Cerebellar Hypoplasia?

[CJandBilly]

Hey... anyone know anything about CH? My kitten, 4 1/2 months old, has CH. She seems to have relapses sometimes. I'm thinking she might be having minor strokes due to the fact of her disability weakening vessels in her brain, maybe? Anyone know? She gets better, then over night, she's suddenly doing horribly bad again. Anyone know? I just hate seeing her like this. She can't even get to water by herself... I have to carry her to food, water, and litter, and have to hold her up while she uses the litterbox, else she falls straight out while she's using it.

[CJandBilly]

[Trickiesmurf]

I dont know much about this so i googeled it

http://www.chkittyclub.com/pages/chcare.html (this is a sight for people who have kitties with CH, maybe you can join and ask questions)

http://www.vetinfo.com/cencyclopedia/cecerhypo.html

Quote: 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.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebellar_hypoplasia

I hope this help, they say that a cat will learn how to deal with its disabilities.

Add: Im sure someone will be around here soon that can give you better info.

[CJandBilly]

Quote: Originally Posted by Trickiesmurf I dont know much about this so i googeled it http://www.chkittyclub.com/pages/chcare.html (this is a sight for people who have kitties with CH, maybe you can join and ask questions) http://www.vetinfo.com/cencyclopedia/cecerhypo.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebellar_hypoplasia I hope this help, they say that a cat will learn how to deal with its disabilities. Add: Im sure someone will be around here soon that can give you better info.

Thanks! I am a member of the CH kitty club. I understand the symptoms and prognosis, but what I don't understand is why she'd be doing well and suddenly worse again. Thanks for the info!

Cassie

[Grammy707]

CJ, I see this is a old post but thought I would respond anyway. I found this board while searching for help with my CH kitty. Do you still have your kitty?

My Amy is 3 years old and I have found that the weather and stress plays a real big part in how she does. The worse the weather, the worse she gets, warmer weather, the better she is. Cold damp weather seem to bother her the most and just about cripple her. Also, as yours grow, she gets heavier and the heavier she gets, the harder it is for her to do things. I monitor Amy's weight real close.

I am looking for a place/someone to learn and share information with that will help me with my little sweetheart.

[Grammy707]

I need a to add also that CH kitties stress out easier than other kitties. You need to keep her life as quiet and normal as you can and be careful of any changes. It takes my Amy 3 to 4 days to recover from a major stress event, like having to go in the car somewhere or one of her sisters attacking her.

[Grammy707]

I also wanted to add.....(the things I keep remembering that I should have said in the beginning) That each year around Amy's birthday, she gets worse. A lady on another board that has a CH kitty said hers did until her 3rd or 4th birthday, then her cat leveled off.

Anyone know if CJ comes around anymore?

[beth1954]

I also have a CH kitty, and his picture (Buddy) is on the CH Kitty Club website. They used to have a forum....I don't know if they do anymore, but any question you have--they can answer for sure.
Buddy isn't as severely disabled as some of the CH kitties I've heard about. He can walk around the house (he looks a little drunk, tho) and he can climb up on the couch, my bed, etc. He can use the cat pan, too, altho he prefers the plastic mat under the cat pan.
For the most part, it seems like almost everyone says that the cat will not get worse as it gets older--unless something else is going on. Buddy actually did worse as a young kitty. As he got older, and gained a little weight, it seemed to give him a better "center of gravity" and he did somewhat better.
He sometimes kind of falls over, and his front and back legs extend out, and they are really stiff. It's kind of a "posturing" thing. I don't think he can help it, and once it starts, he can't stop it. It lasts for only a few seconds, though. I'm sure there are alot of people here that know about CH kitties, but feel free to ask me questions anytime you want....Beth

[CJandBilly]

Hey all... I'm sorry that I haven't been on in such a long time. Been busy busy busy. My CH kitty, Belle, turned out not having CH, but possibly some sort of brain tumor. She kept getting worse and worse, and she didn't make it. We had to euthanize her in August, because she was suffering so very badly. I know that if we hadn't put her down, she would've died either that day or the next. She was the sweetest kitten ever, and I will never forget her loving personality, her warming purr, her generous love... I've never had a pet that made such an impact on my life as Belle.

Thank-you all for your concern and advice.

Cassie

[beth1954]

I was afraid it was going to be something like that. I didn't have the heart to say it, though. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard to lose our best friends.........

[CJandBilly]

Quote: Originally Posted by beth1954 I was afraid it was going to be something like that. I didn't have the heart to say it, though. I'm so sorry for your loss. It's so hard to lose our best friends.........

:hugs: Thank-you for your condolences. She was such a sweetie, and I've never been so attached before. She was only five months old, and that hurt, too. I miss her so much, and wonder what she'd look like, act like, and be like if she made it. But, I know we did all we could for her, and that's one thing that helped me through it. I am an aspiring veterinarian, and who knows, maybe God used this as an expirience for me... maybe to teach me how it feels so that I can have sympathy when I do become a vet, or maybe so I can study and research it so that I can help future cases of this. I will never ever forget her. Thank-you again for your help, support, and well wishes!

Cassie

[beth1954]

It's also good (since you want to be a vet)....that you learned something about CH too, because there are still vets out there that tell people to just put the CH kitties to sleep because there is "no hope" for them. That's just not the case.
I know that is not what your kitty had, but learning about other things is always good.
Bless your heart....Beth

[Grammy707]

Hi Beth and CJ, I am back now as I do dissappear for a month and back for a month. I am so sorry your baby didn't make it but you know that she knows she was loved a heap and went to RB being loved. I love the memorial picture you did for her, it shows you know you have a little fur angel watching over you and she will always be in your heart.

My little Amy did great the last time we were all home together but this time she is having a really rough time. The weather has changed to damp and cool and she can hardly get around. She is jerking more than I have ever seen her jerk, falling over really hard and not really able to get around very much. I pray for the sun to come out and warming up so she will feel better.

I think with these CH kitties, it is a learn as you go process and just doing the best you can with them to make their life as easy as we can. I have been to the CH kitty club a number of times and the only thing I saw there that I hadn't tried was the large rubbermaid containers for her litter box. I have also learned to put a lot of puppy pads around the box since sometimes she can't make it all the way into the box without falling over and once over she looses controll. That is working out really good but I can tell you, she HATES using those puppy pads and will try her best to get into the box. A friend of mine gave me a corner litter box that has worked out beautifully with her. It is so large that there is plenty of room for her to fall over and lay down in it to do her business.

I have made handicap ramps for her that she refuses to use, if she can't get where she wants to get by climbing, she just will not get up there at the moment, she will try again later though... she never gives up trying!