The story of a “flat chest syndrome” kitten

Noel (pictured in the middle):You can see the deeper indentation when comparing it to the other kittens. This indicates the chest is developing too flat.

Noel's legs are stretched apart – almost o-shaped.

At the age of 14 weeks Noel's development had caught up with her peers.

Unfortunately I have not specifically photographed Noel's flat chest. What you can see on the pictures here seems harmless in comparison to reality and in particular to when I held her.

Further pictures can be found below the text.

Noel's birth

On 30 May 2009 my Norwegian Forest Cat Maya gave birth to four healthy kittens. All four developed well over the first couple of days and consistently gained weight. I took great pleasure with this healthy litter; the first born, a blue female kitten, stood out by its assertiveness and its fighting spirit when securing its place at her mother's breast.

It was only later that I realised I instinctively shoved the blue kitten's hind legs underneath the belly as I hat felt that she was laying flat with legs bent so strangely and so dissimilar to the other kittens. However as she drank well and gained weight, I did not worry initially and named her Crystal Blue Noel (meaning “Crystal Blue Christmas”).

A first horrible suspicion

But Noel spent more and more time laying on her tummy. On day 12 I noticed her lack of weight gain. Instead of her usual gain of 10 to 20 grams (1/3 to 2/3 oz) she was only gaining 3 grams (1/10 oz). The alarm bells were now truly ringing. Her appearance was different – a bit like a soft flat milk roll. She was moving about less and less and pushed herself around on her belly. She found it difficult to pull her legs underneath her body. When picking her up, I could feel the chest was very flat. She breathed with difficulty and sounded rattly when inhaling and exhaling.

I started to worry and already had a horrible suspicion: I checked Barbara Hickman's book “Essential Cat Breeding” which had provided me with lots of valuable advice on other occasions. I searched for descriptions of “Flat Chest Kitten Syndrome”. Having read those pages previously I had hoped I would never encounter a story of the likes of Chester (www.burmesen.com).
The description in there fitted my kitten to a tee: I was sure Noel was suffering from “Flat Chest Kitten Syndrome”.

I did not want Noel to suffer. I had done my reading and my research on the Internet. Kittens like her had a life expectancy of around three weeks. Only with a lot of luck would they live beyond that. So I took Noel to the veterinary hospital in Ansbach to have her put down. It broke my heart; Noel had seemed to be healthy initially. However I was clear I was not going let her suffer a slow and painful death.

The veterinary hospital: No breast milk!

The veterinarian examined the baby carefully and confirmed my suspicion: Noel was suffering from “Flat Chest Kitten Syndrome”.
However I could not believe what she told me straight after: There was no need for Noel to be put down.

Latest research indicates a flat chest in kittens may be caused by their mother's milk. The kitten simply must not have it any more.

And that is no breast milk at all!

Many may recommend and practise supplementing breast milk with other food – but that was exactly what I was not to do: hand raise the kitten completely away from her mother and feed her on formula.

Then the kitten's chest would improve and normal development resume. The veterinarian added this therapy had brought good results with dogs (Golden Retriever puppies).

We were sent home with this statement and a request to keep in touch.

Noels chance

Needless to say I was fairly buffled and could not believe what I had heard. However this was Noel's only chance. I did not hand her back to her mother – which almost broke my heart again... Hungry from the ride back home, I offered Noel formula for puppies (“Mamilac” in this case). Noel fed straight away.

From that day onwards I fed the kitten on “Mamilac” and I tried substitute her birth mummy as well as I could: I made a special soft bed for her and took her everywhere I went. The next day she had already gained 13 grams (1/2 oz) and continued to feed well. She spent the nights in her bed next to my bed and during the day she came wherever I went. She suffered from a bit of constipation when we switched to bottles. Some “Lactulose” took care of this problem. “Mamilac” seemed to be quite filling and after the evening feed at 10 or 11pm she would sleep straight through until 5 or 6am (which I was very pleased with).

Noel trots and wins back her life

About two weeks later – Noel had reachedfour weeks of age despite all odds – I felt the chest was not as flat as it had been before: something was actually happening. Noel was in good spirits and had fully accepted my as her replacement mother.

With every week that Noel got older I observed the chest was changing. When Noel learnt to walk at the age of three to four weeks, her legs had been far apart and flat like reptiles'. During the sixth week I realised she would trot a few steps which was different to the galloping she had performed beforehand. As I ride and keep horses I am always observant of animals' gait. Now Noels chest had become sufficiently oval in shape which allowed Noel to keep both front legs close enough to enable her to trot. Animals can only trot when their chests are oval so the legs can swing forward. Reptiles who have a wide and flat chest can only pace. This observation made me very happy as it indicated we were headed the right way and Noel really had a chance to lead a normal life.

Meanwhile my Sacred Birman cat Dahira had given birth to a single kitten (Dusty) and took Noel on to raise her, too. Noel now had a sister and Dusty did not have to grow up on her own.

I took Noel to see the veterinarian for her first set of immunisations at eight weeks and a second lot at twelve weeks. The veterinarian immunised her and Noel required no other medical treatment. Noel was well again.

Feeding

From when I started to hand feed her until week 8:
“Mamilac” milk; I added one drop of “Sab Simplex” to counter flatulences; I administered “Lactulose” for congestion when required.

From week 4: wet food “Animonda Vom Feinsten Kitten” as often as she was hungry.
Dry food: “Royal Canin Baby Cat” and “Animoda Kittenfutter” available at all times.

Noel weaned herself off milk as she demanded it less and less. In the end she only had a night bottle which she declined from the ninth week onwards.

Noel was lucky again and found a loving family with children and a dog; she moved there together with her Birman sister Dusty. She has now developed into a pretty young Norwegian female cat. One would not be able to tell she once suffered from “Flat Chest Kitten Syndrome”. She walks (trots) and jumps just like any other Norwegian cat. As I raised her by hand she relates very well to humans. I am very grateful to the Metz family who have taken her into their home.

Instead of being put down, Noel is alive. This shows why she's named “Christmas” despite her being born in summer: Her life is a great gift and a wonderful miracle to me until this very day.

Update January 2010: Noel is now eight months old. She continues to do well and is on par with her Norwegian Cat peers. I am always pleased to hear about her, many thanks to family Metz.

Try these links:The pages of the Golden Retriever Kennel some of whose puppies live thanks to this therapy.
(Little Barcley could not be saved though.) In puppies the flat chest syndrome is referred to as “flat puppy” or “swimmer puppy” syndrome.

www.retriever-vom-hembachtal.de (in German only)

Also check this page on pawpeds.com who have published a series of articles on “Flat Chest Kitten Syndrome”:

www.pawpeds.com/pawacademy/health/flatchest/