3 week old kitten can't walk

Hi! My name is Madison and my cat had a little of kittens about 3 and a half weeks ago. At 2 weeks, all of the kittens (there's 6) could walk and stand with the exception of one. My boyfriend nicknamed him Pookie and he definitely was the runt of the litter. He can't use his back legs. If you push on his legs he tenses up the muscles in his thighs and he wags his tail, but we have never seen him walk. He drags himself by his front legs. I'm honestly not sure what exactly to do the vet we normally go to has been out of town and I trust very few people with my pets. Do y'all have any advice? Is he a paraplegic?

When Pookie is asleep, you can squeeze on his back paws and tail and he doesn't wake up. His back paws are somewhat warm but his front paws are wayyyy warmer. But he does move his tail and he can wrap his paw around your finger if you push on the bottom when he's awake, so I'm not sure what to think frown.gif

Hi @madisonmsmith and welcome to TCS!

We have moved your question over to this forum as you are likely to find more people who can help you here.

Although trusting a new vet can be hard, this may be a worthwhile exception the the rule, just to be safe.
However, from what I understand, most kittens don't start walking very well until 5 weeks of age, so it may just be that his siblings are advanced, rather than anything being wrong with him. He's not paralyzed if his feet are reactive, but it is unusual for the entire litter to be one place developmentally with only one lagging behind.
Personally, I'm over cautious and prefer to see a vet, but it ultimately up to you if you want to see how he progresses over a couple days or weeks. While waiting could mean a problem goes untreated, seeing the vet prematurely can be costly, and you gotta weigh the costs and benefits.
Hopefully someone more versed in kitten development recognizes this better for you. Good luck

Kittens start walking by 3 weeks. I would definitely take this little one to the vet.

It could be cerebal hypoplasia but you need to have him checked by the vet to make certain it's that. It's a neurological disorder but most cats that have it can lead happy, healthy lives. They just need a little more tlc. I'm not saying it is that... but a vet visit is in order to determine what's going on with the little guy.

Thank y'all! I took him to the vet today and they said that he has a congenital birth defect that messed with his skeletal and muscular system in his legs. I have to give him physical therapy and a wheel chair and monitor is he's using the bathroom since it can affect that as well. :/ poor baby

madisonmsmith said:

Thank y'all! I took him to the vet today and they said that he has a congenital birth defect that messed with his skeletal and muscular system in his legs. I have to give him physical therapy and a wheel chair and monitor is he's using the bathroom since it can affect that as well. :/ poor baby

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As I read through this thread I was thinking this is some type of birth defect, the nerves/blood supply is there, but dragging himself with his front legs is clearly wrong, and to what extent or what can help/repair this is beyond what I can say.

If the vet gave you hope that this can change and he has a good chance at living a normal cat life, excellent, and I would stay vigilant with the therapy, etc. Anything that increases his chances of normalcy in the near future.

However, and here comes the touchy subject.......

If he will not, or most likely will not be able to walk, need a wheel cart to be mobile, or unable to eliminate on his own, I want you to take a good long look at what his future will be like.

Remember, his brain, curiosity, playfulness, climbing, pouncing, wrestling, that will not be different, just his body will not cooperate with what his mind wants. The anxiety, who knows how a cat thinks and feels when they can't control or potty themselves..........

That is a very sad/grim future for him, and if this is the case and highly doubtful or impossible for him to get corrected, you really might think long and hard about his quality of life, sometimes it is much more humane to love him like crazy, then gracefully let him go. 

This is surely not how a cat is meant to live, it's not living much, it's more existing.

It's very sad, and so unfair, but even more unfair is for him to grow up like this too.

Not an easy thing to think about, trust me, I am one who saves lives, so know I don't say this easily.

I agree with Catwoman, it's something to consider. I don't think its necessarily the only option though. I do think disabled cats can be quite content. Many cats with disability do live happy content lives, as long as they have owners who are dedicated to enriching their lives and keeping them happy. But it can be a very difficult endeavour and expensive. So as hard as it is, you shouldn't knock euthanasia off the table either.

While you are letting the time tell - among others - if his elimination works OK - if tail works, so perhaps even the sphicters on bowels and bladder?   His reflexes seems OK, as he reacts on touching his paw - its the voluntary controll which seems amiss...

Anyway, do begin with massaging his back legs and back part of the body - its perhaps what the vet meant by therapy.  Massage, rub, move, use also a toothbrush... A couple times a day at least.

Like you probably would do with a human immobilized long time, to help keep the muscles going...   Perhaps some red light lamps - giving deeper warmth -

If God so will and he gets better, the problem is solved.  If he is still paralysed, but bladder and elimination works - you will take your decision from there.

If nothing works - yeah, letting go may be the most kind.

madisonmsmith said:

Hi! My name is Madison and my cat had a little of kittens about 3 and a half weeks ago. At 2 weeks, all of the kittens (there's 6) could walk and stand with the exception of one. My boyfriend nicknamed him Pookie and he definitely was the runt of the litter. He can't use his back legs. If you push on his legs he tenses up the muscles in his thighs and he wags his tail, but we have never seen him walk. He drags himself by his front legs. I'm honestly not sure what exactly to do

the vet we normally go to has been out of town and I trust very few people with my pets. Do y'all have any advice? Is he a paraplegic?

When Pookie is asleep, you can squeeze on his back paws and tail and he doesn't wake up. His back paws are somewhat warm but his front paws are wayyyy warmer. But he does move his tail and he can wrap his paw around your finger if you push on the bottom when he's awake, so I'm not sure what to think frown.gif

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M madisonmsmith

How is your kitten with the paralyzed back legs doing?