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
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i40/Grammy70769/th_AmyshortvideoWMP.jpg (http://s68.photobucket.com/albums/i40/Grammy70769/?action=view&current=AmyshortvideoWMP.flv)

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. :D

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 :rolleyes: . 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]

<smiling through tears>

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. :)

[Laura's Babies]

Debbie, you learn fast that they do not want you "helping" them.... and yes, you could handle it when you think of the alternative of what someone else would do with a baby like this.

Help her? NOT!!!!!!! I have brought her food into the living room so that she won't have to make that trip into the kitchen and she would still go into the kitchen to eat. Only at her absolute worst would she accept eating in the living room, the same with the puppy pads.. Simply refuses to use those so she trys even harder to get into the litter box. Pick her up and put her on the bed? Ha! She will jump off and turn around and climb right back up all by herself thank you! The handicap ramp I made to help her get on my bed is now locked up in the shed.. Refuses to use it. These CH kitties are so crammed packed full of determination that I am in awe of this little furry bundle of love and sweetness. She sets her goals and just won't give up until she accomplishes it. I have had to learn to leave her to accomplish her goals.

M&I Mommy, I was hoping you would see this so YOU could compare to Amy to Inka so I can get a fix on just exactly how bad (or good) Amy's CH is. Now I want QSL to see this to compare to her Eli.

rg.. Thanks for the "how to" on posting video's...It got the job done and I couldn't have done it without you. THANKS! Yes, it is hard on the emotions, the worse a day she has, the harder it is on my emotions, on her victories, the highs are SUPER! An emotional roller coster but it is something I am glad I have gotten to experience. I think of the song "The Dance" a lot when I look at Amy.

Now, if only I can catch "that look" she gives me on video that absolutely and completely melts my heart!

[Lizzie]

I'm in tears also, especially at Amy's determination to get to each piece of food. I don't think I would ever learn to accept the way she copes; I would have to walk away and not watch.

I would put the odds of someone not taking such a kitten back to the pet shop at more like 999,999 to one, considering the number of people who can't even cope with a one-eyed or three-legged cat. When I visited the shelter a few weeks ago, I told them that I was ready for more special needs cats (I'd adoped three FIV+ cats a few weeks before) and they showed me one called "Wobbles". I wanted to be capable of adopting that lovely cat, but I knew that I wasn't. I can deal with behavior problems, socializing ferals, extreme medical problems, but I know I can't deal with a disabled cat that I can't help.

So, Laura, you have to be a very special person in order to nuture such a special needs cat - though I bet you think all the specialness is on her part.

Wobbles needed a low sided litter box, does Amy? That would mean having low-sided litter boxes for all since the other cats are bound, from sheer cat-contrariness, to use the special one. Does she fall down steps or stairs?

[Laura's Babies]

Lizzie, we don't have stairs here and she has never even see a set of stairs but those who do have them with CH kitties have to make sure they are not able to even get close to them.

Until this last year, Amy used a regular litter box, then I got her a puppy litter box and put it inside a kennel that the box would fit into and that worked out great. A neighbor gave me a corner box that has TONS of room in it and has a entrance only about a inch off the floor and that has worked out better than the puppy box in the kennel. It is large enough that she can lay down to do her business in should she fall over, which she does a LOT. Only once in awhile does she fall while trying to get in it and not able to get up in time and that is why the puppy pads are spread all around the outside of that box. I have regular litter boxes for the rest of the gang and on her good days, she'll go into those and I can't keep them out of hers.. :rolleyes:

Could you just think about fostering Wobbles to get her out of the shelter enviroment? You will be amazed at how HIGH the highs are when they accomplish an impossiable feat that you just new would never happen. Amy NEVER gives up! She has taught me to set my goals and do NOT give up, to keep trying until I accomplish that goal. The lessons I have learned for her are priceless! CH is a birth defect, not a disease that will kill them.

If her eating the food she dropped on the floor touched you, check this thread out!
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?p=1330567#post1330567

[catmandu]

Scrappy 2, Pouncierge and Miquelito are watching Amy and MEEEEEWWWWING
Go Amy Go!!!
Amys such a Brave Little Cat, and we have fallen in love with Her.
GO AMY GO!!!!!!!

[catfamily]

Oh Laura,Bigtime LES here.Thank God you got her instead of someone else.Since petstores are jerks and don't let you return an animal,another person would of dumped her in the woods or just dropped her off somewhere.Thank God her angel sent you there for her.
I love your video.Now I need to learn to do that :)
I wish Amy more wonderful years w/you.

[Lizzie]

Could you just think about fostering Wobbles to get her out of the shelter enviroment? You will be amazed at how HIGH the highs are when they accomplish an impossiable feat that you just new would never happen. Amy NEVER gives up! She has taught me to set my goals and do NOT give up, to keep trying until I accomplish that goal. The lessons I have learned for her are priceless! CH is a birth defect, not a disease that will kill them.

If her eating the food she dropped on the floor touched you, check this thread out!
http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?p=1330567#post1330567

Laura - I think I've just filled up my house to the point where I can't do anymore. I added the three FIV+ guys (Blackberry, Dallas & Thumper) to my 20-year old Ginger and teenage Nougat about 3 weeks ago. Then a nearly socialized feral (Eeyore - yuck!) a week ago along with a barely socialized feral (Baby Love - another yuck!) that will be in isolation for some months. And later this week I will pick up Raven, another FIV+ cat (who was Blackberry's friend) and Belle, another somewhat socialized feral. And, I do want to take Dude (also, FIV+) who was Dallas' friend. Those are/will be the upstairs cats and, although they share the main living space and three bedrooms, I'm concerned about giving them enough space for quality life.

Having said that, I turn from my computer and see four cats all together on the sofa! But, I do know that Nougat needs to get away from the others at times, and I think Baby Love (another Siamese) won't be a cat pile cat either. Don't you think that a cat like Wobbles would be overwhelmed? The guys can be very rambunctious.

[Laura's Babies]

Sounds like your Inn is loaded there. I have 3 others with Amy in my small house. She mostly stays off to herself, not being able to romp and play with them, she just sits on the sidelines and watches most of the time. Now and then, she will join in briefly.

I was just thinking Wobble would not have the stress of so many at the shelter but sounds like you got almost that many at your house too! Stress is a factor in how they do so maybe she is comfortable there and use to it and it not stress her as bad as a move would.

You are to be commended for taking in the ones you have so let me thank you for taking in the ones you have that are less than perfect in some peoples book. Keep up the good "work(?)"!

[Lizzie]

The shelter, Purrfect Pals, is very good and I know Wobbles is receiving the best care he can in the circumstances. He does have to be in a large cage (very airy with a solid floor and close to huge windows) most of the time but is allowed out when possible. The shelter doesn't specialize in CH cats the way The Hermitage does, they don't have room since they specialize in FIV+, FLV+ and ferals. They have so many socialization volunteers that when I volunteered recently they said they didn't need me. If only I had a huge house, something I know many on PT wish they had.

How old is Amy now? I'm sure you have posted this before, but I can't remember.

[Laura's Babies]

Amy will be 4 in August. I dread her approaching another birthday since each one brings a further and worse decline in her abilities.

[Sevaede]

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

[CultureJunky]

Thank you so much for posting that of Amy, she is a beautiful and spirited girl with so much determination. I have heard of CH but never seen a cat with this condition before. I am so glad she has somebody who cares for her the way you do, she is very lucky.
Is she on medication perminantly and is she in any kind of pain?

She is wonderful and and inspiration

[sirrahbed]

I had not seen a CH kitty before and so I am glad to have been able to see Amy in action. I had no idea that the wobble was as severe as it is. CCL's Lucky may have a milder case but I don't think his is very noticeable.

I watched Amy when I got up an hour or so again and yes it made me have LES because it startled me. I keep thinking about her and now came back to post. I watch the video over and over and now she makes me :)

Like the others have said - I am thankful that she came to your house. I know you are one terrific meowmie to all of your babies.

I can see how determined that Amy is to go after her food - and she does not know anything is wrong or different with her right? She has all the perks of being a PT kitty :)

Amy is one pretty girl - nice shiny coat. I will enjoy seeing "the look" if you are able to capture it for us. Thank you for posting, Laura!!

[Laura's Babies]

I am glad I am the one that got her too! Like I told the vet when I took her for that very first visit, when I picked her up in that store, it was for a lifelong committment and there was no turning back, no matter what! I thank GOD it was me that got her for more reasons that you know.. It is the whole "Dance" that came with her and I wouldn't have missed it for the world, even as emotional as it is at times. It is an experience that I wouldn't have wanted to miss.

CJ & Sirrahbed, there is no medicine for this condition, no meds, no surgery, no physical therapy... nothing. I think she knows she is "different" but it don't bother her. The only pain she has is from the falls when she looses her balance and sometimes, even when walking on the floor, she falls hard. Everyone thinks she is in pain but she isn't. You can manulipulate her legs and hips, mash on them, pull them, and she don't care or try to fight you but in doing that, it makes them weaker for a few days so I forbid the vets to do that anymore. (That is what they want to do the first time a new one sees her for some reason)

I am glad this has helped some of you understand what CH does to them. That was part of the purpose in showing her in this video.

Here is a old video I got with my old camera (so the quality is bad) to show you the decline of her CH over the several years since this video was shot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/Grammy707/th_CorrectedAmyPTvideo.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v288/Grammy707/?action=view&current=CorrectedAmyPTvideo.flv)

[Russian Blue]

These CH kitties are so crammed packed full of determination that I am in awe of this little furry bundle of love and sweetness. She sets her goals and just won't give up until she accomplishes it. I have had to learn to leave her to accomplish her goals.



I am glad this has helped some of you understand what CH does to them. That was part of the purpose in showing her in this video.

Thank you for posting this Laura. I've never seen this before so it's very educational. I'm also glad that someone with a wonderful heart picked her up to take her home that day. :)

I'm currently dealing with Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome with Nakita. It's a neurological disorder (possible seizure activity) that makes her attack her hind legs and back and sends her racing across the room (it looks like she has been shocked).There is no cure (or known cause) for that but there is meds that I may have to put her on since her 'episodes' seem to be increasing. I'm trying everything (nutritional, environmental, stress reducing etc) to see if I can control them before applying the meds.

Give Amy a hug for me, will ya? :)

[smokey the elder]

My CH cat Diva is 10. Her condition seemed to level off at about 4 or 5, I forget. I'm just used to her. Unlike Amy, she INSISTS on help using the box! One of us has to hold her while she does her (sometimes aromatic) business! :p :D

[lizbud]

That is so heartbreaking to see. :( :(

[*JTM*Coco*pi*Caramel*]

Im so thankful Amy came to live with you and bless you for taking care of her! It must be so hard, and sad sometimes but it is great to hear she is a fighter and that must be so rewarding! I had never heard of CH before, Lut had mentioned something about Inka's balence before but I never knew that it could be this severe. Keep up the good work Amy and hugs from Coco and Caramel!

[QueenScoopalot]

Great job Laura! So happy to see you are still promoting our special little kitties! ;) Amy actually seems to get around quite well for a CH girlie. :eek: If you saw some of my herd in action, you'd be stunned, but having had special needs, and CH kitties for close to 12 years now, I don't bat an eye anymore except when one particular boy climbs the stairs. :rolleyes: Teeter Totter is a very determined and headstrong young boy, and sometimes he does things that scare the wits out of me! But to NOT let them take things at their own pace, and to coddle them, doesn't help them gain confidence, and learn their abilities. ;) Kisses for sweet Amy from my gang of misfits, and hugs to you for teaching others. :)

[jazzcat]

Wow. Laura I know you have described her condition before and I thought I had a grasp of what it's like but to see this video just amazed me. I had no clue. I sat here with my mouth hanging open as I watched. I just had no idea at the extent of CH on Amy.

I agree with the others that she is very lucky to have you. When I watched the second video I realized that I would be fighting the urge to help her all the time. What a little trooper she is.

[Cincy'sMom]

I had no idea what CH kitties were. Thanks for the education.

I truly admire you and all those who have pets with chronic health issues, although I think it often more stressful and difficult for us the humans, then the animals themselves. Your video shows what a determined, brave, and beautiful girl your Amy is. She probablly doesn't realize there is anything special about her except that she is a happy girl in a wonderful home!

[Laura's Babies]

I am amazed at the response to this video am I am glad so many of you have had the chance to actuallty SEE what CH is for the first time with my little go getter Amy!

Jan, I am SO glad you saw it, that is what I wanted, for you (and others with CH kitties) to see it and give me some feedback as to how bad/good Amy's is. Since she is my first experience with one, I don't have a clue. Jan, do you have video mode on your camera so that you can take video of some of yours and post them? (So I can see... Perhaps a little more promoting and educating, there are a lot of new people here!)

The vet that Amy and Giz saw today has experience with CH kitties. He is a new graduate from LSU Vet School but he has a friend who has a cat with CH and he said Amy's Ch is mild compared to his friends so that made me feel lots better.

[Lizzie]

I'm currently dealing with Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome with Nakita. It's a neurological disorder (possible seizure activity) that makes her attack her hind legs and back and sends her racing across the room (it looks like she has been shocked).There is no cure (or known cause) for that but there is meds that I may have to put her on since her 'episodes' seem to be increasing. I'm trying everything (nutritional, environmental, stress reducing etc) to see if I can control them before applying the meds.

Poor Nakita! I had nerve damage after extensive jaw surgery and for a few years afterwards would suddenly and occasionally feel as though I had hundreds of ants crawling all over my lower lip and across my gums. It wasn't like pins and needles, it was more like a mild electric current running across. There is no escape from it and I did used to feel as though I was desparate to run away from my own body. I hope you can find some help for Nakita. Are the meds some kind of sedative?

[Laura's Babies]

Poor Nakita.. Looks like there would be some sort of surgery to shut off that nerve or whatever that gives her that feeling that makes her attack herself like that. What does the meds do, clam her down, soften the feelings in the area where she attacks herself? I wish there was some I could get for Amy.

[lvpets2002]

:) ;) Oh Dear Amy you are a Gift to your meowmomie.. I wish I could just hold you sweet adorable baby.. Thank you meowmomie for taken & keeping this baby in your life..

[kuhio98]

Thanks for posting this, Laura. I had never seen a CH kitty in action before. Major LES. After seeing it, I truly marvel at the photos of Amy climbing to the top of the cat tree! That girl is very determined!

[mumpkees]

Laura:

The video was great! It looks like you really did help a lot of members learn what a CH kitty is. I'm not a regular poster, but am a long time mom of many s/needs babies with a variety of s/needs. We also are moms currently to five CH babies, having lost our MaxMan who had severe CH (unable to sit stand or walk on his own) and a laundry list of other disabilities, last October. Our CH babies range from moderately severe to mild CH, but all have several other disabilities besides the CH (blindess, deafness, epilepsy, food allergies).

Before I talk to you about Amy, I wanted to clarify some of what you posted from Wikipedia. Actually CH occurs when a mother cat during her pregnancy comes in contact with a virus called panleukopenia or cat distemper or several other names the virus is known by. It can also happen when the mother is vaccinated for panleuk and the vet/caregiver does not know she is pregnant. The virus attacks the cerebellum - the portion of the brain that controls balance and other fine motor skills. It also attacks other rapidly replicating cells - usually the optic cells and hence the reason that many CH cats have vision issues also. Depending upon when in the pregnancy the mother contacts (or is vaccinated) panleuk exposed kittens can be reabsorbed, aborted prematurely, still born or born with CH to varying degrees or completely normal. Usually it is only a single kitten in a litter, but entire litters have been born before all w/ CH.

While sometimes it is obvious at birth, as in the case of MaxMan who had it not been for his other mother would not have survived because he could not propel himself to his mother and once there wasn't even able to hang on to her nipple. Normally it is not until the kittens begin to right themselves and try to walk that you realize "something isn't quite right". The litter mates are scampering and wrestling and toppling, but getting right up. The CH baby is still trying to get his legs under him and once up, immediately topples, but as many have said - the sheer determination is already apparent. CH babies do not give up!

True CH never gets worse - it never gets better either, but as kittens get older up until about two years of age, they learn to compensate and seem 'better'. After about age two - what you see is what they will be able to do the rest of their lives. The one time that older cats with CH actually do seem to get worse is when they have had a weight gain. We took two brothers who had been surviving in a feral colony for two years but because of food competition from normals and cold weather, were severely underweight. They are both moderately severe in that they walk two steps and topple, walk and topple. Once they got up to normal weight, neither was able to get up long enough to take steps, they lost their climbing ability also - but again determination kept them trying and now they are back to where they were when we first got them.

CH symptoms range from mild - they walk like little drunken sailors or will walk stiff legged little 'goose steps' to severe - barely able to walk or not walk at all. Some CH kitties 'circle', some shake like those souped up cars, some have mild to severe head intention tremors (head bobbing) which is exagerated when they get excited. Some can walk a few steps and fall, get right back up and go on. Others fall and then 'freeze' for a few seconds before they can right themselves. Others cannot sit, stand or walk on their own - even with PT. None of these babies are in pain and all with a loving caregiver can and do live wonderfully happy lives - MaxMan had severe CH and his laundry list of other disabilities - he was the happiest spoiled kitty that ever lived.

Feline herpes (is a virus not a bacterial infection) does not cause CH, nor will malnutrition, poisoning, injury or accidents. CH is only caused by pan leuk virus. These other things can mimic some of the CH symptoms and as such a vet consult should be done to address and help these issues. CH is not a 'disease' - it is a condition caused by a virus and as such is not contageous to other cats, your dog, guinea pig, birds, the kids or you. The cat will have CH all its life, but will not die from CH. There are many CH cats who are celebrating birthdays in their teens.

However, dogs who are born with cerebellar hypoplasia normally do get worse as they age and ultimately do die from the condition. The CH that dogs contact is not caused by the same virus as that of the cats.

Now as to Amy - I viewed both videos and watching them, I cannot see the progression of getting worse that you mention. I do see that she has gained weight from one video to the next and as I said above this will cause the condition to "worsen" to us until they again learn to compensate by getting their balance etc. There are other things that do mimic CH and if Amy truly is getting worse, then you will want to talk to your vet about possible tests to run because while she may have Ch she could have something else going on - an infection, tumor, toxo, etc. If you would like, contact me via PM to exchange email addys and we can discuss further.

Sorry group for this being so long, but since Laura was so gracious to share the video of her baby and a bit of CH information, I wanted to chime in with the corrected facts. As with all special needs babies, with a loving caregiver and a few MINOR adjustments, CH babies can be a wonderful addition to a family. They are fiercely independent, incredibly determined little guys who once you have loved one, you will wonder how you could have lived without one (or five LOL) as a member of your family.
/mari

[Laura's Babies]

mumpkees....HI there and welcome to Pet Talk and glad your found you way to this thread. You sound like you are the person I have been looking for, someone with a world of information and EXPERIENCE! I will be pm'ing you really soon!

I have to admit I DO have a problem expressing myself correctly so forgive my mistakes..

Along about the time Amy made her worse decline, I had noticed her physical appearance had changed somewhat. Before, she had a short full body and suddenly she seems long and lean and her face was different too. That was most noticeable since my daughter commented on how much prettier her face was... It was like she took a growth spurt and matured in her face overnight. I looked at her for days and kept asking her "Why are you so much prettier to me now?"... I even stopped at the vets office and asked them if she could have took a growth spurt all of a sudden and they kept saying she couldn't have. Her weight has stayed the same but I swear she has gotten longer and more mature looking... I monitor her weight close, knowing she can not get heavy. Also, there are other factors I think that have worsened her condition that I will PM you about so as not to bore everyone else. I am so thrilled that you found this and responded!

[Lizzie]

Laura - you are not going to bore anyone in this thread. As you can see from the posts, we all appreciate knowing more on this subject. It is, of course, up to you on switching to pm'ing, but please post information here also so that we can educate ourselves. I really like the informational threads.

[mumpkees]

I'm currently dealing with Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome with Nakita. It's a neurological disorder (possible seizure activity) that makes her attack her hind legs and back and sends her racing across the room (it looks like she has been shocked).There is no cure (or known cause) for that but there is meds that I may have to put her on since her 'episodes' seem to be increasing. I'm trying everything (nutritional, environmental, stress reducing etc) to see if I can control them before applying the meds.

Besides CH babies, we have two with FHS. FHS is thought to be 'related' to epilesy. We also have an epileptic dog (all of her 13 years) and two blind CH cats with epilepsy amongst the group. There is an excellent yahoo group for feline epilepsy and many on the group have FHS cats. I have some information I can share with you as will others on the group. Is your baby on any meds? We currently have both on meds - Junior's FHS is under control (after he literally chewed off his rear outside toe and was steadily working on the next toe - scary awakening to the condition). CrazyBoy is on his second medication and while he isn't self-mutilating yet, he lives up to his name and we will soon be trying to figure out what our next treatment option is going to be. /mari (mumpkees)

[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. :o 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.

[Medusa]

Laura, Amy is a sweetheart, that's for sure. My Creamsicle, in the beginning, was diagnosed as a CH kitty, then later with vestibular hypoplasia instead because it affected her hearing and she's deaf. Creamsicle was way worse than Amy in the beginning. She couldn't stand at all. If I stood her up, one step and over she went. But my vet, recently retired for the second time, put her on medication and she rapidly improved. Cgirl's head swung so violently from side to side like a pendulum that she couldn't eat on her own. I had to hold her head to be able to put food in her mouth. She could use the litterbox but then, of course, she fell over in her own mess almost every time. If you look at her now, though, her head only swings slightly and she does what I call the salamander walk. She never falls over now but she does get a little ahead of herself occasionally and will fall down steps. She's so much better than she was when I rescued her at 6 weeks old. She'll be 6 years old in Sept. For the life of me, I don't remember the name of the medication she was on. But I can call my vet's office and have them look through her records if you like. PM me if you care to. No matter what, though, she's sweet and you'll receive countless blessings with her in your life.

[phesina]

Sigh, how sweet and touching to read all about Amy and see this video. I am glad to see this thread again.

Laura, may I join with everyone else in saying how lucky and blessed Amy is that you, rather than 999,999 out of a thousand other customers, were the one to take her home. Many thanks to you and her so much for your lives together and for sharing your and her lives with us at PT.

Last year I saw a thread (this one?) about Amy and CH, with a video of her. I was alarmed and saddened at first but saw what a good life you were giving her (and she was giving you too). And I learned something about Cerebellar Hypoplasia, which I had never even heard of before that.

That made all the difference a few months later when a tiny kitten came to our shelter who couldn't stand up long and wobbled and fell over when he tried to get anywhere. Because of you, Laura and Amy, I wasn't alarmed and didn't feel helpless with him, and I was able to help reassure other people there about him. Everyone fell in love with little Elmer, as he was named, and after a few weeks I wound up adopting him myself!

He is a bigger boy now, and he still wobbles and falls over a lot but doesn't let that stop him from doing what he wants to do. He is not bullied by the other cats. In fact, he and Poppy, who is a year older, often get into chasing and wrestling matches with each other, and Elmer gives as good as he gets. When Poppy has had enough, she jumps up on something to get away, and then he can't get her. He also likes to stalk and grab at moving objects like twitching tails (occasionally even getting the one attached to him!).

Recently he has mastered getting up on my bed! He leaps up high enough he can grab on to the top with his front claws and pull himself up the rest of the way.

He is able to get into and use any litter box handy, though it is a bit of a climb and fall process. He lies on his side to pee but can stand and wobble to poop.

Laura and Amy, THANK YOU SO MUCH! Elmer and I are both very grateful to you, and Elmer regards Amy as his beloved mentor. Because of you, Elmer has a home and he and I have both had our lives enriched.

AND... Elmer met his sweetie Taccoa, another adorable CH kitty, here on Pet Talk!

Here are some pictures of him, the first from last October shortly after he came to live with me, the next in December, and the third one this past March.

Pat

[Laura's Babies]

phesina, can Elmer run better trhan he can walk? Amy cam run like the wind, it is walking that she has a problem with. His pictures are so adoreable, he reminds me so much of Chester!! Those l-o-n-g legs!!! :eek: Has he grown into them? He is going to be one really tall boy!! I reconize that stance he has in that first picture, I see that a lot in Amy.

Talking about Amy as much as I do is to educate, so others would see what a little wonder these babies are, that they are just as deserving at having a great life as any other kitty. If it can save 1 CH kitty, then I will preach until I am blue in the face. They have so much to teach us and I know that is why she was sent into my life... to teach me so that I could also teach. SHE is the teacher and I am her student! I adore her (in case no one has noticed) and she is the center of my heart. I know Elmer is yours too! What absolute wonders they are!

Poor baby, today she went to sleep on one of the kitty sofa's and she was sleeping hard! I heard a ker-thunk and looked and she had fell off of it in her sleep and had the most puzzeled look on her face.. I went and got her and sat on the sofa and loved on her for a long time. I took this picture just as she was dozing off... She is happily sleeping on the human sofa now.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v288/Grammy707/HPIM3182.jpg

[phesina]

Hi Laura, Elmer can run quite fast, but he does it by kind of throwing his body ahead.. he lunges forward with his front paws, and his back half doesn't follow right behind but swings from side to side a bit, and usually he falls then. And he picks himself up, and again lunges forward with his front paws, etc., etc.. until he gets where he was going.

He can keep up with Poppy when they stalk each other, so she has to jump up on something if she wants to get away from him.

When he walks, he wobbles on all four legs. He makes his way along as if he were walking on stilts, and he falls over from time to time.

Whenever he falls, he just picks himself up and keeps on doing what he was doing. He does not seem to consider himself disabled or lacking in skills that other cats have. As far as he knows, this is the way everybody is! He and the other cats react to each other as equals (Elmer an equal who just happens to fall over a lot).

He is a long, tubular figure of a cat. He has grown some into his legs, but they are still quite long. He has sort of a dachshund's trunk on a giraffe's legs! I think his head is a little smaller in proportion to the rest of his body than on most cats.

Amy is so beautiful and so touching. I am not surprised that you love her so deeply and cherish her so much. She is so cute and sweet sleeping there on her couch. What a wonderful life you give her and she gives you!

Again, I thank you and Amy for helping me to realize that Elmer was to be my boy! Everyone who meets him falls in love with him and his example of prevailing in spite of life's difficulties.

Love,
Pat and Elmer

[ramanth]

What a beautiful and strong will she has. *HUGS* to you and Amy.

[lvpets2002]

;) Yes Laura & Pat my Taccoa runs better than walks.. She has to sorta leap forward to get the run going & zoom we are gone.. I will admitt I do have carpet everywhere for her falls.. Hey just like wittle Amy & Elmer we would not trade these babies for the world.. I tell Taccoa all the time she is for sure God's Gifted Angel.. By the way Taccoa says Hello to her Boyfriend Elmer..

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b335/lvpets2002/IMG_1007.jpg

[Pawla]

What a beautiful girl Amy is! I'm so happy that she and all the cats on PT with this handicap have the truly special people in their lives to care for and love them!

[phesina]

OOOOOOH! My Taccoa! That dainty, adorable little FOOTSIE with the little pink and grey toesies sticking right out front there..

KISSIE... KISSIE.... KISSIIEEE..... KISSSSSIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Your loving ELMER

[phesina]

Hey Helene, I'm glad you and Taccoa saw this thread! I was just about to PM you about this and the other one. Have you seen that one? http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=128925

Pat

[lvpets2002]

:) Thanks Pat.. I dont think I saw that one till now.. I didnt read much about CH babies until I was just about to adopt Taccoa.. Then I started with who was Amy's meomom & Elmer's meomom.. I have so enjoyed all of you & babies & of course my Precious Taccoa.. Hey is My Boyfriend Elmer ready for Tx Treats??

[caffeitina]

Amy is adorable! And it looks like she doesn't let the CH slow her down at all. She's a special kitty and you should be proud :)

[phesina]

Elmer would love some Texas Treats, Helene! And he will be looking around to find the best that Michigan has to offer his sweetie.

[cassiesmom]

Phesina, Laura, LVPets2002 and anyone else acquainted with feline cerebellar hypoplasia ... just one question ... how common is it? I understand mumpkees' post about it (I'm a nurse) and after reading about LVPets2002's Butterscotch and reading through this thread, I wonder how often it occurs. Bless you all, bless you enormously for caring about cats with disabilities!

[lvpets2002]

;) Well I know here in Texas not common.. However I have noticed that up on the East Coast {New York} & surrounding areas it is very common.. Now ButterScotch was in a litter of three & he was the only one with CH..
Phesina, Laura, LVPets2002 and anyone else acquainted with feline cerebellar hypoplasia ... just one question ... how common is it? I understand mumpkees' post about it (I'm a nurse) and after reading about LVPets2002's Butterscotch and reading through this thread, I wonder how often it occurs. Bless you all, bless you enormously for caring about cats with disabilities!

[Medusa]

I've got two w/it; one actually has vestibular hypoplasia which affects the hearing and caused Creamsicle to go deaf. She's the worst case. You'd never know Coco Puff has it now. He just goes into a sort of daze like seizure every once in a while. As for how common it is, I have no idea. My old vet thought that it can be caused by the feline herpes virus. I didn't even know what it was called until I became a member of PT, which is why I like it here so much. We learn and teach, we comfort and are comforted.

[critters]

As disabilities go, it's pretty common, and it can happen to dogs, too. I don't know that anybody can give you a "x out of 1000 births" guesstimate on it, though. Ari is quite severe.

[smokey the elder]

I've personally observed 3 cats with it, out of about 2,000 or so that I have seen, so maybe 1 in a thousand? (I think diabetes is more common than CH.)

[Anikaca77]

Thank you so much for helping and loving Amy. I'm amazed at how tough you say she is. That's great.

[mumpkees]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.

Case in point - Teeter and Totter were found in a carrier in front of a petco w/ vet services. The vet there was sure that they were 'rabid', however, thankfully, that day a friend of mine who does adoptions happened to be there and see these two tiny 5 wk old black kittens and said 'hold on - I think that may be CH - let me call a friend'. Sure enough, both are mild CH. Totter turned out to be totally blind and suffer grand mal epileptic seizures (controlled by medication) and a skin condition that totally defied our vets. We kept that under 'control' with mediation also. His sister is also blind and deaf. We lost Totter this past July from a severe reaction to a vaccination. His sister however is doing fine.

I raised my first CH kitten from a rescued stray mother over 35 years ago. I was in a small Alabama town and the vet didn't have a clue what Soaper had. There was little information available in written form but I found a short article in a book describing Soaper to a T. Now some 35 years later, there still is not much information available and still far too many vets that have no idea what cerebellar hypoplasia is. I think the reason that it seems like there are more CH kitties in the northeast and California is because vets there seem to be more ready to 'think outside the box' when confronted with something out of the norm. Their first reaction doesn't seem to be pts, put out of its misery. Thanks to the internet, handicapped pet forums, special needs and most specifically the CH kitty yahoo groups, awareness of this condition is becoming more known. Cat parents when confronted with a kitten w/ CH are refusing to put an adorably sweet kitten full of life who just happens to topple over or shake to sleep. They take their kitten back home and start to do their own research, find groups like this to post their kitten's symptoms and discover their kitten has CH. And just like Lay's potato chips, you can't just have one......... LOL ....... it is so easy to fall in love with their adorable spirits and fierce determination!

[Medusa]

it is so easy to fall in love with their adorable spirits and fierce determination!
Boy, you got that right! When my little Creamsicle first came to me, she could only walk in circles, that's when she could walk at all w/out falling over. Her head swung violently from side to side like a pendulum and it was nearly impossible for her to eat. I had to do my best to hold her head still while trying to get some food into her. My old vet who has since retired stayed up night after night searching the internet but didn't come up w/CH diagnosis. He said that she had a neurological disorder. But before he saw her, one of his associates took a look at her because my vet was out of town and he recommended having her PTS. The thought of her living her life w/out even being able to eat w/out my help was more than I thought she should have to endure and I almost, ALMOST, considered it until he said that because she was so tiny at 6 weeks old, he would have to insert the needle directly into her heart and that it would be painful. Now, I was at work when he told me this over the phone and I said "DO NOT TOUCH HER! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." I kept the vet's office on my cell phone for the entire drive, insisting that they not hang up on me or I would immediately call them back. I kept saying "DO NOT TOUCH HER." They said "Ok, we understand! We won't touch her." When my vet came back into town, I told him what happened and he hung his head and said "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I think we can save her." Well, long story short, she's a happy 6 year old who does the salamandar walk and is deaf but she's the most lovable, sweet natured kitty kat you'd ever want to see. (Except when I put her in the carrier to go to the vet's office. My new vet, that is. :) ) It's scary to think that there are still vets out there who so easily say "Put him/her to sleep" w/out even trying to figure out what's wrong. I'm so glad I waited for my vet to come back into town. This little girl came to me at a time in my life when I was ready to give up and I truly feel that she saved my life. CH babies deserve a chance and I'm so happy that there are so many PTers that agree w/me.

[Emeraldgreen]

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.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebellar_hypoplasia"

Hi, I know this thread was started quite some time ago but I was wondering if you knew about this possible connection with the feline herpes virus and CH? Do you know if this means it can develop later on in a cat who has always had the herpes virus? My cat Stinky had herpes when we adopted her at 7 weeks of age. The vet thought she had a 50/50 chance of making it. Her eyes were all goopy and her nose too and she was kind of lethargic. We put her in a steamy bathroom many times per day and teabags on her eyes to soothe them and she made it through. This virus is mostly dormant but if she becomes stressed, it comes back and she is sick all over again. Now we give her Lysine when she starts sneezing after a stressful situation. The Lysine keeps the breakout to about 3-4 days.
I have noticed a few times while petting her that her head does this mild, very slight tremor thing. I pointed it out to my husband and he couldn't see it but I'm really in tune with our cats and I know them so well and I not only saw this once but twice, maybe a month apart and both times were this passed fall. She is 7 years old.
Do you think CH could show up in a cat at this age and start mildly? I'm concerned.
p.s. I will of course look into this and get as much info as I can but I found your thread and thought I'd ask. :)

[catfamily]

i'm sorry that i don't know but i do know how in tune you are with your cats,like myself,i watch them constantly when i can and almost analize them if i see anything that isn't normal to that individual cat.
my husband doesn't see the things that i do...then later finding i was right he knows how in tune i am with them like you.
to me...it would of scared me also,seeing the tremor...i feel so bad that your kitty mat have this.
i usually to put lysine in all the cans of catfood that i open.it's great that you do that.
maybe it isn't CH but it could be a mild start of it...just keep an eye out and try not to worry to much.:confused:

hoping your doing great otherwise Laura:)

[critters]

It shouldn't be CH newly appearing in a 7 YO. That doesn't mean, however, that something else can't be causing CH-like signs. I'd just keep an eye out in case of further changes.

[Medusa]

My Creamsicle has vestibular hyoplasia which means that the CH also caused deafness. She had all the symptoms of CH and they were so severe that, in the beginning, I feared that her only relief would be to have her PTS. She couldn't stand or eat on her own because her head swung violently back and forth like a pendulum. When she finally could walk, she could only walk in circles. She improved greatly over time, though, and now only falls when she gets too excited. So don't lose hope. My Siamese, Coco Puff, has a slight case of CH and it didn't reveal itself for at least 3 months after he was born, if I remember correctly. I came home from work one day and found him sitting on my kitchen counter top, staring into space and I couldn't get him to snap out of it. He had that slight tremor in his head that you mentioned. After being examined by the vet, it was determined that he, too, is a CH kitty. Now, though, you'd never know it. He hasn't had an episode since and he's so strong! This may be the only symptom that your kitty ever has, although, obviously, I can't say that for sure. My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. So I don't know. I hope this helps you even if just a little.

[critters]

My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. . Are you sure he didn't say distemper, AKA panleukopenia?

[Medusa]

Are you sure he didn't say distemper, AKA panleukopenia?

Absolutely positive.

[Laura's Babies]

Sounds like you have some better answers that what I have. I simply don't know the answer to that. The only experience I have is with Amy's condition that SHE has and I am sure every case is different.

But thanks for bringing this thread forward again. It could hepl do further educating to some that have never heard of CH before.

To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

[Medusa]

To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

Y'know, this makes sense. Imagine if you were falling down every day; it would stand to reason that you'd be in pain as if you had arthritis. I'm glad Amy is doing better in that way.

[Emeraldgreen]

Thanks for everybody's responses! :)


My Siamese, Coco Puff, has a slight case of CH and it didn't reveal itself for at least 3 months after he was born, if I remember correctly. I came home from work one day and found him sitting on my kitchen counter top, staring into space and I couldn't get him to snap out of it. He had that slight tremor in his head that you mentioned. After being examined by the vet, it was determined that he, too, is a CH kitty. Now, though, you'd never know it. He hasn't had an episode since and he's so strong! This may be the only symptom that your kitty ever has, although, obviously, I can't say that for sure. My vet, who has since retired, told me that the CH had been caused by a herpes virus yet none of the other kittens that I had rescued during the time I rescued both Creamsicle and Coco Puff ever developed CH. So I don't know. I hope this helps you even if just a little.

That is so interesting! Does Coco Puff have the Herpes virus and does he have outbreaks when stressd?

Your description of Coco Puff reminded me of Paddy. I have also seen his head do this tremor thing, only one time though and very slightly. I've also found him staring in a locked gaze at nothing a couple of times. I've never found Stinky doing this though. I contributed the staring to OCD because of the aggressiveness we were dealing with and his overgrooming. Hallucinating was another symptom on a few websites I checked out. But the tremor thing, I don't know what that would be related to. I have (like so many of us) so much on my plate with serious health concerns with my cats (cancer, asthma, IBD etc..) that when something new presents itself and doesn't happen more than twice, I tend to leave it but continue to watch for it to reappear at which point I'll decide if we need to go to the vet.
Both Stinky and Paddy seem fine otherwise (aside from her Herpes outbreaks and his OCD issues that is!) Paddy was tested for the usual things like FIV before we adopted him but there is no record of herpes, though this may be something he also has.



To add to this thread, updating on Amy. After having Nancy (pet psychic) read Amy and finding out she hurt like she had arthritis all over, and at her suggestion, I now have her on Cosequin for arthritis and it has made a noticable differance in how she feels. It has helped her so much! She still trembles, jerks and falls over but I can see in her face and how she gets around that she isn't in as much pain as before.

I'm so glad that Amy is doing well on the Cosequin. Like Medusa said, it makes sense that her muscles would be sore from falling over. I was also thinking that all that jerkiness must really tax the muscles as well with constant contractions. I wonder if full body massages would help her too? I've often wanted to learn how to do animal massage, targeting certain areas with proper techniques etc.. to give relief to my older dog Muddy. I think there are videos available about massaging pets.

[Medusa]

Thanks for everybody's responses! :)



That is so interesting! Does Coco Puff have the Herpes virus and does he have outbreaks when stressd?


No, he doesn't have any outbreaks and neither does Creamsicle. My vet showed me how to tell if your cat has brain damage, even if slight. Hold your cat firmly by the hindquarters and allow his/her head and front legs to dangle. If s/he puts his/her legs straight out, no damage. If she wobbles and thrashes and the legs go in every direction, brain damage. (Not a wobble that indicates struggling to get away; a wobble that indicates unsureness.) I can't even do it w/Creamsicle because she's so spastic but I can w/Coco Puff and he does indeed have a slight wobble.

[Medusa]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.




I heartily second this opinion! When I first found Creamsicle sick inside one of the outdoor shelters that I had set up, I thought she was dead. She was 6 weeks old and when I shook her, she didn't move. I shook her again and startled her. She struggled to get up and immediately fell over. My vet was out of town and one of his associates took her case and, while I was at work, he called to tell me that he thought she might have rabies and should be PTS. When I asked how it would be done, he said that her veins were too tiny to inject a needle and that he would have to directly inject her heart. I said "Don't touch her! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." He said that he wouldn't treat her at all but I didn't trust him, so I called back on my cell phone and stayed on the line until I got to the animal hospital. I waited until my vet came back into town, meanwhile taking care of Creamsicle as best I could, keeping her isolated in case she could transmit whatever it was that she had to my other cats. When my vet saw her, he admitted to being baffled but he wasn't one to just write an animal off. He stayed up all night researching her symptoms and he told me that she had a herpes virus that caused the symptoms. With good vet treatment and a lot of love, she now is the happiest cat you'd ever want to see. At times, she can even be a bully w/my other cats! When she gets excited or scared, she reverts to walking frantically in circles and then, of course, she becomes even more spastic and falls a lot. I can't keep her from getting excited because feeding time gets her all worked up. But I can keep her from getting scared and I make sure that she feels as secure as possible. Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure. But her determination and her sweet, sweet personality are unmatched by any of my other cats before or since adding her to my Fur Posse. Her deafness also means that she needs more stimulation than the other cats do and she loves to reach up and touch your face. I couldn't bear the thought of her doing that while she was being PTS. I couldn't have lived w/myself. She's also partially blind; she has no peripheral vision, so I'm thinking that she may have something other than CH but I don't know for sure. I also don't know for sure if it is indeed caused by a herpes virus. What I do know is that she is the most wonderful, loving, determined, spoiled little cat that I've ever had the pleasure of living with. (Well, she isn't so little any more. She's on Prednisolone for a skin allergy and she's chubbed up.) And she came in to my life at a time when I needed to be saved, too. We saved each other. If you have an opportunity to adopt a CH baby, I encourage you to do so. CH babies need more love than the average cat and they give it back to you a hundred times over.

[Medusa]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.




I heartily second this opinion! When I first found Creamsicle sick inside one of the outdoor shelters that I had set up, I thought she was dead. She was 6 weeks old and when I shook her, she didn't move. I shook her again and startled her. She struggled to get up and immediately fell over. My vet was out of town and one of his associates took her case and, while I was at work, he called to tell me that he thought she might have rabies and should be PTS. When I asked how it would be done, he said that her veins were too tiny to inject a needle and that he would have to directly inject her heart. I said "Don't touch her! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." He said that he wouldn't treat her at all but I didn't trust him, so I called back on my cell phone and stayed on the line until I got to the animal hospital. I waited until my vet came back into town, meanwhile taking care of Creamsicle as best I could, keeping her isolated in case she could transmit whatever it was that she had to my other cats. When my vet saw her, he admitted to being baffled but he wasn't one to just write an animal off. He stayed up all night researching her symptoms and he told me that she had a herpes virus that caused the symptoms. With good vet treatment and a lot of love, she now is the happiest cat you'd ever want to see.

At times, she can even be a bully w/my other cats! When she gets excited or scared, she reverts to walking frantically in circles and then, of course, she becomes even more spastic and falls a lot. I can't keep her from getting excited because feeding time gets her all worked up. But I can keep her from getting scared and I make sure that she feels as secure as possible. Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure. But her determination and her sweet, sweet personality are unmatched by any of my other cats before or since adding her to my Fur Posse.

Her deafness also means that she needs more stimulation than the other cats do and she loves to reach up and touch your face. I couldn't bear the thought of her doing that while she was being PTS. I couldn't have lived w/myself. She's also partially blind; she has no peripheral vision, so I'm thinking that she may have something other than CH but I don't know for sure. I also don't know for sure if it is indeed caused by a herpes virus. What I do know is that she is the most wonderful, loving, determined, spoiled little cat that I've ever had the pleasure of living with. (Well, she isn't so little any more. She's on Prednisolone for a skin allergy and she's chubbed up.) And she came in to my life at a time when I needed to be saved, too. We saved each other. If you have an opportunity to adopt a CH baby, I encourage you to do so. CH babies need more love than the average cat and they give it back to you a hundred times over.

[Medusa]

Sadly, the reason it seems 'more common' in the northeast is because Texas and other southern states still have far too many vets, shelter personnel and others that do not recognize a possible CH kitten when they see one.

When confronted with a kitten who has CH many vets diagnose rabies, brain tumor, neurological disorder, toxoplasmosis. The prevailing opinion of these vets is that a kitten will be doomed to a life of misery or that the prognosis is 'poor'. Kittens w/ CH turned into shelters are euth'd without a second thought. Kittens taken to personal vets often suffer the same fate when client is told of the 'poor prognosis and much suffering'.




I heartily second this opinion! When I first found Creamsicle, sick inside one of the outdoor shelters that I had set up, I thought she was dead. She was 6 weeks old and when I shook her, she didn't move. I shook her again and startled her. She struggled to get up and immediately fell over. My vet was out of town and one of his associates took her case and, while I was at work, he called to tell me that he thought she might have rabies and should be PTS. When I asked how it would be done, he said that her veins were too tiny to inject a needle and that he would have to directly inject her heart. I said "Don't touch her! I'm leaving work right now to come and get her." He said that he wouldn't treat her at all but I didn't trust him, so I called back on my cell phone and stayed on the line until I got to the animal hospital. I waited until my vet came back into town, meanwhile taking care of Creamsicle as best I could, keeping her isolated in case she could transmit whatever it was that she had to my other cats. When my vet saw her, he admitted to being baffled but he wasn't one to just write an animal off. He stayed up all night researching her symptoms and he told me that she had a herpes virus that caused the symptoms. With good vet treatment and a lot of love, she now is the happiest cat you'd ever want to see.

At times, she can even be a bully w/my other cats! When she gets excited or scared, she reverts to walking frantically in circles and then, of course, she becomes even more spastic and falls a lot. I can't keep her from getting excited because feeding time gets her all worked up. But I can keep her from getting scared and I make sure that she feels as secure as possible. Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure. But her determination and her sweet, sweet personality are unmatched by any of my other cats before or since adding her to my Fur Posse.

Her deafness also means that she needs more stimulation than the other cats do and she loves to reach up and touch your face. I couldn't bear the thought of her doing that while she was being PTS. I couldn't have lived w/myself. She's also partially blind; she has no peripheral vision, so I'm thinking that she may have something other than CH but I don't know for sure. I also don't know for sure if it is indeed caused by a herpes virus. What I do know is that she is the most wonderful, loving, determined, spoiled little cat that I've ever had the pleasure of living with. (Well, she isn't so little any more. She's on Prednisolone for a skin allergy and she's chubbed up.) And she came in to my life at a time when I needed to be saved, too. We saved each other. If you have an opportunity to adopt a CH baby, I encourage you to do so. CH babies need more love than the average cat and they give it back to you a hundred times over.

[Emeraldgreen]

That is an amazing story about Creamsicle! Thank God you didn't give up on her and that you were both there for each other.


Yes, sometimes she tries to jump up onto the sofa or chair and she misses and she never lands on her feet. She's taken some lumps, that's for sure.

Stinky is the world's worst jumper. She often 'misses' when she attempts to jump up on stuff but the second try usually gets the job done. Maybe it's all connected! She is very agile though and even though she is an indoor cat, last night she caught a mouse on our enclosed deck! I was sad for the mouse but very impressed with her hunting skills that I had no idea she had! She was very angry with me that I took the mouse away from her. Rightly so I guess!

[kb2yjx]

A bit slow here.. just saw the video!! Our cats can teach us so much!!! Amy is precious and you are so special to care for her!!!

[phesina]

Hi, I know this thread was started quite some time ago but I was wondering if you knew about this possible connection with the feline herpes virus and CH? Do you know if this means it can develop later on in a cat who has always had the herpes virus? My cat Stinky had herpes when we adopted her at 7 weeks of age. ... This virus is mostly dormant but if she becomes stressed, it comes back and she is sick all over again. Now we give her Lysine when she starts sneezing after a stressful situation. The Lysine keeps the breakout to about 3-4 days.
...
I have noticed a few times while petting her that her head does this mild, very slight tremor thing. I pointed it out to my husband and he couldn't see it but I'm really in tune with our cats and I know them so well and I not only saw this once but twice, maybe a month apart and both times were this passed fall. She is 7 years old.
Do you think CH could show up in a cat at this age and start mildly? I'm concerned.
p.s. I will of course look into this and get as much info as I can but I found your thread and thought I'd ask. :)

Hi Emeraldgreen, I just saw your question now. I have a CH boy named Elmer who is going on 2 years old now. I don't know the answer on whether it could start to develop later in life in a cat with herpes, though I tend to doubt it.

If Stinky continues to show these symptoms, I'd suggest you have your vet check her out. Whatever it is, it should probably be looked into.

Best wishes!

Pat and Elmer

[Emeraldgreen]

Hi Emeraldgreen, I just saw your question now. I have a CH boy named Elmer who is going on 2 years old now. I don't know the answer on whether it could start to develop later in life in a cat with herpes, though I tend to doubt it.

If Stinky continues to show these symptoms, I'd suggest you have your vet check her out. Whatever it is, it should probably be looked into.

Best wishes!

Pat and Elmer

Hi, thanks for your post. I will definitely keep an eye on her and see if it happens again. If so, I should take her to the vet.

[Emyjane]

Hi there! I was just searching for info on the interntet about the ch kitties and thank goodness I found this post! I have a 7 month old female ch kitten Tiki. Shes my little full of energy furball and I love her so much, you can never be in a bad mood when shes around. Unfortuanatly she recently has started seizing... it started out with one and I automatically rushed her in to the vet and they said to keep track of any more episodes, they said it was most likely epilepsy. So it was going well for about a month and then she siezed again, but its gradually becoming more offten. Ive descused it with the vet and they can put her on medication but it can b hard on her in the long run. I sometimes wonder if my home is the best place for my baby, I have a full time job and im going to school, she does have other kittty playmates but im worried that im not there for her when shes siezing. I want the best for her but i dont know if i know what is best for her, ya know I dont want to be selfish about it and not want to give her up because even though it would break my heart I have to do whats right for her... any opinions on if she should be in a household with a more full time family?..

[Medusa]

Hi there! I was just searching for info on the interntet about the ch kitties and thank goodness I found this post! I have a 7 month old female ch kitten Tiki. Shes my little full of energy furball and I love her so much, you can never be in a bad mood when shes around. Unfortuanatly she recently has started seizing... it started out with one and I automatically rushed her in to the vet and they said to keep track of any more episodes, they said it was most likely epilepsy. So it was going well for about a month and then she siezed again, but its gradually becoming more offten. Ive descused it with the vet and they can put her on medication but it can b hard on her in the long run. I sometimes wonder if my home is the best place for my baby, I have a full time job and im going to school, she does have other kittty playmates but im worried that im not there for her when shes siezing. I want the best for her but i dont know if i know what is best for her, ya know I dont want to be selfish about it and not want to give her up because even though it would break my heart I have to do whats right for her... any opinions on if she should be in a household with a more full time family?..

Welcome to Pet Talk! I have a CH baby, Creamsicle, and I know what you mean about how lovable your kitty is. Cgirl is a magical cat. She doesn't have seizures but I did have a peke-a-poo that did and she was on a low dose of Phenobarbitol and she lived to be 18 1/2. Of course, cats and dogs are different but I sure would give it a try before I rehomed her. CH babies are so special and I'm sure your kitty just loves you to pieces and wouldn't want to be separated from you and her fursibs. It's wonderful that you're putting her needs ahead of your own; that's a good cat parent but give the meds a whirl and see how she does. Good luck and please keep us posted.

[Laura's Babies]

Hi Emyjane and welcome to PT!

Amy don't have seizures so I don't know how to advise you on that.... I CAN tell you this. Stress greatly effects Amy, especially when she has to leave the house and be taken to the vet or somewhere.. I could just imagine how badly she would stress if I had to re home her.

I suggest you consider these factors when deciding what to do... Re homing her will stress her and you can not guarantee that the home you send her to will keep her if she is to much trouble and they could throw her out in the streets or just not give her any medicine for the seizures anyway. (Those would be my biggest fears)

Now, I did take Amy in for steroid shots from time to time when her CH would get really bad and she looked miserable She couldn't get them to often because they too, were not good for her and could cause her trouble later in life. However, I felt I had to take that chance to give her any quality of life at the time over what might happen later. It may give her a shorter life by having given her that but the quality to me is more important than quanity.

All I want is for her to feel good, be healthy and mainly to be HAPPY.

NOW let me address the problem of your being gone a lot.. I have 4 babies, 3 are on medication and I work on a boat where I am gone for 28 days at a time. My daughter comes over and gives them their medications and does the boxes and stuff..

She (your baby) would be perfectly happy at HOME alone over being in totally new surroundings with people she don't know and it is OK that you are not there to spend tons of time with her. It is workable and doable.. I do it all the time.. (and with my vets recommendation that I do it!)

These are my thought on it and I welcome anyone elses thoughts to go with mine, even if you disagree..

[emily_the_spoiled]

I have a little CH guy (Farley) who is about 10 months old. While he doesn't have seizures his CH is very pronounced and becomes even worse if he is stressed. I am usually gone for about 10-11 hours every day (with work and commute), so my guys spend a lot of time at home with each other. I think he would miss they other members of the furry paw gang if I were to re-home him.

But I would definitely consider the medications for the seizures...

Good luck

Cheryl

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Hi Emyjane!! Welcome here!!
My Inka has CH too! But no seizures at all! Are you very sure that your cat has CH, and not another illness?

I wish you all the luck!!

My Inka is such a sweetheart, we all love her dearly :love::love::love:

[Laura's Babies]

Oh, I forgot to tell you also, my brother had two cats that had seizures and he medicated them with no ill effects that he ever saw, they were just normal cats.. But he had to move across country and was afraid how the move would effect them so he did rehome his.. They both went to the same home so they had each other and they went to a home where they already knew the human that took them.