Understanding Club Feet in Kittens: What It Is and What to Do
- miriamm00
- Jun 9
- 3 min read
Sometimes kittens are born with very deformed feet. In human medicine, this is known as talipes or club foot, and while they don’t use the term officially in veterinary medicine, the condition is visually very similar and likely shares the same causes.
Club feet in kittens can be concerning to see, but often they can be helped with time, care, and attention to nutrition.
What Causes Club Feet in Kittens?
In humans, club foot is believed to arise from a mix of genetic and environmental factors affecting foot and ankle development during pregnancy. Some of the known contributors include:
Poor fetal positioning in the womb
Soft or under-mineralised bones that deform easily under pressure
Genetic or congenital developmental issues
Low amniotic fluid (which restricts fetal movement and muscle tone)
Maternal infections or poor maternal nutrition
While some causes—like smoking or Zika virus—aren’t relevant to cats, many others might be. It’s reasonable to assume that as mammals, kittens can be affected by similar influences. Poor fetal positioning in a crowded womb, soft bones from insufficient calcium, phosphate or vitamin D, or genetic predispositions could all contribute to this deformity.
What About Swimmer’s Feet?
Swimmer's feet is a condition where the kitten’s legs splay out to the side instead of tucking under the body. I’ve seen cases where kittens with mild flat chests also had swimmer's feet—likely caused by soft, immature bones that flex when they push hard to get to the nipple. In these cases, improving nutrition and supportive care of both the mother and kitten has led to resolution.
Nutrition Support for Bone Development
If the affected kitten is one of the smaller ones in the litter, you might consider whether poor bone mineralisation is playing a role.
Here’s what I do for nutritional support:
For Mum:
Feed a high-quality diet with additional calcium, phosphate and vitamin D.
Add a chicken neck daily for natural calcium and phosphate.
Supplement with 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day, dripped onto her biscuits or food. You can buy this over the counter at any pharmacy.
For Kitten (if tiny):
You can buy infant vitamin D drops from a pharmacy.
Give one drop every second day—this is plenty for a kitten.
(As always, consult with your vet before starting supplements if you’re unsure.)
How to Help the Feet
If the deformity is mild, often just watching and waiting is enough. Many kittens improve as they grow, especially with the right nutrition and a supportive environment.
Simple interventions include:
Foot wrapping in the correct anatomical position using self-adherent crepe bandage.
Light splinting with a plastic stick (like a cut-down propagation stick).
Daily massage to help improve circulation and encourage proper muscle tone.
Rewrap daily as the kitten grows quickly.
This mimics the approach used in human babies, where gentle casting is applied and changed every few weeks to gradually reshape the feet.
Some breeders report excellent outcomes with no intervention at all—just letting nature take its course. The consensus in breeder forums is that mild club feet often self-resolve with a little daily physio and good husbandry.
Other Tips That Can Help
Textured bedding:Â Keep kittens on a towel or textured fabric so they can grip and push with their claws. This encourages proper motor development.
Daily interaction: A few gentle massages and stretches when you’re handling the kitten go a long way.
Monitor growth: If you’re doing any wrapping or splinting, remember they grow fast—check and adjust daily.
Final Thoughts
Club feet in kittens can look alarming, but in most cases, a combination of good nutrition, gentle support, and a bit of time is enough for them to bounce back. Thanks to Andrea Lynne for the wonderful photos shared below—these kinds of stories help us all feel more confident and prepared to support our kittens.
If you’ve seen this in your litters, I’d love to hear your experiences!
