Neonatal kitten tangled in umbilical cord lost rear legs
Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:23 am
I am managing a feral cat colony. I was unable to trap a pregnant female, and she gave birth to a litter of 5 kittens Saturday, July 14. Fortunately, I was able to gather kittens and mama the following morning. All the kittens were entangled by the umbilical cords -- one in particular had what I thought was one leg caught tightly. As it turns out, both legs must have been caught because this baby has lost both rear legs from what looks like the knee down. I've been supplementing with formula and Pedialyte to help this kitten continue to grow and heal. So far, so good. The baby is half the size of its litter mates but it is putting on weight and has the strength to suckle from mama.
Does anyone have experience with a situation like this? I am not sure what the future holds for this baby and whether it will be able to heal completely from such a devastating injury.
I appreciate any insights and advice. Thank you
Does anyone have experience with a situation like this? I am not sure what the future holds for this baby and whether it will be able to heal completely from such a devastating injury.
I appreciate any insights and advice. Thank you
I would expect the baby to be fine, barring infection or the like. Some bipods learn to walk on their hands, but, depending on the stumps, the baby may need shoes or other protection if he or she walks on the stumps. Skin breakdown can occur from walking. Cats don't usually prefer wheelchairs, but that's a possibility as well.