Young kitten Atlantic bounces back

Atlantic was just six months old when he came to us from a local vet practice. The poor boy had a fractured back leg after being hit by a car and needed urgent medical attention. His owners made the difficult decision to hand over the young tabby’s care to us, as they couldn’t afford the extensive veterinary treatment that he’d need to get back on his paws. We thought we could repair Atlantic’s broken left leg, until X-rays showed there was more damage than we’d realised. Part of Atlantic’s left pelvis was also severely fractured, so we had no choice but to amputate his leg. As it was a major operation, the youngster was very tired when he came round from surgery and spent most of the first day sleeping.

Luckily, because he’s so young, little Atlantic adapted well to life on three legs. His friendly and affectionate nature charmed our Cat team – he adored sitting on a willing lap while enjoying lots of fuss. At first, he was restricted to floor rest with no levels in his unit so he could build up the strength in his remaining limbs. This proved quite a challenge for the curious and playful boy. Our Cat team worked with Atlantic to acclimatise him to using three legs. His dedicated carers spent one-on-one time playing with him and scattering his biscuits on the floor, as this encouraged him to stand and walk around often.

Two weeks into his floor rest, Atlantic started to bite and scratch at people and objects. He was frustrated inside his small space and this was his way of letting us know he was bored. So, we increased his mental stimulation to keep him occupied and happy. He had access to his favourite toys, such as feathers, and enrichment feeders made mealtimes a fun and engaging experience – despite this clever lad figuring how to get the food out straight away! When Atlantic tried to bite or swipe his carers’ arms or legs, we’d quickly whip out a toy for him to play with instead. He was a fast learner and quickly got the hang of this new and exciting game!