Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

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Meandmymunki
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Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Meandmymunki »

Hi has anyone here got any experience of a cat/kitten with dwarfism?
I run a rescue and have one with all the symptoms of pituitary gland dwarfism (suggested by vet but he is too young to test yet.)
Kaiser is 10-11 weeks now and so dinky, but getting chubby, he is the size of a 5-6 week old with majorly short legs, a tubby body, an undershot jaw, incredibly short thick 'fluffy' fur and the strangest one of all, he only has his 4 canine teeth half grown and no back teeth at all!
He is quite vacant and I've never heard him purr.
He does play tho and potter about.
He came from a house with 10 feral adults all aged 7-15 years and in terrible states having been completely neglected by their owner who had died. We know he was the only surviving kitten, probably because the adults were too old, emaciated and poorly to breed!
jillyvillyvoo
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by jillyvillyvoo »

Hi s this not what lil Bub has, some form of dwarfism? Not sure but think he was from a feral community. look him up on face book it will prob give you more info on his condition.
Meandmymunki
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Meandmymunki »

Gosh yes it is, I just read the about section on Facebook and Kaiser is just like lil bub :D
I'm so pleased there is hope he will grow like lil bub as so far the vets have been quite doom and gloom, esp since he currently has a rattle on his lungs....
Thank you for that!
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Crewella
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Crewella »

Oh well spotted! I really hope the little one does well and has a real future. xx
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Lilith
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Lilith »

Now this is interesting.

It must have been autumn 2002 when I first met Mouse.

My cellar window opens and was known in those days as the 'drop-in' centre for the local ferals; I already knew Tess (with the bellyful of little D'Urbervilles) but on this occasion she brought a funny little object with her, a black tuxedo with a perfect Siamese head and wonky little bowlegs like a bulldog. 'Hullo Mouse,' I said. And the name stuck. I really couldn't put an estimation of age on her; she looked wizened and sort of 'frozen in time' if that makes sense. She DID look like a dwarf. I later found from a neighbour's sister that she'd probably been born in early spring. She was starving. Another neighbour thought it was amusing to throw her a cheap cat biscuit, one by one, and see her run to gobble them off the pavement.

With me, Mouse got as many square meals as she wanted in the 'drop-in centre' and the CP (who were aware of the situation) neutered Emily, Tess and Mouse who all moved in with me - and Mouse grew!

One minute she was that odd little thing with a head and tail that looked too big for her body - next minute she was a long-legged plushy coated beauty - and still is (wish I could post pictures.)

I don't do facebook so can't look up Lil Bub, but do hope Kaiser catches up and grows like Lil Bub and Mouse - I'm sure there's chance for him now you've got him and that his lung condition can be sorted - all the best little lad x
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by jillyvillyvoo »

Hi Lilith, you don't need face book I don't think. Just search lil Bub he is like sooooooo famous you will find him. He is an inspiration an absolute beauty and an amazing fundraiser!
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Meandmymunki »

Yes lil bub has over 2 million followers on Facebook and also comes up all over Google.
Thanks everyone it's good to know there are other cats like Kaiser out there, his health has been a bit up and down but am hopeful he will be ok.
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Lilith
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Lilith »

Thanks Jilly and Meandmymunki - I'd never heard of Lil Bub before...poor little guy!

Mousey had a lucky escape I think!

To give a bit more background on her (which might be useful) her mother was one of a pair of female kittens adopted by a young guy living close by. The neighbour who used to throw biscuits at Mouse grumbled at the time that he was never going to neuter those kittens and we'd be overrun with a swarm of ferals etc etc but she's a right sourpuss and I took her with a pinch of salt...sadly she was right. I never met the guy but understand he was chaotic, if often endearing. I think I like him a lot better than Sourpuss...a guy who livens up the street with the Pogues and Eric Burdon and the Animals' 'Good Times' can't be all bad. But...he often wandered off and the cats were left to their own devices...in the end he left, full stop. I felt rotten about nicking his cats but they were by now leading a feral life and needed protection. Other neighbours were even grumbling about getting the RSPCA out to put them down. The CP and RSPCA had been called out several times (not by me though I worked with the CP once the cats invaded me lol) and he'd been persuaded to part with some of the kittens (tearfully; he was very sentimental about them although he could scarcely look after himself, never mind the cats.)

When this guy was at home, he was in work, catering - and (I got told) used to bring home kitchen scraps for the cats, but I suspect Mouse depended on her mother's milk for most of her nourishment...I forget whether it was before Tess's next litter or after that Tess presented me with her, but it was clear that Tess brought her to me as I was a source of food. Tess herself, even when bulging with kittens, was painfully thin; she was a dark tortie tuxedo and would march down the street looking as if she was wearing outsize white Reeboks on her feet. (I lost Tess in 2007, RTA, still sorely missed.)

Miraculously, Mouse has lived a long and healthy life after that early setback and I hope (paws crossed!) that she'll carry on for many more years to come. She's a great hefty lump with a magnificent coat and the loudest purr ever; she's very timid, due to poor socialisation in her early days, but she has her moments, bless her.

My Emily was probably a daughter of Tess's sister, who I named Charlotte the Harlot because she was so soppy (she was such a tart, she'd go with anyone lol) and who (Charlotte I mean) was taken to the CP by a neighbour. Emily was also a skinny little thing, who got pregnant before I got to know her. I've got a pic somewhere of her looking as if a puff of wind would blow her away ...having kittens takes it out of any cat but despite belated feeding, my Emmy, at just over a year, was a skeleton...she'd just never built up any reserves...that cat would never make old bones, I thought.

Wrong. She's a great plump armful at 14 and the only time she had to visit the vet (for a dental) her condition was praised.

So, even badly nourished and coming from malnourished mothers, they can catch up and I do hope it will be the same for Kaiser :)
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Sue Goddard
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Sue Goddard »

Could it just be a byproduct (that sounded awful...!!) of interbreeding??
A feral colony doesn't know anything about genetics etc so dad mated with daughter etc and goodness knows what the results are...hopefully it's not brain damaged...no different to humans I suppose. That's why we have laws against it...!!
I breed Guinea pigs for show at one stage and one had to keep records of genetics etc as some traits (like cateracts ) are passed down the line.

Poor little kit..I'm sure it will get tons of love what ever it looks like.
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Lilith
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Lilith »

Hey Sue - that's a very relevant point. I hadn't thought of that, although I'm pretty certain Mouse's father was the tom, Finn, who moved in with me later, and was clearly not related to Mouse's mother. I always blamed Mouse's condition on poor feeding.

I too have seen some disasters with pedigree breeding - 'line' breeding and such; there was an outcry in the '80s about 'teacup' kittens and yes, in a feral colony, father, or son, won't trouble themselves about mating daughter or mama. And as for ignorant owners... a neighbour, I'll call her A, let her cat have kittens and kept a male...another neighbour, B, her crony, had to get a kitten, of course, and A instructed her that it was essential for a female cat to have kittens before neutering. I said no, it wasn't (not earning myself any popularity) but B blithered on about Tiddles 'wanting to be a mum' (puke) before, mercifully, getting her spayed (not until after she'd been mated though!) Meanwhile the last time I saw A's male kitten (who she doesn't allow in the house unless she has to) in profile, he's very well-endowed...I only hope she got his mother spayed, but I fear not...with such idiots around, and feral mating, it's not surprising these poor little 'freaks of nature' are coming into the world...at least the ferals are innocent, unlike some people!

Oops sorry for rant :)
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by jillyvillyvoo »

What's the latest on Kaiser? Has he ad any testing to determine if he has dwarfism. Often think about the wee fella.
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Re: Pituitary gland (kitten dwarfism)

Post by Meandmymunki1234 »

Hi
I haven’t been on here for years and forgot about this thread til I was googling another kitten similar.
Kaiser was diagnosed early 2016 with congenital hypothyroidism and is now 6 years old and fine on his meds!
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