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Expert: - 11/1/2011


Question
my 4 year old ragdoll had her third litter about a week ago- and all the kittens have been feeding well.  I noticed that the last baby born had hind legs that were still tucked quite close to her body and presumed that this was just due to being tucked up in the womb. But by the next day they still looked odd and on closer inspection appeared to be something like clubfoot - where both hind paws are actually twisted at/or close to her ankle so that the bottom of her paws face upwards and inwards.  I wonder if there is anything that can be done to help this - or is it best to have the kitten euthanised- I would feel terrible at the prospect - but cannot afford to have another cat and know that it will be difficult to find her a good home if she is lame.

Answer
Ally,

I am sorry to be a bit late in getting back to you. It is possible the back legs are deformed, but it is also possible they can look that way and be fine.

What you need to do is to put toweling in for the bedding so the kitten has something a bit rough to push on when nursing or finding a nipple. You can also  pick her up and gently exercise those back legs by gently pushing on them and gently pulling on them. Maybe a couple of times a day.

I would do this and give her some time (I wish I could tell you how much).  I have seen kittens whose hind legs looked hopeless but did, eventually, straighten out.

Please see how it goes for a few weeks and see what happens with this kitten.

Please let me know.

Best regards... Norm.

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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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