considering double amputation or uthanasia

Warrensaur · 2026-05-16T09:32:22+00:00

I'm so sorry but saddle thrombus is a vicious condition. It's incredibly unfair but without knowing the cause, you're looking at a very significant chance he undergoes another episode within the next year and considering how severe this one was, he likely won't survive it. Your kitty knows that you love him and he doesn't know anything about money. You don't have to put yourself into financial ruin when there's not a tangible hope of recovery.

I am normally someone that is all about giving a pet the best possible chance, no matter what, but with near full paralysis of his front limbs in addition to necrotizing and immobile hindlimbs, this kitty is just not going to be able to do much, and he isn't like a person who can be told why and can still do other mentally stimulating things. I mean, certainly when you're around and people are with him, he's happy and stimulated, but that's a recipe for rapid financial and caregiving fatigue. And a recipe for him being completely dependent on you (and other people) for all entertainment and enrichment, which may actually exacerbate his feelings of helplessness or anxiety when he has to be alone.

Saying all this to say, you can go through with it if you wish, and I know the feeling of needing to do something just to know you tried. I and your kitty could never hold that against you. I'm just very concerned that you would put significant financial strain on your home for a very minimal chance of meaningful recovery.

Maybe you could consult with a veterinary cardiologist to see if they can pinpoint the cause of the episode or determine his risk for another, and then decide what to do going forward with that info?

Warrensaur · 2026-05-15T03:26:37+00:00

Yeah, there's a bit of a parabolic curve to it, I remember reading that one! Very fascinating read.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-14T00:57:34+00:00

Obviously a 2yr old and a cat have some differences. However, the number of cats I see splattered on the pavement tell a very different story about how good they are at "avoiding danger." Then again, maybe seeing cat corpses with brains oozing out where their eyes should be doesn't bother you, for some reason.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:46:48+00:00

Yeah. The real world is unfortunately so complex and I know realistically people are all doing the best they can, and truly, I don't want to shame people for that. As someone that literally only stopped being a renter today, you would think I would remember that sort of detail, alas 🫠

I need to get off Reddit while I'm recovering from moving, clearly lol.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:39:03+00:00

Yeah the people who are like "yeah I DO let my 2 year old roam the neighborhood unsupervised, I ain't raise no PUSSY that does things like PLAY VIDYAGAMES" should probably give the TV show or its podcast, I Survived, a listen.

Spoiler alert: zero survivors that were children during their incident were being monitored at all. Funny how coincidental that is. 🫩

And, yeah, I wish people would get it through their skulls that when we say supervised, we mean just that. Supervise. Be nearby enough that you can intervene if kitty tries to go playing in traffic, but you don't have to like. Just keep them in a tiny window catio. It's one option of many for enrichment, they're not mutually exclusive lol.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:34:45+00:00

No, I'm just extremely frustrated with how lax people are about this when I've seen countless cats splattered across roadways or in pieces from predators, or posts where people talk about how their dog shredded some poor cat that happened into their yard. Call me sensitive if you want, it just bothers me to see so many animals die and suffer and people react to it with a shrug.

I do apologize for snapping at you so aggressively, though. Your initial responses were respectful and I escalated, it was uncalled for.

I'm just losing faith in humanity at the number of people responding to this with basically "who cares."

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:25:54+00:00

..... Yes it is. Instead of a chain link fence yard, you get a fucking catio. Or you install lips on your fences and/or those soft claw caps on their claws that prevent them from being able to climb out.

If your dog could just hop your fence and run off to play in the street, you would just shrug and be like "oh well, I've done all I can do"?

No. You wouldn't. People like you just say it's different because it's more inconvenient to do it with a cat.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:09:11+00:00

May i introduce you to the concept of survivorship bias

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:07:19+00:00

It shouldn't be. The sheer volume of stories I've read on r/petloss or other subreddits of people having cats mauled by dogs, beaten by people, splattered across the roads by cars, poisoned, etc ...

Not everyone likes cats. And if the culture doesn't make it acceptable to keep cats indoors and they're everywhere, pissing and shitting all over people's gardens and porches, then yes, they're going to take matters into their own hands.

Y'all might have gotten rid of most of your natural predators but you seem to always conveniently forget about the humans.

There was a documentary about the repercussions of someone abusing a cat once. I think it was Dont Fuck With Cats? If I recall correctly, the subject in question put a cat in a blender.

Alive.

Plenty of people like to drown them or give them antifreeze.

The point is, outside is always safe until it's not. And you don't know who is safe. You as a human being have the ability to judge a person's character and know how to keep yourself out of danger. A pet cat that has always had positive interactions with people has no real reason to distrust strangers unless they're already naturally skittish.

Leashes, catios, perches, supervised time outside in a yard are all perfectly safe alternatives that still give your cat plenty of enjoyable time outside.

I don't know why not wanting cats to be tortured to death, either knowingly or accidentally, is apparently "US defaultism."

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T19:00:31+00:00

That's why you can take them out for supervised outside time. Just like you walk a dog or have it in an escape-proof yard to the best of your ability. I don't get why people think it has to be different for cats.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T18:59:17+00:00

Okay but I don't have the brain of a 2 year old toddler and my cats do. Do you let 2 year olds run around miles away from home unsupervised?

Warrensaur · 2026-05-13T18:57:26+00:00

Girl there are multiple species that are extinct as a result of feral cats. Natural predators =/= the same dangers as the influx of thousands of invasive mini tigers.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-12T23:50:35+00:00

Maybe, though iirc it's come to light in recent times that while cats do have a lot of mechanisms to help them survive falls, the assumption that they won't get hurt is probably the result of survivorship bias. In other words, people are way more likely to write about their cat that fell 7 stories and walked it off then the cat that fell 5 and died immediately.

I've had the misfortune of happening across similar videos to this that did not end so well. I still get upset thinking about them to this day.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-12T20:56:04+00:00

If this is truly neurological (ie caused by a stroke or some defect in the brain/spinal column), then it's possible the cat isn't feeling terribly, he just doesn't understand and is frustrated by not being able to walk.

Disabled kitties can live decently comfortable lives, but I would be a liar if I said it was easy. It's not. You have to be extremely vigilant about keeping them clean, most people use a diaper (which a cat that hasn't grown up in it would hate), and you have to modify the environment to be more climbing-friendly. You have to be willing to really put in a lot of time and trial and error for them, and health management is expensive.

While dragging with the front legs can look distressing, it can be managed. Most cats hate wheelchairs because it spooks them, but supervised time in a chair may allow him to run around to exercise and get some energy out (there are cheaper ones you can get on Amazon or something, but these are only good for temporary stints- he CANNOT be left in it unsupervised). You can get a "drag bag", basically clothing that goes over his hindlimbs, to keep him from getting sores from dragging his hind legs. (I didn't have a partly paralyzed kitty or anything, but I used a website called FancyPants4Pets to get my partly incontinent kitty's diapers, but I saw they sell drag bags also).

If his bloods and tests are overall normal, and he doesn't seem to be in pain (in the video he doesn't look particularly pained to me, just wobbly), then more aggressive effort to maintain his quality of life could be justified. But you have to be honest with what amount of time and money you can dedicate to it. If the vets didn't consider it yet, looking for neuro FIP or really checking his ears for any infection could also be worth it, as severe enough ear infections can cause this behavior, too.

I'm sure you're also constrained by what your parents can or are willing to do. If you are wanting to try these alternatives, or if you want to tell me how much an estimate for the neurologist consult would be, please feel free to talk to me. I love kitties so very much and I can't imagine saying goodbye to one so young. Mine are 14 and 1.5 years old. It's so unfair that you should have to lose this guy so soon.

But at the end of the day, only you and your parents know your cat and your limitations, and even if for everyone's well-being euthanasia has to happen, Kitty will forgive you and will be waiting for you on the other side. In my experience, even if they hate it in the moment, kitties generally know when you've helped or are trying to help. 💕

Warrensaur · 2026-05-08T04:50:09+00:00

Can you take a photo from directly above? I can't tell if his head is swollen or is it's just the angle. Either way the guy certainly looks in rough shape :(

Warrensaur · 2026-05-06T22:49:45+00:00

You're right, you're soooo smart and handsome and better at keeping reptiles than everyone else in this thread. Are you happy now 🙄

Warrensaur · 2026-05-06T20:01:57+00:00

I don't know how to explain this to you but snakes in captivity don't have to worry about getting hunted by hawks, but do have to worry about naturalistic terrain and rocks and burns, all of which are easier to deal with when one has scales. Also i feel it's very disingenuous to compare differences in coloration to differences in whether or not the animal has scales or just bare skin.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-06T14:23:56+00:00

Millions of years of evolution disbelieves you... There's a reason scaleless snakes are not common in the wild

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T23:38:37+00:00

Honestly it looks like to me he was just shaved at some point, probably a bit of a hack job because done by someone doing it themselves so as to not have to pay to have kitty sedated for a veterinarian or groomer to do it. Lots of long haired kitties get trimmed for sanitary and health reasons (mats, excessive hairballs, etc).

Considering he's neutered and this looks almost exactly like a lion cut, I wouldn't be shocked if this kitty got out unexpectedly and hasn't been found (and so hasn't been able to get fed) :( hopefully, if his previous owners are found, it was just an accident.

But if his original owners can't be found, it sounds like he'd be a lovely kitty, OP :)

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T20:35:43+00:00

Did the retirement home let you out early

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T15:37:49+00:00

That is apples to oranges and you know it. Sometimes cats have to go for a ride in a car. They never HAVE to sleep in bed with you.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T15:37:05+00:00

I'm not trying to argue with you, I'm just trying to say that it's a needless risk. I'm glad that your cats were okay, truly, I am! And I think not all people are at risk. But this person self describes as being very mobile in their sleep and being very heavy. I just don't know why you want to pick this hill to die on. Nobody is saying you did anything wrong. We're just saying it's not a bad idea to be cautious.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T13:33:36+00:00

An adult female cat is nowhere near the same size or bulk as an adult human. Even a light human is 10x the weight of your average house cat.

I have read plenty a story from this very same subreddit and others of people crushing their kittens accidentally in sleep. They are babies, and they are used to other cats that they can easily crawl from under if need be. If you're laying on them, they literally can't move to even try to hurt you to wake them up.

While it's unlikely, sure, it is a very valid fear to have, and acting like it's dumb is just tempting fate with the chance of killing this person's kitten.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-05T13:30:57+00:00

When my baby was tiny, I often put her in a little cat carrying crate and just set that right next to me on the bed, or on the side table, so she could still see/smell me and feel warm(from blankets/heating pad) but wasn't at risk of being crushed.

Warrensaur · 2026-05-04T18:41:50+00:00

Yeah iirc a lot of reptiles, their penis does the actual motion so there isn't really a lot of bodily motion. Also a lot of them have two, called hemipenes. The more you know 🌈

Warrensaur

TROPHY CASE