Hey guys.
I found yall online while searching for the symptoms of my kitten. I'll give a little back story.
Adopted Jenny around 11/11 of last year. Very playful little cat. She's a petite cat for her size in general as she is 6 pounds right now. She was jumping, climbing, running, playing with my other older cat just fine.
About a month ago my mom noticed something odd: She was walking just a bit differently. We didn't think any of it because we thought she was just being a kitten. But we noticed it started to get a little worse.
Took her to the vet a week ago. They took an xray. Apparently where the spine and tail meet, she had an injury. Actually, a broken bone that previously healed. I was heart broken. I told the vet I was shocked because of all the time we've had her, she has not been in any pain or discomfort. I made sure to even ask if my older cat could've done something like this and she said no. She thinks this injury happened before we adopted her. It's almost like someone pulled her tail too hard.
So our theory is that her injury happened, healed itself, but once we got her, she may have reinjured herself. It's not broken but it's I believe almost like a pinched nerve?
She now has been walking on her back paws fully. The vet told us this is something we see in diabetic kitties but she doesn't suspect that to be an issue. When we looked at the xray, she told us she can recommend a bone vet but even then she didn't think they could do anything surgically to help her.
So our goal was to just make sure she doesn't jump much at all if needed and to go back in month to check to see if it's healed or gotten worse. I have gotten pet steps for our bedroom bed, got a comfy pet bed by our bed because she's been laying on the pet beds on the ground since her jumping has been off. Even through all of this, even with her walking weird, she still is acting normal. doesn't seem to be in pain. playful, everything.
Well, just today I noticed she is starting to curl her back paws where she is stepping on them. It doesn't seem to bother her that she's doing this but it is making her walk a little more work for her.
I think I plan on taking her to the vet later today but my mom thinks there's nothing they can do.
I've come to accept she may not walk normal again but also I want to help her as much as I can because she's so young and I would not want to put her down just because of this.
She eats normally, plays, using litterbox. We have two cats doors installed for the two bedrooms and she goes through them just fine.
I was just wanting some advice and opinions. This is mine and my boyfriend's cat and were just two college students trying to survive the world lol. My boyfriend just started a new job and I'm looking for one so we're not the richest people! We have been using carecredit.
thank you for all your advice and opinions. let me know what yall think.
Rachael
8mo old kitten has, I assume, a previous injury.
Re: 8mo old kitten has, I assume, a previous injury.
roflmeow wrote:Hey guys.
I found yall online while searching for the symptoms of my kitten. I'll give a little back story.
Adopted Jenny around 11/11 of last year. Very playful little cat. She's a petite cat for her size in general as she is 6 pounds right now. She was jumping, climbing, running, playing with my other older cat just fine.
About a month ago my mom noticed something odd: She was walking just a bit differently. We didn't think any of it because we thought she was just being a kitten. But we noticed it started to get a little worse.
Took her to the vet a week ago. They took an xray. Apparently where the spine and tail meet, she had an injury. Actually, a broken bone that previously healed. I was heart broken. I told the vet I was shocked because of all the time we've had her, she has not been in any pain or discomfort. I made sure to even ask if my older cat could've done something like this and she said no. She thinks this injury happened before we adopted her. It's almost like someone pulled her tail too hard.
So our theory is that her injury happened, healed itself, but once we got her, she may have reinjured herself. It's not broken but it's I believe almost like a pinched nerve?
She now has been walking on her back paws fully. The vet told us this is something we see in diabetic kitties but she doesn't suspect that to be an issue. When we looked at the xray, she told us she can recommend a bone vet but even then she didn't think they could do anything surgically to help her.
So our goal was to just make sure she doesn't jump much at all if needed and to go back in month to check to see if it's healed or gotten worse. I have gotten pet steps for our bedroom bed, got a comfy pet bed by our bed because she's been laying on the pet beds on the ground since her jumping has been off. Even through all of this, even with her walking weird, she still is acting normal. doesn't seem to be in pain. playful, everything.
Well, just today I noticed she is starting to curl her back paws where she is stepping on them. It doesn't seem to bother her that she's doing this but it is making her walk a little more work for her.If this continues, I'd consider splints to hold her feet in the right position, because their feet can contract folded under, which is a nightmare because the skin breaks down, etc.
I think I plan on taking her to the vet later today but my mom thinks there's nothing they can do.Probably not. I'd ask for some prednisone to give her when it's particularly bad, or one of the few NSAIDS that are cat-safe. I had an ancient Pom with a terrible back who had to take pred and rest it a few days every now and then.
I've come to accept she may not walk normal again but also I want to help her as much as I can because she's so young and I would not want to put her down just because of this. I don't see any reason to kill her over this, but you may have to fight vets for her; they don't always agree that differences/disabilities are worth saving.
She eats normally, plays, using litterbox. We have two cats doors installed for the two bedrooms and she goes through them just fine.
I was just wanting some advice and opinions. This is mine and my boyfriend's cat and were just two college students trying to survive the world lol. My boyfriend just started a new job and I'm looking for one so we're not the richest people! We have been using carecredit.
thank you for all your advice and opinions. let me know what yall think.
Rachael
Personally, I'd just do pred when necessary (and you could try crating her for a day or 2 when it's really bad, but good luck with that! 
), splinting if you have to, and go on. Tail pull injuries are pretty common, and they typically have a good outcome. Your baby will probably get better as time goes on, at least until old age gets a hold on her. Like you say, she probably did something to aggravate her back, and it'll probably pass until the next time. She's a baby, and babies do that! Frankly, cats tend to do that anyway, but babies in particular.
Re: 8mo old kitten has, I assume, a previous injury.
Here are some pictures of Fripple, who walked down on his hock. They developed a little sock and bootie to protect his skin.roflmeow wrote:She now has been walking on her back paws fully.
http://www.handicappedpets.com/how-to-c ... pport#rear
https://www.orthovet.com/product/orthov ... eg-splint/
Even if she unexpectedly loses her walking, she can still have a great life, especially with a family who has 2 cat doors in the bedroom, it sounds like you would figure out all kinds of cool adaptations.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdIBtw8_7No