Why was my cat born with a tiny paw, head bobbles, or limping?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. This is likely a genetic malformation during birth. The only thing I would watch out for is pain in the affected leg and any abrasions from the leg dragging on the ground. Otherwise, she should be able to adapt to her malformation. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

He may have a congenital deformity or an injury from before you got him. X-rays would help your vet determine what is going on with his bones to make his walk seem wrong. But there may be nothing we can do to fix it. As long as he can eat, drink, and use the potty, he will be able to adapt to any situation! Just remember that if he has trouble walking he may not be able to get away from other pets, so he should never be let outside, and you may consider not getting any other dogs or cats while you have him.

Hello. Without x-rays it is impossible to know what is actually going on in the paw. It is difficult to say if this will bother her more as she matures, but you really do not have too many options. Perhaps a surgery to fuse & stabilize the paw may be helpful, but will not eliminate all pain & discomfort & you certainly would not amputate the leg unless she began to self-mutilate the paw. So, unless you can have the paw x-rayed, I would take a wait & see how she does. If she over does it when you play with her, then make sure she rests the leg. Otherwise, I would try to avoid pain relieves in such a young dog. Perhaps, once her bones are finished growing & maturing, she may actually do quite well. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Your kitten is adorable! The most common cause for ataxia in mild or severe forms in a kitten is Cerebellar hypoplasia (underdeveloped). This is a birth defect from the kitten's mother being exposed to feline panleukopenia (parvo virus) while she was pregnant. These kittens can live very full lives and there is nothing you need to do differently in raising her. Just be careful with stairs and climbing if you feel that her poor balance could cause her to injure herself. I hope this helps!

Poor Zoey! Unfortunately, the video will not load on the Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach forum, but I can get a sense for her abnormal gait from your description and the pictures. My first concern would be that Zoey may have cerebellar hypoplasia, but meningitis, toxoplasmosis, congenital lysosomal storage diseases, FIP, FIV, FeLV or spinal cord lesions are all possible. If it has not yet been done, ask your vet about performing a blood test for FIV and FeLV (feline leukemia). Otherwise, hopefully they are able to obtain further insight from a veterinary neurologist or internal medicine specialist. I hope that all goes well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is definitely a possibility of congenital defect. He could be the runt of the litter, he could have dwarfism, or he could just have an abnormal skeleton. The runt of the litter or a "depressed", poor doing kitten often has an underlying reason for being that way. Is there a liver shunt? Heart defect? Brain abnormality? If you want to know for sure, you'd need to see a vet who may be able to tell some based on the physical exam but who may also recommend bloodwork and/or x-rays. Pain assessment is difficult to begin with in cats but I certainly could not tell you if he were in pain without an exam. My gut says he is likely not painful because he is eating and resting comfortably - but again, no way to know for sure without an exam. Long story short, get a vet involved soon to help weigh in on what might be going on. For now, keep doing what you're doing: feed him plenty, love on him lots, treat him gently, and keep watching. Best of luck to you and the kitten!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Nova had an accident that caused a leg issue. I would recommend he be re-evaluated by a veterinarian, or even an orthopedic specialist. At his age, it may be permanent, but depending on the type of injury there may be a possibility for a procedure to improve things. Good luck!