Walter Wiggle

Walter is a really wonderful young cat but he does have very special needs and requirements and we want to make sure he gets the right home that suits him and his needs.  The right person or family will have to be special too but they will be getting a wonderful and unique kitty that will bring some work but also a lot of joy.   Please read all the criteria, watch the videos of how Walter navigates his world and if you think you can make his world a safe and happy place, then apply and we will be in touch. 

 

Walter was born in the care of ARCH to his beautiful mumma Flame, from birth Walter did have issues, his carer had to guide him to help him suckle as he had jerky movements.  By about 3 weeks old, we could tell there was something differant about Walter.  

 

Diagnosis:

Walter has Cerebellar Hypoplasia (AKA Wobbly Cat Syndrome). CH is a neurological condition that affects Walter’s motor functions and causes him to be unbalanced and uncoordinated. CH is not curable, but it is not progressive either and will not affect his life expectancy.

 

Walter also has severe hyper-mobility in all his joints which affects his mobility even further. We believe it may be caused by the CH, but we really don’t know for sure. As far as we can tell, he is not in any pain and it does not bother him at all.

 

Personality: Walter certainly has his struggles. But he is the most determined cat you’ll ever meet! From the day he was born, Walter has fought not only to survive, but to thrive! He never shied away from wrestling with his siblings (and mum) or chasing his toys down the hall. He gets on well with most cats and dogs, and loves having a playmate! He would likely do best in a home with other cats or dogs that he can (gently) play with. He really is such a playful and happy boy! Walter is also a little purr machine! Once you get him purring, he just doesn’t stop! He loves belly rubs and head scratches. And he absolutely loves lounging around with you on the couch or in your bed.

He’s a very clingy boy and just wants to spend the day with his humans! He needs someone that is around a fair bit as he doesn't like to be left alone for too long.  He's fine sleeping in a pen overnight and can be left for short amounts of time.   The way to Walter’s heart is through food! He can (and will) eat a lot of food, despite his little size. And he’ll also try and eat his humans food too!

 

Care and Home Environment: Walter will require some adaptions to his home environment to live happily and safely. And he will need a very special family to take him in. We’ll outline those requirements below:

• Not suited to a household with young children or people at high risk of infection (he scratches a lot, without meaning too, only because of his jerky movements. He shouldn't have his claws trimmed as he uses them for mobility and balance). 
• Will need an owner that is home majority of the time as he requires a lot of supervision and doesn't like to be alone for too long. 
• A single story home without stairs. 
• Needs a home with carpets or rugs to be able to walk around (helps with his grip)
• A special setup to use the toilet and requires assistance to go.  His toileting is a learning curve, he'll need to be placed in his box regularly and will usually go.  He will attempt to get in and out on his own as well but there will be times he doesn't use the litter tray and will require cleaning up around him (and him as well). 
• Needs to be bathed often as he is messy when using the toilet and eating (he may get better at grooming himself as he gets older)
• He is unable to regulate the volume of his voice, so his meows sound like screams (just something to keep in mind)
• He can climb but he can’t land or jump like regular cats, so special care needs to be taken to ensure he doesn’t fall

So if your house and your heart can handle a wobbly, jerky boy cat, who will make a bit of mess but give you a lot of love, maybe our Wobbly Walter is the one for you. 

 

All ARCH cats and kittens must be indoor only in their new homes.

 

R251000004