kittens backfeet are backwards! help!

My car tyrion just gave birth to one kitten. Her first litter and she's a rather small cat. The kitten came out fine it seems healthy, but it's back feet are backwards. I have no idea what to do, we don't have 24 hour vet service around here. I'm going to call my local vet in the morning. Anyone have any idea what has happened? I googled it and people say to help try and twist their feet the correct way and they will grow correctly but I'm not going that. Someone help! I have 6 other cats and they are all related, except for one the boy cat she had the kitten by.

kentuckycatlady said:

My car tyrion just gave birth to one kitten. Her first litter and she's a rather small cat. The kitten came out fine it seems healthy, but it's back feet are backwards. I have no idea what to do, we don't have 24 hour vet service around here. I'm going to call my local vet in the morning. Anyone have any idea what has happened? I googled it and people say to help try and twist their feet the correct way and they will grow correctly but I'm not going that. Someone help! I have 6 other cats and they are all related, except for one the boy cat she had the kitten by.

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Now, it MAY be some sort of genetic birth defect, causing by the inbreeding.  In such a case this massaging and gymnastics suggested wont help much.  The kitten will be invalidised - even if it can probably live  a decent live anyways, as inside only cat.  As long it doesnt has pains.

So its good you do visit your own vet, to see if tis THIS.   No need to see an Emergency vet and pay for this.

But.  Its much more common its the so called twisted legs.  We do have such cases now and then here on our Forum. @catwoman707 is best of us to explain exactly what to do and how.  But yes, the advices you read are correct.  Essentially its doing massage and gymnasicts several times a day, beginning from now.  When her tendons are still soft and elastic.   Be sure the leg is warm - make some rubbing up and down to get up the heat and get the blood flowing - and do the elasticity twists in the right direction.   Do it near mamma, so she doesnt worry you are disappearing with the kitten.  As long as the kitten isnt squaling much, it will go nicely.

Good luck!

Welcome to TCS!

Can you post a picture of the kittens feet/legs?  As Stefanz said it may be possible to massage the limbs into the correct position while the kitten is growing.

It is actually not difficult to massage the legs and feet several times a day to help them to grow into the correct pisition. Newborn kitten bones are soft and malleable. If you wait until the kitten is older, it will be too late. Sometimes splints are even used to help the kitten walk properly.

Most kittens who are worked with grow up very normal, and you would never know the legs were twisted.

See what your vet says, but there won't be much he can do. It's a physical therapy issue.

You might consider spaying your cat to avoid future problems like this.

Hi there,

Start now, these first days are when the kittens legs are extremely soft and this can be fixed, it will happen fast too!

Several times a day, sit down where momma cat and baby are, no need to pull him away since he will carry on and mom will get all stressed out by this, but using your thumb and first finger, massage the foot and leg, focusing on the lower portion more-so but the entire leg, and work it by massaging it between your fingers for a good several minutes, massage, massage, rolling it in your fingers, really working it, one leg at a time.

After doing this massaging for several minutes, start to gently twist it in to it's correct position, even slightly over positioning it.

Then work the other leg/foot the same.

Doing this several times a day will stimulate the growth to the correct position.

This happens when the tendons on one side are stunted, usually happens in larger cramped quarters while in utero, but also happens from cats mating with relations/family.

It's not technically a deformity since the legs are fully developed correctly just twisted, and after about a week of this physical therapy you will see they are growing normally.

Continue doing this therapy until they are growing normal and are no longer turning at all.

They grow so fast that it really only takes a short time before corrected.

You got answer, @kentuckycatlady