The Adventures (or Mis-Adventures) of Bo the Cat!
March 10, 2012 at 9:22:31 am | Posted by Jennifer P. in Cat Adoption, Fostering, Pet Care
TweetFor the last month and a half I have been fostering a cat, a 2-year-old grey and white tabby named Bo. Who would foster a 2-year-old cat you might ask? Well, Bo is a special little man as he was found at The Cat Adoption Center (CAC) steps with a badly broken leg and tail.
It was your average Sunday morning and Eziel, an animal care attendant at the CAC was unlocking the doors to the trailers to let the animal volunteers in. When she approached the office trailer she noticed an adult cat lying peacefully and happily in a basket covered by a Disney Princess Blanket.
yawwwn, oh hello, good morning
After examining the cat and placing him in a warm kennel with food and water, she discovered that not only was he unable to walk, but that his tail was also not in working order. We had the shelter veterinarian look at him and had him sent to X-ray where it was discovered that he had a clean break on the hind left Tibia.
We had two options: the first was to have him undergo a Muscular Pin surgery, and the second was to cast his leg in the hopes that it would heal on its own. We chose casting the leg and Bo came back from the vet that day with a bright, white fresh cast!
The next morning, when we arrived for work at the Cat Adoption Center, Bo was lying in his kennel staring at the cast, which was no longer on his leg.
Plan B: our shelter veterinarian knew it could be done and re-cast his leg, this time in a neon green cast fully equipped with a stir-up, which would help the cast stay in place. This time around his foot was left uncast which helped him to move about freely and balance on his toes. As soon as the new cast was on, Bo discovered that he could walk again with the support of the splint attached to his leg!
that's much better
The first night I brought him home, he jumped on my 4-foot-tall bed much to my dismay. But I couldn’t stop him! He was running all over the house, playing with my adopted cats and seemed genuinely comfortable for the first time in 2 weeks.
5 weeks later Bo’s cast finally came off, and after a couple days of adjustment he was using his newly healed leg. It’s only been a week but he’s getting stronger every day and is now able to chase the other cats around.
you're sweet, I like you too
Unfortunately the condition of Bo’s tail was so severe that it required amputation. Watching him heal and understanding the pain that he must have gone through those first few days made his stinky cast worth it. Bo returned to the Cat Adoption Center and was made available for adoption on Thursday, March 1 and was adopted by a wonderful young couple a few days later on March 3, 2012! Along with being a fantastic cuddle bug and a TV watching buddy, Bo taught me a very important lesson I had yet to learn in my 25 years; do not try to restrict a cat with a broken leg from jumping on the bed… he will do it anyway.
all better
What lessons have your cats taught you? Share your story with us and you could be a guest blogger on The Water Bowl!
 of Bo the Cat!){kind=link}
that is a great story, cats will be cats and they are very independent, i have 3 of my own and they rule the roost LOL.
I CONCUR – FIRST OF ALL, I MUST SAY THAT THE STORY OF BO WAS AMAZING! I need to question: what’s wrong with adopting/fostering a 2 yr. old cat?!? I was surprised you didn’t keep Bo after he got to know your other kitties! Funny about the 1st cast. Poor thing had to wear a green cast! I can’t believe he got around like he did. I was worried leg wouldn’t heal!
Yes, I learned too, even though cat is not following doctors orders, when they want to move around, let them– ’cause they’re going to do it anyway! Seven yrs. ago I adopted a baby Tortie from a friend of a friend who my husband use to work with. When it came time, I got her spayed. The SPCA, where I went to pick her up, said she was to be kept in a room by herself, and kept to a blanket or bed for 5 days, with the exception, of course, of getting up to eat and drink. Well, kitty was in room by herself- away from other cat. On the 3rd day, she kept getting up and playing with whatever she could find to entertain her. After 4 or 5 hours I gave up trying to keep her on the blanket. It just wasn’t happenin’! On the 4th day, she was entirely normal! I said this can’t be- the instructions were to keep her in bed for 5 days! On the 5th day, which should have been her last full day of REST; I let her out of the room to be with the family. Is this the meaning of “cats rule”?!
Therefore, I concur with Bo and owner. Let cat do what it wants to do, cause he/she is going to do it anyway!
We had a kitten get caught in a broken window and her cast was replaced 3 times. First one she left tangled in the bed springs. She was a black and after the leg healed she was left with a wide white stripe where the cast came up her hip. She bit my husband while he was trying to get her out of the window and that was when we found out how dangerous cat bites can be.