Tripod

Last night, Lt. Dan played with his toys in front of me for the very first time. It was really great to watch him so happy and comfortable. However, I couldn't help but notice that he struggled to balance himself with his one front leg, so I started to wonder more about caring for a three legged kitten. I spent some time researching this topic and came away with these three things:

1. The loss of a limb sounds catastrophic but 3 legged cats adapt well and are usually as agile and active as 4 legged cats.

2. Don't expect a recent amputee to be 'back to normal' immediately, but don't be over-protective. He must work out his new limitations and how to compensate for a missing leg. He must build up additional strength in his other limbs. He can't do this if you carry him everywhere.

3. The loss of a fore-leg is actually more serious for a cat than the loss of a hind-leg. This is because the forelegs are used when the cat lands after jumping while the hindlegs are used mostly for propulsion.

Caring for a special needs kitteh has been a terrific experience and I highly recommend adopting an animal that needs some extra TLC, like Lt. Dan.

Please let me know if you'd like to come meet my little man and/or possibly adopt him! He is a great companion and is looking for a quiet home with lots of love.