@officialkittenlady: Esteban had his neurology consultation, and while we still don’t have a diagnosis, we have a bit more of a plan now. Esteban’s neurology exam was remarkably normal. He has good proprioception, normal reflexes, and is developmentally on track—he is just blind and has an intermittent head tilt. His eyes themselves are normal, which tells us that somewhere between his eyes and his brain, something isn’t communicating the way it should. The neurologist feels there are many possible explanations, including a congenital or developmental abnormality in the brain, a microscopic cellular migration defect, a congenital cyst that could intermittently affect pressure in the brain, an issue with the trigeminal nerve, toxoplasmosis, and bacterial meningoencephalitis. She does not suspect FIP and doesn’t believe he experienced a traumatic event. The great news is that Esteban continues to be happy and stable despite being blind, which is obviously very encouraging. His records say he was “bright, alert, responsive, appropriate throughout appointment, playing and pouncing.” I’m not noticing signs of worsening—he just seems like a happy, blind lil guy. Still, we want answers. We have run as many tests as we can, and while we wait for complete results we’re treating empirically for what we safely can. How he responds over the coming days, and what his bloodwork shows, will give us a little more information soon. The other big diagnostic step would be an MRI, but at his size, anesthesia and MRI carry increased challenges and risk. They don’t feel they can do it locally at his current age. UC Davis, which is an 8 hour drive or a 2 hour flight, may be better suited to imaging a kitten this tiny, and I may ultimately fly him there. But for now, because he is so bright and stable, we’re going to observe him closely for a few days, see how he responds to treatment, and give him a little more time to grow. It’s very much a risk/benefit decision; there will be great value in getting an answer, but getting that answer is not without risk. So for the moment, we will treat what we can, watch closely, and let Esteban tell us what he needs next.

Hannah Shaw ║ KITTEN LADY 🍼🐱

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Saturday 29 August 2026 15:54:28 GMT