Cat missing most of back legs -- prosthetic?
Cat missing most of back legs -- prosthetic?
Hi, I just adopted a cat named June, who is maybe 8-10 months old. She is missing almost all of one back leg. The other back leg is longer, and has something like a vestigial foot -- no toes or joints, but there is a small foot-pad. She walks 3-legged using only the longer back leg and seems to get around well, but does not jump at all. My vet is sending us to be evaluated for a prosthetic. I need to know if this is a good plan.... June walks and even runs without it, but maybe she could jump better with it. And I don't know about the adjustment -- do all cats adjust OK, or are there some that refuse to use it? If anyone has experience with rear leg prosthetics in cats, please let me know! thanks, Cheri
Re: Cat missing most of back legs -- prosthetic?
Hi Cheri:
Personally I would not put my cat thru that. I have 3 with paralyzed back legs, one whose hind legs twist inward at the hock and another with no back feet. My cat Harley whose paralyzed legs stick straight up gets around fine (some of the other cats fear him as he chases them)---he has no problem climbing up on the cat trees with his front legs. Glory as well as Rupert who has the twisted back legs is able to climb up the cat trees. Simon, whose back legs are paralyzed (also the Colorado Animal hero) is the only one who cannot jump up. When I first got Rupert who was then a year old (he is now about 10 years old) I had asked the ortho vet about "fixing" his legs. He explained what they could do but said if he is getting around and using the litter box he would not bother. They had just did knee and FHO sx on my cat Raven and the sx they did on the femoral head caused her upper leg to hook outward although she is not in pain. So your choice, but they adjust and she knows no different. There can always be complications with sx---there is always pain that can be managed as well as physical therapy and even with the best surgeon there is the risk of infection. Good for you for adopting her. Diana
Personally I would not put my cat thru that. I have 3 with paralyzed back legs, one whose hind legs twist inward at the hock and another with no back feet. My cat Harley whose paralyzed legs stick straight up gets around fine (some of the other cats fear him as he chases them)---he has no problem climbing up on the cat trees with his front legs. Glory as well as Rupert who has the twisted back legs is able to climb up the cat trees. Simon, whose back legs are paralyzed (also the Colorado Animal hero) is the only one who cannot jump up. When I first got Rupert who was then a year old (he is now about 10 years old) I had asked the ortho vet about "fixing" his legs. He explained what they could do but said if he is getting around and using the litter box he would not bother. They had just did knee and FHO sx on my cat Raven and the sx they did on the femoral head caused her upper leg to hook outward although she is not in pain. So your choice, but they adjust and she knows no different. There can always be complications with sx---there is always pain that can be managed as well as physical therapy and even with the best surgeon there is the risk of infection. Good for you for adopting her. Diana
Re: Cat missing most of back legs -- prosthetic?
I agree with Diana--most cats simply don't want to be bothered with extra stuff; they like to do their own thing in their own way. Not jumping is pretty common, across a variety of disabilities, and it's not the end of the world. Mine simply find a way to climb up to where they want to go.