Limping foster cat

[Allyskits]

ok foster cat is maybe not entirely not right term as I’m not working with any organization. But I intend to find him a new home.

He showed up on my doorstep a couple of times over the span of half a year, the third time he showed up I managed to put him in a carrier and take him to a vet. He got my attention because: 1 he’s was very friendly, but definitely looked like a stray (very dirty, and a little sick looking). And 2 he was limping.
After taking home to the vet they took an X-ray which showed he has an old fracture to his back leg:

sorry I don’t have better pictures on my phone but they show the fracture at least. As you can see his leg is pretty mangled, but the vet judged it to be at least 1-2 years old. Furthermore, she judged him to be older than 7, maybe 10, he was well fed but dehydrated (in the country I live in its pretty common to leave food for stray cats, but sometimes people forget water, it’s also very hot so not a great combination) and he was also neutered.
she suggested I keep him separate from my own cats for at least a week to make sure he wasn’t sick with anything.
It’s been about a month since I took him in and he’s been vaccinated and thoroughly tested for any feline viruses. And besides the leg is a perfectly healthy cat. But one thing is bothering me, specifically his leg. At the time when I asked the vet if anything should be done she said no but I’m not sure if it was a “not right now” no, or just no he can live like this perfectly fine.
I can’t tell if the leg brings him pain or not but it does disable him quite a bit. He can walk and run and even jump a little bit it’s all very slow. When he sits the leg sticks out at an odd angle, when he walks he only puts down the very tips of his toes and doesn’t put weight on it, and when he runs it just flops awkwardly to the side. From what I can tell he only uses it a little bit to balance himself. And other than that it almost seems as if the leg s just in his way.
I guess what I really want to know is (if you were a vet) and a cat came into your clinic with a leg like this, would you consider amputating it? It seems so drastic but you see al these cats with three legs living as if they have four, running and jumping and you can’t even tell they are missing a limp, and it makes me wonder if it would be better?
Because he’s only just starting to show his playful side (up until now he didn’t show the slightest interest in toys) but he can’t run or pounce properly, and next to my 2 year old cats he’s basically like an old disabled tortoise. He seems to want to run and chase along with my cats but he simply can’t keep up with them.
I really just wanna know if it might improve his quality of life, especially since he’s already at least 7-10 years old, and if I should even bother bringing that up with a vet. Then there would be funds to consider, but luckily vets here don’t tend to be super ridiculously expensive and there is a pretty active community of animal lovers that are usually willing to donate to causes like this.
Anyway, sorry for the long story, but I’m just hoping to hear some other people’s opinions.

 

[FeebysOwner]

At the time when I asked the vet if anything should be done she said no but I’m not sure if it was a “not right now” no, or just no he can live like this perfectly fine...I can’t tell if the leg brings him pain or not but it does disable him quite a bit. He can walk and run and even jump a little bit it’s all very slow. When he sits the leg sticks out at an odd angle, when he walks he only puts down the very tips of his toes and doesn’t put weight on it, and when he runs it just flops awkwardly to the side. From what I can tell he only uses it a little bit to balance himself. And other than that it almost seems as if the leg s just in his way... guess what I really want to know is (if you were a vet) and a cat came into your clinic with a leg like this, would you consider amputating it? It seems so drastic but you see al these cats with three legs living as if they have four, running and jumping and you can’t even tell they are missing a limp, and it makes me wonder if it would be better?... really just wanna know if it might improve his quality of life, especially since he’s already at least 7-10 years old, and if I should even bother bringing that up with a vet.

Hi. Sorry no one has responded to your post yet. I think, if it were me, I would check back with the vet and ask your questions and see what they say. They are the only ones, so far, that have taken a look at his condition/situation, so finding out more specifics on their opinion would be helpful. They may also have some ideas about what kind of vet would be best to consult/confer with in terms of whether he has pain, and based on his guesstimated age if surgery would be a good way to go. Since his fracture is older, it is also possible he is experiencing some arthritis, which can be helped out with similar products that humans use.

I believe you said you want to find him a permanent home. On that note, you might want to start looking around for people who are interested in adopting an older semi-disabled cat - maybe one that would have no other cats should amputation not be the way to go? You might also think about talking to possible adopters to see if they would prefer to let him be 'as is'. It is important to find the right person for this little guy.

I hope other members will come along soon and offer their input as well!!

 

[fionasmom]

Thank you for helping this boy. I agree with FeebysOwner that you might want to begin to ask around for a home for him if you are not able to keep him as he is/will be a special needs cat given his age and condition. He is lovely and looks so sweet.

I am a big proponent of amputation when it is necessary and have a three legged GSD who lost a leg to melanoma. I hope that does not sound macabre, but an injured limb or one with cancer that will never heal is hard for an animal to live with. Your cat has adapted to his disability. I am guessing that if he were in pain, and this might be quite serious pain, you would know it. The fracture healed incorrectly but the pain might be gone.

However, I am not trying to spend your money on surgery or tell you what to do. There is a website called tripawds.com which is for amputee animals and there is a forum just for cat owners.

 

[jefferd18]

I don't know- the fact that he is a senior citizen makes me think twice about any kind of surgery - especially since he has adapted to that leg.
Thank you for taking him in, I think older cats are just more special. I hope you keep him.

 

[Allyskits]

Hi. Sorry no one has responded to your post yet. I think, if it were me, I would check back with the vet and ask your questions and see what they say. They are the only ones, so far, that have taken a look at his condition/situation, so finding out more specifics on their opinion would be helpful. They may also have some ideas about what kind of vet would be best to consult/confer with in terms of whether he has pain, and based on his guesstimated age if surgery would be a good way to go. Since his fracture is older, it is also possible he is experiencing some arthritis, which can be helped out with similar products that humans use.

I believe you said you want to find him a permanent home. On that note, you might want to start looking around for people who are interested in adopting an older semi-disabled cat - maybe one that would have no other cats should amputation not be the way to go? You might also think about talking to possible adopters to see if they would prefer to let him be 'as is'. It is important to find the right person for this little guy.

I hope other members will come along soon and offer their input as well!!

I have already been posting him to as many local Facebook pages as I can, and will continue to do that, I have three cats myself which is why I’m not super eager for another one, but I’m not just gonna put him back on the street or a shelter. The presence of my cats does seem to do him some good, they bring him out of his shell a bit, it was through watching them play with the toys that he finally became interested in the toys himself.

 

[Allyskits]

Thank you for helping this boy. I agree with FeebysOwner that you might want to begin to ask around for a home for him if you are not able to keep him as he is/will be a special needs cat given his age and condition. He is lovely and looks so sweet.

I am a big proponent of amputation when it is necessary and have a three legged GSD who lost a leg to melanoma. I hope that does not sound macabre, but an injured limb or one with cancer that will never heal is hard for an animal to live with. Your cat has adapted to his disability. I am guessing that if he were in pain, and this might be quite serious pain, you would know it. The fracture healed incorrectly but the pain might be gone.

However, I am not trying to spend your money on surgery or tell you what to do. There is a website called tripawds.com which is for amputee animals and there is a forum just for cat owners.

Thank you for the link, this is what I’m wondering, for the most part he already moves around like he has three instead of four legs, I’m that case I feel like amputation would be good for him because he wouldn’t have the dead weight around on him, especially when he really shows signs of wanting to be more active.
But then there’s the side of he’s lived with it for potentially more than 2 years, and he’s adapted to it, in which case amputation would just put him through more trauma and if he’s not in pain that would seem cruel.

 

[Allyskits]

I don't know- the fact that he is a senior citizen makes me think twice about any kind of surgery - especially since he has adapted to that leg.
Thank you for taking him in, I think older cats are just more special. I hope you keep him.

I won’t put him back on the street, or leave him at some shelter where I won’t know his outcome. But if I can I will find him a new home, I already have three cats and my place is starting to feel quite crowded. On top of that while he gets a long great with my two other males, the female is still quite stressed out by his arrival.
As for his age, the vet guesstimated it based on his appearance and now that he’s been with me for about a month and living a cozy life he looks younger than when I first brought him to the vet. That being said amputation is major surgery for a cat of any age, and not something to do a whim anyway...

 

[fionasmom]

I agree this requires careful consideration given that he is injured and does not have cancer in the leg. It is wonderful that you are looking out for him. I can only imagine how he feels having a home.