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Well, Little Mocha, the sweetest cat we ever had, but don't let Missie see that cuz she is up there too, was on my patio. We had just moved into our townhouse in Yuma, AZ and the gate had yet to be installed. One night, my twins, Mangas and Mingo, were going nuts at the back door. I flipped on the light and it scared a coyote out of the yard and away from this little black cat with only 3 legs and a bob tail. So I took her in. There was only one other person in the complex, it was that new. I never saw the person. So I looked around and asked around and could not find the owner. I took her to the vet and had her looked after and made sure she had her shots. After 9 months the neighbor asked my husband how the kitty was. Stunned, my first question was.." does she want the kitty back?It will cost her one hundred bucks..." no she did not want the kitty back. In fact, not long after that there was another black kitty on the lose. I found out that that cat also belonged to that lady. I could have shot her. The older kitty was nearly feral again. She turned out to be a cranky 20 year old manx called Miss Priss. Once we got an understanding she was a real sweetie. As the story goes, little Mocha was the victim of an accident. It seems she got on a car motor to keep warm. The driver did not know she was there and when he turned the motor over, it damaged her leg. So the owners tried to save the leg but it would not heal so they were going to put the kitty down. Then our new neighbor stepped in and took her. Why put a perfectly healthy cat down just because it is missing a leg? But then the neighbor got a sheep dog which chased the cats away. Several years after I had the two kitties, the previous owner sent me a Valentine with 100.00 bucks and a big thank you for taking the girls and giving them a home. She came to visit Phyllis ( that was Mocha's old name) and Miss Priss. Mocha is spanish and means " one without a limb". Someone suggested Hopalong Kitty but I was not about to have her made fun of. It is amazing the lessons that little kitty taught. I lost her 9 Nov 1996 after a 17 year friendship. I still miss her.

How wonderful y'all are, CG, with your love of these of Gods creatures.

I'm constantly amazed at how well a 3-legged dog or cat will adapt. Our local vet, Rene, simply will not put a young, healthy animal down for only having a limb that needs to be amputated.

That's how I got Luv....and I've gone to the clinic and seen upwards of half a dozen cats around the office with only 3 legs....and the next time, there are new ones, or fewer ones, or more....she manages to find homes.

I gotta tell ya though....one time when I went in, Rene came walking out with a duck wrapped in towels.....I said, "Oh my God, Rene...you didn't"!!! She turned to me and began laughing....."Nope---he's still got two legs---he's been given a bath to get the oil spill off him!"

When Luv has an appointment with Rene, they wind up playing on the floor together....I've had Luv for 7-1/2 years and she still remembers and loves Rene....and Rene does likewise! It's a hoot to watch other people watching these two in the floor knowing that those being watched know that Rene is the vet!!