Jet the Tripawd Cat

Or, you can read it below 🙂

Just thought I’d share the story of my tripawd, Jet.

I got Jet a couple of months after his amp, so he was already mostly healed up. I’ve had him for about two years now, and he seems to be healthy and happy. He adjusted quickly to only having one back leg. Really his only difficulty early on was standing in the litter box, but since then his remaining back leg has strengthened, and he’s also lost some weight, so not an issue now. His balance is fine (having a tail helps of course), except when he stretches (kinda sad and funny at the same time). Below is his back story.
From what I understand, Jet was someone’s pet that escaped. I assume he was an indoor cat, as he had been declawed and neutered. But NOT chipped. A friend of a friend found him on their back porch and would feed him when he came by. There was a stretch where he didn’t appear for about a week, and wnen he finally re-appeared his left rear leg was busted up. Not knowing what to do, they gave him to my friend Jeri, who is a big-hearted animal lover. Jeri has taken in many rescues, but almost all of them have been dogs! She had seven or eight dogs living in her modestly sized home, so poor Jet had to stay in her guest bathroom, else he get trampled (or possibly licked to death). As far as the leg, the vet attempted to save it, but it was just too damaged, so amp was the only option. I met Jeri one night for dinner to celebrate my birthday, and she told me about Jet. She showed me a picture, and he looked like such a sweetie. Sooo, a day or two later I texted her and asked “you still have tripod?” which she did and asked if I wanted him, and I had to say yes. But I told her no more! (She had also given me my other cat Jery, as a kitten, even though I wasn’t really “in the market” for a cat). and I wasn’t really in the market for a second cat either, but I couldn’t resist, and I felt bad for him stuck in the batchroom with a house full of dogs! Anyway, she came over one day with Jet (in a massive dog crate lol), and I put him in a room by himself for a couple of days, trying to slowly introduce them to each other. He was very friendly to me and her, but she was not happy to share HER house. It took a few months for her to accept that he was here to stay. For a while she picked on him and followed him constantly, and he was mostly passive, but at some point he started turning the tables and going after her! So they aren’t buddies, but they seem happy enough. I felt bad for him at first, being front declawed (she’s not) and of course missing a leg; but he defends himself fine. And in fact is often the aggressor. The missing leg doesn’t really seem to be much of a disadvantage.
So bottom line – he’s a normal cat, just certain places he can’t jump up on. He can jump up on chairs, so I have one by the bed, and some under windows. I did buy one set of stairs, which I’m really happy with (Armarkat is the brand). In my avatar you can see him sitting on the back of my futon, which he gets up and down from no problem. Also I keep the litter boxes in my bathtub, which he has no problem getting in and out of.
Hope ya’ll enjoyed my story, and feel free to ask me any questions. Tripawds Rule!
Brad