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!