This is Charlie
He's not like other cats
He has Cerebellar Hypoplasia
In other words his motor skills aren't so "hot"..
But he loves to play!
Hang out with his friends
And watch the world go by....
He's in no pain
Requires no special care
And has a normal life expectancy.
Since most people don't know
About Cerebellar Hypoplasia,
Cats like Charlie are
Needlessly destroyed.
If you have a kitten that
Shows symptoms like
Charlie's, ask your vet for
More information.
If they're anything like
Charlie, they just might be
One of the best cats
You've ever had.
Check the next link to find out more about Feline Cerebellar Hypoplasia: The CH Kitty Club
What is Cerebellar Hypoplasia?
The cerebellum is the portion of the brain responsible for the control of motion. When a puppy or kitten is born with an underdeveloped cerebellum, the condition is known as congenital cerebellar hypoplasia.
There are infectious causes of this condition in both cats (panleukopenia infection prior to birth) and dogs (herpes virus infection prior to birth). Improper development of the cerebellum may occur due to injury, poisoning or just from an accident in development in the uterus. It is generally possible to see signs of this condition almost as soon as the puppy or kitten is born. Affected animals have tremors and unusual jerky movements or may fall down when they try to move.
The symptoms do not get worse as they age. As the kitten or puppy grows it will learn to compensate for its condition but there are usually lifelong signs of a decreased ability to coordinate movement. Almost all dogs and cats with congenital cerebellar hypoplasia can live happily as pets with a little special care to compensate for their disabilities. This condition can be confused with cerebellar abiotrophy, a different disorder in dogs in which the puppy has a normal cerebellum at birth but it gradually dies. Signs of disease identical to cerebellar hypoplasia occur but the timing is different. Puppies with this condition seem normal at birth but usually start to show signs of problems after they are 2 months or more of age.
How do cats cope with it?
In humans, the problems would be significant disabilities. CH cats don't worry over their inability to do things in the same way or at the same speed as other cats. Spastic cats can do everything other cats do and are equally independent - they climb fences, play and performs daredevil feats, though they can be alarming to watch, especially as they teeter along a fence. Occasionally they slip, catch hold with their claws and haul themselves back up again; make sure there are soft plants to cushion any fall! Like disabled humans most won't want to be overprotected, but in the same way that disabled facilities are made available to humans, some thought needs to be given to toilet facilities, access to favorite spots etc to ensure their well-being.
It is not advisable to give a spastic cat free access to outdoors as their mobility problems, perception problems and possible sight problems makes traffic doubly hazardous to them. If you have an enclosed garden or a cat harness and leash they can have access outdoors. Many people are unaware of the condition and people who see these cats twitching on the path outdoors sometimes try to help the 'injured cat', but the cat's crazy zigzag run confuses most pursuers - they simply don't end up in the place they appeared to be heading for (one more reason roads pose such a threat, a driver who tries to avoid the cat cannot compensate for the cat ending up in the wrong place). Even birds are caught unawares by this zigzag approach and I know of spastic cats who are reasonable hunters, exploiting this element of surprise. CH cats are extremely independent and owners report that affected cats usually have "sunny personalities", but some allowances still have to be made.
A caring owner can think of other ways in which to help a disabled feline companion, but beware of being overprotective. A disabled cat still requires some semblance of independence to allow it to fulfill that inner 'catness' that we love in our feline friends. Most seem unaware of their disabilities and they do not expect life to make allowances, but a helping hand and some adjustments to their lifestyle and perhaps your own lifestyle will ensure a disabled cat has a healthy, happy and safe life.
(full text available at ---> "Cerebellar Hypoplasia")
7 comments:
THANX thats intresting to know my inbred kitten has feline celebellar hypoplasia and is doing ok she is so sweet you wouldnt find many cats as nice and sweet as her .
Thank you so much, I didn't know what was wrong with our kitten until now. The film on Charley was very touching. "Squirt" is very precious, independant and outgoing and so loving! My son fell in love with her and she now has a great home with him.
Our 12 year old cat "Tim" is proof that a cat with hypoplasia can lead a long happy life. We adopted him a year ago from a shelter where he had spent the majority of his life> No one wanted him. I couldn't love him more and he now rules the house just like our other two cats.
I rescued a 2 week old kitten that I suspect has CH although the vet told me he might outgrow it. He's about 4 weeks now. So far Ive been unable to interest him in the litter box or any other food except the bottle. Can anyone advise? Am I starting too early with him? Thanks for any help! He's adorable!
Thank you so much for posting this video up along with information on the condition. I have a 3 month old kitten that I just recently brought home, and she has the same condition. She's just so loving, and when I saw her shake and fall over, I became very worried thinking it was some kind of bad disease. But I found this video along with other information, and spoke to my vet about it, and he confirmed the condition. My little Maya will have a wonderful life and be spoiled rotten of course just like she deserves to be after her rough start in life.
Audrey, you deserve a lot of credit for rescuing your little kitten and being prepared to bottle feed him. Yes you are probably starting too early with the solid food and litter. Also, you are a bit handicapped that mom is not around for the little guy to copy. Usually it's best if kittens stay with mom until they are 8 weeks. By that time they have learned all they need to know from watching and copying her. But at 4 weeks the kitten is not ready to master grown up stuff like litter boxes and solid food. He's still just a baby.
I just adopted an 11 month kitten with CH, Taylor, and it's one of the best things I ever did. She's so happy, settled in really well with the other kitties and esp the dog! She's deaf and I think she also has some visual problems, but her sense of smell more than makes up for the rest. When she eats the food goes flying but I think most is getting in...she has adoptive siblings who are very attentive to the food bits she scatters. Her gait is better than expected, almost a swagger with her zigzag and with her head bobbing, all she needs is an IPod! Her foster mom told me she was slated for euthanasia at the pound, which is how she came to them...I wish the person who made that determination could see her now!
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