Last year I got involved with what I call my outreach projects, helping low income people who were giving away "free" kittens. In five cases, I found homes for the kittens and got the cats spayed and neutered so the cycle wouldn't continue. I still have two of these people that I'm just finishing getting the cats fixed for.
Lori at one point (before I met her) had 21 cats in her apartment. She took most of them to Animal Services, and now just has four cats. One of them is a three year old cat that was born never being able to walk properly. None of Lori's cats have ever seen a vet so Lori has just cared for her. Scratches can't use a litter box and has pretty severe mobility issues and Lori feels she just can't handle it anymore so Scratches is looking for a new home.
As soon as I saw her I thought CH (cerebellum hypoplasia) a neurological condition where the cerebellum part of the brain is underdeveloped at birth. It's non-progressive, meaning cats don't get worse, but won't necessarily get better either.
I took Scratches to my own vet and he confirmed that diagnosis. I just hope there is somebody out there who falls in love with her and is willing to take her on. She is a sweet friendly cat. It's heartbreaking to watch her try to get around. Here's a video of her that we shot last weekend:
I watched the video. I am wondering if Scratches might fare better on a carpeted surface ? If she has only lived in a home with slippery floors, she may have some muscle atrophy and could perhaps benefit from some physical therapy (ie a person helping to hold her in a standing position on the floor for an increasing period of time every day, for example). There are online communities for CH cats that have some good advice from people with lots of experience. The CH cats I have met are strong willed survivors.
ReplyDeleteHere is a CH site that has lots of great practical information:
ReplyDeletehttp://lifewithchcats.com/ch-topics-tips/
my parents have a cat who was born this way too. His back legs are quite wobbly but he gets around the house fine. My parents put pillows on every chair and small stools for him to jump on near the bed or near the tables. He’s 4 years old and he improved so much from the very first time he stepped foot in the house. He is absolutely unaware of the fact that he cannot move his back legs like the rest of the other cats of the house (my parents have 5 more). My parents also moved his litter box inside the house (they have few more outside on a small balcony). I think Scratches needs practice and he needs someone who can spend time with him at home.
ReplyDeleteI think she would benefit from being in a home that has dealt with CH cats before, they can live a long healthy life. That's why I am trying to find her a new home where her special needs can better be taken care of. She's a great cat, full of life.
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