence bb.

by **Bendy Kitty** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:46 pm

rotten server just ate my entire post.

I knw someone in Tx, let me sent the think to this thread to her.

by **cmmelton** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:53 pm

Thank you! Festus is home with foster mom Sabrina. He is sore from having and extended bladder but grateful it was all expelled in time! He doesn't feel like eating right now, but has drank. The vet showed Sabrina how to expel his bladder and intestines. The leg needs to be removed...it would help him move around better I think. Can I post pics on here somewhere? He is so cute.
Please let me know what you find out. He is from Texas! How ironic if he gets to go back!
Thank you all so very much,
Cheryl
Festus and Sabrina.

by **Bendy Kitty** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:55 pm

bad server bad bad bad bad bad
if u lived here i wud hark up a hairball on you!

goin over to teh lil kitten and smoochin him on the head
*hello lil cutie!*
do these back legs work at all? *poke*poke*
u could try wearing fashionable braces like in my pict, they are made from gauze and vetwrap adn a little first aid tape to help keep them on.

TwoBit is doing well, tho she fusses at me on the bed sometimes. Mom told her she isn't allowed to do that, but TwoBit sticks her tongue out at me after mom goes to sleep. hmpf. But other than that she is doing well.

Expressing jsut takes a few minutes, and once you find a technique that works for you it is no biggie. Mimosa has been getting expressed twice every day for 5 or 6 years, its hard to keep count. Mostly it just makes it hard to find a cat sitter.

I emailed my furrend in Texas, it is Thunderwolf Animal Sanctuary. We'll see if she can help or has any ideas.

Sadly the Bendy house is very full right now. When TwoBit came, mom had several kittens she was having trouble placing that she swapped for TwoBit. Audry found them homes in no time! But all of our current fosters are connect to Marleys Cat Tales so we can't play mix and match kitties. sighs.
funny, the lady from Marleys emailed mom this morning about a kitten with Manx Syndrome. must be a poopy butt day.

keep me posted on this lil kitty, i'll play with as many strings as i can find to help!

headbonks, purrs, and belly waves
(cpying the post in case the server is hungry again)

Bendy

by **cmmelton** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 2:05 pm

Hi there Bendy!
So glad to know that you and your fur crew are well! Tell your mom she is doing an outstanding job and I thank you both very much for trying to help little Festus!

Hey...I just went into my profile and added a pic of little Festus as my avatar....so I hope you all get to see what a wondeful baby he is!
I guess, at this point, I should further introduce myself. I am the Western Area Director of Forever Friends Humane Society in Oklahoma City. I bless you all for being her for Festus and me!
Cheryl

by **cmmelton** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:29 pm

Well, I tried to add Festus pic to my avatar, but it is too big and I don't know how to fix it!

So here is his petfinder link...I updated it, but don't know if the link has updated yet...but here goes:

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displa ... d=11815356

I just want you to see him!
Thanks
Cheryl

by **cmmelton** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:13 pm

Sad news all....Festus is passing over to the bridge now...he has gone downhill since he was at the vets yesterday. Sabrina just called me crying....she says his jaw is locked on the blanket, his head is hanging and he is just in bad shape...she said, please Cheryl, it is time to let him go.... She is at the vet with him now...she will hold him as he falls gently asleep. He knew a lot of love in his short time with us and almost became famous with all the postings about him. I will never forget this little one and how he touched my heart.

by **Diana R.** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:33 pm

Cheryl:

I am so sorry about Festus. Thank you for giving him a chance and I bet if another disabled cat comes along you won't hesitate to help that one thanks to Festus. Diana

by **cmmelton** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:40 pm

You are absolutely right. This is what I just sent to the amazing group of people that all assisted in saving Festus from the shelter:

"Sad news once again....Festus is passing over to the Rainbow Bridge as I write this. He went downhill fast after his visit with the vet yesterday. Poor Sabrina just called in tears and told me it was time that he go...his head was down, his jaws locked on the blanket, he was not making it. Sabrina has taken him to the vet and she will hold him while he goes gently to sleep, in no more pain. He touched our lives and became a famous little man in just a short time. He wasn an angel sent to teach us something...I believe he wanted us to be more aware of handicapped pets and more aware of the special ones and I am. It was too late for him, but maybe not the next one.Thanks to everyone who held him, loved him and was as in awe of him as I was.Nightie night Festus Zachary Wilson-Sepulvado...you are a star in the night sky now."

Take special notice of what I said about him coming here to teach us...I believe that is exactly what he was here in my life and my friends lives, to do...to teach us about handicapped and special pets.
Thank you all, for your support and care...you are truly an amazing bunch!
Cheryl

by **Bendy Kitty** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:38 pm

I am so stunned I hardly know what to say
I guess in addition to the birth defects we coudl see he had others we could not.

i was so looking forward to hearing about him running around on his front legs

i am so so sorry

many many comforting purrs.
this is a sad day