# Blind 3 week old kitten?



## Brooky_66 (Aug 25, 2010)

So Sassy's kitten Scotty(blk/Wht Tux kitten) Seems to be blind or have something wrong. He walks in circles and walks backwards and only walks forward when you scratch the carpet in front of him and slowly move it back.
He seems to have a hard time finding a teat but eventually does. His brother and sister are on the go walking starting to chase toys.

any ideas?
any test i can do?



thank you.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Was Sassy vaccinated or did she have distemper while pregnant? If so, Scotty may have Cerebellar Hypoplasia. That wouldn't cause blindness, but it would cause a serious and permanent lack of coordination. You can read more about CH here:

Cerebellar Hypoplasia

In any event, you should have your kitten evaluated by a vet immediately, because if his problem is caused by something treatable, the sooner it is addressed, the better the prognosis.

Laurie


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## lashes006 (Apr 23, 2011)

do his eyes seem cloudy, opaque or anything like that? can he track your finger or a toy? i mean, if you hold something in front of him, can he follow it with his eyes? sometimes it is hard for kittens to do this if they are uninterested... they seem to like running and playing more  my white kitten acted like she was blind or partially blind, but after a few months she seemed much better. 

if it is possible, take her to the vet and have them check him. if he is blind, he could adapt well by using his hearing senses more, once he is a little older. i can't help much, but hopefully something of this response helps.


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

I would compare him to his siblings. A simple test would be to hold a 'normal' kitten and move your hand towards their face fast, to startle them. (please don't actually hit the kitten...) Then do this with him.
Try from different angles to see if you get a different reaction. 

Considering his strange movements I would also suggest seeing a vet. Keep in mind that if it is anything serious the chances for his survival do go down, and if he does make it then finding him a home could be almost impossible. Before you go to the vet I would think very seriously about what you will do if the prognisis is poor. Talk with your roomates/SO to see what their opinion is. IMO you need to think very hard about whether you can keep a special needs kitten. If you can't I would try to contact a few rescues to see if they can help you find a home for a special needs kitten. If they can't you may be facing a very difficult choice.

Sorry to be a downer, but as a rescuer sometimes we face tough choices. Doran had a very bad heart mumer when he was a kitten, the vet told me he might not live very long and he could die very young from a heart attack. Because of this I felt it would be unfailr for him to rehome, so I kept him. In our case things have worked out amazingly because I recently found out he has outgrown his condition (which is NOT the norm at all!). Sometimes these things are a blessing in disguise, I can't imagine life without my special boy.

Good luck and I'll give you all the support I can with this baby.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I have fostered blind cats and visually impared cats. If your kitten is truely blind it can live a full and happy life. It might ne nuerological also. I would suggest taking the kitten to a vet who is an eye specialist. They can tell right away what it is. I would also suggest contacting Alana at The Blind Cat Rescue in St Pauls, NC. She is a weath of information. A wonderful book to immediately read is Homers Odyessy, A fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat by Gwen Cooper. Run dont walk, to purchae this book. Ive fostered over 100 kittens and cats. It was Laverne and Shirley, the blind kitties, that changed my life. A magical life changinging event just walked into your life if you take this little guy into your heart. Blind cats are less work than a normal cat and will bond with you deeply~ heart cats! There is is huge sub culture of blind cat owner in the cat world. Check out BCR webpage and facepage.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

PS i want to add most ignorant run of the mill vets will tell you to put a blind cat down. DONT DO IT. My blind kitties had my house memorized in one day. They integrated in with my fosters and my own cats. Friends would come by to meet my blind kitties. My blind kitties would confidently walk right by them, turn a corner then make a leap onto a coffee table or sofa. Or id pop open a can of food & theyd come running with the rest of my cats. My friends were amazed. Trust me i had heated arguement with people in my group to euthanize them but i refused. My vet and i saw a will to live in them. Im grateful i stood my ground and listened to my heart.


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## Brooky_66 (Aug 25, 2010)

laurief said:


> Was Sassy vaccinated or did she have distemper while pregnant? If so, Scotty may have Cerebellar Hypoplasia. That wouldn't cause blindness, but it would cause a serious and permanent lack of coordination. You can read more about CH here:
> 
> Cerebellar Hypoplasia
> 
> ...


I looked into that. when he does walk straight he does fall over more than is brother and sister. We are going to keep watching he is eating and doing fine he is actually eating mushed kitten food also off your fingers. Sassy was not vaccinated she is a stray we took in when we noticed she was pregnant. i want to say thank you to every. there are alot of replies for me to answer each one. i will keep everyone update.

but i will say..
He will not be put to sleep unless he is suffering.
He will live with my boyfriend and i if he does have something wrong with him! 
He will get the attention he needs. 
he will be seeing a vet.
we are giving him some time because he is only 3 weeks.


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## lashes006 (Apr 23, 2011)

i am so glad you would not put him down, unless he is truly suffering! by chance, is he smaller than the other kittens from the litter? i have fostered many abandoned and feral kittens who stumbled and seemed uncoordinated. those kittens were also quite a bit smaller and less advanced than the other kittens of their litters. i kept them the longest to make sure they were ok. none of them had to be put down, to my knowledge anyway. it may take more work in the beginning, but you will love him so much! he will love you too!


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## Brooky_66 (Aug 25, 2010)

he is a tad smaller. he has been the last to do everything. After Sassy had her c-section he was even the last to wake up from the anestesia. im reading more on the Cerebellar Hypoplasia and have watch videos and it doesnt seem like that. he does not focus on any thing im starting to beleive he is partaily blind. his eyes are not cloudy. they do respond to light but he does not follow toys or fingers like his brother and sister


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## lashes006 (Apr 23, 2011)

it could be that he is taking longer to develop. Taz, one of the cats i found as a kitten, was slow and the last to do everything and she is completely different now. your kitten could have something wrong with him, but he could also just be developing slow. he may be completely better in 8months to a year. don't lose hope


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## Brooky_66 (Aug 25, 2010)

So I have been watching him most the day and it does seem that CH makes the most sense. He is more comfortable spining in circle but when he does walk straight he staggers


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## librarychick (May 25, 2008)

Brenna's_Mom said:


> but i will say..
> He will not be put to sleep unless he is suffering.
> He will live with my boyfriend and i if he does have something wrong with him!
> He will get the attention he needs.
> ...


I'm very glad to hear that! Sometimes the special kitties are the ones that have the best lessons to teach us 

Hopefully it is just slow development and he grows up normally. However have you looked into getting him checked out by a vet? I would really look into this.



Mitts & Tess said:


> PS i want to add most ignorant run of the mill vets will tell you to put a blind cat down. DONT DO IT. My blind kitties had my house memorized in one day. They integrated in with my fosters and my own cats. Friends would come by to meet my blind kitties. My blind kitties would confidently walk right by them, turn a corner then make a leap onto a coffee table or sofa. Or id pop open a can of food & theyd come running with the rest of my cats. My friends were amazed. Trust me i had heated arguement with people in my group to euthanize them but i refused. My vet and i saw a will to live in them. Im grateful i stood my ground and listened to my heart.


Agreed! If he is 'just' blind I'd say go for it! I'm almost 100% sure that my leopard gecko is blind and my vet has said, numerous times, that she should be put down. She has been sick but I'm fighting for her! She's just started gaining weight and is more interested in food. IMO if they are happy and otherwise ok (or improving, as in the case of my sick gecko) why put them down if you can dedicate the time to them?

...we'd love to see pictures/videos of the kittens  *hint hint*


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## Brooky_66 (Aug 25, 2010)

Hi everyone thank so much for all the good thought! Kittens are all doing good and will be one month on the 5th. I went in this morning before work and checked on them Scotty was doing good he was actually walking forward but still staggering but it forward! He love to be cuddled and loved on. He lays on his back and puts his paws on your nose. I think it has been helping make his legs stronger! I will get pictures and try a video as soon as possible!


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