• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pawesome Cats helping cats live happy, healthy lives

Pawesome Cats

helping cats live happy, healthy lives

  • Home
  • Cat Health
  • Cat Behaviour
  • Life with Cats
  • Raw Feeding
  • Cat Breeds
You are here: Home / Cat Health / Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Cats

Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Cats

By Dr Pippa Elliott | Updated on 25/03/2023

22 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Pawesome Cats is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Learn more about 'wobbly cat syndrome' including how a cat develops it, the symptoms, diagnosis and living with a cat with this condition | Cerebellar Hypoplasia in CatsCerebellar hypoplasia: Two long (and baffling) words. Let’s break them up into something understandable.

First, the cerebellum: The cerebellum is the part of the brain which coordinates movement. Think of keeping your balance on the shifting deck of a ship at sea, and it’s your cerebellum (along with other internal mechanisms) taking up the slack to keep you upright.

The cerebellum also helps with fine motor skills (such as opening a tin of cat food) and coordination (spooning the food into the cat’s bowl.) These are all things we take for granted, indeed much like switching on the TV and expecting to see a picture, the cerebellum does its stuff without us giving conscious thought to how.

Now to tackle the other word: Hypoplasia. The ‘hypo’ part means ‘low’, as in hypothermia, which is what happens if you stand out in the cold without warm clothing. The ‘-plasia’ means to mould or form, so throw the two parts together and you get low. . . or under development.

By now you’ve raced ahead and put together that ‘cerebellar hypoplasia’ is an under-development of the brain’s balance centre, the cerebellum. Ta-dah! That’s exactly what it is. You may also have heard cerebellar hypoplasia cats referred to as ‘wobbly cats’ or the condition referred to as ‘wobbly cat syndrome’.

But what does this mean for a cat?

Symptoms of Cerebellar Hypoplasia

What do we know so far and what clues does this give us about the symptoms?

A cat with cerebellar hypoplasia has a brain that hasn’t fully developed its balance and coordination centres. Picture a cat with a drunken walk. These cats may have tremors or shakes; they stagger around and can have difficulty with muscular coordination. They often have what’s called an ‘intention tremor’, which means the harder they focus on doing something the worse the shake becomes.

RELATED:  How to Treat Feline Obesity

They also find it difficult to do basic things like eating or going to the litter box. This is because they can see the food and know what they want to eat, but can’t coordinate their muscles to walk over and put their head in the bowl. Think of this like playing on a computer gaming console but with a broken controller: You want the animated character to pick up an energy pack but you’re unable to move him to the right spot.

Learn more about 'wobbly cat syndrome' including how a cat develops it, the symptoms, diagnosis and living with a cat with this condition | Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Cats
Image: Emily Hall via Kitty Cat Chronicles

 

Can any Cat Develop Cerebellar Hypoplasia?

No! Its what’s called a developmental disorder. This means the growth of the brain was interrupted when the kitten was in the womb, and the brain failed to develop properly. So an adult cat that grew normally in the womb and was a healthy kitten is completely in the clear for cerebellar hypoplasia.

Also, an adult cat that was normal but develops a drunken walk doesn’t have cerebellar hypoplasia. The explanation for these symptoms is going to be different, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, toxoplasmosis, poisoning, encephalitis, or a brain tumour.

So yes, this does mean affected kittens are born with the condition. Actually, in a bizarre way, this is good news because this is also a non-progressive disease. This means that things are as bad as they are and won’t deteriorate with time (such as a progressive disease does.)

How Serious is Cerebellar Hypoplasia?

The big picture is that cerebellar hypoplasia is disabling to a kitten, but with a caring owner, they can usually cope. But these kittens don’t have the nimbleness and speed necessary to escape from danger, so it’s essential to raise them as indoor cats.

RELATED:  10 Tips to Encourage Your Cat to Drink More Water

It’s also important to know that this isn’t an all-or-nothing condition. A kitten may be mildly or severely affected, depending on how much damage was done in the womb. So the signs may vary from a slightly wobbly kitten to one that has difficulty standing.

Whilst a slight wobble is something the kitten can cope with, an extreme case may be severely disabled. However, the good news (if that’s the right choice of words) is the condition isn’t going to deteriorate, so a kitten that’s doing fine right now is likely to keep on that way.

Learn more about 'wobbly cat syndrome' including how a cat develops it, the symptoms, diagnosis and living with a cat with this condition | Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Cats
Image: Emily Hall via Kitty Cat Chronicles

 

Why do Cats get Cerebellar Hypoplasia?

We’ve already mentioned damage to the developing foetus, but how does this damage happen?

The most common cause is the mother cat becomes infected with the feline panleukopaenia virus in the later stages of pregnancy. This virus crosses the placenta to the kittens in the womb and attacks rapidly dividing cells. Unfortunately, late pregnancy is also when the kitten’s brain is growing most rapidly and so the virus hits the equivalent of a jackpot.

However, this isn’t the only cause. Severe malnutrition in the mother will damage her kittens’ development, as will head trauma to new-born kittens.

How is Cerebellar Hypoplasia Diagnosed?

Many vets diagnose this condition based on the clinical signs in a very young kitten. However, when a vet is presented with a stray adult cat that has poor coordination, other health problems causing similar symptoms need to be ruled out. One of these is toxoplasmosis, where the parasite attacks the brain and interferes with motor function.

RELATED:  Hairballs and What to do About Them

Ultimately, a definitive diagnosis is made by taking a picture of the brain with an MRI scanner. This enables the technician to see how small the cerebellum is, making the diagnosis a ‘no-brainer.’

Learn more about 'wobbly cat syndrome' including how a cat develops it, the symptoms, diagnosis and living with a cat with this condition | Cerebellar Hypoplasia in Cats
Image: Emily Hall via Kitty Cat Chronicles

 

Helping a Kitten with Cerebellar Hypoplasia

Firstly, prevention is better than cure. If you’re planning on breeding, make sure the mother’s vaccinations are up to date (panleukopaenia is a core constituent of vaccine protocols) before she’s mated. And of course, make sure she’s fed a well-balanced diet.

However, if you already have a kitten with cerebellar hypoplasia, then a few adaptations to your home can make a big difference. Things like making a shallow ramp for the kitty to climb into her litter tray will help. Also, try raising the food bowls slightly off the ground so the kitten doesn’t have to dip her head down quite as much.

So there we have it: Cerebellar hypoplasia: An avoidable condition affecting kittens, but one most kittens are able to live with so long as they stay indoors.

—

PS. Editors note: Whilst many CH ‘wobbly’ cats may be best suited to an indoor lifestyle, there is always an exception. Meet Sophie a very special wobbly kitty. . .  as you can see from the video below, nothing stops her from leading a full and active life.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMtq0SOXQjA&width=740&height=450[/embedyt]

Photos used in this article are published with permission from Emily Hall, you can read more about Sophie and cerebellar hypoplasia on the Kitty Cat Chronicles blog.

22 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Filed Under: Cat Health, Medical Conditions, Popular

About Dr Pippa Elliott

Pippa is a UK veterinarian with over 30 years’ experience in practice and a special interest in feline medicine and behaviour. She has four cats that keep her busy opening doors on demand.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 15andmeowing says

    18/03/2018 at 9:13 am

    Excellent post. I love to read about Sophie’s adventures.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Latest Blog Posts

woman in red jumper holding cat in front of christmas tree

How to Cat-Proof Your Christmas Tree

03/12/2013

woman's hands holding platter with cooked thanksgiving turkey

Can Cats Eat Turkey at Thanksgiving? 

25/10/2023

ginger kitten with arched back and upright tail on grass lawn

8 Reasons Why Cats Arch Their Backs

25/07/2023

coconut in shell with ground coconut and oil

Coconut Oil for Cats: Is It Good or Bad?

18/07/2023

tabby cat standing in blue litter box

What Does It Mean When a Cat Can’t Pee? 

11/07/2023

ginger and white cat with curved tail

Why Do Cats Wag Their Tails?

04/07/2023

tabby white cat eating from white bowl tongue out

Why Is My Cat Always Hungry? 10 Possible Reasons

27/06/2023

newborn kitten with eyes closed in human hands

Fading Kitten Syndrome: How To Recognise The Signs

20/06/2023

ginger cat digging in litter tray

Is Your Cat Allergic to Litter? How to Tell

13/06/2023

Footer

Disclaimer

All articles are based on our personal opinion and experiences. Information on this site should not be considered a substitute for professional veterinary advice, care and treatment. If your cat is unwell and you are concerned for any reason, please contact your veterinarian immediately. Unless otherwise credited, all images and content are copyright to Pawesome Cats.

Affiliate Disclosure

Pawesome Cats is a member of affiliate programs that provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products sold online including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Associate the owner of this site earns from qualifying purchases. For more information, refer to our Disclaimer page.

Privacy

This site may collect anonymous demographic information when you visit our site, click on a link or leave a comment. For more information, read our privacy policy.

Quick Links

About   |   Contact   |   Subscribe

Copyright © 2023 Pawesome Cats - All Rights Reserved.

22 shares