Rapidly progressive diffuse retinal degeneration in a kitten

Advanced diffuse bilateral retinal degeneration was identified in a 13-week old female domestic short-haired kitten. The animal was in good physical health but had steady deterioration in vision over a period of a month. Clinical signs were mydriasis, tapetal hyper-reflectivity, marked loss of retinal vasculature and almost total blindness. Histological examination of the retina showed degeneration of the photoreceptor and outer nuclear layers. The clinical and pathological features are similar to those described in inherited retinal degeneration in Persian kittens.