injured pets

[cat woman]

I have 3 cats, the eldest Sooty (male) who is 15yrs was knocked down at the top of our road while we were on holiday visiting my mother in the North East 9yrs ago. My neighbour was looking after the cats, it happened the day before we came back, there was a message on our answer phone from our local vets telling us they had him. The person who hit him took him there which was caring of them, he had concussion, but his right front leg was the worst injury he had sustained nerve damage which resulted to an amputation. It was a terrible time for us, my husband and I both cried for the poor thing but apart not being   able to jump fences, he gets about no problem at all. My neighbour was devastated about it as cat owner and cat lover herself, but we kept telling her it could have happened while we were at home it wasn,t her fault. So now when we go away the cats are locked in till we come back ( they are not happy about it!!) but its for everyone peace of mind, we do leave the radio on for back ground noise for them, (mad eh!!) Sooty is cute though he plays on his disability if he out the front on the path he gets loads of attention off people walking by especially the older folk they really make a fuss of him!!!!... I was just wondering has anyone had to deal with a pet in a simular situation, and how they and their pet have come through it. :-)

[tetherend]

cat woman, about 18 months ago, a skinny, flea infested cat was found crying in my brother's back garden.  He rang me and I went round and cried when I saw the state the cat was in.  I took her to the vet who said she had the worst infestation he had ever seen.  She is blind, the vet said that owing to the damage on her face, she had probably been kicked.  She is now able to run across the garden and she knows just when to stop before the step.  She walks with slow moving steps in order not to bump into anything.  She is a beautiful lass now, and I don't know how she copes with her disability, I just admire her very much.  We've installed gates and fences to enable her to be as free as she can safely be.  She has no access to the road but can explore all around the garden, right round to the front garden, but cannot get out.  She's amazing and like I said I don't know how she copes, but she has obviously decided to give it her best shot. 

[smudge]

cat woman - I'm so sorry to hear about poor Sooty.

Fourteen years ago, our daughters cat Whisper, snuggled up underneath a neighbour's car bonnet. The next morning, the neighbour innocently started up the engine & proceeded to drive off, but heard loud clonking & meowing noises. The poor cat had got stuck in the works! The cat had hardly any fur left on her body & was very badly cut & injured. The vet said she would have to have operations & further treatment to survive. It was touch & go for a while, but after a few weeks she was allowed home to recuperate. She is now a 16 year old contented 'home' cat & is loved by all.

I wish Sooty a happy & contented life too. -x- 

[rio116]

my cat was also run over and had one of her back legs amputated,it was either that or having her put down and we made the right choice. She runs around,climbs fences and catches mice still and is a very happy cat. she still goes outside all the time but stays away from the road,the only thing she can't do is clean or scratch one side of her face so she loves being groomed,scratched and generally having attencion paid to her!!! She is 13 years old.

[FP]

Our ginger mog William was blind from birth and people said it would be better to have been put to sleep.  He also suffers from mild epilepsy and kidney problems.  He is now 12 and still enjoying a good life.  One part of our garden is totally escape proof, but he is basically an indoor cat because that's what he chooses.  He gets on well with our two dogs and other three cats.

He has been known to catch mice and birds.

[l_h_kings]

Hi Catwoman,

My little cat Fudge (aka as Chipolata) then aged 3 came home one day in a terrible state and was crying mewing screeching and dragging herself along the ground. The next day at the vets we were told we could a) have her put to sleep b) drug her up with painkillers for a few days and see what happens or c) pay major money for major surgery.

Being completely skint but completely in love with our cat we paid (or should I say Barclaycard paid) �500+ for Fudge to be operated on. She was so unhappy and so much in pain and confined to a cage for 6 weeks. The followup xray revealed that the operation had done her no good. So we ended up admitting her to 'hospital' for futher assessment. Sadly we admitted defeat and agreed for Fudge to have her leg amputated.

She has always coped fantastically well. I kept her inside for a full year after losing her leg, but realised eventually that she was very unhappy about it and was unable to live a decent quaility of life indoors.

So now aged 7,she goes out, comes in, gets spoiled rotten (mainly by my husband) is fed on demand, and is the boss of our two dogs.