Life With CH: Good Days & Bad Days

As pet parents of cats with cerebellar hypoplasia, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all hyper-aware of our pets’ abilities, mobility, degree of CH, and more.

Photo courtesy @Doug88888

To the point where we will likely notice if our cat is a bit more wobbly or is falling more often than usual. Now, to most people, this probably seems excessive. But when you have special needs cats, this can be incredibly important. Even slight variations in their mobility can tell us things.

And sometimes a change in mobility can be a sign of something being wrong. For example, a sudden change may mean that your cat sprained a muscle, for example, where as a long-term change may be a sign of arthritis setting in.

But I think sometimes, a change may just mean that our cat is having a bad day.

I’ve thought this on and off with our cats. For example, I’ve learned that in the morning, right after waking up, Ellie is generally more wobbly. Consequently, I’ve started to carry her downstairs for breakfast, rather than letting her come down the stairs on her own. Usually by mid-morning she’s all warmed up, so to speak, and it’s not as much of an issue.

And I see this with CG every so often, too. He’s a classic example of how a head tremor can result in losing control and his chin crashing to the floor. Some days he does this more than others.

And I was glad to hear that my grays aren’t alone. Recently on Facebook, a few folks were sharing about their cats’ mobility not always being consistent.

Sarah said her Sierra has good days and bad days.

Photo courtesy woowoowoo.

“Some days I have to help her a lot, other days not so much. I’ve just accepted that some days she doesn’t feel as strong.”

Meghan said she agreed with Sarah.

“I agree with what Sarah said. Mine are all grown but they still have their good days and their bad days. I just keep an eye on them and make sure they aren’t hurting themselves and let them be. They have to keep going on their own to stay strong. As much as I want to jump up and help when they fall and flop over, I know it’s better for them to go on their own.”

Now, to be fair, all of this is one big gray area. Some of our CH cats may have good days and bad days. Some other CH cats may actually have other conditions or issues going on. It’s important to remember that CH does not worsen over time. So, if anything seems out of the ordinary – like if your cat’s mobility dramatically changes, take notes and set up an appointment with your vet. Sometimes the cost of an appointment is worth finding out if there’s anything going on.

Does your CH cat have good days and bad days? Please share in the comments!