Q: My friend adopted a kitten she named Clown because she’s so funny to watch. Clown has a condition called CH, which makes her wobble like a drunk and sometimes fall over. What exactly is CH? A: CH is cerebellar hypoplasia, a condition caused by incomplete (hypo-) development (-plasia) of the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates balance and movement. Clinical signs, which include swaying, poor balance and coordination, exaggerated movements, a wide stance, and sometimes tremors, appear when the kitten starts to walk. As the kitten learns to compensate, these abnormalities may improve a bit, but the disability remains lifelong. Fortunately, CH does not cause pain, and affected cats have a normal life span. The cause is damage to the cerebellum during its development, which occurs during the last three weeks before birth and the first three weeks after birth. Damage most often results from exposure to …