Amputation

[smudgley]

Hi Sandy, sorry to hear about your sad news.
I don't have any personal experience of cats with amputated limbs. I do have experience however of dogs who've had a leg amputated, both through my work & with my own pet dog.
I think the main thing to remember is that animals do not go through the emotions / trauma that we do. When making your decision you need to look at lots of factors. Cats age / future quality of life / & a lot of other things. But what you must remember is that if your cat has her leg amputated - you don't have to worry about how it will affect her mentally like it would with a human. Basically --They have an operation & then they have to learn to walk with a leg missing. I know it's a big decision & a big operation, but when one of my dogs was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at a very young age, my mom didn't want her to have her leg taken off because of how she (my mom) felt about it - Not how the dog would cope with it. Hope that makes sense & good luck whatever you decide.

[sandy]

Thanks for all the messages of support, you lovely people.

[dinahsmum]

Hi there!
How sad that your first post is so difficult. I haven't owned an amputee cat but a long time ago, when I was a little girl, the neighbours had a cat who caught her front foot in a snare and had to be amputated. She lived a long, happy life. Also, more recently, a friend adopted a rear-leg amputee, who is perfectly fine.
Here is Booktigger's (long) thread about her Pebbles.
http://www.catsey.com/showthread.php...ght=amputation

If I was in your situation, I think I would firstly seek the vet's assurance that, as far as s/he can tell, there is no spread of the cancer. Then I would go ahead with the operation. However, if the disease returned after that (maybe spread to the bones, liver or lungs) I would step in quickly to prevent any further distress to my loved pet.

(((hugs))) to you. Take care.

[sweetmimi]

aww she is beautiful what a wonderful looking lady she is.
I have known a cat who had only one front leg the other was damaged in a RTA and he managed with no problems at all. If this were my cat then yes I would have the operation as otherwise the cancer will spread. If it has not spread I would definately have the operation and give her many happy years of life with you.
I am so sorry you have to make this decision its never easy.

[sandy]

Thanks, ladies. The vet has told me (and I've looked it up on the internet too) that bone tumours in cats rarely lead to secondary cancers. With dogs it nearly always does.

I found this today on another forum which has given me heart:

"My cat's got her front leg amputated. She can run rings around my other cats and is much more agile. She can jump better than the rest of them put together. She really is amazing.

He'll just need time and will figure it out for himself. Watch him and if there's any way you can obviously help him out initially, then do so. But he will learn to cope in time.

The great thing about animals is that they never feel sorry for themselves, they just get on with life. "

[Booktigger]

Sorry it has taken me so long to find this!! Bit of a manic week here. Pebbles leg was her back leg, but I do know of people who have had to have front legs amputated with no probs. My vet was reluctant with her age and that she had always been sickly, but she got through it no prob - and to prove she was well, fought them when they took the drip out of her!! have the vets X Rayed her chest?? i think if the chest X ray is clear, I would go for it. There was never an alternative in my mind though, as hers was done for different reasons. She is a lovely girl.

[sandy]

Thanks, Booktigger. My cat is strong and healthy, hardly had a day's illness in her whole life. Still hunts successfully.

I think I'm going to go for operation, and will ask the vet to take more x-rays to be sure this is a one-off tumour.

[Sweet]

Sending you both (((((big hugs)))))) a gorgeous kitty - I would go for the Op x

[Mags]

Good luck Sandy ...... please let us know how everything goes with your gorgeous girl.... ((((hugs)))) to you both....

[Booktigger]

Fingers crossed they all come back fine. If the vet says it will take her longer to adapt due to her age, take it with a pinch of salt!!