An indoor/outdoor cat, 8-year-old Kitty arrived home badly limping after his neighborhood rounds one day. His owner Debbie rushed him to a local 24-hour emergency vet hospital where a doctor determined that Kitty had shattered his tibia and ankle — and the injury was severe enough that his leg needed amputation.
Unfortunately, Debbie had spent all she had on Kitty’s initial care and stabilization at the 24-hour emergency clinic, and she couldn’t afford the amputation surgery. The emergency clinic put a splint on Kitty’s leg to keep it secure and referred Debbie to several local veterinary clinics for further care.
Kitty and Debbie had formed a close bond when he showed up at her door two years ago, and she knew she needed to figure something out for her furry friend. Debbie brought Kitty home and searched for an affordable place to bring him for the amputation.
One call led to another, but Debbie knew her fixed income couldn’t support the surgery quotes given to her. The more she looked, the more she realized that she might need to consider euthanasia if there wasn’t a way for Kitty to have surgery.
Debbie eventually spoke with a staff member at Angell at Nashoba, who referred her to the MSPCA-Angell Clinic: Cape Cod, where they could fit Kitty in for a procedure just four days later! The clinic, located in the MSPCA-Angell Cape Cod adoption center offers low-cost medical and surgical care for pets of people with financial needs.
“I had to mark it on my calendar and get up at 4:30 am, but I got there!” she said. Debbie requires a walker to get around, but a friend helped her get Kitty and his carrier into her car.
Debbie contributed to the cost of Kitty’s surgery and qualified for additional assistance from the MSPCA-Angell’s medical funds. While she was nervous during the procedure, she was grateful for the frequent updates she received from the clinic’s coordinator. And, by the afternoon, doctors removed Kitty’s fractured leg, and he was ready to return home.
Today, Kitty the tripod has adjusted well to three legs. Debbie said that he still climbs to the top of his cat tree, and she often finds him snuggled up beside her at night with his paw tucked perfectly under her chin. Kitty has adapted seamlessly with just three limbs and continues with Debbie just as happy as he was before.
To learn more about our MSPCA-Angell Clinics, visit mspca.org/clinics.
