My cat fell from the 2nd floor balcony... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

shoe · 05-26-2007, 07:34 PM

...and may need to be euthanized. No, he is'nt mangled, multiply fractured or even near-death.

However, his front right paw is broken. Actually, it only looks like its broken. Slightly swollen and off by about 35 degrees. We could seee was limping when we found him so we brought him to the vet. Apparently, the ligaments in his 'cat wrist, the articulation between the paw bone and paw 'fingers', are torn and the smallish bones are all scrambled. You can put a cast on a cat if a fracture occurs in the paw bone or the fingers but the articulation area is the worst part for an animal to be injured in. There is almost nothing we can do about it besides shelling out 1.2k++ for some orthopedic surgery which, by the way, is not even guaranteed to succeed and will leave him with a non-articulated paw.

The problem with this, besides the fact that me and my roomate are both students and cannot afford 1.2k$ at this point, is that whatever they attempt to fix the paw you can't convince a cat not to put his weight on it. My cat is about 16lbs of muscle so im told that's quite heavy on an injured paw.

How can i send him to his death because i cant afford to have him fixed? He's only 2 years old and in perfect health barring this incident.

It's funny, when my roomate first brought him to the appartment last year i cant say i was in love with this cat. He's a wee-bit bizarre, sometimes aggressive having been harshly mistreated as a youngster, probably crazy and pisses me off daily. However...the little fuck grew on me. I'm used to have him follow me around now. I enjoy his daily antics to appear as the alpha male or having him just lay around with me. We left him at the clinic for the weekend and it does feel a little empty at home. Never thought i'd say this...

It saddens me. He's had a rough life and i hoped to make it better, even though he's hard to live with. I wish i could fix his paw.

We are supposed to hear back from a specialist on monday as there 'may' be other alternatives even if his future looks quite grim..

ryfo · 05-26-2007, 07:48 PM

sounds harsh but can u have the paw removed? I have seen dogs with 3 legs and they are fine, but I dont think I have ever seen a cat. This may b possible and b cheaper than the operation to fix it....just a thought.

Mister Coaster · 05-26-2007, 08:58 PM

I agree, amputation should be way cheaper, and I HAVE seen a 3 legged cat survive to the age of 20+. Also, at the age of 2, the cat should be healthy enough to survive and thrive from a relatively simple procedure like that.

Good luck, and please post your/his progress.

*Nikki* · 05-27-2007, 03:18 AM

I really hope you figure something out besides Euth. My cat broke her front foreleg and we did the cast thing and it worked despite the Dr's saying it might not. Having something broken is really no reason to put a pet down.

Sultana · 05-27-2007, 07:12 AM

Is there any way you guys can arrange to make payments to the vet?

jorgelito · 05-27-2007, 09:58 AM

You could put the medical payments on your credit card or like mentikoned before, see if the vet will take monthly payments. You could also try to raise the funds yourself by asking your parents, friemds, for help or a local humane society.

If you guys can't afford to have a cat you can always give it to a cat rescue that can raise the funds for the medical procedures it needs. Having a pet is a very big responsibility and not always the best for a college student.

Good luck.

surferlove007 · 05-27-2007, 12:10 PM

Thats terrible! I'm so sorry

Maybe you can find a shelter than can help for a discount?

edwhit · 05-27-2007, 06:59 PM

My ex in-laws have a cat which had it's leg amputated. After a couple weeks I'm not sure he remembered that he used to have 4 legs! He adjusted really well!

shoe · 05-28-2007, 05:02 PM

Well, we are going to try and put a cast on his paw. The vets at my clinic all agree it is the best method for him to eventually walk four-legged again. The chances are slim but before attempting amputation ( or euthanasia..) we decided to try that. It's costing us about 390 for the checkup + x-ray + cast and will cost us another 200 in 2 months when we have to get the cast removed.

tenniels · 05-28-2007, 08:32 PM

Animals are so strong and resiliant. I have seen a cat with both back legs born deformed (but still attached) and that cute little guy was walking around on his two front legs! Also a dog with his two front legs missing and he walks around like a human!!! My dog Spencer has cancer and had his spleen removed about 8 months ago. It has spread throughout his body and he is now blind, but that little guy is still doing tricks, going for walks, eating like a hog, and wagging his tail all the time. We're so lucky that he has stuck around as long as he has. When we see it's becoming a struggle for him or he is in pain, then we will have to make the decision to put him down, which will absolutely tear my heart out. My family and I hate thinking that we might have to be the ones to decide when he passes and are hoping that if anything he will go in his sleep after a long walk, which is what he loves to do. When I was younger, we had to put our dog Elliot down, he had a brain tumour and was attacking people, it was horrible. I hope something works and please keep us posted on your cats progress *hugs*

shoe · 06-09-2007, 04:13 PM

Little update..

We had the cast done. It's huge! It extends past his shoulder all the way to the end of the paw. Poor guy has no other choice but just to drag it around.

*Thump*... crrrrrrr....*thump*....crrrr...

He's become much more docile and seems to be doing well. He's also surprisingly fast when he feels like chasing shit (or ,say, me) around.

Sultana · 06-10-2007, 05:16 AM

I'm so very glad to hear you guys worked to give him a chance. *hug*

tenniels · 06-10-2007, 10:05 PM

Glad to hear you were able to get a cast! I hope everything heals up nicely but it's good to hear he's chasing you around

Keep us updated on his recovery please!

hagatha · 06-11-2007, 11:17 AM

Phew...i was afraid of a less than pleasant outcome.
Definitely let us know how he's keeping.

snowy · 06-11-2007, 12:10 PM

My parents' cat recently went missing and then showed up on their deck with a broken rear femur. The vet had to pin the femur back together. The cat has a three-inch incision held together with staples and has to take pain medication and antibiotics twice daily. All in all, $708 so far.

But it was definitely worth the cost to have a live, healthy cat.

Acetylene · 06-12-2007, 01:20 PM

A lot of the time, when I've had a pet that gets sick or injured, the recovery time is a great bonding time for us. The pet is vulnerable and in need of love, and often much more ready to accept it. I hope this can be a silver lining for you and your relationship.

Sue · 06-13-2007, 09:26 AM

Oddly enough, this just happened to my cat this morning, only from a window. Seemed she was alright til a half hr later she started limping. Must have been adrenaline that kept her from showing she was injured. I took her to the vet down the street and she has no broken bones thankfully. Just have to give her kitty pain meds for a few days. What a scare though!!!

05-26-2007, 07:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
shoe Crazy Location: Montreal , Quebec	My cat fell from the 2nd floor balcony... ...and may need to be euthanized. No, he is'nt mangled, multiply fractured or even near-death. However, his front right paw is broken. Actually, it only looks like its broken. Slightly swollen and off by about 35 degrees. We could seee was limping when we found him so we brought him to the vet. Apparently, the ligaments in his 'cat wrist, the articulation between the paw bone and paw 'fingers', are torn and the smallish bones are all scrambled. You can put a cast on a cat if a fracture occurs in the paw bone or the fingers but the articulation area is the worst part for an animal to be injured in. There is almost nothing we can do about it besides shelling out 1.2k++ for some orthopedic surgery which, by the way, is not even guaranteed to succeed and will leave him with a non-articulated paw. The problem with this, besides the fact that me and my roomate are both students and cannot afford 1.2k$ at this point, is that whatever they attempt to fix the paw you can't convince a cat not to put his weight on it. My cat is about 16lbs of muscle so im told that's quite heavy on an injured paw. How can i send him to his death because i cant afford to have him fixed? He's only 2 years old and in perfect health barring this incident. It's funny, when my roomate first brought him to the appartment last year i cant say i was in love with this cat. He's a wee-bit bizarre, sometimes aggressive having been harshly mistreated as a youngster, probably crazy and pisses me off daily. However...the little fuck grew on me. I'm used to have him follow me around now. I enjoy his daily antics to appear as the alpha male or having him just lay around with me. We left him at the clinic for the weekend and it does feel a little empty at home. Never thought i'd say this... It saddens me. He's had a rough life and i hoped to make it better, even though he's hard to live with. I wish i could fix his paw. We are supposed to hear back from a specialist on monday as there 'may' be other alternatives even if his future looks quite grim..

05-26-2007, 08:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mister Coaster Big & Brassy Location: The "Canyon"	I agree, amputation should be way cheaper, and I HAVE seen a 3 legged cat survive to the age of 20+. Also, at the age of 2, the cat should be healthy enough to survive and thrive from a relatively simple procedure like that. Good luck, and please post your/his progress. __________________ If you have any poo... fling it NOW!

05-27-2007, 07:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Sultana Falling Angel Location: L.A. L.A. land	Is there any way you guys can arrange to make payments to the vet? __________________ "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." - Matt Groening My goal? To fulfill my potential.

05-28-2007, 08:32 PM	#10 (permalink)
tenniels Insane Location: Oh Canada!!	Animals are so strong and resiliant. I have seen a cat with both back legs born deformed (but still attached) and that cute little guy was walking around on his two front legs! Also a dog with his two front legs missing and he walks around like a human!!! My dog Spencer has cancer and had his spleen removed about 8 months ago. It has spread throughout his body and he is now blind, but that little guy is still doing tricks, going for walks, eating like a hog, and wagging his tail all the time. We're so lucky that he has stuck around as long as he has. When we see it's becoming a struggle for him or he is in pain, then we will have to make the decision to put him down, which will absolutely tear my heart out. My family and I hate thinking that we might have to be the ones to decide when he passes and are hoping that if anything he will go in his sleep after a long walk, which is what he loves to do. When I was younger, we had to put our dog Elliot down, he had a brain tumour and was attacking people, it was horrible. I hope something works and please keep us posted on your cats progress hugs __________________ I like things. And stuff. But I prefer to have things over stuff.

06-10-2007, 05:16 AM	#12 (permalink)
Sultana Falling Angel Location: L.A. L.A. land	I'm so very glad to hear you guys worked to give him a chance. hug __________________ "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." - Matt Groening My goal? To fulfill my potential.

05-26-2007, 07:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
ryfo Psycho Location: melbourne australia	sounds harsh but can u have the paw removed? I have seen dogs with 3 legs and they are fine, but I dont think I have ever seen a cat. This may b possible and b cheaper than the operation to fix it....just a thought.

05-27-2007, 03:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
Nikki ~~~~~~~ Location: Charleston, SC	I really hope you figure something out besides Euth. My cat broke her front foreleg and we did the cast thing and it worked despite the Dr's saying it might not. Having something broken is really no reason to put a pet down.

05-27-2007, 09:58 AM	#6 (permalink)
jorgelito All important elusive independent swing voter... Location: People's Republic of KKKalifornia	You could put the medical payments on your credit card or like mentikoned before, see if the vet will take monthly payments. You could also try to raise the funds yourself by asking your parents, friemds, for help or a local humane society. If you guys can't afford to have a cat you can always give it to a cat rescue that can raise the funds for the medical procedures it needs. Having a pet is a very big responsibility and not always the best for a college student. Good luck.

05-27-2007, 12:10 PM	#7 (permalink)
surferlove007 Junkie	Thats terrible! I'm so sorry Maybe you can find a shelter than can help for a discount?

05-27-2007, 06:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
edwhit Tilted	My ex in-laws have a cat which had it's leg amputated. After a couple weeks I'm not sure he remembered that he used to have 4 legs! He adjusted really well!

05-28-2007, 05:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
shoe Crazy Location: Montreal , Quebec	Well, we are going to try and put a cast on his paw. The vets at my clinic all agree it is the best method for him to eventually walk four-legged again. The chances are slim but before attempting amputation ( or euthanasia..) we decided to try that. It's costing us about 390 for the checkup + x-ray + cast and will cost us another 200 in 2 months when we have to get the cast removed.

06-09-2007, 04:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
shoe Crazy Location: Montreal , Quebec	Little update.. We had the cast done. It's huge! It extends past his shoulder all the way to the end of the paw. Poor guy has no other choice but just to drag it around. Thump... crrrrrrr....thump....crrrr... He's become much more docile and seems to be doing well. He's also surprisingly fast when he feels like chasing shit (or ,say, me) around.

06-10-2007, 10:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
tenniels Insane Location: Oh Canada!!	Glad to hear you were able to get a cast! I hope everything heals up nicely but it's good to hear he's chasing you around Keep us updated on his recovery please! __________________ I like things. And stuff. But I prefer to have things over stuff.

06-11-2007, 11:17 AM	#14 (permalink)
hagatha Addict	Phew...i was afraid of a less than pleasant outcome. Definitely let us know how he's keeping. __________________ Thats the last time I trust the strangest people I ever met....H. Simpson

06-11-2007, 12:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	My parents' cat recently went missing and then showed up on their deck with a broken rear femur. The vet had to pin the femur back together. The cat has a three-inch incision held together with staples and has to take pain medication and antibiotics twice daily. All in all, $708 so far. But it was definitely worth the cost to have a live, healthy cat. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

06-12-2007, 01:20 PM	#16 (permalink)
Acetylene Addict Location: under a rock	A lot of the time, when I've had a pet that gets sick or injured, the recovery time is a great bonding time for us. The pet is vulnerable and in need of love, and often much more ready to accept it. I hope this can be a silver lining for you and your relationship. __________________ There's no justice. There's just us.

06-13-2007, 09:26 AM	#17 (permalink)
Sue Teufel Hunden's Freundin Location: Westminster, CO	Oddly enough, this just happened to my cat this morning, only from a window. Seemed she was alright til a half hr later she started limping. Must have been adrenaline that kept her from showing she was injured. I took her to the vet down the street and she has no broken bones thankfully. Just have to give her kitty pain meds for a few days. What a scare though!!! __________________ Teg yw edrych tuag adref.