Feline cerebellar hypoplasia causes wobbliness and coordination problems but is not progressive or painful. With appropriate care, affected cats have excellent quality of life.
Feline cerebellar hypoplasia is frequently misunderstood as a welfare problem when it is actually primarily a management challenge. The condition is not painful, not progressive, and does not impair cognitive function. Cats with CH experience the same emotional and cognitive life as other cats — they play, bond with owners, and engage with their environment. The wobbliness and tremors are inconvenient for the cat in some contexts but are not experienced as suffering.
Environmental modification enables CH cats to live safely and comfortably. Low-sided litter boxes, food bowls with raised edges, non-slip flooring, and protected outdoor access (or indoor-only living) address the practical challenges of impaired coordination. Soft landing areas near favourite climbing spots prevent injury from falls.
The rescuability of CH cats is a welfare advocacy issue. Many CH cats are euthanased unnecessarily because their wobbliness is misinterpreted as suffering. Education about CH welfare reality — that these are happy, pain-free cats with management needs rather than medical needs — improves welfare outcomes by preventing unnecessary euthanasia and enabling appropriate adoption.