Melvin Enjoying Yogurt - a still from the video below
I just wanted to update you on how Melvin was doing!
Melvin is now fully grown at 6 pounds (and overweight). As soon as the soft spot on his head closes, he will be going on a diet to reach the vet's recommended weight at 4 pounds.
Due to many many visits with the veterinarian, we have found MANY of the problems associated with small cat breeds like this. Mainly primordial dwarfs.
Some of Melvin's health problems include:
*Severe growth retardation, causing bone mass to be a bit softer than normal and also causing the muscles to depreciate if not kept very well supplemented.
*Neurological problems including blindness in one eye, seizures, and "twitches". Thankfully we've gotten the seizures down through close monitoring.
*Heart murmur and enlarged heart. His heart grows at a normal rate, causing it to be a bit larger than the rest of him. At this point we aren't sure if that will cause a shorter lifespan or not. It hasn't caused any real problems, yet.
*Bowed legs and malformed jaw.
*His nails also grow a lot faster than normal. Without daily trimming, he usually gets very uncomfortable.
*No reproductive organs. They just never grew. Neither did his adult teeth. He still has his baby set. This is causing some major breathe problems.
Besides all of those problems, he is happy and healthy. We just keep an eye on him and so far he is like every other cat, just a bit more expensive and a bit smaller!
He sees the vet regularly and has become quite the local celebrity.
I recommend to all of those looking for a teacup of their own to MAKE SURE to have the vet check the kitten out FIRST THING. This means ALL checks of the heart and bones. Also a quick check of the neurological system is a must.
Hi..Rone from Mouchois..I have changed the title as the posting focuses on health. I thank you for that as it is a "reality check". I gave a link to your YouTube channel and embedded the video. Melvin deserves to be a bit of a star...Michael
how do you tell if a cat is a mini by: Sara (portland or.)
I have a normal size cat but she just had a kitten about 3 months ago and i think she is a mini how do you tell.
ANSWER: Hi Sara, thanks for popping by the site.
I think the simple answer is the obvious one which is to wait and see. Kittens are obviously small so you can't tell until adulthood arrives unless, as is the case for Mouchois, your kitten suffers from dwarfism, in which case there will be medical issues and appearance that will be readily noticeable.
Sometimes small cats are just small and there are no particular medical reasons. That is probably the situation with your kitten so as I see it you will just have to wait and see.
Dec 30, 2009 Rating
Melvin by: Jan Plant
What a precious little kitty.Thank you for the health tips and updates on Melvin.
Dec 30, 2009 Rating
Many Thanks by: Michael
Many thanks for returning to update us and to talk about important health issues.
People tend to see a cute cat and forget about the practicalities.
The same can be said about adopting a big wild cat hybrid or wild cat. People love them but some people need to be reminded that there are maintenance issues.
