You quickly play over everything in your head: the temperature seems okay, she is vigorous, her mom seems to have plenty of milk, all of her siblings gained weight. So, you open her mouth to investigate further. Then you see, or in my case, I actually didn’t see, a palate. There wasn’t one. Where the roof of the kitten’s mouth should have been, there was just an empty void.
My Calico Exotic Baby Had a Cleft Palate.
There are varying degrees of severity when a kitten has a cleft palate. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for breeders to see some occurrence of this defect at some point in their career. Reasons for the defect vary. Incomplete closure of the palate is attributed to inherited, nutritional, hormonal, mechanical (in utero trauma) and toxic (including viral) factors.1 Whatever the reason, it is a sad and potentially fatal situation to face just as you are rejoicing over a beautiful new life.
When I opened the mouth of my cleft palate baby for the first time, I felt sick. She had one of the worst-case scenarios; there was no palate present at all. I reached out to some other breeders for advice, as well as a veterinary technician friend who I knew had dealt with this in the past. The consensus was not encouraging. People expressed concern about potential other underlying conditions. There was also a fair amount of concern that the kitten would suffer from issues secondary to her care, such as infections, aspiration from tube feeding, etc. Euthanasia would not have been a wrong decision.
“Just one feeding. . .”
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Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de Cat Talk.
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Life With Patrick
Patrick and Mount Doom
Feline Photographers Part 1
\"Cats never strike a pose that isn't photogenic.\" - Lillian Jackson Braun
The Cat Fancy Alphabet
\"The Cat Fancy Alphabet\" is a new feature in Cat Talk. It highlights various terms and aspects of the cat fancy, educating fanciers new and old about our hobby.
UP CLOSE AND Purr-sonal
If there is one person, or even just a name, that anyone in CFA (Cat Fancier Association) knows, it would have to be Allene Tartaglia. It might be from her involvement with most aspects of the operations of CFA in her position of executive director. Or perhaps from her deep involvement with both the CFA Annual meeting and/or the International Show. Cat Talk thought it was time to learn more about one of the most key people in CFA.
Vision and Hearing Dysfunctions in Senior Cats
Just as people are challenged by having deficiencies with vision and hearing over time, so are senior cats. In senior cats, pet owners may notice their cats are no longer responding to them in the same way; however, it may be difficult to figure out.
Senior Cats and House Soiling
Why is my cat no longer using its litter box? Cat soiling in the house is one of the most talked about issues for pet owners.
Nutrition for Our Senior Cats
From the time they are born, our kittens receive a tremendous amount of care, with diet being at the core of their growth and development.
Fluffy's Sixteen and STILL Plays Like a Kitten!
Enrichment for Senior Cats
Alternative Arthritis Treatments for Cats
Just like humans, cats can experience arthritis. About 90% of cats over the age of 10 years experience osteoarthritis (OA) in at least one joint.1 It is a complex condition involving inflammation and degeneration of one or more joints and is sometimes referred to as degenerative joint disease (DJD). Cats with OA experience pain and inflammation in various joints that interfere with daily activities.
Checklist For What to Look For in Your Club's Next Show Venue
Show Manager To Ring One, Please