Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kitten born with one front paw missing most toes and bones
By Macrì, Francesco et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2012·Department of Veterinary Public Health, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Unilateral forelimb partial aphalangia in a kitten.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 2-month-old male kitten was found to have a shortened front leg that ended in a stump without any toes. This unusual condition, known as partial aphalangia, means the kitten was born without some of the bones in his paw. X-rays confirmed the absence of the usual bones in the leg, but some parts were still present. This type of limb deformity is very rare in cats, and this case is the first of its kind documented in the species.
People also search for: kitten leg deformity · congenital limb problems in cats · cat paw missing toes
Abstract
Congenital limb deformities are rarely reported in the cat. The macroscopic and radiographic features of aphalangia are described in a 2-month-old male kitten showing a shortened limb that ended, at the level of the carpus, in a stump without digits. A nail was present at the level of the first phalanx and on the palmar surface only two footpads were present. The radiographs showed an absence of phalanges. The first metacarpal and the proximal and distal phalanges of digit 1 were present. The deformed metacarpal bones were reduced in length; the carpal bones were incompletely ossified. This defect is a rare condition in many animal species. To the author's knowledge, the congenital fore limb deformity described here is the first documented case in a cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22412165/