It has become clear over the past week that Dorian (the grey kitten) and Wiktor (his grey-and-white twin) both have wobbly kitten syndrome. Of the two, Dorian is extremely unsteady on his feet and unable to walk more than three paces before falling over. Wiktor is somewhat more stable, nevertheless he cannot scamper freely like his siblings; his gait is unsure, he walks slowly, but does not constantly fall over as Dorian does.
I began noticing slight tremors in these two a few weeks ago. Weight-wise, they are above the average for this litter, they were both feeding well and neither was being ignored by their mother. But as soon as the kittens left their birthing box having learned to stand upright, it was clear that all's not well with Dorian and Wiktor.
Below. Dorian (left) and Wiktor (right) flanking their one brother, Mars. Sisters Memphis and Kwinta are in their basket in my bedroom. At rest, all seems normal. As soon as they move, the disability becomes obvious to see.
I typed the symptoms into ChatGPT, which told me that this is very likely to be 'wobbly kitten syndrome', or cerebellar hypoplasia. "It typically becomes obvious when kittens start walking, with uncoordinated gait, swaying and falling over. It is neither painful [though Dorian falls over a lot], nor contagious, nor progressive; many cats adapt well", says ChatGPT.
Cross-checking with Wikipedia, I discover this: "Cerebellar hypoplasia in cats. Symptoms include swaying, head tremors, uncoordinated walking, and hypermetria [overshooting of the intended leg position]. There is no treatment. There are very minor differences to a cat's life caused by cerebellar hypoplasia. Usually, they are more prone to falls and being attacked. A simple solution is keeping them indoors. The condition is not infectious in any way. Some accommodations that might be needed are easier access to the litter box or higher food and water bowls."
I have to watch how I move around the house, ever-careful not to step on a kitten that can't get out of the way. They are clumsy, so things need moving. First damage has been done – my French press coffee maker was nudged off a low shelf at the end of the kitchen unit, shattering the glass.
Early morning, Tuesday 30 June. I wake up with the dawn. Outside on the kitchen window, there's a line of cats awaits their breakfast, like social-security claimants waiting for the DHSS doors to open. A tin of cat food is cracked, the front door is pushed ajar, and in pour Scrapper, Czester, Pacyfik, Arcturus and Hipek like a feline tsunami (no sign of Wenusia this morning). The kitchen floor is a mêlée of adult cats and tiny kittens; Pacyfik is growling and hissing at them (and at Hipek). The rest are cool. The adults know what's expected of them; they eat quickly, and having hoovered up sufficient wet- and dry cat food, they leap up onto the parapet and one by one are allowed back out of the kitchen window, leaving Céleste and the little ones.
I settle down at my laptop to read overnight emails, and hear a sound like a distant industrial pump – I stand up to check if the neighbours are up to something – but no; this the sound of five kittens feeding at their mother's breasts. Céleste is lying by the kitchen sink, not far from my feet. Neither Dorian nor Wiktor have any difficulty in latching onto a nipple and feed normally. Mum is feeding them all without any prejudice or preference. Given that much of their time up to now has been spent sleeping and feeding, their condition was easy to overlook. But once out on the tiled floors, they slip up continually. Wiktor looks like he's had one drink too many; poor little Dorian appears worse.
Most importantly, what next? I shall see how things unfold. Firstly, most importantly, this is not a condition that will ease as the kitten turns into an adult cat. ChatGPT again: "cats are generally affected for life but learn to cope. It usually does not resolve, but the kitten may compensate." How adept the brains of Dorian and Wiktor will be to create work-arounds that enable them to function normally remains to be seen.
Secondly: how will the group dynamics evolve? At present, all is good. The three able-bodied kittens, Mars, Memphis and Quinta, play with Wiktor and Dorian in equal measure, and there is plenty of allogrooming [social grooming – mutual cleaning of fur between members of the same group, this reciprocal behaviour being a crucial social mechanism used to relieve stress, reinforce family links, build companionship, and establish dominance hierarchies – Wikipedia]. But how long will this continue? With last year's brood, all five kittens would set out on patrol, setting out and returning together as a group. Dorian (certainly) and Wiktor (probably) should not be allowed out. How long can that continue in a rural setting?
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