Adopting a three legged cat and introducing it to a senile old moggy

[BigHairyLeggedSpider]

Few weeks ago a cat crawled out of a pile of rubbish dumped on the site my partner works at. it had crawled into a bin and been through one of the bin waggons. Had a broken leg.

Leg has been amputated and we've agreed with the RSPCA that we'll adopt it as they said they'd have lots of trouble rehoming it (they tried to get us to take another three legged one as well but three cats is too many for us right now.

I've already got an aging moggy (old lady) who seems to be ok with the cats in the garden (doesn't mind if they come into the house unless they startle her or eat her food) but I don't want to stress her out too much. The new one is a young girl about a year old.

Has anyone got any experience of introducing cats, and of homing a three legged cat?

No experience of introducing a new cat to an old one in a situation like that. But have had a three legged cat, and you'll be amazed how they just carry on with life. Only issue is that they can't jump or climb as high, so if they get in and out of a window rather than a cat flap, you may need to reassess that as she may not be able to jump up onto the windowsill. Precision jumping is particularly difficult!

Good luck. Our three legged kitty was fantastic and was as active and playful wth three legs as he had been with four. He just terrorised the dogs a little less!

It depends which leg is missing cats with two front legs can cope with cat flaps, those with only one front leg can not.
As far as introducing them there is wonderful advice at www.fabcats.org

Excellent, thanks both!

She's got two front legs, and the vet says she's coping well since the leg was removed.

I have a 3 legged cat. he manages perfectly, leaps out of windows, walks on top of fences and doesn't seem to care at all except he can't scratch his ear that side so gets us to do it for him.

I had a three legged cat- she was coping with it v.well, although she had it amputated while a newborn.

I think your older cat will set the rules, wouldn't worry too much. When I brought home 2 kittens (the 3 legged one and her brother) my older cat spent the first day showing them who's the boss. Cue tiny kittens being thrown across the floor like a hockey pucks or whatever they're called.

They became best friends shortly after, but the older girl was the queen and even though the male kitten has grown into a huge tom, he always respected her (or was scared shitless rather).

Thanks that's all very reasuuring.

winnybella, did you introduce the kittens to your old cat gradually?

No, iirc I just opened the cage in the living room and they came out. They were 8 weeks old, I think. At the same time I knew my older cat was lovely, if fierce, so wasn't really afraid for their safety. Obviously I did monitor the situation, but after a day or two the pecking order has been (somewhat brutally) established and they were getting along fine.

Btw that older cat went to live with my mum few years ago (I was moving from NYC) and at 16 yo she's still reigning over 2 cats and 2(one huge) dogs over there!