Found 4 month old, low body temp, neurological symptoms including lack of balance and possible blind

My husband found a very ill kitten on Monday night.  We've taken in a number of such kittens, or been called upon to do so, but I have to say I've never seen one this bad off before.  I've never posted to a forum before, but even having successfully nursed a good dozen or so back to health, had them fixed and then either adopted them ourselves or found them other forever homes, this little one has me confused and worried.

I'm looking for help, suggestions or advice from anyone who has dealt with neurological issues in an older kitten and / or anything else that might cause neurological issues.  

My husband was out for a jog and noticed that the kitten next to the gas station appeared completely non-responsive.  She was laying "camel-like" and, even as he approached her she did not move, flinch, her eyes nor ears responded, but she did continue to shiver.  The temperature here was around 75 that evening. She was, of course, covered in fleas, but especially in ticks. Guessing that she was a very small three or four months old, my daughter and I gave her a quick flea and tick bath and dried her and warmed her again. I then proceeded to pull another 20 or so ticks off of her.  She was still completely unresponsive aside from periodic attempts at meows and reflexive type, but uncoordinated movement of her limbs. She did not appear to respond to sounds, even loud ones and did not blink at all unless falling asleep.  Her pupils were dilated and one more dilated than the other.  Only one eye responded to light, the other did not.  I also started giving her kitten formula via syringe right away as she was so dehydrated the skin on the scruff of her neck wasn't rebounding. Although she could keep her head upright it was turned to her right side, and she was unable to stand (if she tried to stand she would shake and fall onto her side). She appeared hungry when feeding from the syringe but very uncoordinated. No vomiting or diarrhea. Before taking her to the vet, she had one normal bowel movement and peed on me just before we left for the vet (assuming the syringed liquids were finally getting to her)

I was concerned about head trauma (though she had no external signs of injury), so I did some research online and found mannitol recommended to reduce brain swelling.  I called around to vets on Wednesday morning until I found one that had the drug on hand in case we decided it was called for.  The first available appt was Tue. afternoon (day 1). Here's what happened at the vet:

Body temp was 91 (about 10 degrees below normal, even though we had her wrapped in a towel

- All ticks and fleas had been removed

- Still extremely dehydrated although a little improved from the night before

- Vet provided subcutaneous fluids, Vit B injection, dewormed and we bought special critical care kitten food to syringe to her in addition to the kitten formula

- weight was 2 lbs

- very experienced vet said her age is 4 months and weight should be about 4.5 lbs

The vet said that no diarrhea or vomiting was good.  He said he thought it was likely a case of a combination of factors... tick and flea anemia (now taken care of), parasites (taken care of by the dewormer), malnutrition and dehydration.  He also mentioned that it could be toxoplasmosis (no pregnant women around here btw) or that, worse case, it could be rabies.  Luckily though, we've since determined it's definitely not rabies bc he said she would decline very rapidly if it was and now, on day 3, she's doing a little better.

So, here's the update.  We're at Day 3 now.  Slowly over the past few days we've gotten to the point where:

- She can walk about 12 inches in a stumbling, weaving sort of way before falling or sitting down, but this feat exhausts her and requires a few hours sleep afterwards

- She can very tentatively, eat the special canned kitten food from a saucer and drink the formula from a saucer - however, she only seems able to smell the food and has trouble finding it, eve only upon raising her head for a moment. She is eating and drinking good portions.  I feel good about the amount.

- She does not appear deaf as she responds to noise now with twitching and tracking ear movements as well as general alertness

- Her pupils both react to light, although only one responds to movement in front of it... I think she is blind in one eye for sure (at least at this point)

- she LOOOOOVES to be held and petted - today I felt the tiniest little purr start in her throat during two different pet sessions <3!

- she has had one bowel movement since the vet and has urinated numerous times, once even in the litter box that was in the crate with her

- she still cannot maintain her body temp for more than an hour at a time.  I am keeping a warmed bag of rice wrapped in a towel next to her or I am cuddling her against my skin.

Soooo... I have so many questions!  Does anyone have any experience with something like this?  Online all I can find is symptoms like this is newborn kittens.  If you have any experience, how much of a chance is there that she will continue to improve?  How much can we hope for and how little improvement should we prepare for?  Is there any way to tell for sure if she is blind in the one eye?  Why is she still unable to maintain her body temp - is it just because she's still so skinny and has no body fat?  If so, how long until this starts to improve?

My husband and I are both teachers.  We do not have the option to be paid over the summers, and even though we work for the State over the summers, we are not paid for that time until Sept., thus, all our savings has usually run out by this time of year and, unfortunately, this is absolutely the case right now. Our hearts are big, but our pocketbooks are not.  I know some might say she should have been taken to animal control and humanely euthanized on Monday evening, but despite three nights' lack of sleep, feeling that tiny purr today has me even more sure she has the possibility for a happy future, no matter what form that may take.

Any and all comments are much appreciated!  Thank you in advance!!!!

momof9 (3 kids, 2 dogs, 3 cats + the newbie kitten)

Kudos for your loving care for this sad little kitten. Clearly she was found by good people who are giving her tender loving care.

I'm not a vet, never been faced with this sort of situation. That said it seems clear to me that - In three days she's improving. She's responding, she's eating on her own (at least somewhat), she's not dehydrated / not as much dehydrated (not clear.) And she's happy to be cuddled and comforted.

Whatever happened it had to have been traumatic. On the plus side - she's young, and with care should continue to improve. Swelling / pressure on nerves will hopefully reduce with time. Low body temperature - easier to keep her warm than reduce a too high temperature.

Do, please, give updates. A picture would be wonderful. And surely someone with more useful advice / information will be along shortly. I just wanted to say what a wonderful thing you are doing to offer this little one a chance at survival. Without you she'd be over the Rainbow Bridge three days ago.

@catwoman707, @tulosai -- may i ask for your experience for the OP (original poster)? thank you!

I don't have any answers for you unfortunately, but I also wanted to chime in and say thank you so much for taking in this little one.  It sounds very much like you're on the right path with her though, so hopefully she will continue to improve.

Thank you for taking on (and in!) this tough case.

I've heard that anemia can cause low body temperature. If there is a cat rescue group near you, you could ask whether any of their volunteers have a cat heating pad they can lend you. We have one designed to achieve cat-appropriate temp. It's more convenient than reheating the bag of rice!

The difference in pupil response suggests some sort of neurological damage, as does the unsteadiness. I have no idea whether improvement will continue, but the fact that there has been any at all is a very good sign. All our current cats have neurological problems, and while they do learn to compensate for them in time, in my experience the conditions themselves don't improve. (You'll find a very active online community of folks with "wobbly" cats, such as ones with cerebellar hypoplasia. Lots of videos on Youtube - including our own "Europa Plays" - that show wobbly cats having fine, happy lives.)

One uncommon condition to check for would be what's called "liver shunt." The most obvious symptoms are copper colored eyes and a failure to thrive. We lost a kitten to it last year. He was brought to us because he was wobbly and appeared to have severe vision problems. He also became erratic after eating, and would get frustrated and angry about his inability to walk more than a few steps without falling over. One vet insisted he must have rabies and demanded we have him destroyed. (Oh, thanks, doctor!)

Al

Bumbling co-parent to:

Weeble (CH, one-eyed, hyperthyroid, senior feline in charge),

Leda (neuro-damaged, tunnel-visioned, deaf, cancer-chemo cat),

Europa (CH, semi-feral, thoroughly cute), and

Ganymede (CH, and one big, happy, falling-down, meowy kind of guy!)

The first thing I want to say here is, no matter what has happened to this kitten in it's past, here in the present, you are allowing him food, warmth, love and care. 

If not for your intervention he would surely have died a lonely, sad and empty existence.

So remember this please, whatever the outcome may be.

The first thing that popped into my head is panleukopenia. 

I also considered FIP as a possibility.

I wanted to ask you this though, what did the vet say as far as anemia?

Color of his gums?

He should be severely anemic, which will cause the lowered body temp.

Can you post a pic?

I also want to add...
Did the vet run a tick panel to see if the kitten has contracted a tick-born disease? With the number of fleas, this could certainly play a factor.

If the kitten was starving and has little or no body fat, that alone can cause a low body temp and wobbliness/lack of energy which make it hard for her to walk. Of course there might be other underlying causes as others have mentioned, but if malnutrition was the main problem, she can probably recover if you get enough calories into her. Starvation can also cause anemia and even neurological damage, but, in humans at least, all the damage can be reversed in time, with lots of food and rest. I see no reason that wouldn't be the case with cats.

Her improvements in just a few days are certainly a good sign. She'll need a lot of food and a lot of sleep, and to be kept warm until she can regulate her own temperature, much like a newborn. Good luck with her!

Thank you all so much for your post and your support!  The little one is doing a little better today as well... they are definitely baby steps, but progress none the less.  

As for my experience... I'm not sure how to answer that.  I am not a part of any rescue organization.  Just someone who's had a lifelong interest in helping animals as we've happened to cross-paths in life.  When I was 8, our family dog pointed out two unconscious and soaking wet ground squirrels at the site of a flood, and my father and I brought them home, dried them, fed them and cared for them for about 5 days before releasing them back to their original field (now dry).  It's been an ongoing thing since then.  I don't seek out such cases, but I will accept responsibility for any that come my way.  I'm a graphic designer and marketer by trade.  My husband however holds a bachelor's in Biology.  All our animals have been rescues... only one dog adopted from a rescue organization.  The remainder of the 2 dogs and four cats have popped into our life at one time or another.  We have also helped to nurse, take to vet appointments, pay for and administer meds, spay or neuter and find homes for about a dozen cats since we moved to our current location about 12 years ago.  I have called upon vets and rescue organizations in times of need, learned everything I can from them and from forums and other helpful sites. We have a very informal reputation as a soft-hearted sanctuary, but we try to shy away from that unless there is a real need, because our resources are limited.  That said, our closest shelters are not no-kill, and we prefer to provide help to someone with a found cat than that alternative. Again, I don't know exactly how to answer your question, but if you have a more specific question, please let me know

aloddcats, thank you so much for this helpful info!  I have started looking up the youtube videos you recommended!  We have never dealt with neurological issues before, so this is particularly helpful.  I will be sure to keep in mind the possibility of the liver shunt issue as well.

No tick panel was run.  I was actually the one who mentioned anemia to the vet and he shook his head, seemingly in agreement that this was a good possibility.  They did check her gums but did not comment on their color.  They are pink, but a light pink.  When I press on them, the color does come back quickly which I believe is a good sign? Let me see if I can get a pic up of them, too.

We have also thought panleukopenia may be a possibility.  If she does well these next two weeks or so, I plan to take her back in to run some tests and start vaccines.   Right now I just hope to get her stabilized and on a good path first. I don't think I'm aware of FIP.  Can you tell me a little more?

momto3cats, thank you so much for these words of hope.  If damage in humans can be reversed over time, then this will be my hope for this little one.  Of course, we will continue to be prepared for the worst, but I like to have an idea of the best case scenario!  

You are all wonderful! Thank you so much!!!

A few additional notes... Yesterday she started to move her tail some.  I saw this as doubly good news since 1. it had laid limp previously and 2. I'm hoping it may help her improve her balance a little.  Also, as I was just working to get the pictures below, she was just the littlest bit frisky about being rolled onto her back in my lap and having me look at her gums! She tried to shake her head and flip herself back over a few times.  There wasn't much muscle behind it, but I think it's a positive improvement!  She's still only walking about a foot or two at a time, and generally only in the direction of someone she can then lay on top of (she'll walk over to someone's foot, for example and then lay down on top of it).  She is so sweet and loves being petted.  She is easily startled by noises now, and, if she was standing, will fall quickly at a loud sound.  She's stretching a lot too. 

By the way, she does not respond to the ball at all yet with the exception of being startled by the bell sound.

The first pic is Day 2, the ones that follow are from today.

oops, forgot the last pic! She has such a sweet little face!

A lot of her symptoms might be from malnutrition. When my Little Girl was really sick with histo, she went from 9 to 4lbs. Of course histo cause a lot of the problems she had, but she had no muscle mass to flick her tail or play. She was skin and bones. As she started to put back on the weight, she made the slow baby steps that you are describing. As my vet put it....they simply don't have the energy.

aloddcats, or anyone else with experience with neurological damage / diseases, how does litter training work with these special little ones? So far, I have been putting kitty into the litter box after eating and, last night, she used the box (plastic box lid with litter, really) a few times on her own but overnight and when I'm not right there with her, I've been keeping her in an extra large dog crate where the litter pan is super close.  She is having trouble finding her food, so I wander how litter pans would work once she was healthy enough to roam the house.

Litter training hasn't been a problem with our neurologically impaired cats. My guess would be that as this kitten becomes stronger and can travel farther, she'll get oriented to the house and learn where litter boxes are. One cat my wife and her staff (and sometimes I) cared for was born without eyes, and he had no trouble knowing where to go for food and litter.

You're doing the right things so far. Just keep in mind that boxes should be within easy reach as she improves and starts exploring. If it takes her 20 minutes to walk from one side of the house to the other, a single box on one side might be distant enough to cause accidents. If she never becomes really mobile, you'll have to improvise and see what she and you and your family can tolerate. (The most drastic setup I've seen was a room largely carpeted with puppy training pads.)

Which reminds me: If the wobbliness persists, you may have to take measures to ensure the house is safe for an unsteady explorer. We mostly keep our basement door shut because our guy who falls over a lot and can't handle stairs is REALLY curious about what we do down there. It's scary to watch him stand at the top step, craning his neck to peer down, while swaying from side to side and occasionally tipping forward and back.

Oh, and some tippy cats will lie down in the litter box, which makes them very selective about litters and particular about cleanliness. Our two who do that can't agree on a litter, so we have 4 with 3 different types of litter on the main floor of our house (clumping clay, recycled newspaper, and crystals).

I hope that helps.

Al

How is she doing?

Thanks for checking in  Yesterday was her best day yet.  She tried walking around the room a little, though she kept to the perimeter.  I think she did this so she could "feel" her way around.  She would stop whenever she reached one of the family and would crawl onto our laps or lay as close as possible. I think she's maintaining her body temperature a little better.  Now she only seems to have a problem with it dipping when she gets wet (falls into her water bowl or urinates on the towel she's laying on). Today she seems to have take a small step backwards in terms of her balance, though.  I'm not sure why but she seems more wobbly and unsteady than yesterday.  Maybe she's just having a bad day / tired?  I'm so hoping that's the case.

Please help. I'm very worried. The kitten has been doing so well, very slowly but surely progressing. She is no longer dehydrated, eats hungrily, purrs, moves her tail and even, clumsily, cleans herself; HOWEVER, today her balance has slowly but steadily declined. This morning she didn't seem to be doing as well with her walking as yesterday. She woke up from a very nice, long nap about a half hour ago and no cannot stand at all. She flips over every time she tries and she cannot come out if the right hand turn she's been fighting the last few days. She has also been unable to get herself to the litter box all day, when she'd been making it there the last two days.

Please, if you have any thoughts on this let me know. Why would she be progressing in all other areas but seem to be declining with regard to her balance and coordination? Or is one day not enough to say she's definitely declined?

Thank you in advance!

She needs to be seen by a vet ASAP. Neurological declines are very serious. It could be caused by a wide range of conditions (not something we can diagnose here.)

Ok, thank you. I will.

I agree about the vet as soon as you can. But she could have vestibular syndrome, which involves the inner ear & balance. My Boggle got it suddenly and could not walk. He just kept flipping over.

He did recover, vet gave him antibiotics and we had to confine him for awhile to keep him safe.

Just trying to give you some hope that she could come out of this. Its a WONDERFUL thing that you are doing for her

Lisa & Boggle

PS she is very CUTE !!!