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Question
I have recently started fostering a itten that was left at my practice, I don't know alot about her passed all I do know is that she was deliberatly breed from an unvaccinated moggy.She is approximately 7 weeks old and I have had her for 3 weeks. When she first came to me she was unable to walk at all and she had a dome shaped head. Her physical features gave me the impression that she had hydrocephalus, she didn't show any other characteristics of this condition. As she got older she started to walk but is very wobbly,(cerebella?) she also cries alot. She is a very happy little kitten, he does not stop purring and she really aknowledges me when I call her name or if I enter a room. I have wormed her, treated her for ear mites and given her antibiotics in case of infection. I was wondering if you have heard of this is kittens before? My vet wants me to put her to sleep as she thinks her QOL can't be good if she's falling over all the time. I have to disagree with this as she seems so happy and is playing all the time.
Nadia,
Remember, I am not a vet. In what experiences I have heard about with such kittens is they do not live very long. If the falling down gets worse (very likely from what I have heard), the ability to do basic things like use the litter pan, eat and drink, will become much more difficult, so I would abide by your vet that, in time, the quality of life will deteriorate. Kittens will be happy and playing all the time, but, as they grow and mature, this kitten nature will no longer be as present, so between that and other maladies that are likely to crop up, the kittemn will, most probably, grow up in more and more misery.
Just my opinion on this one.
Best regards... Norm.
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Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
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