Tips for Adopters of Three-Legged Cats!

Three-legged cats can live long, happy and healthy lives with minimal adjustment to compensate for their missing limb.

Cats are intelligent creatures so the loss of a leg often doesn’t stop them from enjoying life to the fullest. They adapt their lifestyles to cope with disability far more easily than do most humans and are usually as agile and active as 4 legged cats.

If you are planning to adopt a three legged cat or if you already have one, these tips might help you in understanding better three legged cats:

– If you adopt a recent amputee don’t expect her to be ‘back to normal’ immediately, don’t be over-protective and give her all the time that she needs to be back to normal. She will work out his new limitations and will learn to compensate the a missing leg. She will have to build up additional strength in his other limbs. So carrying her everywhere won’t help too much.

– Keep your cat safe indoor, never let her outside unsupervised.

– At first, your cat may need assistance with grooming areas that would normally be groomed by the missing leg. In time she will discover new ways of grooming.

– Try not to touch her near the stump of the missing leg, the area may be very sensitive and some cats don’t like to be touched there.

– Make sure that food and water are easy to reach.

– Sometimes three legged cats may have trouble landing properly when they jump down from a high place. You can place soft cushions around for safe landings.

– You should choose a proper size of the litter box, based on your cat’s abilities. Depending on what limb is missing, the cat may not be able to stoop down and she may stand to urinate, so she may need a litter box with high sides.

– Three-legged cats should not become obese because they have fewer limbs on which to distribute their weight. Keep a healthy diet for your cat and try keeping her weight under control.

– Let your cat be active, this will keep her healthy!

In the video below you can watch a wonderful cat named Missy. She is three legged but this doesn’t stop her to live happy and act like a four legged cat. In the video you can watch her opening a closet, taking out the beg with her favorite food and then eating while purring so loud. She is adorable!