Bad news for Flutter

[catnapper]

and Flutter will need to have her leg removed. :(

I thought I'd be completely devastated by the news, but I'm actually happy. She's been having such a hard time walking the past week or so. Her hips have been swaying at off angles and she's been "clumping" along instead of sure, smooth strides like she was doing. It seems her weight HAS influenced her balance as the vet thought it might.

She's already 4 months old, and since she's still sick with coccidia, we have to wait at least the 10 days that is prescribed with Albon to schedule the surgery, then untold amount of time before they can fit her in.... she'll then have a two week recovery period. She'll be 6 months by the times its over. Because of that, we will wait another month or so to do her spay.

Poor little thing -- lots of surgeries in her very near future.

The attached video is of her playing the other day. I tried to get her walking, but she wasn't cooperating, so I enlisted the aid of the feather teaser. You can sort of see how she clumps along.

Please turn your sound down or off because I had the camera resting on the carpet and it picked up the sound of me shifting the camera side to side whie she played... its not the prettiest sound! :D :D

[doolittleky]

aww poor Flutter! She is such a cutie! How do you do videos? Probably too complicated for me. lol Good luck with her surgery and I hope the poor thing feels better soon.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Poor Flutter baby...

It stinks that she will have to have a lot of surgeries but she will be better off in the long run!

Hang in there sweet girl and get to feeling better!

Bless your heart for caring for this special girl

[catfamily]

Oh poor baby.Thank God you have her so she gets taken care of right.:)

[Karen]

Not bad news, because she will be better off without it, poor kitty. And a bet a year from now, people won't even notice the missing leg, they'll be too busy being charmed by her cuteness!

[jenluckenbach]

Even though surgery is scary, it is not necessarily bad news. If it will help her live a better life, than it is worth a bit of worry.
What I don't understand is why they can't scehdule the surgery on the books for sometime after the 10 days. That way she might have less of a wait.
Video won't play right now so I can't comment. :(

[catmandu]

POOR FLUTTER,YOU CAN SEE,WHERE SHE,IS BEING THROWN OFF BALANCE,BY THAT LEG.
WE ARE PRAYING,FOR POOR FLUTTER,THAT THESE SURGERIES WILL IMPROVE HER LIFE,AND THAT SHE WILL REGAIN HER MOBILITY.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/Picture547.jpg

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm sure that the surgery will help Flutter but I'm sorry that she has to wait so long.:( She sure is adorable in the video.:)

[dukedogsmom]

She is such a little cutie! I love the black stripe down her back. I'm sorry to hear that she has to have surgery. Maybe she'll be able to walk better after that. Give her head skritches from me.

[catnapper]

Thanks everyone. Angeleyes also got a new cast... she started tearing at it last night. I called the vet this morning and got an appointment for her too.... they showed me what her leg looked like without the cast -- its so much smaller than the other leg! :eek: :( They put on one that was easily twice the size and this time its purple and looks so pretty with all her black fur. We still haven't scheduled her surgery either... I know what they are doing. They are trying to stretch this out as long as possible so that I say, "ok folks, she's staying with ME." which might not take too long since I've discovered that she's the most loving sweetheart and I'm of course falling head over heals for her TOO! Did I ever mention how hard fostering was? did I? Thank goodness that the rescue's coordinator keeps insisting they will pay for the surgery no matter what (its a $1200 affair! :eek: :eek: ) GuessI'll have to do a lot of cat portraits as donations to make up for it ;)

I also feel l am living in a leg infirmary ward... Fluuter, Angeleyes, and now Nicki. Look at the poor newest patient with her bandaged paw.... everybody please feel VERY sorry for her, since she's been limping around like a sad puppy and bumping into everything because of her E-collar (I took it off when we went outside) She got stung by a bee and had a bad allergic reaction to it... then proceeded to chew half her paw off in an attempt to itch it :rolleyes: Gotta love my big baby!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/runningdad/Prettygirl.jpg

[rg_girlca]

Poor sweet Flutter. I know this will better for her in the long run, but you just hate to have them go through such a major operation.

Angeleyes, leave your cast alone sweetie.

Poor Nicki with her boo-boo paw. Don't you start to chew on your bandage. Oh, you can't while you have the e-collar on.

I hope and pray that all goes well for these 3 precious babies.

[chocolatepuppy]

I'm sorry Flutter has to have surgery.:( I'm sure it's for the best. I will keep her in my prayers. Angeleyes also. And please give Nicki a kiss for me to help heal up her ouchie! :)

[jenluckenbach]

Prayers for the whole bunch!

$1200 vet bill!?! :eek: possibly times two (one for AngelEyes too)

I sure hope my fund raiser goes better than it has been. :(

[NoahsMommy]

LOVE the video, Kim!! :) She's such a cutie pie!!

Hope the upcoming sugery goes well for our little Flutter.

Hugs,
Kelly :)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

What a great video, Kim! Flutter looks a lot like my Inka; the difference is Inka's white legs and belly :)

Good luck with the surgery!!

[smokey the elder]

Poor babies with the bum legs! Flutter will do just fine as a tripod. Smokey the Elder was quite old when she had a leg amputated because of cancer. She made the adjustment very quickly, because the leg must have hurt something fierce with the tumor.

[sirrahbed]

Cute video of pretty Flutter! Yes, I do see the wobbly walk now and the surgery will help her to feel better - frustrating to keep youbwaiting so long!! I bet you do feel like and orthopedic nursing center about now;)

Nicki:
Awwww!!!:( :( Poor, poor Nicki!!:( oh pitiful baby girl!:( Look at that paw all wrapped up and you had to have a mean ole bee sting you?? Poor, poor Nicki!! Get better soon sweet girl:)
Be sure and read that to her now Kim :) - also with a voice oozing with sympathy, OK?

[moosmom]

Kim,

As you know, "special needs" kitties bounce right back, and don't even KNOW they're missing a limb, etc. I'll bet you anything, once the limb is removed, Flutter will be running all over the place.

Prayers for you both coming from Michigan!

[kittycats_delight]

Oh my!! Poor little Flutterbug !!! Once the surgery is all done and you are on the mend you will feel lots better sweetie. You will be up and running around and playing and giving and receiving loveys before you know. Lots of postive vibes and good thoughts coming for the upcoming surgery.

And aaaawwwwww Poor Nicki. You got a nasty booboo honey. Lots of rubs and hugs and kisses for you too. Get well sweetie.

Angeleyes looks like you are going to become a permanent fixture with catnapper Kim and become catnapper #6. Good luck sweetie with your new cast and good luck on your surgery as well.

Kim, you are running a 3 legged ward there now huh? You are doing great keep up the good work. And yes you have told us fostering is hard. You have lots of proof seeing your numbers raise. :D

[Barbara]

Can't see the video before Monday in the office but I am sorry for your household with all these ouchie pawsies.

I still remember that 3 legged kitty I saw in Greece running just as quick as all the others when it came to getting some fish in the restaurant- so I'm sure all your girls (incl. Nicki) will be ok.

[momcat]

Oh, Catnapper I felt so bad when I read about our sweet little Flutter needing surgery. The video shows that it is getting harder for her to get around. She WILL be fine, I'm sure you know about the power of PT prayers. Before you know it, she'll be back into everything and running and playing like nothing was ever wrong. And our Angeleyes has a new cast. Did your vet give any indication of how much longer a cast will be necessary? How dare that nasty bee sting poor Nicki!!!!! Goucho sends get well kisses and purrs to Flutter, Angeleyes, and Nicki. Please give each of them some extra lovebug from me?


To all my fellow PT kitty lovers... Flutter needs our prayers now. Time for a PT prayer marathon. What do you say????

[catnapper]

And our Angeleyes has a new cast. Did your vet give any indication of how much longer a cast will be necessary?
Angeleyes NEEDS the surgery on her leg to insert a metal plate... the cats will remain on until we can schedule her surgery. That could be ??????? - she has to be completely healthy before we schedule it, and we also have to coordinate the time/date because the hospital is over an hour away and its either me or one of the directors taking her. I sort of feel I should be taking her, but I'm not responsible for the paperwork and payment.

As for Flutter, thankfully her surgery can be done locally, and we still have to schedule that one as well. I'm going to have her for a long long time before she's available for adoption... and yes, I am still going to TRY to adopt her out (despite how much I love her). But I AM going to make it mandatory that she and Angeleyes go together. I always hated when people did that, but you really should see how bonded these two girls are. Considering all they'll be going through in life with the surgeryies, let them at least have each other as a constant thing.

[furrykidsmother]

POOR BABIES!!! I sure hope that Flutter and Angeleyes will have the surgery's soon and be on the mend. If Flutter is being thrown off balance it is best she have the surgery as soon as possible and little Angeleyes we want her up and running too! Poor Nicki I, hope you are all better soon!