My latest rescue Jed is lame. I caught him a month-and-a-half ago, but it took me nearly two years to catch him, although he became friendly with me, but would not go in a crate. Nearly a year prior to catching him, he injured his foot. He was hobbling and could not put weight on it. This was something I could not call the vet for, explain, and ask for medication, which she kindly provided on two occasions due to wounds and infections that he had. When I did catch him, I got him vetted and neutered. The vet gave him an anti-inflammatory shot, along with an antibiotic shot which helped for a week. Jed is FIV +.
My only problem with him is that he cannot stay in the house all the time unless he uses a iltter box. He has to go outside at night when I can't watch him. He has urinated on the floor, on two mats, and on typing paper. He did not urinate on the pee-pads I got. He has watched the other cats use the litter boxes and has sniffed them, so he knows what they are. I have put him in his own litter box with leaves and grass thinking that might help. He has used it once. The vet gave me a sack of shredded paper. That did not work. It has finally occurred to me that perhaps it is difficult for him to get in and out of the box and that the litter/shredded paper makes it difficult for him to maintain his balance.
Does anyone have experience with lame cats and their special needs? Or has anyone encountered this issue with their cat? This is his front left foot and he holds his leg up most of the time. He stands on his back legs to groom or when he is confronted by one of my other cats. He can do other things with his foot like play with toys and he can crouch while he eats, and i can run my hand down his leg which doesn't seem to bother him. It's putting direct weight on it and balance. He can jump up but he cannot jump down without stumbling.
My only problem with him is that he cannot stay in the house all the time unless he uses a iltter box. He has to go outside at night when I can't watch him. He has urinated on the floor, on two mats, and on typing paper. He did not urinate on the pee-pads I got. He has watched the other cats use the litter boxes and has sniffed them, so he knows what they are. I have put him in his own litter box with leaves and grass thinking that might help. He has used it once. The vet gave me a sack of shredded paper. That did not work. It has finally occurred to me that perhaps it is difficult for him to get in and out of the box and that the litter/shredded paper makes it difficult for him to maintain his balance.
Does anyone have experience with lame cats and their special needs? Or has anyone encountered this issue with their cat? This is his front left foot and he holds his leg up most of the time. He stands on his back legs to groom or when he is confronted by one of my other cats. He can do other things with his foot like play with toys and he can crouch while he eats, and i can run my hand down his leg which doesn't seem to bother him. It's putting direct weight on it and balance. He can jump up but he cannot jump down without stumbling.
