We recently took in a feral momma cat who just gave birth to 7 kittens. This is our 2nd time doing this, first time had all healthy kittens who were homed and kept the mom. Now this litter is 1 week old and this morning my hubby noticed 2 kittens suddenly couldn't move front legs at all and a 3rd could only move 3 legs. I've been looking it up but can't seem to pinpoint what it is. I'm thinking I will have to call a mobile vet to come see them but in the meantime it is upsetting to see them struggle. I'm also afraid of it being something that the others can catch, or that can spread to my other cats. If anyone has any knowledge I'm this area, I'd much appreciate it.
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Kittens lost use of front legs
- Thread starter kytty kachan
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It sounds very serious and i'd consult a vet as soon as possible.
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Yes, please do call the vet now.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
I just sent a message to my mobile vets cell asking if she could come see them will keep u all updated. I checked on mom and kittens again and those 3 still seem to be having difficulty. 
Are they nursing in the meantime?
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- #6
I've been checking but they having hard time getting past the other kittens still...my vet said to give formula from bottle so my husband is picking up from petco. We having someone come to house 2nite.
Oh, poor kittens. You can try putting them to nipples and removing the other kittens for a few minutes until you have the formula.
They may not take a bottle, in which case you'll need to use a needleless syringe or eye dropper. They are fed on their tummies with head up like they nurse from mom. A couple of drops at a time in the side of their mouths. Let them swallow and breathe, then give more.
Let us know what the vet says.
They may not take a bottle, in which case you'll need to use a needleless syringe or eye dropper. They are fed on their tummies with head up like they nurse from mom. A couple of drops at a time in the side of their mouths. Let them swallow and breathe, then give more.
Let us know what the vet says.
I've seen this with a certain strain of calici, which we call "limping calici" but never in kittens this young. Instead of being respiratory, it goes into their joints, usually accompanied by a really high fever. It changes legs too, one day they will be unable to walk on the right front, then the next day it's the left front, then sometimes the back legs -- but all of those cases were in rescue and they were kittens who were maybe 8-10 weeks old. It usually passes within a few days to a week, and the erecommended treatment was steroids to bring down the fever (105 to 106 degrees!) and get rid of the inflammation in the joints and pain meds to get them through the most painful days. Also we gave them Clavamox just as a preventative against secondary infection. It is very contagious and every kitten in the litter or in the same group would get it, but severity was different between them, some got it very hard and some just had a little limping on one foot for one day. I doubt that's what these kittens have just because they should have their mom's immunity, but maybe she had it -- adults can get it too if they haven't had it, but it seems they never get it twice.
So it sounds like with the help of steroids and antibiotics, that the kittens might be okay! That's what I was thinking earlier, but I hesitated to comment.
Please let us know!
Please let us know!
I'm hoping that at the least antibiotics and steroids can be tried before all hope is given up. Is there any news tonight?
If that's what it is, chances are good, because we never lost a single one. You just have to keep them hydrated through the high fever, and the steroids usually knock the fever down to something more normal within a few hours. I can remember chilling those babies down with water to keep them from going into convulsions before we could get the meds for them. They would just lie around like little hot rags. When it would get into all 4 legs or even just the back legs they wouldn't want to move (and these were 8 week old kittens) and we would just put them on incontinence pads so they could pee right where they lay, and we kept giving them water with a syringe so they wouldn't dehydrate. It's just so amazing because a few days to a week later they would be totally back to normal, playing and running around, like nothing ever happened. I do hope that's what they have. Not all vets even acknowledge that "limping calici" exists, because you don't see it much except in group situations, but any of the shelter vets would be familiar with it.
We had a thread on it here in 2012 started by @catwoman707:
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/249251/...me-anyone-familiar-with-this-strain-of-calici
Her kittens all came down with it, and they all recovered from it very quickly too. She suffered more than they did!
Here is a link to another international site that discusses it:
http://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/limping-syndrome-and-feline-calicivirus
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/249251/...me-anyone-familiar-with-this-strain-of-calici
Her kittens all came down with it, and they all recovered from it very quickly too. She suffered more than they did!
Here is a link to another international site that discusses it:
http://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/limping-syndrome-and-feline-calicivirus
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Such great information! Thank you so much,
red top rescue
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I'm so hoping that this gives K kytty kachan hope for her little ones. Vets tend to want to just put kittens who have problems down. I hope this is not the case here.
Thank you again!
red top rescue
. I'm so hoping that this gives K kytty kachan hope for her little ones. Vets tend to want to just put kittens who have problems down. I hope this is not the case here.
Thank you again!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #15
Thank you all so much for the info! My vet is not able to come now until tomorrow nighr but we fed the affected kittens a few times with an eye dropper and they seem to be doing ok right now. Hopefully will know more when she looks at them but at least right now we can feed them.
Okay, good. Keep feeding them as often as you can. They really need formula 2 mLs every 2 hours if possible. They must eat!
Please ask for the antibiotics and steroids. I'm hoping tomorrow brings good things! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
Please ask for the antibiotics and steroids. I'm hoping tomorrow brings good things! [emoji]128522[/emoji]
Thank you, yes I did!!
I'm not too convinced this is limping form of calici though.........very young, and also ran a good fever.
Through it in 3 days total.
Seems like I recall something like this, but will need a few to recall.
(I'm at the hospital now, my stepdaughter had to have an emergency c-section today, so brain is recovering!)
I will be back asap
How are the kittens today? Have they been eating well while waiting for the vet?
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Hope all is well!Thank you, yes I did!!
I'm not too convinced this is limping form of calici though.........very young, and also ran a good fever.
Through it in 3 days total.
Seems like I recall something like this, but will need a few to recall.
(I'm at the hospital now, my stepdaughter had to have an emergency c-section today, so brain is recovering!)
I will be back asap
Thank you, yes, it is now
I want to ask @Kytty Kachan if you notice any shaking at all?
CH crossed my mind.
(cerebellar hypoplasia)
Do you know by chance if mom was given a vaccine during pregnancy?
It's important to be aware of the amt they are being supplemented to be enough.
8 mls per ounce of weight.
Just a little fyi real quick
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