Last October, a friend and I were painting some props in the back parking lot of our community theatre. A tiny kitten tottered out of the weeds, then another, and then a third who stumbled and fell every step or two. We put food and water down for them and they were our new best friends. We looked around and found a 4th kitten who was dead. The mother cat watched from a distance, but was clearly feral. I knew that if they stayed there, they would grow up to be part of the feral cat problem, so even though we already had 3 cats, I brought them home.
The next day we took them to the vet and found the little black and white one who fell so often has CH (cerebellar hypoplasia, essentially the cat version of cerebral palsy). She's healthy but has motor control and balance problems. We learned this is often the result of the mother having distemper. The other 2 kittens were not affected.
It was a good thing we brought them indoors, because the next week the temperature dropped to 25 below 0 for several days, and these tiny little guys, who the vet estimated at 2 - 3 weeks old, would certainly have frozen to death.
After some uncertainty, our 3 older cats have accepted the little ones for the most part. Starbuck (the blond) and Callie (the calico) are busy and active. Toaster, the CH kitty, has learned to walk, although she's got a funny gait and still falls over sometimes. She can even climb the stairs. The thing we'd like everyone to know is that CH cats are not in pain or sickly. They're healthy except for motor control problems, which can range from mild to severe. Toaster is very affectionate and purrs like a jet engine. So if you find a kitten who has trouble walking, don't assume that it is very ill or should be euthanized. Have a vet check it over ... it could be the sweetest addition to your feline family.
Casper, WY
