10 Month old - Stiff legs, weak

[Tom1515]

We have been babysitting a 10 month old kitty and recognized immediately that she needed professional attention as she was always sleepy, cloudy eyes, and very boney. The vet hydrated her, and suspected FeL or FIP, but bloodwork came back negative, so he then suggested signs point to nerological disorder. When we got her home from the vet, her condition seems to worsen and she got very stiff legs, and will no longer use she litter box. Also, we noticed that she had been eating the litter (before we took her to the vet). He puit her on antibiotics, gave her a shot of potassium, and a course of prednisolone pills and drops. She actual looks better now than she did prior to the vet visit, but she is completely imobile - like she is paralyzed.

Has anyone had a similar experience and if so, did you find out the cause?

Thanks for your help - we've been agonizing over this baby for two weeks.

[Frenchy]

I don't have any experience with this but thank you for taking her to the vet. I would call back the vet asap and tell him what's happening now.

[14+kitties]

Eating litter or dirt is often done by cats suffering from liver issues. At least that is what my vet told me as my Brownie does that occasionally.
Is the litter clumping? If that is the case I would be worried about it clumping and swelling in the kitty's belly and causing some major health issues. Did you mention that to the vet at all?
I think a great idea, as Frenchy mentioned, would be to call the vet and take the little one back in. Good luck.

[sugarcatmom]

Originally Posted by Tom1515

The vet hydrated her, and suspected FeL or FIP, but bloodwork came back negative, so he then suggested signs point to nerological disorder.

Do you know what blood tests the vet ran? What was this kitty's red blood cell count? (anemia can cause some cats to eat clay litter). FIP is an extremely difficult disease to rule out in a living cat as there is no one definitive test for it. A diagnosis is usually made based on several factors such as age, symptoms, and ruling out other possible ailments. Here is an excellent website on the subject: http://www.sockfip.info/about-fip/all-articles.html

FIP can also take a more chronic form referred to as "dry FIP." Dry FIP, as the name implies, is not associated with fluid accumulations in the abdomen or chest, but rather with more localized masses in the kidneys, spleen, liver and terminal bowel, eyes, and the linings of the lungs and heart, and central nervous system. Uveitis (intraocular inflammation) can affect the eyes, making them look cloudy and changing the color of the iris. Inflammation can enter the brain and spinal chord and cause a spectrum of progressive neurologic abnormalities. FIP accounts for over one-half the cases of inflammatory intraocular and nervous system disease in cats under 3-5 years of age.

that this little girl makes a full recovery. How is her appetite?

[Tom1515]

Thanks veyr much to all that replied with suggestions and support. We have in fact been back to the vet three times and twice in touch by phone.

It was clumping litter and got rid of that immediately when we started reading the negatives (one wonders how they can sell that stuff).

This kitty has a way of making you fall in love with her, so, needless to say, this has been a very difficult week.

Anyway, thanks again for all of your support, we are just hoping for the best.

Tom