Cerebellar hypoplasia (video of Amy)

[Laura's Babies]

This is mainly for the newbies here so that when they see the term "CH kitties" they will know what we are talking about. I finally got the video thing figured out (I HOPE) and have a video of Amy to show her and how she is.

As I have posted before, I got Amy when she was 2 months old and did not realize there was anything wrong with her until I got her home. I got her out of a cage in a pet store and had not seen her walk when I selected her. Once I took her home, she was mine and there was no way I would take her back.

She was born in August and every year around her birthday, there is a decline in her abilities to get around. Weather and stress make her worse, at times she is not able to get in the litter box so I put down puppy pads for her. Life with her has been an emotional roller coaster ride. There are times I have sat up all night, holding her and just crying and other times when she would overcome a challange and amaze me with what she can do. I wouldn't trade her for a "normal" Amy for anything since the lessons she has taught me are MANY!

This is a video of a CH kitty


Cerebellar hypoplasia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Cerebellar hypoplasia is a disorder found in cats and dogs in which the cerebellum is not completely mature at birth. Usually symptoms can be seen immediately at birth in cats, but sometimes can take two months or so to become apparent in dogs. Cerebellar hypoplasia causes jerky movements, tremors and generally uncoordinated motion. The animal often falls down and has trouble walking. Tremors increase when the animal is excited and subside when at ease. There are several bacterial infections, such as herpes, that can result in the disorder in both cats and dogs. However, the disease can also be caused by malnutrition, poisoning, injury or general accidents during development in the fetus. The disease does not get better or worse with age, but the cat or dog can usually learn to somewhat compensate for it. Most afflicted animals can lead a fairly normal life if preperations are made by the owner for the animals disability.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebellar_hypoplasia"

[aki]

Awwwwwww! Amy is such a sweetie. God bless you for taking care of her.

~Aki

[AbbyMom]

What a darling! Give her a kiss and a hug for me.

[christa]

*crying*

Laura, Amy is a blessed kitty for having you in her life! And I'm sure that you feel the same about her!!! This is such a sad condition but can you imagine if someone else would have gotten their hands on her instead of you? She might not have had the chance she's had with you!

***kitty kisses*** to you sweet Amy

[rg_girlca]

Congratulations Laura on posting the video. I told you it was easy to do.

WOW!!! To actually see a CH cat in action, is hard on the emotions isn't it.
I can truly understand the tears you have shed for Amy. I had LES just watching the video.
It's good to know though that they learn to compensate with their condition and can lead a fairly normal life.

I know Laura that you have made things easier for your precious Amy. She really hit it lucky when you took her from the pet store. I think 9 out of 10 people would have brought her back seeing the condition she was in, but not you. No siree. You found all you could on her condition and went forward with it. Bless you.

Amy is one pretty girl and seems like such a sweetheart.

[catlover4ever]

Oh Laura, my heart is breaking to see Amy like that...but she is such an EXTRA SPECIAL girl that it also made my heart happy to know that she is in such good hands. I dread to think what may have become of her if you had not adopted her. Please give Amy an extra special hug and kiss from Gracie and Gabriel....as we both know how extra special our special needs babies are.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Aw poor Amy....
Laura, this is exactly the same illness that my Inka has! Inka has it is a much lighter degree, thanks God! But she has very little balance too and falls very often. She cannot estimate distances either, so when she tries to drink or eat, she always gets startled as she ends up with her nose IN the water . She can walk well, but as soon as she tries to run, she makes salto's and cannot run in one straight forward line. She learned how to cope with it though

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I had never actually seen a CH kitty in action until I met Homer at the Hermitage Shelter last week. His movements are very similar to Amy's and it seemed for every step he took forward, he took 1 back and 2 to the side. The girl at the shelter said he gets where he needs to go even though he might take the "scenic route" to get there.

Amy is such a sweetheart, and I can see how determined she is to eat every little morsel she might drop on the floor. I don't know if I could handle having a CH kitty around because I'd have to constantly fight the urge to pick her up and take her where she wants to go to try and make life easier for her.

Amy, sweety, you have THE best meowmy around. Gentle smoochies to you.

[Sevaede]

Amy is such a lucky little witty to have you in her life to love and care for her!

[momcat]

What an extraordinary girl you have there! Watching Amy in the video did cause major LES but I can't help but love her even more now. She's so determined to do things herself. Isn't it amazing what love can do? You are one extraordinary Meowmie!!!!!

[GreyhoundGirl]

The poor thing, she's such a sweetie. I feel so guilty now because at first I thought it was just the tape. Give her a hug from me.

[ShylanHal]

THank you so very much for telling me about these CH kitties!!!
It's sad what they have to go through, but it seems that they can compensate almost as well as other cats do in some areas, and are always the most spoiled.
I'm glad that my Clover does not have CH, but even if she did, I would not give her up for the world.

-*I am over at Melinda's house right now, and Clover is sleeping under the bed as I type this.

I'm thinking that if I ever do run into a CH kittie, I will be sure to do all I can to give it loving care, because even with their disabilities, they are just as special and wonderful as any other felines out there.

Cats+Me=LOVE

~Kari

[Shadowcat]

I noticed you said you use 'puppy pads' - not sure on the cost of these - would these be more/less expensive than the regular 'blue pads' used for people beds. They come in 2 sizes. I used them for my kitty - Goose. She was old & frail and sometimes had an accident. I went to Wal-mart and purchased a large plastic storage container. I cut the front (one of the long sides) down to about 3 inches, sloped the sides up to the back - put the pads in there for her to use. Such a 'customized' litter box could be cut to accomodate Amy. The sides might help her stand also, once she got in.
Bless you for taking care of a special needs baby

[Taz_Zoee]

Wow, I am glad Shadowcat pulled this thread back out. I have always heard people talking about CH cats. I had NO idea what it meant, really.
My weakest thing is to see animals in pain or anything like that. I can't watch horse races or westerns because I'm afraid of them falling down.
This video of Amy had me bawling my eyes out. I just had to keep telling myself......she is not in pain. Is she? How is she now compared to this video?

[Laura's Babies]

I am using the people pads now as someone suggested to me that they sell at Sam's Club. They are a lot bigger and it is way more for the money per case. ($26 for 120 pads compared to $17 for a small package of the doggie pads) I have used the storage container for her and she used it for awhile, now the others use it and she uses the big corner box Mike gave me. She likes the big corner box because there is room for her to fall over if she is having a bad day, 3 sides to hold her in but the pads are where she usually goes. She still can not caculate how many times she will fall over, how much trouble she will have getting up verses how bad she has to go. There are times she can make it to the pad and not make it any further and she knows that is OK and will use them.

I have also used a pet carrier with a puppy pan in it and she used that some but not much. I haven't found anything they like as much as that corner box that Mike gave me.