Does My Cat Look Like Specific Breed? (health Reasons)

[hellagoose]

My 2 year old male cat Muench has had health issues for about a year and a half now and despite tons of tests and treatment nothing has really helped and a couple different vets are not sure exactly what he has...i am wondering if perhaps figuring out if he is related to any breed could lead me in the right direction to figure out conditions that specifically affect those breeds.

At about 4 or 5 months he began having weakness in his hind legs, and unsteady gate, hind leg tremors, and a change in his 'meow' sound. At first the vet thought it was an ear infection, then cerebral hypoplasia, now two different vets believe it could be neurological/nerve/spinal related...but in the past few months he has started to lose control of his bladder (first treated as a UTI, but now still ocuring).

Any help on what breed he looks like could lead me in a direction, so would be much appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[StefanZ]

Sibirian lool alike perhaps.

Although this has prob no influence on the healthvas such.

 

[jen]

He is a domestic longhair, I agree that he resembles a Siberian but that won't tell you anything about his health issues.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I'm so sorry to hear of your baby's health issues!
Is it the perspective of the photos? It seems as though his head is rather large in relation to his body...

I was wondering if you have chemical free wipes to help him keep his back end clean? Pampers aqua pure or earthbath would be good

 

[Kieka]

Unfortunately, cats can look like a breed without really being related to the breed. This is because most cat breeds are naturally occurring combinations that humans refined to a specific breed but only with an eye towards appearance. I'd agree Siberian maybe for looks like but the only breed health concern I am aware of is heart problems. Which may have more to do with their typically large size then anything bred into the lines.

Do you have any vet training hospitals in your area? They tend to be more up to date with current health problems and technology. I'd agree (in my limited knowledge of course) that neurological, nerve or spine is the most likely. Even the bladder issue fits with that as it could be overflow incontinence or loosing control because of the nerves. It does sound like you need someone with specialized experience to look at your cat at this point to figure it out.

 

[hellagoose]

Hi!
I'm so sorry to hear of your baby's health issues!
Is it the perspective of the photos? It seems as though his head is rather large in relation to his body...

I was wondering if you have chemical free wipes to help him keep his back end clean? Pampers aqua pure or earthbath would be good

The front of his body is quite large compared to the back.

And my apologies, i try to use wipes to clean him up a couple times a day, but he had just recently had an accident at the time of these pictures!

 

[lutece]

Muench appears to be a brown classic tabby and white domestic longhair. He doesn't have any extreme features (such as a flat face) that would make breed ancestry obvious. Actually, almost all cats are simply domestic cats without any specific breed ancestry. Frequently, people on these boards will suggest a "closest lookalike" breed, but superficial resemblance isn't really a good indication that a cat has ancestors of any specific breed.

I'd agree with Kieka that you might want to try a vet training hospital or some other specialist. Good luck!!

 

[hellagoose]

Sibirian lool alike perhaps.

Although this has prob no influence on the healthvas such.

He is a domestic longhair, I agree that he resembles a Siberian but that won't tell you anything about his health issues.

Unfortunately, cats can look like a breed without really being related to the breed. This is because most cat breeds are naturally occurring combinations that humans refined to a specific breed but only with an eye towards appearance. I'd agree Siberian maybe for looks like but the only breed health concern I am aware of is heart problems. Which may have more to do with their typically large size then anything bred into the lines.

Do you have any vet training hospitals in your area? They tend to be more up to date with current health problems and technology. I'd agree (in my limited knowledge of course) that neurological, nerve or spine is the most likely. Even the bladder issue fits with that as it could be overflow incontinence or loosing control because of the nerves. It does sound like you need someone with specialized experience to look at your cat at this point to figure it out.

Thank you all so much. Yes, i figured that it would likely not be helpful, but thought it was worth a shot.

For example, there is a genetic condition in Maine Coone's (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) that matched up well with all his symptoms, so just thought i'd try and see.

 

[Kieka]

Thank you all so much. Yes, i figured that it would likely not be helpful, but thought it was worth a shot.

For example, there is a genetic condition in Maine Coone's (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) that matched up well with all his symptoms, so just thought i'd try and see.

Just because it is primarily seen with a breed doesn't mean it is only seen in the breed. Have you brought that up as a possibility with your vet?

 

[lutece]

If you think he may have SMA, there is a $40 genetic test for that.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy in Maine Coon Cats