Talk Cancer

Question:

Thanks tim for taking the time for an update. I’m glad your vet will do a biopsy and then decide, but, at least you are probably more prepared for the possible outcome than before. Many of us are thinking of you – it’s not an easy decision to make either way. Good luck to you and dai-lo (well, he comes first right now) and do keep us posted, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – -i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.— —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

My friend, Lori, has 4 bunnies. One day she came downstairs to find Smudge in his cage. She looked down to discover his leg was dangling behind him. She rushed him off to an emergency vet in Liverpool and was basically told that they could elect to do an amputation operation or put the bunny down. They did tell her the chances of Smudge surviving the operation was slim. (From what she tells me, bunnies go into shock quite easily, and even a routine spaying could put a bunny in shock….I don’t know though, never had one) At any rate, they opted to have the surgery. Nearly 2 months after the operation, the little guy is hopping around like new, minus one of his hind legs:) Janene Mother of Bailey, Dylan and Dante’ Wuffies.Net – http://www.wuffies.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

Response:

I have a cat with one of her rear legs missing.  She does extremely well, but she runs rather comically,  She doesn’t back down, even to the most alpha cat I own, and will manage to get into my lap and beg when I’m trying to work or eat.  The only problem they do have is scratching behind their ear, and I getthe message when she comes up in front of me and wiggles her stump…that means, "scratch my ear".  I also make sure she gets advantage flea treatment, as she cannot deal with even a few fleas.  Other than that, she leads a happy life.  Jacque   (PS… When I was small my uncle, a farmer in Michigan, had a cat that got caught in the reaper.  He managed to live and show up at milking time to catch his share of milk that was squirted out for the barn cats to leap up and catch in mid air.  He had only stumps for all his legs, and lost his tail as well.  I was always amazed to see this cat catching those squirts….) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

t- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb

Hi Tim, This month marks my cat’s one year anniversary – last year he was diagnosed with cancer and had to have a back leg removed.  This forum was very supportive during his diagnosis/operation/recovery. Anyway, my Oberon was 7 when this took place and after a bit of confusion, became quite adept at having three legs.  He can jump and run (very fast) and he can even pop up on his back leg to catch kitty treats in his mouth (a favorite pasttime of his).  Once his fur grew back, you couldn’t even tell he’d originally had four legs. We don’t let him outside because he’s deaf, but he is the alpha male inside and the loss of a leg didn’t alter that at all. Best of luck with your cat! —Anne He no longer looked at me, no longer made any pretense of telling the truth. "Personally," he said, "my great ambition is to count all this -" he waved vaguely at the treasure around him – "and possibly sort it into piles . . . ." – Grendel

Response:

Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

I second this.  But if, upon further research you determine that amputation is the best course,  I feel confident that he will adapt beautifully.  Animals don’t seem to perceive their handicaps the way many humans do.  They just accept them and get on with their lives. I had a disabled cat for a number of years.  She was not  an amputee but she suffered from paralysis in her hindquarters.  Please feel free to visit her web page; it might give you some encouragement. http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/5351/Beth/index.html Good luck. Beth bharvey at foxinternet dot net

Response:

-i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

—Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Hi, Tim, I have a friend who adopted a neighborhood stray that she found with an injured leg.  She took it in to the vet, and the leg had to be amputated. When I met the cat, she was very healthy, happy and active.  Because she had so much fur, I didn’t even realize at first that she was missing a leg! When I finally caught on, I also realized how funny her name was – my friend called her Skip. <g  Anyway, from what I’ve seen, animals adapt really well to loss of a leg, so if the leg can’t be saved, don’t just have the kitty put down.  He’ll adjust. Good luck, and kisses to your kitty, Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Tim, I hope you can get some good information from others here.  I have seen and heard of other cats and dogs that adapt very well to amputated limbs.  I can tell you only that my cat Mandu had to have her tail amputated because she broke it at the base.  She adapted very well. Yes, I know, a tail is not a limb, but a cat’s tail is very important for balance, communication, and I’m sure lot of other things I don’t know about!  Best of luck to you and dai-lo!   — lmg  _   (_/_)                  _ /   _      ,_   _     – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Thanks tim for taking the time for an update. I’m glad your vet will do a biopsy and then decide, but, at least you are probably more prepared for the possible outcome than before. Many of us are thinking of you – it’s not an easy decision to make either way. Good luck to you and dai-lo (well, he comes first right now) and do keep us posted, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – -i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.— —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

My friend, Lori, has 4 bunnies. One day she came downstairs to find Smudge in his cage. She looked down to discover his leg was dangling behind him. She rushed him off to an emergency vet in Liverpool and was basically told that they could elect to do an amputation operation or put the bunny down. They did tell her the chances of Smudge surviving the operation was slim. (From what she tells me, bunnies go into shock quite easily, and even a routine spaying could put a bunny in shock….I don’t know though, never had one) At any rate, they opted to have the surgery. Nearly 2 months after the operation, the little guy is hopping around like new, minus one of his hind legs:) Janene Mother of Bailey, Dylan and Dante’ Wuffies.Net – http://www.wuffies.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

Response:

I have a cat with one of her rear legs missing.  She does extremely well, but she runs rather comically,  She doesn’t back down, even to the most alpha cat I own, and will manage to get into my lap and beg when I’m trying to work or eat.  The only problem they do have is scratching behind their ear, and I getthe message when she comes up in front of me and wiggles her stump…that means, "scratch my ear".  I also make sure she gets advantage flea treatment, as she cannot deal with even a few fleas.  Other than that, she leads a happy life.  Jacque   (PS… When I was small my uncle, a farmer in Michigan, had a cat that got caught in the reaper.  He managed to live and show up at milking time to catch his share of milk that was squirted out for the barn cats to leap up and catch in mid air.  He had only stumps for all his legs, and lost his tail as well.  I was always amazed to see this cat catching those squirts….) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

t- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb

Hi Tim, This month marks my cat’s one year anniversary – last year he was diagnosed with cancer and had to have a back leg removed.  This forum was very supportive during his diagnosis/operation/recovery. Anyway, my Oberon was 7 when this took place and after a bit of confusion, became quite adept at having three legs.  He can jump and run (very fast) and he can even pop up on his back leg to catch kitty treats in his mouth (a favorite pasttime of his).  Once his fur grew back, you couldn’t even tell he’d originally had four legs. We don’t let him outside because he’s deaf, but he is the alpha male inside and the loss of a leg didn’t alter that at all. Best of luck with your cat! —Anne He no longer looked at me, no longer made any pretense of telling the truth. "Personally," he said, "my great ambition is to count all this -" he waved vaguely at the treasure around him – "and possibly sort it into piles . . . ." – Grendel

Response:

Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

I second this.  But if, upon further research you determine that amputation is the best course,  I feel confident that he will adapt beautifully.  Animals don’t seem to perceive their handicaps the way many humans do.  They just accept them and get on with their lives. I had a disabled cat for a number of years.  She was not  an amputee but she suffered from paralysis in her hindquarters.  Please feel free to visit her web page; it might give you some encouragement. http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/5351/Beth/index.html Good luck. Beth bharvey at foxinternet dot net

Response:

-i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

—Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Hi, Tim, I have a friend who adopted a neighborhood stray that she found with an injured leg.  She took it in to the vet, and the leg had to be amputated. When I met the cat, she was very healthy, happy and active.  Because she had so much fur, I didn’t even realize at first that she was missing a leg! When I finally caught on, I also realized how funny her name was – my friend called her Skip. <g  Anyway, from what I’ve seen, animals adapt really well to loss of a leg, so if the leg can’t be saved, don’t just have the kitty put down.  He’ll adjust. Good luck, and kisses to your kitty, Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Tim, I hope you can get some good information from others here.  I have seen and heard of other cats and dogs that adapt very well to amputated limbs.  I can tell you only that my cat Mandu had to have her tail amputated because she broke it at the base.  She adapted very well. Yes, I know, a tail is not a limb, but a cat’s tail is very important for balance, communication, and I’m sure lot of other things I don’t know about!  Best of luck to you and dai-lo!   — lmg  _   (_/_)                  _ /   _      ,_   _     – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

Thanks tim for taking the time for an update. I’m glad your vet will do a biopsy and then decide, but, at least you are probably more prepared for the possible outcome than before. Many of us are thinking of you – it’s not an easy decision to make either way. Good luck to you and dai-lo (well, he comes first right now) and do keep us posted, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – -i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.— —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

Response:

My friend, Lori, has 4 bunnies. One day she came downstairs to find Smudge in his cage. She looked down to discover his leg was dangling behind him. She rushed him off to an emergency vet in Liverpool and was basically told that they could elect to do an amputation operation or put the bunny down. They did tell her the chances of Smudge surviving the operation was slim. (From what she tells me, bunnies go into shock quite easily, and even a routine spaying could put a bunny in shock….I don’t know though, never had one) At any rate, they opted to have the surgery. Nearly 2 months after the operation, the little guy is hopping around like new, minus one of his hind legs:) Janene Mother of Bailey, Dylan and Dante’ Wuffies.Net – http://www.wuffies.net – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

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I have a cat with one of her rear legs missing.  She does extremely well, but she runs rather comically,  She doesn’t back down, even to the most alpha cat I own, and will manage to get into my lap and beg when I’m trying to work or eat.  The only problem they do have is scratching behind their ear, and I getthe message when she comes up in front of me and wiggles her stump…that means, "scratch my ear".  I also make sure she gets advantage flea treatment, as she cannot deal with even a few fleas.  Other than that, she leads a happy life.  Jacque   (PS… When I was small my uncle, a farmer in Michigan, had a cat that got caught in the reaper.  He managed to live and show up at milking time to catch his share of milk that was squirted out for the barn cats to leap up and catch in mid air.  He had only stumps for all his legs, and lost his tail as well.  I was always amazed to see this cat catching those squirts….) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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t- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb

Hi Tim, This month marks my cat’s one year anniversary – last year he was diagnosed with cancer and had to have a back leg removed.  This forum was very supportive during his diagnosis/operation/recovery. Anyway, my Oberon was 7 when this took place and after a bit of confusion, became quite adept at having three legs.  He can jump and run (very fast) and he can even pop up on his back leg to catch kitty treats in his mouth (a favorite pasttime of his).  Once his fur grew back, you couldn’t even tell he’d originally had four legs. We don’t let him outside because he’s deaf, but he is the alpha male inside and the loss of a leg didn’t alter that at all. Best of luck with your cat! —Anne He no longer looked at me, no longer made any pretense of telling the truth. "Personally," he said, "my great ambition is to count all this -" he waved vaguely at the treasure around him – "and possibly sort it into piles . . . ." – Grendel

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Hi Tim Although I don’t have an amputee cat of my own, I have known several over the years. All adapt remarkably well to being minus a limb. One I see regularly in the town where my son goes to school is a well known character and passers by make fusses of "Tripod" or "Lucky" as the cat seems to be called:-) On "Animal Hospital" several amputees have been featured and all have adapted brilliantly to their situation. If ever (and I hope it never does happen) one of my cats had to have a limb amputated or be euthanised, I’d have no hesitation to proceeding with the amputation and not having the animal euthanised. Whatever happens with your cat, I wish you and your cat well. Regards, helen S — Love me, love my cats —

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

I second this.  But if, upon further research you determine that amputation is the best course,  I feel confident that he will adapt beautifully.  Animals don’t seem to perceive their handicaps the way many humans do.  They just accept them and get on with their lives. I had a disabled cat for a number of years.  She was not  an amputee but she suffered from paralysis in her hindquarters.  Please feel free to visit her web page; it might give you some encouragement. http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/5351/Beth/index.html Good luck. Beth bharvey at foxinternet dot net

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-i would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement in their responses- because of the overwhelmingly positive response to going through w/ the operation, i will most likely opt for it. luckily the tumor is not due to fel. leukemia and doesn’t seem to have spread anywhere else in the body, although the vet will still do a biopsy before going any further…hopefully dai-lo will be back to drinking out of the kitchen faucet soon… i will post updates to his condition thanks again -tim – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

—Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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Hi, Tim, I have a friend who adopted a neighborhood stray that she found with an injured leg.  She took it in to the vet, and the leg had to be amputated. When I met the cat, she was very healthy, happy and active.  Because she had so much fur, I didn’t even realize at first that she was missing a leg! When I finally caught on, I also realized how funny her name was – my friend called her Skip. <g  Anyway, from what I’ve seen, animals adapt really well to loss of a leg, so if the leg can’t be saved, don’t just have the kitty put down.  He’ll adjust. Good luck, and kisses to your kitty, Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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Tim, I hope you can get some good information from others here.  I have seen and heard of other cats and dogs that adapt very well to amputated limbs.  I can tell you only that my cat Mandu had to have her tail amputated because she broke it at the base.  She adapted very well. Yes, I know, a tail is not a limb, but a cat’s tail is very important for balance, communication, and I’m sure lot of other things I don’t know about!  Best of luck to you and dai-lo!   — lmg  _   (_/_)                  _ /   _      ,_   _     – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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Hi, As  far as adapting, cats do adapt well and others with much more experience in this area can give you more information regarding recovery, adaptability, etc. However, prior to making such a serious decision, I would want to know what type of tumour it is. It would be important to know whether there are other options and I personally would want to get another opinion from a specialist. If the tumour is malignant, I would want to consult an oncological specialist, for example. I don’t know how accessible specialists are to you (financially and geographically), but, at the very least, I would want a definitive diagnosis and treatment options with their varying prognoses. Without a diagnosis, you can’t even inform yourself as to what can be done. I hope this helps. Keep us posted and good luck, M.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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my cat dai-lo has developed a tumor on his rear leg that has grown to walnut size over the course of the last few months and is causing noticeable discomfort. after a few vet visits & x-rays they said the best course of action would be to amputate his rear leg, it may give him a better chance of the tumor not spreading to anywhere else in the body and prolong his life another year or so. i’m having reservations because i don’t know how well he will recover and adapt- he’s only about 7 years old so he may have a long life ahead but what would be the quality of it w/out a limb?? i would like to hear from anyone else who has gone through this or if anyone knows about cat’s recovery and adaptability rates. the vet said the cat would most likely adapt rather quickly, but i would like to be sure before making a decision thanks —Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.—

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