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Kitten Can't Walk
A stray cat had kittens on my back porch 4 weeks ago. A week ago I noticed that two of the kittens were walking fine while the third isn't and has "frog legs" (not deformed, just out to the side).
This morning we went to the vet because the other two are continuing to improve while the third isn't. His front legs are the same as his back.
The vet said it might be a birth defect, and that she wants to give him a chance, but that if he doesn't show any improvement (he has trouble getting around, but I guess there's a chance he'll become more efficient) that we should talk euthanization.
Has anybody else encountered this? Any positive stories? The vet tried to reassure me with the story of a puppy who got strong enough to gain more control, but she admitted she was pretty worried about him.
Re: Kitten Can't Walk
I never said anything about their living situation after the fact that she had kittens on my back porch. You don't need to worry about these cats in that respect... just the one that might never walk, which I'm actually asking about.
Thank you.
I don't really have anything helpful to say, just that I hope it all works out for the best. We found some stray kittens on our porch last Thanksgiving, and luckily there were no major health issues with those guys. When I was younger our neighbor's dog had puppies and one of them had something wrong with one of it's front legs (I can't remember what it was exactly). Our neighbors kept him and even though it took him a little while to figure out how to move around he eventually did and lived a full, healthy life. Aside from having an odd looking gait, you never would have known that the pup had anything wrong. He was also one of the sweetest dogs.
Best of luck!
Sorry to reply so late, but I did not see this post until now.
I recently saw a kitten at my work place with a similar story. He could not use his back two legs, and the x-rays did not show any signs of trauma. He also could not control his eliminations. They basically gave him a lot of time (maybe a month?) and he eventually gained enough strength in his back legs, that he could walk normally enough. He also eventually regained control of his potty habits. Hope that helps!
Regarding the poster who mentioned taking the kittens to a no-kill facility, please be aware that many no-kill facilities cannot accept animals right off the bat. An appointment is usually required beforehand, because they need to make sure they have space available for the new animals. Although, it sounds like you are doing a great job taking care of him while he is living with you, OP.
Good luck! I hope everything works out for that little guy.
Thank you! He's been gaining strength, and two of his four legs look to be properly aligned now. He still isn't standing/walking but he is an efficient crawler now. Hopefully he continues to improve. He was slow to start eating solids, but he's good now. Mom helps him a lot, and he even plays with his siblings a bit (granted he can't keep up with them).
Mom is getting spayed in two weeks, too.