"Knock-knee" or luxating patella in civvie?

I've noticed in the past couple of months while my 10.5 month old kitten, Bingley, has been growing, that his hind legs have gotten different-looking when he stands. His back legs seem to stick out as if he's "knock-kneed." I looked up that phrase, along with "feline" and got several sites regarding luxating patellas. I plan on calling the vet tomorrow to make an appt, but I wanted to see if anyone here has had any experience with this in cats. My mom has a doxie who has a luxating patella which sometimes pops out, but he's been able to deal with it without surgery. Bingley gets around just fine and he doesn't look like he's in any pain.

Here is a pic...sorry it's not that great. His butt is closest to the camera. I tried to get his fluffy tail out of the way. You can see the way his back legs don't stand evenly.

 

From Patellar luxation

"This hereditary disorder in dogs and cats is characterized by ectopic development of the patella medial or lateral to the trochlear groove of the femur. Patellar luxation is often associated with multiple deformities of the hindlimb, involving the hip joint, femur, and tibia. Medial patellar luxations can be involved with a reduced coxofemoral angle (coxa vara), lateral bowing of the femur, internal rotation of the tibia, shallow trochlear groove, and hypoplasia of the medial femoral condyle; lateral luxations cause the reverse changes."

I'm wondering if the joints could be braced or supported in some way while it is growing, to help straighten it without surgery. Something to ask the vet.

 

This could be a knee thing or something wrong with the femoral head. Get x-rays tomorrow, and get copies of the x-rays in case you want to show them to an orthopedist.

 

Bingley has very cute feet by the way...

I have purebred British Shorthairs (cats) and I've been told that they tend to get this. My big boy Randy who's an extra large Brit (he has the bones structure size of a schnauzer and is 25 lbs.) has the same knock knees as did my late Peepers. She had it too but it never gave her any trouble in her grandma years. I was told it has something to do with the hip structure? I'll ask my friend who's also my vet next week about this and what it all entails. I'll 'pick his brain' and let you know. It's Randy's annual 'day of beauty' and checkup. V

 

Newkitty has luxating patellas. How I could tell something was wrong was that she frequently looked bow-legged. Xrays told us what was causing the bowing. When I run my hands gently down the front of her legs, I can feel the kneecap(s) sliding back in.

 

BJ - can you translate this to something like "...for dummies" 'cos I don't understand it - Nuisance is the most knock-kneed cat i've ever seen. Just thought he was 'knock kneed'.....

HUGS

 

Thank you all for your replies and help. I was feeling very, very guilty that I hadn't realized something was wrong. I still feel terrible. I just thought it was a little peculiar at first, and then it suddenly got more pronounced.

They know him very well at the vets as he's had several mishaps over the short few months I've had him. They fell in love with him when he tore a tendon somehow and he had to wear this huge green cast:


I hope that Bingley's legs will be ok. I feel like such a bad mom.

 

Oh Heather, Bingley is "Head Expl*dingly Cute"!!!!! V

 

He IS knock kneed!!

My best shot at translation into English!:
This is an hereditary disorder in dogs and cats.

It is seen by out of place development of the kneecap towards the center of the body (medial) or towards the outside of the body (lateral) rather than in the groove of the femur where it is supposed to be.

Kneecap displacement is often associated with multiple deformities of the back legs, involving the hip joint, longer upper leg bone, and shorter, lower leg.

Inward kneecap displacements
Kneecap displacements towards the center of the body (medial) can co-occur with
- hip deformity called (coxa vara) <-diagram
- outward bowing of the long upper leg bone,
- internal twisting of the shorter, lower leg,
- a shallow groove in the femur where the kneecap is supposed to rest,
and
- reduced growth of the inner long, leg bone end bump at the lower end of the bone (part of what holds the kneecap in place);

Outward displacements cause the reverse changes.