Grateful Cat Rescued From Gulch Has Leg Amputated And Given New Chance At Freedom

Alex Lemieux

Oct 12, 2022 7:00 PM EDT

The tropical islands of Hawaii are great places for vacation, relaxing, and soaking up the Pacific sunshine. Yet, they are also home to some of the most inspiring stories surrounding cat rescue and rehabilitation.

At the end of July, Amber and her husband, Adam, arrived home from a trip and were immediately made aware of a cat in dire need of rescuing. Given the couple runs the feline rescue operation Good Cat Network, one of many cat-saving groups through Hawaii, it was business as usual, which typically means a story like no other.

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via Good Cat Network

A Maui resident posted on Nextdoor, the neighborhood networking platform, about hearing meowing coming from a gulch. It took anywhere from several days to over a week to locate the feline in distress, but when the kitten was rescued from the chasm, he emerged with a badly broken leg. The jet-black kitten wasn't more than eight weeks old, and he needed expert attention.
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via Good Cat Network

"We took him as a medical foster for Good Cat Network," Amber said. She explained that although the leg was badly broken, he didn't seem to have any pain. "You could move it around, and it seemed numb to him," Amber added. Nevertheless, now he was in a safe place, Amber and her husband had to decide on a name for the young male cat. "Bumps" is what they agreed on because of one of his most prominent characteristics: a large bump on the bottom of his belly. Although it was his namesake, he needed it checked by a veterinarian, which is where he went the following morning.
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via Good Cat Network

The veterinarian claimed the protruding bump was a hernia, requiring expensive surgery. Still, Bumps wasn't old enough to undergo the knife, nor was he healthy. Later that day, however, Amber took Bumps to another vet for a second opinion. In the exam room, she carefully pulled Bumps out of the carrier and noticed he had fluid all over him. The bump wasn't a hernia at all but an abscess that had burst. Fortunately, a quick clean-up and a round of antibiotics cleared any possibility of an abdominal surgical procedure.
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via Good Cat Network

Subsequent X-rays confirmed Bumps' broken hind leg, and he was recommended as a candidate for amputation. Even though Amber and Adam grew quite fond of Bumps, they were occupied with fielding other calls for cat rescue and rehabilitation. Luckily, one of the network's many cat foster moms answered the call. Lisa took over care of Bumps right as he was prepped for surgery.
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via Good Cat Network

Lisa had a feeling that even though his leg couldn't be saved, Bumps would bounce back quickly. He tried to keep up with the other cats but was restricted in his movements. With his lame leg, Bumps would try to jump and climb. Lisa was afraid he would get his hind leg caught in an opening because it seemed like Bumps didn't even know it was there.
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via Good Cat Network

"That leg is in his way. It's holding him back," she said. "It's nothing but an anchor for him." Two weeks later and a couple of dozen removed staples, Bumps acted as if he had a massive weight lifted off of him. In fact, he was zooming up and down the hall of Lisa's home in no time." You would have never known he just had his leg taken off," Lisa said. "Now that the leg is gone, it gives him so much more freedom."
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via Good Cat Network

There are no longer fears that Bumps may get hurt or that his past would have dictated his future. He now has an opportunity to wrestle with Lisa's several other cats and show everyone—even with three legs—just how fast he is. Lisa explained that Bumps exhibits a sense of "kolohe," the Hawaiian word for naughtiness. While he doesn't scheme to steal food from others or knock cups off the coffee table in a troublesome or mischievous manner, he has a very adventurous personality and sneaks into any playful venture. But between leaping across couches and ascending pop-ups, Bumps likes to curl up for a good nap, filled with thankfulness for all those who came together to give him a second chance at life.
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via Good Cat Network

"There's a sense of gratitude in him; he's so full of life," Lisa illustrated. "He can go from spontaneous, spunky, and playful, to crawling right up on your lap, ready to rest."
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via Good Cat Network

While she or Amber and Adam would love to adopt Bumps, their own clowders are enough for them to handle while saving the lives of other beleaguered Hawaiian felines. Regardless, Bumps is an example of the consequences of love and determination.
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via Good Cat Network

"People could learn so much from animals," Lisa elucidated. "When you think about what he has gone through, it's like that's in the past; he just keeps moving forward."