Kitten with leg problems

[chicklett43]

My little sisters has two 2 week old kittens and one of them, her little boy, I think has some serious problems. I wanted to know if anyone has and experience with anything like it. Like I said he's two weeks old, he is pretty overweight which I am worried about too and his legs look like they are going the wrong way... when you hold him up and look at his belly it almost looks like his feet are going backwards. I've had a LOT of experience with kittens from my family dealing with a lot of feral cats and being a colony caregiver and I have never seen anything like this. We are planning on taking him to the vet, but I wanted to see if anyone on here has had anything like this with another kitten or any other animal. He has one sister, but there were four in the litter, two of the kittens were born dead (one wasn't fully developed and the other one was just gone. My sister had to try to revive the little girl that is here now.) His sister, Sapphire, we are thinking has a dwarfism, so obviously their mom has some issues in the first place. I'm just worried about the little guy, his name is Onyx, so I may let him come live with me when he's old enough if he can't walk or if he still has problems. He is very mobile right now but instead of using his feet like his sister does he pulls himself with his front feet and just kind of kicks his back and when he does try to use his back feet they aren't positioned like they should be. I would greatly appreciate any info at all, no matter how small. Thanks

[SammysMom]

All I can say is that the vet is your best option. There are many forms of birth defects due to many things including malnutrition. Just be sure they are eating properly and are hydrated, but I would definitely get them to the vet asap.
They are still with their mom, right? Be sure she is eating plenty of good nutrition too.

[chicklett43]

I'll tell my sister to take him (I'm not living with her right now so I can't take him unfortunately.) The babies are still with there mom and he eats a TON, like I said he's overweight but I'm not sure if that is because of eating as much as he does or if it's something we need to be really worried about. My sister says that he potties just fine so I know it's not from a blockage or anything like that (had that happen with a kitten once, one of the saddest days of my life.) He's a happy little guy and he doesn't seem to be in pain because of it, so that's probably a good thing. He'll be going to the vet soon for sure.

[grinn75]

I have never seen anything like that but from what you're describing it could be a hip issue. I also think he is probably bloated not overweight. He could be bloated due to parasites or has some other kind of intestinal issue that is causing him to bloat. Do you know is he peeing and pooping okay?

EDIT: Just saw the pooping question answered. That's good!

[stepnstone]

All I can say is that the vet is your best option. There are many forms of birth defects due to many things including malnutrition. Just be sure they are eating properly and are hydrated, but I would definitely get them to the vet asap. They are still with their mom, right? Be sure she is eating plenty of good nutrition too.

This is the best advice I could offer also. It does sound as if it could be a birth defect which I have seen in feral and over bred animals.
Make sure the weight is not bloat. A lot of times the rolly polly on young kittens is due to parasite or they could be impacted if momma is not cleaning them properly. Be sure he is able to move his bowels.
Please give us an update as to what your vet says...

[SammysMom]

There are several things that can cause that bloated look and all need to be addressed by a vet. I had an experience with something called FIP also that definitely gives them that "roly poly" look and it is a tough diagnosis to get. I can't stress enough how important getting to the vet is. FIP is contagious and I had a real scare about my own indoor cats because I brought him into the house without testing.
Just get to the vet.

[stepnstone]

There are several things that can cause that bloated look and all need to be addressed by a vet. I had an experience with something called FIP also that definitely gives them that "roly poly" look and it is a tough diagnosis to get. I can't stress enough how important getting to the vet is. FIP is contagious and I had a real scare about my own indoor cats because I brought him into the house without testing. Just get to the vet.

Agree!! And thanks for the "roly poly" correction, knew what I was trying to say just couldn't quite get the spelling down.

[chicklett43]

I didn't notice what you had posted about FIP Sammysmom. I'll go look up a few things about it and other possibilities really quickly. He'll be going to the vet as soon as we possibly can. My parents just spent a bunch of money to bring me back from UT to NV to visit them so they aren't really able to take him right this second unless he is in huge trouble (and from what I've seen of him he seems to be acting like a normal baby he just can't walk very well.) I haven't got a job right now either so I don't have any money to take him right now, I just barely moved out and I'm living with my aunt so... If I could take him right now I would though cuz I don't want anything to happen to the little cutie! I'm in love with the little stinker he'll have to come live with me! lol Thank you all so much for the info.

[chicklett43]

I was just checking his tummy and it's soft (not like he's starving soft, just that he's a chubber soft.) I'll get up some pictures when he's done eating and cuddling his mom. I will definitely tell you what the vet says. We will have to wait for the next pay day to take him unless he is in serious trouble. (I sound like the people I hate, but you gotta do what you gotta do... )

[Jackie in Tampa]

thank you for loving him...
he sounds purrrrfect to me...
good luck

[chicklett43]

here are some pictures and I hope the video works too. the video is to compare the way he and his sister walk and get around.



http://www.facebook.com/video/video....50365&comments

[chicklett43]

k I forgot how to do pictures lol one second I'll figure it out

[chicklett43]

K these ones worked =) I don't know if you can really tell his legs look strange because he was wiggling non-stop so it was hard to get a decent picture.