NJ: Baby Manx in danger before even having a chance

[Christine]

This is urgent, as the person who is currently "caring" for this kitten does not have the time, money or patience to help it, or to see if it grows out of a problem that could very well be breed related and grown out of: This Baby will be PTS!

A concerned animal lover received a call about a 9 week old kitten: a loveable very affectionate Manx kitten with a problem of urinating on herself. The person who has the kitten now has no money to see if it is a fixable problem and her vet is suggesting she put the kitten to sleep, which she has every intention of doing. (!!!) The kitten is a sweetheart, playful, lively... the contact doesn’t know if it is a permanent situation and does not want to see this kitten put to sleep.

Because the Manx is a special breed, the concerned animal lover consulted with a Manx expert (who unfortunately has a wait list to take on any more kittens herself, so cannot take) who offered the following information:

***The less of a bobtail a Manx kitten has, the higher the possibility of bowel or urinary problems. So if the kitten is a rumpy (no bobtail at all) it is possible that the lack of spine and associated nerves is a problem.
Some Manx kittens are born with problems but do grow out of it by about 16 weeks of age. However, if a kitten still has problems at 16 weeks then they are probably going to be that way for life. Rumpy kittens are also a bit slower at learning things...in a litter of tailed and tailless kittens you'll find that the rumpies learn to run and jump at a later age than their tailed littermates, and it takes them longer to learn good body coordination.
So unfortunately, it's impossible to tell quite yet whether the kitten is going to be incontinent.
There is one medication called PPA that can sometimes help if it's a matter of strengthening the urinary sphincter.

It is quite possible that this little sweetheart will grow out of this problem. Only time will tell. She has tested negative for FIV and FeLV. She has had a distemper shot. She is very active, happy, loves to climb cat tree's and plays with other cats. She is super sweet.

Serious inquiries PLEASE contact Toni at: toni7799@msn.com
cell: 1-908-507-2505

[troopersmommy]

This little sweetie is so adorable! Wish I could take her, but my cat number has risen to 9 and dog number has risen to 14. One of the best kitties I ever had was a little manx boy named Gizmo. He had been run over at 6 weeks, but was still alive. After surgeries, he did really well and lived 11 years. Stayed tiny like a kitten, never weighed more than 5 lbs., and kind of hopped like a rabbit with his longer back legs and stubby tail. If you've never had a manx before, you've really missed out on a very special little creature. Please won't someone consider taking this little girl. You won't regret it.

[LisainCAN]

Aw Christine, you know tailless cats are my specialty. I lost Harry, my special boy, about two weeks ago. I just rescued another tailless kitten, in his honor. Her name is Minnie. She is the LAST kitten I am taking in. I need to focus on the ones I have.

But if only ....

[Jean]

I have an update on the Manx baby from NJ. I called and talked to Toni who is the contact person listed on her flyer. Toni pulled the kitten into rescue on Tuesday and she is at a foster. Yesterday, she was scheduled to see a Specialist in NJ. The specialist has a reputation of being very knowledgeable with cats with disabilities. Toni said that she has received between 15-20 emails about this kitten. After visiting with the Specialist she will be more aware of the care that will be needed for her. Then, she will send out another flyer to those who have contacted her to let them know the skill level that will be needed for this kitten. I'll keep you updated. /Jean

[Christine]

Such good news...look at that little face. (She kind of reminds me of Bendy.)

[CarolC]

Lisa, I am sorry about Harry. He was what brought you here originally, wasn't he. He was lucky to have you caring for him all these years. I'm very sorry for your loss.

[LisainCAN]

Thanks Carol. I actually lost the original Harry to cardiomyopathy in 2007. This Harry was a one-year old tailless cat I had gotten last fall and named in honor of the original Harry. He died a few weeks ago. We found him one morning. We suspect it was a fast-acting pneumonia which didn't present many clinical symptoms. We discovered it in another cat around the same time but only when she was extubated following spay surgery. She didn't seem sick at all. The techs were stunned. Harry was often very sickly though and we suspect he had feline AIDS or some other underlying immune disorder. I feel badly about the pneumonia but it was only a matter of time before something else affected him. He was special though and I truly mourn him every day.