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By Liz O'Connell
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An 11-month-old kitten who had his leg amputated about four weeks ago is still learning that something is missing.
In a video posted to TikTok by @binxthekittykat on January 23, Hoggle the orange cat is sitting on the counter. Viewers can see that Hoggle's back left leg is gone, but it has unfortunately not registered for the feline.
Hoggle then attempts to scratch his ear with his phantom leg, but, as expected, no luck. That does not stop Hoggle from readjusting himself and going in for a second scratch. Again, no luck.
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The overlay text on the video reads: "When you forget you don't have a leg anymore and can't scratch your ear no more."
Newsweek reached out to @binxthekittykat via TikTok for additional information.
In a follow-up video, @binxthekittykat shared that while they were out shopping for cat food, Hoggle broke his leg. He was with his cat siblings who ended up being fine. This left the owner clueless about how the cat injured himself.
The vet said because of how bad the break was, Hoggle's leg could not be saved and therefore would need to be amputated.
Dr. Philippa Pavia, a veterinary surgeon and medical director at BluePearl Downtown New York City, shared in a BluePearl 2018 article that the most common reason for limb amputation in pets is cancer. A cancer of the bone can form in the leg, causing pain or leading to fractures. However, severe trauma with multiple fractures and the loss of a significant amount of soft tissues can also lead to amputation.
The article also states that pets adjust more quickly to leg amputation than humans since they are left with three legs versus a human's one. Plus, many pets are even unaware they are different following amputation, but like Hoggle, it might take time for the loss limb to register.
TikTok Users React
As of Friday, the video was on the verge of reaching 4 million views. TikTok users have flooded the comment section with demands for the owner to help get that scratch for Hoggle.
One user wrote: "You gotta help them! My tripod gets regular scratchies throughout the day."
Another added: "You help him RIGHT NOW." (Don't worry, the itch was scratched.)
In addition, other users shared their personal stories with their amputee pets.
"My cat had her back left leg removed due to severe cancer and she tries to scratch with it all the time (it's been almost 5 years)," commented one user.
Another added: "My cat does this too. He doesn't have his front right. We call it 'chicken wingin.' Even more hilarious he is also an orangie."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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