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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

cat fighting for life

56 replies

Grange · 04/03/2015 21:49

My 5 year old cat has been in a road traffic accident today. The person didn't stop but thankfully someone else saw it and told the local vets who took her in. Her jaw is smashed and her leg is in bits. She is spending the night at the vets dosed up on pain relief to be transferred to the specialists tomorrow to see if they can save her leg and mend her jaw. The kids are distraught as am I. Anyone have any experience of a cat having 3 legs and having a quality life?

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 04/03/2015 21:58

I'm so sorry - poor lass. There are many posters here with tripods and I think they nearly all do very well indeed on three legs.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2015 22:01

So sorry for what's happened. Poor poor kitten.

I've met several cats with three legs and all of them have gotten around just fine. In fact one used to almost gloat at my four legged useless kitty as she sat in the tree she could still climb unlike my cat Grin

only worry is obviously if something happens to the other leg.

but cats on three legs do well.

I hope your precious cat is ok Flowers

Original poster
Grange · 04/03/2015 22:03

Thanks cozie, I'm struggling to see how she will cope. She's such an active outdoors cat :(

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cozietoesie · 04/03/2015 22:08

There's occasional vets who post here - they might be able to reassure you from experience if they see the thread.

Best of luck to her.

TheoriginalLEM · 04/03/2015 22:11

oh poor cat :( my cat was run over and her leg was minced basically and needed amputated. As I was a vet nurse at the time i brought her home the next day - it was like she had always had three legs. The only time it bothered her was when she had an itch. her little stump used to go like she was trying to scratch and didn't realise she didn't have her leg. The leg can go, obviously better if it can be saved but what is important is the jaw so that will be where the vets will concentrate. Cats mend amazingly quickly. lets hope your kitty makes a speedy recovery xxx

Original poster
Grange · 04/03/2015 22:20

Thanks Giles. I don't think anyone here will sleep well tonight. Good to hear the 3 legged ones can still climb!

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 04/03/2015 22:24

I will keep my.fingers crossed for your cat. I'm really so sorry this has happened to you all. x

Lonecatwithkitten · 04/03/2015 23:05

I was having a discussion with my colleagues the other day and we all unanimously said (3vets and 1RVN) that if any of our cats were in an RTA and ended up with a leg fracture that was beyond a simple pin we would lop the leg off without a moments hesitation.
Cats who have a leg amputation are back to pretty 100% normal life in three weeks and most the time it is only when you do the double take do you realise the cat has three legs.

TamzinGrey · 04/03/2015 23:33

I used to live next door to a three legged cat and he was amazing - leaping about all over the place without a care in the world. Many years ago our family cat got hit by a car and had her jaw horribly smashed up. The vet wired it up and she completely recovered - nowadays they'll have much superior jaw repair methods so I'm sure that your girl will be ok. Hope she is soon better. Please keep us posted.

Original poster
Grange · 05/03/2015 07:15

Thank you all for posting. The vet is phoning at 9. Fingers crossed xx

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 05/03/2015 07:41

Good luck - and let us know how she's doing.

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/03/2015 07:43

thinking of you. sending sweet kitten lots of positive healing vibes.Flowers

Original poster
Grange · 05/03/2015 09:50

She's had a stable night and is off to the specialists at 12. Can't wait to see my little one. I appreciate the hand holding xx

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IHaveBrilloHair · 05/03/2015 09:53

My cat was ran over last year and spent four days hiding with a mangled leg, it was infested with maggots and had to be amputated, she also lost a toe and a tooth, but is still here to tell the tale and still rules the roost over the other three cats.

Gileswithachainsaw · 05/03/2015 09:56

Give her a cuddle from me. glad she had a stable night. hope the specialist has good news. Flowers

cozietoesie · 05/03/2015 09:59

A stable night is good given the injuries she has. Let us know how she does.

fenneltea · 05/03/2015 10:13

Poor cat, I know they are supposed to cope amazingly well after losing a limb, so I wouldn't be too worried about that, but I'm sure she'll be feeling very sore and shocked bless her.

I hope she's soon on the mend. Flowers

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 05/03/2015 11:22

Poor little thing, I hope she's soon feeling better Thanks

Ohfourfoxache · 05/03/2015 11:52

Sad poor baby Sad

Brilliant that she's had a stable night. Hopefully she's nicely dosed up on meds and is napping comfortably Thanks

Original poster
Grange · 05/03/2015 16:13

It's not going too well. She's having some blood tests and will have a ct scan if they think she's up for it. Her jaw looks pretty bad. They think she's broke it at the front and side. Her leg is probably a knee dislocation, it's pretty swollen up. Just wish I had some answers so I'd know how to prepare myself and the kids.

OP posts:
cozietoesie · 05/03/2015 17:16

Have they actually done anything yet, Grange ?

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2015 17:18

Fingers crossed that you get some good news soon. A CT scan? wow - impressive.

cozietoesie · 05/03/2015 17:25

That's 'specialists' for you.

TheoriginalLEM · 05/03/2015 17:28

That is a very expensive bit of kit even for a specialist.

Original poster
Grange · 05/03/2015 17:28

She's gone. The scan showed she had broken the top bottom and side of her jaw. Several nose bones and had air in her brain. I don't know if that's the technical term but I couldn't take it all in. She had knee cap and severe ligament damage too. They didn't wake her up from the anesthetic from the scan and gave her an overdose of it to send her to sleep. It was a very hard decision but I believe she'd suffered enough. I can't believe it

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