Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Trending News

Promoted
DonnaB
Lv 5
DonnaB asked in PetsCats · 10 years ago

Rescued Feral Kitten - Incoordinated gait?

Yesterday I came upon a small kitten approximately 2 1/2 to 3 mos old. She could be older but she is very malnourished as well as dehydrated. When I first saw her, she allowed me to approach just so close before scampering off into hiding in the underbrush around a tree of a vacant house. As she scampered off I noticed that she kinda had no control over her ability to run in a straight line. It looked as if she had no control over her back legs at first, because they would "fall out" from under her as she ran away, but then I noticed that she had little control over her front legs as well and was wobbly when she stood still.

After work, I went back to the house to see if I could catch her to bring her home and nurse her back to health. She does have her senses about her and did well at getting away from me till she climbed up inside the wheels of a car sitting in the yard next door. I eventually found a way to scruff her to get her in a carrier that I keep in my car for such rescues. She wasn't/isn't crazy mad as if she has rabies or anything and didn't try to attack me only to defend herself against the human hand touching her, but her incoordinated gait bothers me.

Last night I set her up in a trainer cage that I have with a litter pan and some Purina Kitten Chow that I moistened with water. I gave her .02mls of Amoxicillin that I have on hand for some other kittens that are in my care and have been administering that BID. Last night while holding her in a towel to prevent from being bitten she was very calm yet on guard. Her eyes are clear and not runny. Her nose is clean too. I checked her ears and they were so blocked with black crud that you couldn't see past the vertical ear canal into the horizontal ear canal because of the blockage. I used Epi-Optic to squirt into the ear and massaged as well as I could to loosen the filth that was blocking the canal and cleaned the flaps as best as she would allow. She shook her head vigorously yet never fought me the whole time or tried to get away. I also repeated the procedure today.

I know that cats/kittens can be infected with rabies but the chance is low. I have her isolated from the rest of my cats just in case, but I'd like to know if the the symptoms I describe above could be rabies or could it just be severe ear infections or weakness due to malnutrition causing her inability to walk steady.

She will be going to the Vet as soon as I can make arrangements.

NOTE: If the advice you'd like to give will not help comfort my thoughts or help this kitten till I get her to the Vet, then please keep your comments to yourself and don't waste my precious time!

Thank you. :)

Update:

Elaine, Thank you. I had never heard of cerebral hypoplasia till now. I did view some videos on You Tube and the lack of balance was very similar to what I saw in this kitten as she ran from me. I had read some last night on Rabies and found that the kitten would have been dead in 3-4 days and she is very healthy given her malnourishment and her ear problems. I'll ask the Vet to verify the cerebral hypoplasia, but I'm sure we won't be able to verify till the ears are free of infection and she is well on her way to gaining some weight. Thank you so very much for the link and guidance towards YouTube videos. I feel much better now.

Laurie, thanks to you too. I did find her in a very bad, unhealthy environment though I live in a small country town. I will make sure she gets the medicine to clear up the ear mites and fight whatever infection she may have. I'll also have her checked for giardia lamblia which can cause severe malnourishment and diarrhea. It's also zoonotic so I will keep he

Update 2:

Here's a video that may help others:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJQG6V1MOVY

Update 3:

Additional:

I'll also have her checked for giardia lamblia which can cause severe malnourishment and severe diahhrea which she had the first night. It's also transmittable to humans and other pets in the home so I will keep her isolated till it is cleared and the Vet verify's that she is free of this microscopic parasite as well. The amoxicillin is only 7 days old. It was given to me last week for the 5 other small kittens (4 wks. old now) with upper respiratory infections that I rescued from the streets and will find a good inside home for though if this little kitten does have cerebral hypoplasia as Elaine suggests, I believe she has a home. I've taken in many special kitties that were unadoptable and she'll fit right in with my group.

I'm thinking about naming her Sooner because if I didn't find her when I did later may have been too late for her to have a happy healthy full life on the streets.

Thank you both for your help.

My credentials:

Adamant volunteer for our local Anim

Update 4:

How do you choose for a tie! Both answers helped tremendously!

2 Answers

Relevance
  • Laurie
    Lv 7
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    If you live in a populated area chances are very low that she has rabies. She does have ear mites and needs medicine to clear it up. The vet will give her a complete physical. Her gait may be off due to weakness from malnutrition. For a feral, she is very calm. Perhaps she sensed that you would help her and of course she feels secure in your home. It's good that you rescued her at this young age. Now she probably has fleas and worms which happens to all outside cats. Don't use over the counter products as some can kill a cat and the wormers do not kill tapeworm. Hopefully you can get her to the vet within a day or two.

    Was the amoxicillin a liquid and over 14 days old. If so, it has lost it's effectiveness.

    Thank you for rescuing her. She should prove to be a wonderful addition to your home.

  • Elaine M
    Lv 7
    10 years ago

    I highly doubt there's any rabies, a kitten would be dead in 3 days from that and look severely sick, plus would not be able to swallow (the virus freezes the throat muscles).

    She's either weak from malnourishment, or has an inner ear infection, or has cerebral hypoplasia. If it's the latter, don't stress it, that is something some kittens are born with and it will not get worse. It only affects their balance, not their thinking.

    Here's some info on it -- http://www.vetinfo.com/dencyclopedia/decerhypo.htm...

    There are videos of kittens/cats with it over on YouTube, the severety varies from cat to cat, but you'll see if the motion is the same or similar as what your kitten is showing.

    Good luck with the kitten, good food should get her tamed down fast.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.