Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Bryony84 on October 26, 2008, 11:24:11 AM
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I kindof share Casper with my mum, in theory he is my cat but when I moved out she was very attached to him so he stayed. She called me this morning to tell me that he is at the emergancy vets, she thinks he was hit by a car.
She said he went out about 4ish last night and didn't come home for his dinner, she went out to try and find him but finding a grey cat in the night is not easy. She came downstairs this morning and he was sat on a patio chair outside the back door (he has a cat flap but hadn't used it), he didn't come in from his breakfast and didn't seem to move them my brother saw him try to get off the chair but fall off it and then they realised something wasn't right.
It seems like the car has hit his back end, The vet thinks something is broken but wouldn't be sure until she got an xray back. I'm really hoping it isn't a broken pelvis. Mum told me on the phone that she never got round to getting him insured so it is costing them a bomb, they have enough money saved to afford it but its not what they need close to Christmas.
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Fingers crossed for him
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Sending lots of get well soon vibes for Caspar and a big hug to you and your mum :hug:
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Sorry to hear about Casper, hope everything is ok :hug:
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oh no :hug:
Keep us updated, thinking of you as i went through this a few weeks ago with Lulu xx
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Poor Caspar, hope he's going to be OK :hug:
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Thank you everyone, I'm still waiting to hear the news from the x-ray at the moment but I know they are keeping him in and my dad is transferring him to our vets in the morning when they open.
Michelle, I remember reading about Lulu, I guess its all of our worst nightmares really, I feel awful for my mum, she doesn't deal with crisis's easily and dad was at work, wish she'd called me earlier!!
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Aww hope he is ok and just feeling a little broosed :hug:
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Fingers crossed it is just a bump :hug:
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I hope so too, not heard anything since this morning though so i'm a bit worried.
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Poor Casper! Hopefully he is just bruised and will be back home soon. xx
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Just got off the phone with mum and it turns out he has broken one of his back legs in 2 places, so will have to have an operation tomorrow to put pins in, poor casper! I'm relieved in a way because it could have been worse, but it means he's still got a lot to go through before things start getting better. I'm assuming they will put some kind of plaster on the leg and he'll have to have a collar and stay indoors, none of which he's going to like much!
Still, its enough for now that he's alive and the damage should be fixable so I suppose I have that to be thankful for!
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poor boy! I hope he hasn't to go through too much :hug:
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Poor Casper!! Im sure with some tlc he will be back on all four paws again soon. :hug:
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So sorry to hear about Casper, send lots of love to him and your mum and dad. If you need a cage or anything else, let me know - I've got one spare for you if you need it and anything else I can help with, heat pads, etc etc.
Which vets will he be going to?
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I will do, I don't think mums thought of what will happen when he gets back from the vets (won't be until tuesday/wednesday mum thinks) so the cage might be a good idea, I'll ask her tomorrow. We've never had broken bones with any of our cats before so don't really know what to expect.
He'll be going to Grove Vets in Elm Grove, Southsea. Its right around the corner from their house and we've been going there for 12 years or so and know Greg the vet really well, she said the lady at the emergancy vet in North End was really nice but she would feel better when Casper was back at our vets. Its much more handy for visits as well.
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Poor Casper :hug: I hope he's sorted soon and that he copes ok with his confinement.
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Poor baby, at least it's fixable though :hug: Sending him a healing head kiss from me and the boys :care:
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Poor Casper! at least it's repairable and with your parents (and no doubt you) doting on him he couldn't be in better hands. :Luv:
If you need any help at all let me know....i've got an extra large cat carrier that might be more comfy for him to use while his leg is healing that i'd be happy to lend you for trips to the vets etc..... i've also got spare litter trays that are yours for the asking....
Sending positive leg healing vibes... :hug:
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Same here, if there is anything I can help with, let me know :Luv2:
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Thank you for all your kind wishes, and to Ruth and Lesley for the offers of help. I'll speak to mum again tomorrow when her head is a bit clearer and see if there is anything she needs and what Greg recommends for his rehabilitation. I think at the moment a large part of it is the cost involved, they can find the money and they will pay whatever it takes to get him well again but its certainly not what they need at the moment and I still feel that he is in part my responsibility so I'm planning to chip in what I can as I get paid this week. I'm also considering giving them any extra money above cost that I get from selling my Christmas cards, I think they will need it more than i do. Mum has said that she will get insurance once he's recovered but I don't think any insurance company will ever cover any problems he has because of the pins that will be in his leg. Let this be a lesson to anyone who doesn't have their furbaby insured!
Once I've found out when he will be cleared to go home from the vets, I'm hoping work will let me take an afternoon off to help my mum settle him back into the house and keep an eye on him.
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Sorry to hear about Casper and hope that he is home soon :hug:
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Just had a call from a very upset mum, apparently the leg is more badly damaged than we thought, shattered rather than just broken in 2 places. The vet also said the damage looks more like it was deliberate rather than caused by a car which has made me really angry and really upset mum.
The options are now down to a complicated operation that may not work to try and mend the legs, or amputation. As drastic as it seems, I'm actually veering towards amputation as with damage this severe, I don't think the leg will ever be the same again.
Either way, it is going to cost a lot more than first thought so I am going to be setting up a Casper fund and ramping up my card making efforts to help pay for it.
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I'm so sorry about Casper :'(
:hug:
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sorry about casper the idea of deliberate damage does bear thinking about
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So So sorry to hear about the poor lil puss- at least he has lots of loving people to care for him. :grouphug:As awful as it sounds, it may well be worth letting neighbours and people in the area know if the vet thinks this may have been deliberate. Although it doesn't bare thinking about someone doing something like this, it would at least be a good thing to tell people if it could prevent others from having the same things happen to them.
:get well 3: Casper! :Luv2:
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Sorry to hear Casper's injury is more severe than first thought :hug: :hug: :hug:
Hope he gets well soon, poor little babe xxx
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I know, how anyone could deliberately hurt an animal is beyond me.
I think my mum is panicing about the prospect of caring for a disabled cat, so I'm considering offering to bring him back to mine after his op. There is someone around at ours for more of the day and he wouldn't be able to get outside, Amber and Chilli are essentially indoor cats, although they have a couple of hours of supervised outdoor time at the weekends in good weather. The only thing I'm concerned about is how that would affect Amber and Chilli and how they would affect him.
I definitely agree with the idea of letting people know, I may write a letter to our local paper about it as well as possibly putting a note through doors in our street.
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Sorry but I even typed a message about possible aputation yesterday but didn't post as it wasn't fair. Cats do get around fine on 3 legs and the recovery is a lot quicker than it is after complicated surgery :hug:
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I'm so sorry Bryony. :hug: to all of you, and a :care: for Casper. Poor baby.
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Mark - thats what I thought when mum told me the options, and it seems far less likely to cause him trouble and pain in the long run, even if it does seem drastic.
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Sending healing vibes to Casper :care:
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Get well soon little Casper :hug:
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Bryony, so sorry to hear this news, it sickens me to think what people can deliberately do to animals :censored:.
I agree with you that, although sounding drastic, amputation may be better in the long term, for healing times as well as athritis problems etc in later life. Emily had her leg pinned after an apparent RTA before I got her and it has not healed very well to me and she does seem uncomfortable with it and I had to have the wires holding the pin in removed as they started breaking through the skin.
If you need anything you know where I am. :hug: :hug: :hug: to all of you.
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My Mum's old cat had his leg amputated at the age of 1 and lived until he was 10. He got around fine we just had to monitor his food because he put weight on easily.
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so sorry to hear about this :hug: we had to have one our cat's legs amputated, it does sound like you'e doing the right thing lots of love to Casper xx
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Latest update - Our vet has seen him and he is 98% sure it was an RTA so I suppose in a way that is better even though its still a horrible situation.
He has said that our options are: 1: the operation, which he is happy to do if we think that it is the right choice, but is very complicated, would cost £2000+ and could cause problems in the future. The aftercare and recovery are also pretty shocking. He has said that Casper would need to be kept in a cage for around 6 months and everything would be a very gradual process, we wouldn't even be able to touch him for the first week or so. He would need regular visits back to the vets for that 6 months and probably a lot afterwards too.
2: The amputation, which would be a quicker and cheaper option and also involve less aftercare and a less dramatic recovery process. Mums gut reaction was to go for the amputation as it seems less cruel to both him and us. I agree with her given the options.
Lesley - if the cage offer still stands, would I be able to pick one up when I come round on wed as it looks like it will certainly be needed?
Mum didn't say anything, but she is clearly worried about the cost over the next few months, so I'm considering doing some kind of sponsored something to raise some money towards it as well as selling my cards.
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So very sorry to hear this. Poor lad. I'm sure 1 of Gill's has 3 legs altho can never remember which as she doesn't mention it much, presumably as he gets about fine (I'm certain it isn't Sasa hence "he")
I just can't imagine how it must feel to be told that someone has done that deliberately to a much loved cat. You and your mom must be so very upset. (Just saw your last post and relieved if that's th right word that it was an RTA)
I also appreciate your dilemma as to whether to bring Casper to convalesce with you or leave him in familiar surroundings. Much depends on how you think your mom might cope. Just bear in mind we all are capable of surprising ourselves when things get really tough :hug:
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I am so relieved to hear it was not a deliberate attack and like Mark wondered whether to mention amputation,
I have a 3 legged cat, Ducha who had some kind of accident before he came to me and they tried to save the leg but it did not work.
he is a lovely happy little monster and rushes around like a lunatic and once they have recovered from the amputation they do not need special care, except to be aware that some things they cant do as well as they used to.
Its Duchas right back leg that is missing and he has his own special way of using a litter tray and its important they do not get overweight cos that puts a lot of strain on the remaining legs. He also needs the side of his head and ear rubbing and grooming cos he cant scratch there so loves it being stroked and played with and chin strokes.
he finds it too hard to be on a lap cos he must not feel comfortable I think but dont know if that is just Ducha and dont think he had much , or any lap time before he came to me after he lost the leg.
I am sure this will be the best option for Casper and apart from the recovery time I dont think your mum needs to be worried. although he should not be allowed out on the road. Ducha cant jump as high so when he goues out he is garden bound although when he first came here he used to go out a lot more and did see him in neighbours garden and coming back across the fence, ,,,,,,,,,,,he scared me terribly cos he sorta jumped at the fence and clung on with front paws and heaved himself over and then plonk back to the ground........so pleased he doesnt do that anymore! Didnt know he could until I saw him.........sigh
Best wishes for Casper :hug:
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will your vet let you pay in installments?
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I am sorry things are looking so drastic, but I would also go with the amputation - PEbbles had to have her leg amputated at the age of 11, because surgery she had had done younger had suddenly caused an issue, and she also had bad arthritis in that joint. She had to have cage rest for 10 days, the first thing she did was demand to go out, but I didn't let her - 2 days later though, she had managed the stairs and the bed, so I allowed her supervised access. She could still outrun me on 3 legs though, so the care isn't as much as your mum thinks - if you do a search for PEbbles on here, there should be pics etc and her story, might help alleviate some of your mums concerns
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I forgot to mention that Ducha is 15 yrs old now and like Desleys Pebbles he is so quick across the ground, its unbeliveable, also charging up stairs!
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Thanks everyone, stories of cats who have gone on to live happy lives after amputation have made me feel better about the decision.
As far as payments go, I don't know if the vet will accept monthly payments but the raising money thing is partly because in a way, I still feel like Casper is my cat, even though mum preferred him to stay with her. I certainly can't afford to give her any money towards treatment as I've only just come out of a very tough patch, but I really want to help.
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I know my vet does it I've heard people talking about it in the waiting room and a friend of mine spread £400 over 5 months with her vet (even though she could afford to pay)
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Lesley - if the cage offer still stands, would I be able to pick one up when I come round on wed as it looks like it will certainly be needed?
Mum didn't say anything, but she is clearly worried about the cost over the next few months, so I'm considering doing some kind of sponsored something to raise some money towards it as well as selling my cards.
I will give it a good clean up and have it ready for you on Wednesday Hun.
If you want, we could think of doing a car boot or something - I am sure I can find some cat carriers and other bits and pieces and with Christmas around the corner, you could take your cards along as well. We can discuss it on Wednesday if you like. :Luv2:
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I hope the money raising goes well and casper recovers soon
:hug:
love
Tab
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Thats a cool idea, I expect theres plenty of stuff in our flat that could go to a car boot!
I do a bit of mountain biking so I was considering a sponsored bike ride with my OH and the other idea I had was a sponsored tattoo, I have talked a lot about wanting one that means something but avoiding actually getting it done as I am terrified of needles. A friend of mine is a tattoo artist and I thought maybe if I raised some money by doing it, then it would give me a really good reason to be brave and do it, and had thought of having 3 pawprints tattooed to symbolise 3 legs.
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Sorry to hear about Casper's plight. It might help if you're feeling guilty about opting for amputation to take the cost out of the equation when thinking about it. It's easy (like I frequently did with my crf cat) to feel like you're just taking the cheap option and it can leave you feeling pretty poop but if you ask yourself what you'd do if they were the same cost and you come to the same desicion then I think it's the right one.
Not forgetting all you three-leggers out there our wonderful Rosina who lives at South Normanton Cat Rescue. Heavily pregnant and thrown down a mine to die she was rescued by a miner and brought in to Pauline's care. Ten years on, she was a great mum to her kittens and now bounds around happily on TWO LEGS!
Ok she does live in a modified cage but she is very happy and perfectly healthy.
Best wishes Casper for a speedy recovery :hug:
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So sorry to hear about poor Casper! It certainly sounds like amputation is the best way forwar for him - as Gills Franta is evidence of they can manage quite well with a missing limb! :hug:
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I agree. If the vet said with surgery, there is a very good chance of complete or almost complete recovery, it might be a different story - As CS said, if the money didn't come into it, what is best for Casper? - I would have to say amputation. They don't have the hangups like humans.
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Poor Casper and :hug: :hug: to you and your Mum.
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The money is an entirely separate issue, if we thought the operation would be best, we'd do it in a snap, but I do think the amputation is the best option so that is what we have chosen.
The money thing is my own guilt because Casper is technically mine, even though mum decided to keep him when I moved out and I should have made sure she had insurance. Therefore I feel that I should be contributing and this is the reason that I want to do some fund raising so I can give mum some money towards his treatment.
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Sorry to hear this is worse than you'd originally thought, but like everyone else I'm relieved that the vet doesn't think it was deliberate. That is a horrible thought.
A friend of mine has a cat with 3 legs. He is an indoor/outdoor cat and gets around just fine on 3 legs. It certainly sounds like that will be the best option for him.
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We have a three legged hooligan and it never slows him down he is now 6 and a tabby hooligan
We also have Puma who is now 4 and we did the surgery option when he was 13 months old and yes it is expensive but we were lucky in the fact he was hand reared and could do the time he spent 5 months in a kitten pen lined with perspex so the fixator wouldn't catch - he has a slight limp but is bounding around
We also have a feral Sabrina who is 6 and has a permanant limp as she didn't do the cage time as she unlocked the cage and removed her cast and was on top of the wardrobe within 12 hours of sugery and was as nasty as hell but now limps and will always do so at our choice as she can't do cage time and is horrendous
I hope Casper recovers and I'm sure he will have you and your Mum wrapped round his 3 good legs and use it to his advantage at every turn
Good luck with the surgery and aftercare :hug:
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cats cope amazingly well on three legs. Bob was limping for at least a day before I realised it - and his hind leg was dragging and useless due to a severed tendon. I think the amputation will be the lest traumatic option for Casper as well as for your mum and the recovery time is pretty well instantaneous. You will need a cage to keep him from leaping onto windowsills! Sorry he has had a rotten experience, but I really do think that amputation is the best option. The other procedure is fraught with potential complications and will also subject him to a prolonged recovery time. We know we are doing it in the cat's best interests, but they don't always see it that way. So short sharp and effective is always the best option in my opinion.
and you can change his name to Tripod!!
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Lol at Tripod, mum always used to call him Dyson because he'll hoover up anything, but that will have to be more carefully regulated from now on!
I'm picking up the cage kindly leant by Lesley on wednesday and washing the covers of the girls heated cat bed tomorrow so that Casper can borrow it and it won't smell of them. Mum rang again tonight and was very relieved that everyone on here feels the same as we do, there is an awful sense of guilt that even though we know we are doing the best for him, theres no reason to explain why one of his legs will have disappeared.
The op is scheduled for Thursday morning and we'll have him home on Saturday morning which is good really as I can help mum set up the cage and get him settled. Thank you for all your kind words, this has been more than a shock for all of us and it means a lot to have you all here to talk to.
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Hope Casper gets well soon.
We have a three legged cat in the area and he gets around fine (if a bit odd looking) and enjoys sunning himself on our driveway.
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Three legged cats adapt very well in fact our neighbour noticed Maverick limping and was concerned - did point out he wasn't limping as he is missing one of his back legs - She was surprised as he can go very quick up a tree and is a prolific hunter he is also my baby mav!
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I was watching a vid of a 3 legged cat running on youtube last night, was surprised by how quickly it could move. I'm hoping as he is a young cat (3 1/2) that he will learn to cope pretty well.
Spoke to my tattooist friend yesterday and he said that he can sort something out so it wouldn't cost anything if I went ahead with that idea! I've been building a wordpress site to track Caspers progress and for me to put thanks out for those for have helped out, especially Lesley for lending the cage!
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I've got a beautiful tabby with 3 legs, he's called Tripod and gets around just fine. He was a semi feral when I had to have his leg removed and was worried about how he'd cope, he is now a total cuddle bum and spends a lot of his time snuggled up to me when I'm in bed. I hope the op goes well but there aren't usually any problems, cats cope extremely well with amputations and I'm sure he'll be running round in no time :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Hi ya hun,
Only just caught up with this ... sorry to hear about Caspar. I'm sure he will be zipping about again in no time at all.
:hug: to you all.
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Hi Hun
Just caught up too. I hope everything goes well for Thursday and i also think you and ya mum have made the best decision for him. There is two 3 legged babes in my neighbourhood and they both get round very well and look happy. :) It's awful shock when this happens so suddenly , so upsetting and with the added scare of finding the money, my love and thoughts are with you all. :hug:
Hun would def be happy to sponsor you in any sponsor you do. Also like to put £50 towards the vet fees from the Buster Fund. I am sure Buster would love to help Casper.
Can ya let me know hows best to get the money to your vets.
Love to you, your mum and Casper, will be thinking of you all on Thurs :Luv:
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I have just seen the following thread on CatChat and thought it might be of interest to you:
Hello, my name is Archie and I had a real bad accident about 4 months ago and I lost a leg.
You can read my story here --> http://www.archiecat.co.uk
I'd just like to help other people who are going through the mental pain of leg amputation...
Thanks, Archie...
http://www.catchat.org/discus/messages/18/113616.html?1225216806
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Good luck for Thurs - Pebbles ended up coming home from the vets a day early cos she was such a good patient - ironic to say she bit the vet before she did the op just for being stroked!! There was a cat either on here or CC that had an amputation done on a 19yo, so am sure a 3.5yo will be fine - my vet was hesitant with PEbbles due to her age, but she did really well, one of hte neighbours pointed out her limp to me, I had to point it that it wasn't a limp, it was the fact she only had 3 legs - he hadn't noticed!!
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I dont think at his age Casper will have any problem cos Ducha must have been over 10 when a bit like Archie , apparently he came back with his leg just hanging. Was the same leg that Archie lost but before he came to me.
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Only just catching up with the thread, its been a bit manic at work and I had pizza shop work last night too - everyone there has said they will sponsor me too, so I will definitely be going ahead with one of my ideas.
Thanks so much Tan for offering money from Busters fund, I've been so touched by the support I've had from everyone on here! I am going to be starting up a justgiving page for my sponsorships to go into at the weekend, or I can give you the address and name of the vets if it would be better for you to send directly by cheque, just let me know which is better for you.
I'm having a look at the archie-cat site at the moment, its doubly interesting for me as I am in the process of setting up a wordpress blog to chart Caspers progress both for us and anyone else who has to go through the same thing. I'll also be updating with news, pics/vids when I get my sponsorship stuff going!
Getting a bit nervous now about his op day today, the vet said that as he was quite settled at the vets, he advised that we shouldn't go in and see him til after the op as he may think he was going home and get stressed, its hard to stay away but I could see where he was coming from.
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Sorry, just catching up with this thread. Hope everything goes ok at Casper's op. We have a 3 legged cat on our street and he gets about just fine - in fact, he terrorises all the other cats on the street. Some of the neighbours have had to complain to his owners as he will chase other cats right into their cat flaps.
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I will be thinking of you and Casper tomorrow - love, huggles and healing vibes. :hug:
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Thank you, I think tomorrow will be a very long day at work as I won't be able to concentrate on anything!
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I hope everything goes well with the op, I'm sure Casper will be fine.
Do put up the link to your JustGiving page when you've done it, I'd like to sponsor you hun :)
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Well, hopefully I can take your worries away a bit tonight from the big day tomorrow and we can drink a good luck toast to Casper - I'll get the wine in.
I am sure he will be fine with all the love and support of your family and everyone on here. :hug:
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I too would like to sponor you Hun xxx
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hi
i had two cats who had to have a leg amputated lewis had bone cancer a front leg and he managed fine after and the other ginger was in a road accident and broke a back leg badly they tried mending it but it actually made ginger more stressed and in pain was so upsetting and didnt heal and then we decided best to go with the amputation though we werent given that option originally wish had been but he was so much better after it was done happier in himself again once healed
just wanted you to know think right decision and they can cope well
he will be very unsteady on his legs when recovering and til he gets used to adjusting but once do they speed around cage a good idea for start then we kept ginger in smallest room with alot of visits for affection until properly healed stitches etc as they do try to do what they used to
its a bit odd but when the fur grows back you almost forget and i did get the tripod or look your cats legless like you!!!! comments cheek
be thinking of casper tomorrow and in recovery x
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I too would like to sponsor you.
Thinking of you, you Mum and Casper today :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Just to let you know that I am thinking of Casper and you today, hope everything goes well, I am sure it will. Oh, and your new best friend McLaren (the traitor to his meowmy :doh:) sends lots of headbutts too. :Luv2:
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me too, I've been there and know how you must be feeling, my thoughts are with you xx
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Thanks for all your kind thoughts, the latest update is that the vets can't keep him in past Friday afternoon so he will be home tomorrow. Part of me can't wait to see him and part of me is pretty scared about the sort of state he'll be in. Mum called me this morning with loads of worries she'd thought about, like how he will cope with going to the toilet. I suggested maybe buying a couple of puppy training pads to put at the bottom of the cage in case he has any accidents, but I don't know if that is the best thing to do. Its a back leg he is losing so I would imagine balance would be a bit of an issue for a little while.
On the fundraising side, I will hopefully be doing either a boot sale or table top sale (I had considered a craft stall but they tend to be very expensive to get a table at!) as well as going ahead with the sponsored tattoo idea (eeeek!) I will be having 3 pawprints to symbolise 3 legs and will hopefully start designing at the weekend, I am more than a little nervous about this, but I have always said I'd wait to have a tattoo until there was something that really meant something to me (easy way to wuss out of it until now!).
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He maybe a bit more balanced that you imagine, don't forget the leg has been pretty useless since the accident so he is not using it at the moment anyway, although I assume it may have been heavily bandaged. At any rate, he will be more comfortable without the leg than he has been with a damaged leg. Just trying to make you feel less stressed :hug:
The puppy pads would definitely do no harm; I should have thought about it last night, I've got some in the cupboard.
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You're right Lesley, I suppose he may have got used to balancing a bit more than I would have thought, but I guess we don't know til he gets home. Mum was also worried about him toppling over onto the stitches but again, I think thats a wait and see thing really. Hopefully as he will have been at the vets another 24 hours after the op, we will know a bit more about how he is coping before we get him home.
Thank you so much for last night, it certainly helped keep my mind off things and I managed a fairly decent nights sleep apart from waking up halfway through the night. Did McLaren redeem himself after I left or is he still a traitor?
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With that face, he didn't stay out of favour for long. :Luv2:
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Hope all goes well for Casper, sending love, purrs and headbutts your way
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I hope the op went really well for Casper and Desley will be able to tell you haow Pebbles got on with a tray.
Ducha goes to the tray normally for urinating but for solids he puts his front paws on the side of thetray so he can lift himself up.......I am always scared that he will tip the tray over but I guess with the weight of the litter and that its quite a large tray, its absolutely fine.
Also cats lose quite a lot of weight when they lose a leg and Ducha is about a kilo lighter than his brother.
I think the puppy pads would be a good idea to strat with.
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me too, been thinking about Casper today and waiting news :Luv2:
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Smudge had no problems using his tray when he came home from the vets minus a leg and his tail. It's hard to believe, but he really did act as if nothing had happened.
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Hope that he is fine, there should be pics on here of Pebbles in her tray, they were taken the day she came home, which was the day after she had her leg amputated, as she was doing so well at the vets. While she could get in and out of it, she didn't wee or poo for a day or so after coming home, but the starving and anaesthetic is the normal reason.
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Thats good to hear, mum was worrying about toileting! Still havn't heard whether we are getting him back today or tomorrow morning as it depends how he has recovered so far. The op went well though, he was just coming round at about 3.30 yesterday.
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Bit of an update. Casper came home from the vets this afternoon, he is all settled in to Lesleys cage (thank you so much Lesley!) and seems to like the girls heated bed so much that he will be keeping it for the time being if not for good, they don't seem to use it much anymore, our bed is much better!
When I first saw him, he was lying doen on the bed and although half of his back end is bald and the wound is huge, it didn't seem so bad. Then he tried to stand up, he did surprisingly well really, apart from a bit of a wobble where he tried to put down the leg he no longer has, he managed to hop to the other side of the cage and lie down near the bars so I could fuss him. I was rather shocked when he stood up though, I hadn't really thought about how much of the side of a cat is leg bone and it brought tears to my eyes to watch him trying to move, I feel so sorry for him as he must have no idea what is going on at the moment.
Apparently at the vets just before mum brought him home, he had a panic attack, falling against the cage, thrashing his remaining legs and growling. The nurse said it had happened a few times and it was very distressing to watch so we're really hoping it was a smell wafting past or something unfamilier that spooked him as I can't imagine having to watch him like that. Luckily he doesn't seem to be in any pain but we've got the metacam to thank for that.
I guess we have to see what the next few days bring.
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Fingers crossed for him - I was lucky with Pebbles, she came home and acted like it was no big deal, checked the cage out, and when I sat down in front of the cage to grab some tea, she was out, over my knee and trying to wander round the front room!! It is also surprising how quickly you stop noticing that there isn't a leg there
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Once the discomfort of the op wears off I bet there'll be no stopping him :hug: Ask your Mum to give him a gentle head kiss from me and the boys :care:
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Poor boy, sending healing vibes and :hug: :hug: :hug: and kisses from the gang in Lincoln.
Hope he gets better and recovers soon.
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Lots of love to Casper, especially from my slinky minky who has been there. :hug:
I am sure he will be fine and it could be that he was feeling the other legs , like in the wed addy that was put up for the other cat?
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I would not be too concerned by the 'panic' attacks, anaesthetics have odd effects on anyone, so I wouldn't be too concerned about the panic attacks - imagine waking up, groggy and confused and trying to stand up and discovering your leg wasn't there and no-one there to explain to you what had happened - that is all. He will be fine once he is recovered from the anaesthetic and regains his balance (which he will do in no time flat - believe me!)
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I agree with BC, the stress of being in the vets etc would have contributed to that. Now he is home he will feel a lot more safe and secure.
I think the main thing is if he does have one, is for all of you not to panic, as that will stress him out. Just keep calm and let him work through it. Just be there for him nice and quiet so he realises there is nothing to panic about.
Give him lots of cuddles and fuss from the gang here, there's plenty of it to go round. :rofl: :hug: :hug:
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How's the patient doing today? Sending lots of love and cuddles :hug: :hug: :hug:
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I'm sure I updated this at lunchtime... hmm, monday syndrome I think, must have typed it out and forgotten the all important 'post' button!!
Anyway, Casper had a pretty good weekend, apart from a little blip yesterday where he got very distressed, we're not sure whether it was the pain meds wearing off before the next dose or just a sudden disliking of being in the cage, but it was all a bit upsetting. Thankfully he has been ok since, but I don't think he really understands whats happened. I keep getting looks from him like he's begging me to explain hat has happened to him but I can't. On the plus side, he is still himself underneath it all, if a little quieter than normal, but he's been loving a good fuss so I guess he doesn't blame us after all!
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Hope Casper improves and is up and around shortly. I am sure once he is able to get around again, he will quickly improve :hug:
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Ahh poor little Caspar ... I would sit with him and explain to him what has happened and why you made the decision you did. I know it sounds silly but it will help you and help Caspar :hug:
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Aww, bless him - I had explained to Pebbles what was going to happen (I do it everytime one of mine goes for an op). You could let him have a few minutes out of his cage, it might help him, but obviously very strictly supervised. I took PEbbles upstairs for half an hour one day too, as that is where she spent the bulk of her time.
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I'm glad that Casper is doing well he's been so brave, and top up those cuddles from me please x
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Aww bless him, hope he continues to improve, it must be horrible for him to be confined to cage rest, its so hard when they don't understand that you're doing you're best for them :hug:
Please give darling Casper a healing head rub from me xx
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I've made this for my little babe, to help anyone else who might have to go through this, I'm planning to keep it going to chart his recovery. Not sure it will be staying on this URL as I'd prefer to make a proper page, but I havn't had the time in the last week so its here for now. There will be some news on there shortly about my sponsored tatoo, hopefully date will be finalised soon.
http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/ (http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/)
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OMG, Casper is absolutely gorgeous :Luv2: His wound doesn't look too bad, I actually thought it would look quite gory but it's very neat and not scary at all. Let us know when you have your sponsored tattoo, the boys would like to sponsor you with their pocket money :)
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He is gorgeous , hope he is starting to heal up now .
Sending him big :hug: :hug: :hug: from the gang in Lincoln.
Will look for the sponsored tattoo when the link is there.
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Bryony, he is looking good and the wound looks very clean and tidy, well done to your Vets.
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Cant see any links at moment but will look tomorrow, all being well at this end
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he's a beautiful cat Bryony :Luv: the wound looks brilliant, brings back memories of our Smokey, aren't they so brave x
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What a beautiful boy, :Luv:
Glad to hear Casper is doing well
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I was surprised by the wound too, I knew it would be big, which it is, but I was expecting it to be all scabby and gory, which it isn't at all. Our lovely vet did a really good job, shame poor casper won't see it that way, he will probably hate going to the vets even more now. He has lost 2 rather important parts of his anatomy to greg so far!
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He has lost 2 rather important parts of his anatomy to greg so far!
:rofl: :rofl: Ahh bless him. better to have lost a of bit's and bobs than the other option though :(
Glad he is doing well :Luv2: :Luv2:
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Now I have seen Casper and I just love grey cats ;D
Once it heals up and his fur grows it will be hard to tell he has a leg missing.
I know how much differnce it makes cos 4 legged franta is a kilo heavier than his 3 legged bro Ducha.
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He is so stunning - love, huggles and healing vibes for the gorgeous Casper - get better soon handsome boy xxx
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Aw - only just caught up with this. So sorry to hear about Caspar, but so glad he's pulling through. I'm sure he will be fine once the would has healed and he gets used to three legs!
Incidentally, I think you really made the right choice. Even my best friend (human!!) friend chose amputation against the long, slow difficult and potentially limiting op to save his leg when he had his motorbike accident. Although I think he manages less well on one leg than Caspar will on three!
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Aww, bless him. So pleased to see he is recovering so well. Lots of purry tummy tickes :Luv:
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Casper says thank you all so much for your kind healing words :Luv: I told him all about everyone on here today whilst giving him some uber fussing. I was sitting with him for ages as he was anxious about all the blooming fireworks going off, next door were at it so some were very close, he was very good though and didn't freak out too much about it. He saw the vet on Monday who says his wound is healing nicely and he will be back this coming Monday to have his stitches out, then we can let him out of the cage and round the kitchen.
He is still having little periods where he get distressed and jumps round the cage. It always happens when he is getting up so mum thinks it could just be where the muscles and nerves were tied off, they are giving odd signals to his brain.
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Lots of updates to the wordpress site this weekend including a progress update, details on my sponsored tattoo and a donate button. I have also added links to Purrs and the shop as well as a link to the vets website who looked after Casper and has been caring for our animals for 13 years.
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So pleased Caspar is getting better and the vet seems happy with his progress.
With regard to your tat thought you might like to checkout the following link for ideas on "paw print" tats http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=paw+print+tattoo
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Thanks sam ;D
Theres some really nice ones on there (as well as the occaisional slightly odd ones!)
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Great to hear Casper is doing well
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Thanks Janey :hug:
Sam - I really like this style http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaimiesun/471331084/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaimiesun/471331084/)
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Great to see Casper is doing so well hun ;D Give him a cuggle from me :hug:
I Have donated through your blog donate button. :hug: Lol are you nervous about the tattoo
http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/
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Thanks Janey :hug:
Sam - I really like this style http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaimiesun/471331084/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaimiesun/471331084/)
ooooh yes that is a nice one :Luv2:
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Thanks so much Tan, design is nearly done now so I'll post it up as soon as its finalised! And yes, getting very nervous now!!! OH is planning on filming it with him camera! :shocked:
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With sound on :rofl: :rofl:
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Lol, I hope not!! The look on my face will probably be enough!
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I have donated through your blog donate button Bryony ;D
How is Casper doing?
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He is looking wonderfully well, what great news :)
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I am SO glad Casper is healing up. You must've been besides yourself with worry. Sending healing thoughts and vibes. x
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Thank you so much Janey, apparently I have to do something to my Paypal account to be able to accept credit cards, but hopefully I will be able to sort it at lunch time. I've got a few more pics to put up of him being an amazingly brave boy and standing/walking round the kitchen. I am amazed by how quickly he is back up on his remaining paws, although he does end to misjudge and overbalance. I expect thats something he'll get used to though.
His main problem at the moment is that he doesn't realise that he can't jump as far as he could, so we have to watch him like a hawk as he will try to jump up on the counter, misjudge it and fail. Yesterday he managed to get up onto the kitchen table (naughty boy) via a chair, but then tried to sit down too close to the edge and toppled off before anyone could catch him. I'm a bit worried that he will hurt himself doing something like that, but I suppose its something he has to learn gradually.
He stands by both the back kitchen door and the door to the hall wailing pitifully and trying to get out, which is a bit heart rending as he is desperate to be somewhere other than the kitchen. He has unfortunately taken to biting anyone who picks him up to stop him getting out, but I suppose I don't blame him really as in his head, he can't understand why we are being so mean and keeping him prisoner.
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:) Glad to hear he is doing well, I'm sure he'll feel a bit frustrated it's early days yet but in time he'll be fine xx
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Casper is improved in leaps and bounds now! We let him have his first taste of freedom outside the kitchen last night, and he can get around really well considering its not been long since the op, his remaining back leg does get very tired if he's too energetic too. He also does a strange going backwards thing which he definitely didn't do before the op.
I've posted a couple of videos of him exploring the hall on his wordpress page to show off what a clever boy he is!
http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/ (http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/)
Thank you so much to those who have donated to the tripod fund! I will post the tattoo design soon I promise, its really difficult designing something for myself as I'm my own biggest critic, lol!
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Cats are so great and he is doing wonderfully ;D
He has lost the same leg as Ducha and apparently its the usual one that tends to be lost.....very strange stat that. Do you se in the video hoe he is using his tail on the side the leg is missing......Ducha does that two and also seems that Duchas other leg not is more central than it used to be.
He has been with me 3 years and lost the leg in the year before and is 15, so Casper is gonna be just fine ;D
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I hadn't noticed it before, but now you've said so and I've looked at the video again, he is holding his tail towards the legless side, I guess it all helps with balance. In some of the videos I've seen of 3 legged cats walking/running, I've noticed how the remaining leg seems to be more central, its really very clever how they can adapt!
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What a clever boy :Luv2: I'll be donating to his fund, just need to wait til after payday :hug:
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Glad to hear Casper is doing well :hug:
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Bless him, he looks like he's doing ever so well :Luv: :Luv: :Luv:
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What a brave and clever boy - brought a tear to my eye to see how well he is doing. Way to go Casper xxx :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2:
I will donate next week when I get paid x
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I have to admit, when I got home I did have a good cry, its pretty emotional starting to see the cat his was before coming back after everything he's been through in the last couple of weeks. I think I'd been storing up the crying reading all of jamesons memorial posts and the purrs 2nd birthday ones. I'm so proud of him!
Loads of hugs to all of you who've been so supportive :hug: :hug: :hug:
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Oh bless him hes done so well!!! I shall be donating to his fund , what a little fighter xx
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Well done Casper, you gorgeous, clever boy! xxx
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Some more Casper pics today to show how well his leg is healing and a bit of a story, someone is a very naughty and very sneaky boy!
Casper is now free to roam to kitchen but still has his cage with his bed in with the door open, the kitchen door stays shut unless theres someone home. Yesterday morning mum came downstairs, opened the kitchen door and saw.... no cat. Of course this sent her into blind panic looking for him, he was no-where to be seen and she noticed that the catflap door looked odd. Despite being locked for in and out, he had managed to batter it so much that he had got it open and got out. Mum was in a blind panic looking on the road out and front and in the gardens and lane round the back for him, feeling sure she was going to find a body somewhere as he isn't great at getting around still (I'll come to that later). Anyway her and dad looked for a while before coming back to the house, just as they were discussing what to do, in walked mr smug, wondering what allthe fuss was about. This happened pretty soon afterwards:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/moonshine_84/26112008121.jpg)
On to the getting around problems, since he has been up and about a bit more, he has started going backwards a lot, at first we thought he was just getting used to the loss of the leg, but now we are a bit concerned that the nerve damage may be causing problems as he looks confused when it happens and it seems like his back end is telling his front end what to do rather than vice versa. It can happen at any time and he has fallen off chairs and things because of it a couple of times. Has anyone ever had anything like this with a cat who has had rear end injuries?
Here are some piccies of him enjoying the hot water pipes outside the airing cupboard! His fur is growing back nicely as you can see.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/moonshine_84/26112008117.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/moonshine_84/26112008119.jpg)
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What a lil pickle! :Luv: Still, it does go to show how well he's healing :D He looks so happy and all snuggly in those piccies :Luv2:
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He is looking fantastic and very chilled ;D
Ducha was all healed up when he came to me so no probs.
I dont remember Desley saying anything like this about Pebbles.
Maybe he is trying to adjust his position for some reason but his brain is still telling him he has two paws at the back, so when he steps back he falls cos he hasnt got his balance quite sorted , or he tries to stand on a leg thats not there.
Unless he is hurtin himself I wouldleave if for a while because he probably will just sort it out, but if its getting dangerous for him, then speak to the vet.
Its very early days yet for him :hug:
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I would give the vet a quick ring to be on the safe side, Gill is right, PEbbles didn't do anything like that - she was going outside 2 days after finishing her cage rest, as she had figured out the stairs and the bed!!
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Once he's going forwards he's absolutely fine, can do the stairs really quickly and jump onto beds and stuff, its just that he doesn't seem to be able to control it, its not like when a cat normally backs up really, anything can be in the way, like my leg last night, he just keeps going backwards until he falls over then gets up as if nothing happened.
He's got a vets appt next week so hopefully he'll demonstrate this to Greg and we'll be able to get some idea of whats going on.
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can you video it? then if he doesn't do it for the vet you can show a video to him
maybe Casper is just trying to find a comfy balance but with still adapting he tries til he falls over then gives up?
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He only falls over when going backwards though, and when he falls over its because his back end has curled round like its trying to walk back the other way. When he's walking forwards normally its absolutely fine. I've kindof got a video as he did it at the beginning of one of the vids I took of him walking around last week, but I won't be able to go to the vets with him as I've got to work.
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Latest News: Casper is now out of the cage all the time, his favourite places being the heated bed that Amber and Chilli unknowingly donated to him, and on the floor outside the airing cupboard where the hot water pipes run underneath!
He is back at the vets this week to see if we can get any closer to finding out what is causing him to walk backwards and whether it is something that will heal/can be healed/he and we will have to adapt to.
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Aww bless him, was wondering how he was doing since the weekend?
:hug:
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glad he's still doing well and hope the vet can give you some insight into his walk xx
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No improvement in the backwards walking, it seems like its getting worse, but in reality I think its just because he's up and about more and it doesn't happen when he's lying down/asleep. Its not so bad when it happens and he's on the floor but he's fallen off a bed and a chair because his back end has said go backwards when his front end seems to know its not quite right.
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Payday has finally arrived so have sponsored you ;D
Here's the link for anyone else who was waiting for payday!
http://furrytripod.wordpress.com/
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Thank you so much Helen. Mum can't quite believe how supportive everyone on here has been for Cas, I'll have to try to get her signed up, though she's not very computer literate, not very technology literate to be quite honest!
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Casper has another vets appointment tomorrow, his condition has been getting gradually worse and his backwards walking episodes are now accompanied by crying, growling and biting anyone who comes near him or tries to pick him up (the rest of the time he's a big soft thing!). I am starting to wonder now whether he is suffering from the phantom limb pain that I have read about and will be mentioning this to the vet tomorrow. Mum is distraught as watching these episodes is extremely distressing and she's worrying that theres nothing that the vet will be able to do. I suppose in a way I am hoping that it is the phantom limb pain, as another course of painkillers would make life much more comfortable for him.
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I really hope you can find an answer to Casper's problem and help him xx
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Fingers crossed all goes well at the vets tomorrow :hug:
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Hope it goes well at the vets for Caper tomorrow. :hug:
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Fingers crossed it is something that can be treated
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Well the vet yesterday didn't really have a concrete answer for it, he said he was a little worried as most cats have started coping pretty well with only 3 legs by now, and as he can't tell us whether his crying and growling is due to pain or just being damn well p'd off tht he's going backwards instead of forwards, he said the best thing we could do was put him back on the metacam and limit him to just the kitchen again and see if there is any improvement. Its so sad to watch him now as he was doing so well and still is when he's in control of his back end. I'm really hoping that the painkillers and reduced freedom will help as watching him struggling like this is awful especially knowing that theres very little we can do other than give him tons of extra fuss.
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Oh Bryony I'm so sorry Caspar is struggling. Do the vets think his trouble is purely related to the amputation of could it be a "mental" thing - as a result of the car accident ... a sort of blow to the head reaction ... if you understand what I mean.
I hope Caspar gets well soon :hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:
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I hope that it can help, poor little thing.
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oh poor thing, I do hope whatever it is gradually get less. If it is a mental thing one thing I'd be tempted to do is talk positively towards him and encourage him, if you know what I mean sort of keep telling him he's fine etc, you may be already doing that or it probably sounds daft as I know he can't understand human but he may sense the reassurance - so like even though you're worrying try not to show it in case he's sensing that, ie try and act as before, it's worth a try?
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I don't think the vet is really sure what is causing it, theres a possibility that it is caused by the shock of waking up one day with a leg missing, he certainly hasn't entirely figured out that the leg isn't there as he went to scratch behind his ear on Friday with the missing leg and his head went back and the stump wiggled but he didn't quite figure out why it wasn't working. The only out of the ordinary thing is that he is doing otherwise is drinking a lot of water and drooling when he is fussed more than he used to. The thing that upsets me is that he seems to have absolutely no control over his back end movements, you can see it in his face that he just doesn't understand why he isn't going where he wants to. Sometimes his remaining back leg just seems to collapse under him as well. The vet had a good feel of both legs and he didn't twitch or anything, so if it is causing him pain, it must be sporadic and just a reaction of the nerves to being cut. He said that time may be a huge factor, it may just take him a lot longer to get used to coping.
The good thing is, he isn't in the slightest bit interested in going out now since his escapology, I think he has connected the outside with the accident now, he was terrified of the traffic outside the vets, was doing circles in his box. Mum is thinking that there is a good chance of him being a permanent indoor cat, so I have been trying to think of ways to construct some kind of activity/scratching area that is suited to a disabled cat and she is beinging grass in every so often from the garden to try and help him bring up hairballs.
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The ear scratching is normal, that doesn't stop with it being amputated, as they have an itch and want to scratch it. What I did with Pebbles was when I saw her trying to scratch her ear, I would do it for her.
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Poor little lad .... you can buy trays of "grow your own" cat grass http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/supplements_specialty_cat_food/cat_grass from zooplus.
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Poor soul! :hug: :hug:
The grass trays grow in no time and are very popular here as we have no lawn. ;)
I recall last year when we had a farm kitten who had lost his back leg at a very early age - around a week the vet thinks. When I picked him up he looked fairly clean, but the back of the ear on the side his leg was missing was crusted with muck and flea dirt. :sick: It took me an hour of washing and brushing and the poor mite seemed ever so grateful afterward. :Luv: