Cat's Name, Age at Adoption and Now, and Gender
Sky, adopted around 14 weeks, about 21 months now, male
Name of Special Needs Condition (Blind, Deaf, FIV, etc)
Lost right foreleg, a toe on his right side in back and a small bit from the tip of his tail. He was born feral.
How I Came to Meet my Special Needs Cat
He was discovered by an animal control officer one snowy December day 2008, frozen to the snow by his own blood. (I know. It breaks my heart every time I think about it.) They think he crawled into a car engine to keep warm and the worst happened. I first saw him at around 12 weeks, already healed from his amputation surgery, his fur was growing in. A friend took one look at him and decided he needed to be my cat. She has never explained why she thought so. I was not looking for a cat at the time but I went to meet him and the rest is history. He is the most awesome cat I can imagine. Named because he loves to jump.
How I Care for my Special Needs Cat
Sky does not know he is handicapped. He amazed me this summer by hunting and catching several flies in the house. He is very cautious of everything, avoids unstable surfaces, and tends to put on weight. I study nutrition for cats all the time, breaking up his meals into small bits over the day, trying to make sure he is not starving but not pigging out, either. Sometimes, when the weather is changing I think he feels aches in his scar tissue. He will retire to his chair and he has a low-key attitude. Also, the vet thinks he has Patellar Luxation, (bad kneecaps) on both back legs. An operation might be necessary but if he loses another leg it would be bad. I thought he was very bored so this summer I got him a cat friend (who is deaf, btw). They are getting to know each other and they play together a lot. Feeding has become more complicated but the extra exercise seems to be overcoming the extra food he is stealing from his friend. Other than that, a missing leg is not a huge problem for a cat. He gets around just fine without one. One thing I notice, he has never attempted to scratch me though he will bite from time to time. I always wonder if he learned that when he was injured.
Advice
- A missing leg is really not a problem for a cat.
- It's the personality that matters and Sky is an amazing character. He seems to think I am the best toy he ever had. He teaches me new games all the time. My life is much better with him in it.
- If you are considering a cat with an amputation, don't hesitate. Your cat is not less with parts missing. In fact, I don't think of Sky as missing a leg. He is himself and he is complete as he is. My bond with him is strong.
- * My 2 cats are both very amazing to me, not less because of their shortcomings
