My friend and I recently rescued a kitten that had been thrown over her fence. It turns out the kitten has radial paralysis and a break. The vet said he may need to amputate his front leg. How do I teach him to use a scratch tray when he will only have one front paw? Even though it had been mistreated and not looked after, he was so smoochy, that wouldn't have made a difference to me; I would have loved him anyway.
By Sharyl
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My three-legged cat died in the late 80s, but I still miss him. He lost his back leg when he was about five, and lived to be 14. He had a very full and happy life, and adjusted well to the loss of his leg.
I suspect your kitten will be the same way and will surprise you at how easily he adjusts at everything-you'll find your kitten will have no trouble sorting out how to do the necessary. Because he is young, the process will be a lot easier, too. In no time at all as he recovers from the injuries and surgery, he'll be batting at string, chasing anything that moves, and yes, using the litter box with amazing ease.
You won't have to do a thing except love him and possibly decide to keep him indoors as missing a front paw will put him at a distinct disadvantage. He'll have a terrible time protecting himself from other animals and other outdoor dangers without that essential fighting/escaping front paw.
Bless you for giving him a furever home!
We have a kitty boy who isn't missing a leg, but his hind legs drag. I can't recall the long veterinarian's name for it but it's due to his being separated from his mother for a few days and missing out on nutrition.
Anyway, don't worry about your little guy! Frugalsunnie is so right about the fact that he will adapt and thrive. We decided early on that our little guy would probably figure out things for himself. He runs (like a bunny!) and jumps and plays just like his brother.
I would suggest starting your kitty out in a shallower litter box so he can access it more easily. I used an old cake pan when our guy was small and he took to it right away.
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