Ralphee the kitten was born with a neurological condition called feline cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), which means the cerebellum (the part of the brain located in the back that controls fine motor skills and coordination) is underdeveloped. This condition gives Ralphee the wobbling walk you see in the video.
A helpless, awkward, tiny creature like this might seem like a target for someone larger and healthier, but luckily Max the cattle dog doesn’t feel that way. After Ralphee was rescued from a barn near a horse stable and brought to his new home (the mother might have abandoned her due to the disability), Max made friends immediately and continues to follow and watch over his new kitty friend. It’s just another example of how unusual circumstances bring different species together as friends.
Ralphee’s life expectancy is the same as a normal cat’s, and CH doesn’t get any worse over time. Here’s hoping that Ralphee and Max will share many happy years together.
I hope this condition is somehow treatable. It\’s hard to watch this poor kitten wobble around so unsteadily. I hope he is not in any pain and I really hope his condition can be improved. So as nice as it is to see this dog looking after this kitten, this kitten is probably suffering.
The condition this little one has is not treatable. When the mother cat is pregnant and has the disease Distemper this happens to the babies. She can live a pretty normal life though. That god someone found her and she made a friend with Max. This is why it\’s so important to vaccinate your pets. I\’m a vet tech and see this happen more and more.