Last week Tigger broke two cat carriers – first his own, then his sister’s.
It is truly amazing how well animals can cope on three legs- Martin Debattista
Tigger is a handsome shorthair ginger neutered male, with an eight-kilo frame and no fat to spare.
He broke each of the carriers in turn as his owners valiantly attempted to box him and his sibling, before being taken to the clinic.
Tigger didn’t like being placed inside a travel case, as his owners recounted, and showed his disapproval by simply and swiftly destroying both boxes. Somehow, both cats still made it to the clinic bundled up in their respective travel cases. I really appreciated the owners’ determination and persistence at getting their pets to the clinic for their bi-yearly check-ups.
Unsurprisingly, Tigger wasuncooperative.
Tigger’s right foreleg had been amputated from just below the shoulder six months earlier, when he was just a four-month-old kitten.
He returned home one day dragging his leg. However, no fractures were found.
It would have been far better for us to have found a fracture rather than a nerve injury which, we could only surmise, was the result of a car accident.
Initially, it was decided to give Tigger some more time, to allow us to assess his condition and determine whether we could avoid what turned out to be inevitable.
In the end, Tigger’s owners conceded that his leg should be amputated, especially since the condition was being aggravated by being dragged on the ground.
He certainly looked well; I was told he can now get around the house easily. He has masteredrunning around with three legs and can also jump onto furniture.
Unfortunately, amputation is often a necessary evil; yet it is a decidedly a better option to putting your pet down; and it is truly amazing how well animals can cope on three legs.
The most common reason for amputation is primarily bone tumours in the limbs or, as in the above case, nerve injuries. The amputation of a limb of a four-legged creature does not usually hinder mobility, and sometimes it is truly difficult to notice that some cats or dogs have a missing limb at all.
Three cheers for Tigger and his owners for being so brave!
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