Cerebellar hypoplasia (video of Amy)

[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