My cat has had his leg amputated - any advice on how to help him once he gets home?

[ApocalypseMeow]

Hi there, have looked at this topic for advice but never posted before. On Thursday morning my beautiful boy arrived home with a horrific injury (that I wish I could unsee ) and I had to take the hard decision to have one of his front legs amputated. The vet recommend this as the alternative quite probably wouldn't work and would have required months of surgeries and skin grafts so the kinder option was amputation. We are not sure what happened, it could have been a car accident or an animal attack, I don't know how my brave boy got home to me, it must have been a slow and painful journey and I feel so guilty that he had to suffer that and I wasn't there for him.
He also had to have an operation to pin a small fracture in his hip so is in a bad way. I am devastated this has happened to my dear, sweet and gentle boy. The vet hopes I may get him home next Tuesday if he is able to move to get to the toilet, he can't at the moment but it is early days.
I wondered if anyone has any experience of caring for a cat after amputation or any other major surgery? I want to give him the best care possible, I'm sure the vet will give me instructions but other people's experiences will hopefully be reassuring.
Sorry for the essay, so many thoughts going through my mind just now.

Great to read all these positive stories. What gorgeous cats .

Apocalypse it did take weeks really but then the difference was immense. Cats are fantastically adaptable.
And yes I was actually in shock at the sight of my cat after his asccident, I still can't get the image out of my mind , but seeing them improve really helps.

Paws crossed for you Apocalpyse and your lovely handsome boy .

Thanks upandawayy and grey, it is awful to see your pet in such a bad way, really frightening and terrible to think of how they suffered.
My boy is coming along really well. I let him out his cage for a short while every day and he has a little hop around but he mainly likes to lie next to me and get plenty of tummy rubs and ear scratches. He seems even more affectionate than he used to be . The vet is pleased with how the missing skin on his back leg is slowly but surely healing. He gets a dressing change twice a week, hopefully just for two more weeks. So I am feeling a lot more positive and my brave wee chap seems content, especially as he is being hugely spoilt

That's a lovely update OP and good to hear that your boy is on the mend

Glad he's recovering well op. I have a back leg amputee, who also suffered brain damage.

The thing to remember is that animals don't suffer the angst that humans would after losing a limb.

oh poor cat.

my cat had her back leg removed following an rta. she was home the next day and it was honestly like she only had 3 legs from birth. i don't think she ever really realised that she had lost it as she would often try and itch herself with it. Looke very odd.

it was pretty horrific at the time and i was a vet nurse so had to assist with the amputation at 1am. But honestly we see loads of cats with amputations and the do amazinhly well.

They don't have to deal with any social implications like we do.