Cerebellar Hypoplasia, now we know!

Mommy realized early in my life, and I am only 2, how different I am than my brothers and mommies past cats from kittenhood. She began noticing it more after my first shots but then I seemed to get back on track for awhile. Still the clumsiness exists, I almost fall just jumping on a windowsill! I use to have fun playing with Ty but now that he has grown stronger and larger, he sometimes scares me so mom has been finding me sleeping in the large cage where Ty still goes in to eat. She was making room in the barn to store the cage again but now that she found me using it, she is not sure how to handle this change. I sleep all night with Grammom and for awhile it's like being the only cat, I like that feeling. I do love Tinker, Setzer and Cherokee the most because they are so loving to me. Toy leaves me alone so that is good but Ty wants to rough house, he doesn't understand my disability. Actually, the Vet I use to see just said I will catch up to my brothers in time but mom could see that it wouldn't happen. She was looking at cat to adopt on Catster and liked an orange kitty named DUDE who is living in NYC. That's how she came upon the answers she had been needing. He has Cerebeller Hypoplastia and has a video on youtube...then mom found other's that put video's on youtube showing this disability in their cats too. Now that there was a name for this problem I have she could research further on the net. ...........
"CH cats are sometimes born to females who have suffered Feline Infectious Enteritis (FIE), Feline Panleukopaenia, Feline Distemper) during pregnancy. It is not known to be caused by a pregnant cat receiving a Enteritis vaccination and is usually only seen in kittens born to feral, stray or unvaccinated cats."
My mom was a feral cat and was rescued shortly before my two sisters and I were born.
"Affected kittens may not grow as large as unaffected kittens or they may have a slower development. The virus affects the cerebellum area of the brain, an area involved in fine motor control. Typical symptoms are poor co-ordination, gait abnormalities and perception. Affected cats are wobbly and unco-ordinated and have characteristic head tremors which are evident when they try to focus on something like a bird. They may even have sight problems but it is difficult to assess their sight due to their strange posture and gait. It often looks as though their body goes the opposite of what they are telling it to do, or one part goes in one direction while the other tried to head off elsewhere! They adapt to these challenges but will always be clumsy and may be nervous or unsure of themselves in new situations. Barring any accidents caused by their unco-ordination, their life expectancy doesn't seem to be affected and given a safe environment, they live as long as unaffected cats and seem little troubled by their condition. It is not advisable to give a (CH) cat free access to outdoors as their mobility problems, perception problems and possible sight problems makes things doubly hazardous! For more information....http://www.messybeast.com/disabled.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiEUECIwTTU
http://www.catster.com/cats/815635

Please show Dude some love! Send him some gifts and make his day!!!!Wuv, Tang

I am now "2" years old!

Actually my Birthday is the 7th, the same as my furend, Tigger. Mommy hasn't been able to get on the puter till now 'cause my Grammom fell and broke her hip. I sleep with her so I am missing her so much. Mommy spent most of the days at the hospital with her and after one week on Wednesday, Grammom was taken to a rehab center. She has been having a very hard time 'cause she had reactions to the anesthesia and pain meds but she is finally getting them out of her system and starting to feel better. Mommy & Daddy have had to go to the Hospital in the very early morning hours and have had to rush over to rehab a few times and now are hoping to get some sleep! Also, Mommy is going to take Luke over to visit with Grammom this week and we know that will make her so happy!!! On my Birthday morning, when mommy got up she came right in Grammom's room to pick me up and sing Happy Birthday to me! She gave me some huggs, kisses & toys and the toy in my Birthday picture is from my Grammom through Mommy. My Grammom is so brave, it must be so hard for her, she is 88 years old. The other day she started learning how to use a wheelchair and she is going up and down the halls! I wish I could visit her but I get to scared of new things. This has not been the best Birthday but since she started really feeling better on my Birthday.....it's a good one! (Love you Grammom and I miss you soooo much) TANG

"Happy Birthday, Tigger!"

Zephyr & Neo have Tagged me!

So.... I have to come up wiff 7 things about me and then tagg 7 furrends.....Mommy sez she hopes I can run fast enough to tag 'cause I run like a hobby horse!

1. Well, let's see, um...when I walk I hold my long tail over my back and curl up the end, Mom sez I look like a walking kitty teapot........whatz a teapot?
2. I can tell time....really! I know when it's time to eat and go to mommy and sit there and stare till she notices me....which doesn't take long.....then I lick my mouth and she gets it....she understands sign language!
3.I love to sing.....when mommy talks to me I sing back........she seems to like it and smiles at me soooo I guess I don't sound to bad.
4. One of my favorite things is to watch my catsitter video with Ty. It gets us through the winter when the windows are closed and we can't hear the birds or feel the breeze on our fur.
5. Do you ever play, hide & seek? Mommy gets nervous when I play that game. I just like finding new places to take naps!
6. I have Puss N' Boots eyes and when ever I feel the need to use them.....mommy melts and the world is MINE! tee hee.....
7. Mommy chose me to have this great life.........I LOVE her so much! Yeh....I know she is typing for me but she knows I REALLY mean it! ...........TANG

Now...who can I catch to Tag?

Cuppycake Joy.....soooo Cute
Dexter...he's cool!
yeah...Bootsie
Alfie...my good buddy!
& my furrend Rags
and IKO!

A lil' ray of sunshine......

That's what mommy calls me, isn't that cute! I like being different, all the others are white, black, gray and some brown but I am ORANGE! My favorite spot in the house is Grammom's rocking chair. I hop up on it and it rocks for awhile and poof I am asleep. I do miss the Christmas trees that were in the den on either side of the fireplace. It was cool laying under them and looking up at the lights and ornaments. One time when Mom spotted me there, she got down on the floor and put her head next to my side and looked up in the tree with me.........then she started humming a Christmas song and I ran out! That wasn't very nice was it...........I know........I felt bad and sat next to her when she was on the computer later. I looked up at her with my big orange eyes and gave her the famous, "Puss N' Boots," look.........she melted and picked me up giving me squeezes and smooches. It works EVERY time and since I want to watch my catsitter DVD, ........I can feel that look comin' on........later, TANG

Fun with Tink & Ty

Boy do I love Christmas! Mom hung up a stocking for each of us with our photo in it's pocket. The spoos had one huge stocking with tons of new toys. I love my catnip candycane and rattle balls and we have new tunnel tubes! Right before Christmas there was a bad ice storm and all of a sudden the lights went out! It was scary but our humans started up the generator and we had heat and water again. Mom lit many candles hanging on the walls so we kitties can't get burned by them or knock them over, well, we like pushing things to the floor and hearing those different sounds! Of course, following that sound comes, " what have you done now?" But we were pretty good, didn't knock over the trees, or Mom's village houses. Toy did knock a town figure on the floor but I think Mom was tired, she just picked it up and put it aside to be glued after carefully getting Toy out of the village square where Santa was with all the children. I keep telling Toy that Santa Claus and Santa paws are not the same. Maybe Santa paws comes in the sleigh with Santa Claus, hummmmm, I bet thats it, that way he doesn't have to be alone on Christmas eve. But, is it a cat or dog, or maybe a polar bear, a penquin, no a sly white fox! It's gotta be a fox, how else could he get in and out with none of us hearing him. Well, next Christmas I will be on the look out, no falling asleep for me, no way!!!

My new brother

Tyco (TY), and I are having lots of fun together. I am letting him go in my fish! We chase each other and he goes in one way and I go through the mouth, then we roll all around inside, FUN! Sometimes when I see he is ready to jump inside my fish, I pounce on top! He gets a bit mifft but I think it's funny! Sometimes it's not a good idea, 'cause when I am sleeping inside my fish thats when he pounces on top......Grrrrrrrrr! Yesterday I was looking for him and all of a sudden, he jumped from behind a chair..........luckily we have high ceilings 'cause I sure jumped high! Who is teaching this stuff to him? He is only a lil tike.........wait a minute........Toy, I bet it's Toy! He's got this crazy sense of humor and he always has a grin on him face. Well, the joke will be on him, mom ordered a collar for him with a bell! We are going to know his every move, cool! Now who's going to get the last laugh, huh Toy.......can't wait....snicker.....later, Tang

One fish, BIG fish!

You won't believe what I received,
you won't believe your eyes.
Out of this birthday paper,
popped a very big surprised!
A giant fish as big as me,
all yellow, blue, & red.
I jumped inside it's belly
and found...
It's a cozy kitty bed!
Thank you SO MUCH!
Mercy, Pebbles, Sofie, Riley, Nike, Reebok, Milo, Cuppycake Joy, Melody & Enzo!!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Happy TANG!!

ps, mommy will be putting up pictures and a video!

My 1st Birthday is coming!

September 7th I turn "1" and my brother Tinker turns "3" on the 9th! We are going to P-A-R-T-Y for days. Everyone that stops by please sign my guestbook!! Our pretty friend, PEBBLES will be celebrating her 3rd birthday on September 1st, HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEBBLES! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Mom already started bringing home presents for us.......Tinker loves the new padded cube and we got a funny looking scratcher too. Mom is giving some of our old stuff to "Care for Cats, " that is where mommy adopted me. She has saved cases of cat food, a small climber I outgrew, lots of toys.....oh I know those kittys will love it all!!!! I wonder if Tink is out of the cube yet, he has been in it all day, "{ hey Tink it's my turn......................Tang

Another good day!

But mommy is keeping a very close eye on me, making sure I take in plenty of fluids and I am eating all my food. I am back to playing and climbing up our cat tree and cat walks. When mom went to Petsmart to pick up new clippers for the spoos, she also got me a black mouse on wheels. She backs it up and lets it go,.............love chasin' that thing! Luke is going in for an operation Tuesday and he will be givin' IV fluids. He is acting OK, and eating all his food but his blood tests came back showing his kidneys & liver are not normal. He gets another blood test on the morning of his surgery. Mom said she is going to wait with Luke till it is his turn, then when he is done, go in and check to see that he is doing fine. Luke will be coming home in the evening of the next day. OBI is going to go crazy looking for him, those guys are very close. Geez, mom is falling asleep while I tell her what to type, better go now, Nite!...................Tang

Feeling better.............

Mom was happy I finally ate some food on my own! I even did a normal poo, so mom is hopefull things are turning around for me. She is still puzzled why I got sick so fast and after 4 days of being sick, I woke up feeling better today! I know mom lost lots of sleep watching over me and making sure I got my fluids. Hey mom, get to bed early tonight, I 'm better and you need sleep now. " Love you mom"............Tang................."Love you too, sweety," forever, your mom