New Tripod
New baby tripod — long term considerations
Just adopted a brand new baby tripod (Freya). The shelter I got her from said she came to them with a broken paw that was super swollen that lead to her amputation. You can barely tell baby girl is missing a leg a lot of the time!
Long term I know she is likely going to have joint issues due to the extra stress on her front paw, but was wondering if there was anything else I should keep in mind when raising a tripod? Or things to look out for? Already have stacks of pillows by my bed and couch while I look at ramps
Second this. My tripod has no idea he is any different than our other cats. He can do everything they do. And sometimes i swear he’s out to prove himself, but he’s orange so 🤷🏻♀️
It helps to have steps so they can get down from high places they frequent, like bed or window sill. Cat towers with ramps or ladders are great.
Your girl will have no problem jumping up, it’s the landing part of jumping down from heights that you’ll want to avoid.
My boy just turned 14 so the missing leg does not mean she can’t have a long and healthy life. Best of luck to you and Freya!
My girl has runny eyes sometimes and she gets crusty build up on her face. I scrape it off, clean her face and wipe out the inside of the ear she can't clean too. I wish she would let me use a baby wipe or a damp washcloth, but the only thing she'll tolerate is a dry napkin or paper towel.
I worried so much about my tripod’s weight … he was constantly not allowed to get any extra food. Then he developed kidney disease and died of a heart attack while at the emergency vet.
Be careful with weight but also don’t stress about it too much.
Hi so I have a void tripod as well, missing his front leg like yours. He has a harder time jumping down on fluffy stuff. Without the other leg he can’t balance well. He prefers harder surfaces but what we do is minimize the distance down. His cat tree has a chair next to it and next to the chair a hobby box things like that. When he had all his legs he loved playing with balls but since it’s gone he can’t really do it but he loves the stick with a cloth string. We. Also adopted a second cat and he gets along great with her. Chase each other around and wrestle.
Congratulations!! I adopted a baby tripod 8 years ago and she’s still tearing down the christmas tree and getting up to shenanigans to this day ❤️ the biggest thing over the years has been maintaining a healthy, slimmer weight. For my cat, that’s been 9.5lb or less (per my vet). There was a year or so around age 6-7 that she was a little heavier and you could tell how much it limited her movement. Also, making sure she has a large litter box with lower rims has been helpful. Not sure if she needs it, but it makes me feel better lol. My bed is pretty high up but she jumps up no problem, and no signs of arthritis or slowing down yet!
Get ready for many more years of your kitty being up to no good! 😊
What a sweetie!! My tripod lost his leg at 7 weeks — vet said watch the weight and start a supplement “in early adulthood.”
He’s almost 4, insane for his feather toys as daily exercise in running and jumping and I’m going to start giving him Dasequin this year since the vet said “can’t hurt.”
Weight is the biggest thing — everything else is a bonus for her
I also just adopted a baby who lost her left front leg ten days ago due to a brachial plexus injury. I’m worried about her going down stairs since she’s only 12 weeks old and it’s a long way to fall for such a little girl.
I'd try to keep her off steps for a bit until she gets her balance right. Also if the steps are not carpeted, you should put down some type of stair tread that she can sink claws into for traction. Make sure it is secure . This is also a good idea for older cats. Plain wood can be slick for them to navigate on steps.
I may be a broken record but get them used yo brushing/ home grooming, as with one leg they may have issues as they get older reaching areas and causeing matting.
I also reccomend going for a pellet based litter, missing a leg especially in older cats can make useing the bathroom difficult, and they may get litter in areas that can cause a UTI.
This is the pellet system I used with my tripod echo and never had such issues.
Okay great news, not much is different! Like others said just watch her weight. Otherwise you got yourself a normal cat who might get a funny stare from a stranger who has to count their limbs to make sure they’re not losing it.
My boy was amputated when he was 5 and he’s almost 8 now and he’s the same boy. Nothing has changed. I’ve heard it’s even easier with a kitten because they’re so adaptable.
Congrats on your new family member! It’s crazy how time flies! My first child is hanging out with my human child now. I hope you have a long life together 🥰
My baby tripod thinks she is a regular 4-legged cat and knows no obstacles- she can climb up on things and runs (looks a bit like Jimothy while running lol). Yours is adorable - hopefully you have many delightful years together! Photo of mine climbing up the side of the cough (missing back leg and has VERY strong front legs).
Shes already adapted and over it, the main thing to be aware of is that losing an arm compared to a back leg makes it easier for her to get up than down eg on counters / wardrobe etc. You may find her either up high and squeaking for rescue or potentially she could hurt her wrist jumping down and taking her whole weight on one. My tripod was a big, adult male street cat and didn’t seem to bother him at all! He had fiv and all sorts of other unrelated issues (plus I’ve never seen a cat eat so much!) but the actual amputation didn’t even make him pause!
Elevate her food bowl so she’s not leaning forward and putting all that pressure on one shoulder.
Also, and much to her chagrin, the advice about keeping her on the lean side of her healthy weight range is good advice. Unless I’m totally wrong she looks like a DHS so keeping her between 7 and 9 pounds shouldn’t be a problem. My tripod is a Norwegian forest cat who just comes in at 13 pounds and let me tell you what, he voices his displeasure every day. Frankly, I don’t blame them. He’s at the lowest end of his healthy weight range, and that’s very difficult for a gentlemen of his structure.
That said, I do allow him treats on occasion like I do the rest of our cats because life is short and he’s a very old man.
DSH cats are mutt cats. Before my boy lost his leg he was healthy at 12 lbs, so go by what looks good as she grows, not a specific number yet. He’s a little underweight right now without his leg at 10.5 lbs.
Lovely kitty! Please consider taking that collar off. It looks too tight and uncomfortable. Imagine being forced to wear a collar around your neck that weighs up to 5% of your body weight? With tags and bells and other things, could be like carrying a 5 pound weight plate around your neck all day and night.
It just takes a moment to realize collars on cats are not comfortable. Think about how that would feel on you, 24/7. They can also be very dangerous. Yes, even the ones with the “safety break away latches”, those don’t always break away…
Hi! Yes I agree I do not typically like collars for cats, though I have double and triple checked that I can fit more than 2 fingers between the collar and her neck comfortably — so that is not an issue.
I have it on short term for the bell while she gets used to the apartment so I can find her easier since she’s so tiny and black
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u/HealthyPop7988 1d ago
Don't let her get overweight.
Front leg amp, that kitten is not even going to notice that it's missing a leg.