# Me and my kitten (:



## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

Hello everyone.

I just got an adorable little 10 week old kitten from the shelter 3 days ago. I'm mostly here for advice on how to raise a disabled kitten as healthy and happily as possible.

My vet was of very little help, so I'm in the midst of finding a new one that understands how to work with a somewhat tight budget:
"He'll have arthritis by age 1, so try this cat food. It's great, I give it to my cat."
"How much is it?"
"$40 for this 8 pound bag."
"Any alternatives?"
"Nothing here at this clinic, no."


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Welcome to Cat Forum.

I think it's wonderful that you gave a home to a special needs kitty. What exactly is his diagnosis?


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## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

He broke the growth plate in his right, hind leg. He was a stray so he didn't get the attention he needed, and it healed wrong [almost sideways]. Short of a painful and apparently risky surgery, that leg will either grow slower than the others, or possibly not grow at all from here! If he's lucky, there's a small chance it won't affect the growth at all.
But even if he doesn't end up with a gimp, he's gonna be limping his entire life and will start to develop arthritis in a few months.

I always feel so bad watching him walk, he limps so bad now that it looks dislocated. But it's only when he walks; he runs and jumps just fine. Granted, the impact's not good for it, but he's a rambunctious little kitten, can't always stop them! 
The vet told me that if I wasn't too attached, I could take him back, [since the shelter had even gotten the gender wrong] but I know how few people would want to spend the time and money trying to take care of him, so I was afraid they'd put him down.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

There are several cats here with only three legs that do just fine. Was amputation mentioned at all?

Not really sure why he would need special food, but I'm no expert in that area by any means. 

Sounds like he has a great home now. 

Pictures?


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## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

Amputation was mentioned once, but the vet said to consider it later on and to just see how well things work out for him now.

She recommended glucose-enriched food, since he'll have arthritis, the extra glucose will help his bones out. But I think I'm just gonna look into the liquid glucose that you put in their water. It worked well for our dogs in their old age, I can only assume that a cat formula of it would work well for my kitten.

I don't have very many pictures just yet, as it's been hard to get him to hold still when he's awake. But I do have these


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## ZoeH (Jun 27, 2010)

Hi Dusty, what a cutie! Thanks for posting pictures.

Budget- and health-wise, you could consider feeding raw. Lots of resources here for that.

I've known a few three-legged cats, and they seemed pretty happy and very well adjusted.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

OMGosh! Look at that face! No wonder you fell in love with him.


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## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

He actually wouldn't be my first three-legged cat. When I was little, my parents and I found an abandoned litter, still wrapped up in the umbilical cord. We ended up rescuing the litter and giving it to one of the mother cats we had. They were all healthy, but one of the kittens had the umbilical cord so tight around her leg that it ended up falling off. 
[We named her Skynard, because my dad has a somewhat morbid sense of humor.]

If anything, I'm worried to amputate too soon and cause him more problems from the impact of running/jumping/landing with only three legs.

As for raw feeding, my vet told me that was too hard on a kitten's digestive system.. Was she wrong? :?

Thank you, Marie.
Just don't tell him that! He already thinks he owns the place, can't feed his ego too much!!


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## slashboy (Aug 31, 2010)

Hey. He is so cute. It sounds to me like you're being totally smart. If it becomes a problem down the road you can always look into amputation. And looking for a new more budget-conscious vet seems smart, too.

Did he grab your heart when you first saw him? I've just started looking for a cat and am wondering how we know when that cat is the one. But he looks so sweet. Congratulations!


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## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

slashboy said:


> Hey. He is so cute. It sounds to me like you're being totally smart. If it becomes a problem down the road you can always look into amputation. And looking for a new more budget-conscious vet seems smart, too.
> 
> Did he grab your heart when you first saw him? I've just started looking for a cat and am wondering how we know when that cat is the one. But he looks so sweet. Congratulations!



Thank you!
How did I know? My friends keep telling me was maternal instincts, hah. When I got there he was getting knocked around the cage pretty bad by his siblings. I'm assuming it had to do with the fact that he is, most certainly, the runt of the litter [11 weeks old now and still just under 2 pounds]. He was just so shy and nervous around people, he looked so pathetic.. I knew he needed a good home, and I knew I could provide that 

Good luck with finding your perfect cat, wishing all the best


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## lizaloo152 (Aug 18, 2010)

Awww, he is so very cute! I just saw my little man and knew i had to care for him! Even though there were others who were smaller and were running around like lunatics and he was just sitting there, there was no gettin away from him, they just steal your heart, on the spot and you don't even realise it!

i think your little kitty is very lucky to have found you and however he fairs in life he will always be happy


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Not sure if this is recommended by your vet or not, but maybe you could look into getting some supplements to help him with his joint health, maybe you can curb the arthritis. Have you heard of Cosequin? It's worth looking into.


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

it sounds a bit strange that the Doc wants you to add glucose to his food. That does not make sense to me.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Maybe the vet meant "Glucosamine" ??

Glucosamine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## brighteyed (Mar 14, 2010)

What a sweetie, I hope everything works out you and him. Best of luck. Some of the generic type of "older cat healthy mobility" or "Healthy joints" diets of various brands have worked well for an older cat I owned that had arthritis, and they don't cost too much. Maybe ask the vet or look around. 

Again best of luck.


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## Dusty (Aug 28, 2010)

RachandNito said:


> Maybe the vet meant "Glucosamine" ??
> 
> Glucosamine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Ahh, yeah, she shortened it so it kind of stuck and then I started to do it. She wants me to start giving him Hill's Science for Mobility cat food when he's about 1, but he's so picky about his food [I think I spoiled him too much already] that I think it might be better to give him a liquid supplement?
I even asked my mom the other night, because she's had *a lot* of cats, and she suggested jars of banana baby food to help his digestive system. She also told me that when he gets older, a couple scoops of plain yogurt with some chunks of chicken would help his bones and joints. But I'm still iffy about giving him "people-food".

I'm not really sure what I'll give him yet, which is mostly why I'm here. Of course, I've got a little while to introduce him to the occasional joint-health idea, so I'm not too worried about it.


And thank you, Lizaloo =]
It sounds like your little kitty is just as lucky to have found you!
You really don't realize it, they nuzzle their way into your heart. That's why I hate going to the shelter, I always want to take them all home!


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## Keeping August (Aug 31, 2010)

Welcome! Your kitten is just adorable! :love2


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