approximate birthdate: 2/1990     age when diagnosed: 10 yrs old     date of diagnosis: 3/2000     rear leg tripod

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1. When did you notice the lump, what was the size and where was it located, was it low on the leg or higher - closer to your cat's body -     I first noticed the lump on March 17, 2000 when I picked her up. The lump was located on the inside of her left thigh rather low. It was large, maybe size of egg or golfball. I thought her leg was broken at first. We had just gotten home from babysitting grandkids.

2. When was kitty last vaccinated:     She regularly received all required shots for her whole life. (trying to be a good mommie).

3. How long did you wait to have the lump removed     We waited about two weeks because it was very hard to decide to have her leg removed considering that we weren't sure it would prolong her life. I also wanted to do some research. This is how I found the VAS group on line.

4. Was this your cat's first surgery for VAS     This was her first surgery for VAS ... I had never even heard of it.

5. Did you consult with a specialist or oncologist?    I had a telephone consultation with a special surgeon in our same geographic area. He encouraged the surgery as her only chance of survival.

6. Who removed the lump (regular vet or surgeon)    Our regular vet did the surgery. There are three vets in our office. The one who did the surgery was the one who did all the amputations.

7. How long did your cat stay at the vet's after surgery     I think our cat stayed in the hospital for one or two nights. They wanted her to "pee" before they released her. I think that was the reason. Also it took her a while to wake up. We visited her and she definitely perked up.

8. Did you do anything special to prepare for your kitty's homecoming     For our kitty's homecoming we did a number of things, all suggested by the support group. I can't remember what all we did.

9. Did your cat have any post-operative problems?     She had a fairly uneventful recovery. Getting her to eat was the biggest challenge.

10. What was your cat's adjustment period like:    She didn't just bounce back. She tried jumping up on the sofa a few days after surgery and made it. The next time she tried, she fell. She never really has tried to jump since then. Of course we pick her up and put her wherever she asks to go. She can jump down. I might add that it took her fur a V E R Y long time to grow back. Her little back end looked sort of pointy like a football.

11. How is your kitty now?     Our kitty has a great quality of life. She loves being with us, usually in our laps or with us on our lazy boys. During good weather, she spends a good bit of the day out on the screened porch. She has always been totally cool towards anyone visiting. Everyone feels sorry for her, which always surprises us. We are so used to her, that we don't think a thing about it. Her center of gravity has changed to accommodate her need to balance on 3 legs. Her rear thigh muscle is very strong. She has no potty problems. She uses a regular litter box with a side about 3 " high.

12. Please add any other information that you think would be helpful to future tripod owners or anything else that you'd like to tell people about your kitty.    We are so grateful that our Birdie was one of the lucky ones who had a choice and a chance to live out her natural lifespan. We have used the same vets since 1969, so I know they are basically excellent. They knew what she had and verified it with the lab tests. But, what I learned on the internet, and especially from VAS, I passed on to them. Thank goodness it was their practice to give immunizations in the lower hind legs instead of between the shoulders.