Cerebellar hypoplasia (video of Amy)

[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

[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.