incontinence after accident and amputation

[xraygirl66]

My 7 year old cat was struck by a car, and subsequently, has had an amputation of a rear leg--total amputation at the hip. She dribbles urine, but she will try to use the litter pan. I tried pet diapers, but they do not stay on--I'm assuming because she is missing a rear leg. She has other pelvic fractures, so she is being kept in an enclosed area in the living room. It is almost 5 weeks since the accident. Any advice? thank you!

[CarolC]

You might try disposable baby diapers. Sometimes they need to come up higher on the waist to stay on. Cats are often small in the waist but long in the body.

If you can say how much your cat weighs, someone here might be able to help you guess the size but it's always a guess and different brands of disposables will fit differently. You may end up with a package or two of diapers that don't fit and all you can do is donate them to someone who can use them.

If that doesn't work, Joybies that might work.

http://www.joybies.com/pagecat.html

You could also use a baby onesie like in the photos in this article.

https://www.handicappedpets.com/mediawiki/index.php/Diapers_and_male_wraps

[xraygirl66]

Thank you Carol C! I will have to weigh Coco, I'm not sure what her weight is, now that she is minus a leg. I just checked a vet receipt after the accident--it says 13 lbs. The onesie is a great idea! That just might keep her diaper on . I also thought of picking up a few extra litter pans to place around the house, so she can get to one faster. Thank you for the advice!!

[critters]

Sometimes you need a turtleneck Onesie, or even special harnesses. Cats do like to come out of their diapers!

I suggest soliciting diapers from friends, family, etc. Have them write the brand and size on the diaper with a marker, so you know, then try them. With Buddy, I ended up buying tons of sizes and then having to give them away. http://www.amazon.com/Buddy-Easy-Reader ... slow+buddy