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Cat won't jump - Posted by Zuena
Edited by admin - Techical issue w/post - now solved.
POSTED BY ZUENA Hi everyone, I am hoping someone can help me. I have two cats, they are 4 months old and identical. They were abandoned - placed in a box and left in a field - when they were 4 weeks old. I adopted them at 5 weeks. I had them checked out by a vet at that time and they were found to be neglected but in good health otherwise. They have since grown into two beautiful, shiny black cats and they are thriving. The only problem is that the younger one (I only call her younger because she is slightly smaller than her sister) won't jump. She doesn't seem to mind jumping down from something but she never goes up higher than my bed or a chair. She often gets stuck outside at night because she jumps on my chair, then the desk, which is right next to the window, and out... then she sits outside the door crying for me to let her in. I have tried everything I could think of. I have put wet food on the window sill as a bribe, place a bucket upside down next to the window so she can jump on there and then up on the window sill, I have even lifted her up onto the window sill from outside - nothing works. She doesn't even try. Her sister always ends up gobbling up the bribe treat. When I walk around the garden, her sister is up the trees and on the perimeter wall in a flash - not her.. just just trails behind me. I have noticed that the nails on her right front paw don't seem to want to retract properly. She is always getting stuck to my duvet or anything that is covered with material. The only thing that I can think of is that there is some deformity in her legs - but I have noticed nothing. She moves normally and she never cries or seems to be in pain. I am very concerned as there are massive dogs next door, and if she somehow lands up there and they chase her, she won't be able to get away. The other question that I have, never having owned a cat before - when is a good age to get them spayed? Does anyone have a suggestion or some advice please? Zuena
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I have nothing to add however if there is fear that she may not be able to save herself outside...then keep both cats safe indoors.
I am certain others will be able to give you further advice. |
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There are many reason for a cat not being able to jump or simply not wanting to jump. They can range from leg injuries to hip issues to problems with depth perception to epilepsy and more. It would be a good idea to have your kitty checked by the vet to be safe. I echo BenMax's statement though. If she can't jump properly she really should not be outside - period. Neither should her sister. Better safe than sorry. A dog intent on getting it's prey will do just about anything to get it. I would hate to see your cats come to any harm.
As for a good age to get them fixed - some vets will spay as young as 8 weeks. Some want the cat to be at least 2 pounds. Some want to wait till the cat is six months as before that the organs are very tiny. It will depend on your vet. For right now it is also another reason why it's a good idea to keep them indoors. A female cat can go into heat as early as 4 months. If you insist they have to be outside and you are worried about them coming to harm with your neighbours dogs (or cars) have you looked into cat proofing your yard so they can't escape? You can do this by either building them a small enclosure that is completely fenced in or you can have a cat proof top installed on your fence to keep them in. Here's a couple of sites that will give you tons of ideas to keep your babies safe. - http://www.purrfectfence.com/outdoor_cat_enclosures.asp http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-enclosures.htm And thank you for rescuing them.
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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me. We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD! |
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I wonder if, due to the claws not working properly, your kitten sustained a fall so frightening and so early in her jumping career to turn her off? Or if the same cause of her dislocated claw joints (which may be due to congenital deformity or even due to abuse during early growth from whoever was callous enough to toss her out in a field) also caused other bone, joint, or muscle damage that is not easily seen on a regular physical exam?
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Thank you for all the replies.
I will take her to the vet this week and have her checked out. I suspect she was hurt by whoever abandoned her. Unlike Jeddy (her sister) she is not very affectionate and she shies away when I want to touch her, especially when she comes towards me and I want to rub her head. At night, when she cries outside and I let her in, I have to stand away from the door and then she shoots in past me. If I stand right in front of her she won't come in. I understand that cats also regulate their own food intake and unlike dogs. won't gobble up all the food in the bowl just because it is there. I notice Jeddy eats little bits at a time but Miss Miley just eats and eats until there is nothing left, and then she will still beg for my food when I am eating. I think it's psychological and a result of being abandoned. She obviously got the worst of it. Thanks again for all the replies - I am taking them both to get spayed and I will bring all this up with the vet. Take care, Zuena Uploaded with ImageShack.us |
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Not sure if I can post this here, my two babies. :-)
Uploaded with ImageShack.us Miss Miley Uploaded with ImageShack.us Jeddy |
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Please give us an update after you have seen the vet.
We love pics. Thanks for posting them. They are both adorable kitties!
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras "The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates "Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world." -Jack Layton "Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi Kitties: Punky (17), and Sassy (13), Twinky (10), SweetMickey 1991 to May 24, 2009 |
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Quote:
Not all cats are jumpers, some are worse than others. Jasper wouldn't jump up for a long time after I got him, but I suspect he was used as a stud and kept in a cage for the first 5 years of his life. Rose is very similar to Jasper, she doesn't seem to have any interest in being high, she grew up in a factory for the first 3 years of her life. Now Sweet Pea and Puddles are jumpers. They like to rule the house and keep an eye out on the territory. I suspect your Miss Miley may not be the dominant one. As for eating, if a cat has been starved at one time in it's life, it is not unusual for them to become binge eaters for fear of not knowing when their next meal is. I have two bingers, both were pregnant strays that were so very skinny when they were rescued. Hopefully Miss Miley is young enough that her binging will ease up Please only allow your kitties outside when supervised , they can't fight cars, poisons, large dogs/coyotes and mean people. Would you consider harness training them so they can get some outside time?
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Cat maid to: Rose semi feral, a cpietra rescue, female tabby (approx 13 yrs) Jasper RIP (2001-2018) Sweet Pea RIP (2004?-2014) Puddles RIP (1996-2014) Snowball RIP (1991-2005) In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats.-English Proverb “While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” Stephen R. Covey |
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Hello and welcome
What Love4himies said is very true I had the same doubt about Mulder (my baby bonkers or "loco") Because she just was so bad at jumping, even up to date although now she's way better than before she can't jump as high as her sister Scully. Once she climbed up a chair and went to the window when she was a kitten and before I could run to catch her she fell on her leg, she was limping I took her in my arms she lied down and we all stayed with her while she had a nap when she woke up she was walking normal I used to think maybe that caused her not to be a good jumper but that wasn't the case, she had no damage it's just jumping is not her forte. Although checking it's always good and it doesn't hurt to make sure, she might just not be a good jumper. BTW you're kitties are so CUTE!!!
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