Is my foster kitten's short neck, stiff walk, and silence a deformity?

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!

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.

Great question! The only way to tell is by having an x-ray done by your veterinarian - this will show exactly what is wrong with the bone, and will also give the information needed to determine whether it can be fixed or not. I would recommend taking the kitten to your vet for an exam and x-rays as soon as you are able to - he/she will be able to advise you further on what can be done to help the kitten, depending on what the x-rays show.

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.

Yes, a spinal deformity can result in fecal incontinence. It is unlikely that this will improve and there Is no specific treatment for it. He may have other deformity problems also and they may be causing him pain. Unless you can clean Allister every time he poops to prevent sores, and can eliminate his discomfort I don’t think it’s in his best interest to live like that. Our job is to be the animal’s advocate. My assessment is that if he is uncomfortable and unable to maintain his mobility and cleanliness then euthanasia is a humane decision. I’m sure you hate to lose him but it’s not a good life that he’s living. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

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!

Hello, what a sad little kitten. I hope the veterinarian is trying to help Allister with his diarrhea & limb deformity. He may need to be dewormed & placed on an antibiotic. The veterinarian should take x rays of those front legs to see if any bones have been broken or crushed, otherwise, very simple splints can be made to gently straighten out the front legs until the ligaments can heal. If this is not done soon, the kitten may be left with a permanent deformity. I think Allister is very stressed right now, hence the crying. He may be quite uncomfortable, but there are no medications that you can give at home to help. Please contact your veterinarian soon. thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.