Cat Epilepsy??

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Gary Stone - 01 Aug 2005 04:29 GMT

Something is wrong with one of my two cats. She slept on a blanket in the
basement all day as it is cooler down there. When she came up, she joined me
on the deck, jumped up on a chair and then started twitching her face and
rolling her eyes upward till I could see the whites and started crying then
would calm down and then start growling and hissing, then calm down a bit.
She seemed to be a bit spaced out also. I was all set to leave for the
animal hospital 105 miles away when a Vet from a town 30 miles away called
me. The animal hospital called him as they were worried about the 2 to 2½ hr
car ride. He said to watch her overnight and bring her in, in the morning.
Any one here with a cat that has epilepsy? Does this sound familiar? Poor
thing looked like she was going to keel over and die. Scared the hell out of
me. If she gets worse during the night, I am to call the vet back and he'll
meet me at the office.

Stone
Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

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Chris - 01 Aug 2005 05:39 GMT

Are you sure she didn't eat or drink anything in the basement... poison,
antifreeze, anything at all.....

> Something is wrong with one of my two cats. She slept on a blanket in the
> basement all day as it is cooler down there. When she came up, she joined
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Stone
> Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

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Gary Stone - 01 Aug 2005 12:54 GMT

> Are you sure she didn't eat or drink anything in the basement... poison,
> antifreeze, anything at all.....

Yeah I'm sure, everything down there is locked up. I don't keep antifreeze
around and the car doesn't leak. My only other thought was maybe she was
having a bad reaction to a bite or sting. Anyway, I got up this morning and
couldn't find her. Seems she's learned a new trick, how to unlock the cat
door. I went outside and her eyes are normal and she's feeling pretty
frisky, took off after a chipmunk. Last night at about 3 am I could hear her
purring under my bed. I'll call the vet this morning and see if he still
wants me to bring her in. I would imagine a workup wouldn't hurt at this
point.

Thanks

Stone
Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

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shortfuse - 01 Aug 2005 14:10 GMT

Yes, better play it safe and have her checked.

>> Are you sure she didn't eat or drink anything in the basement... poison,
>> antifreeze, anything at all.....
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Stone
> Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

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Diana - 01 Aug 2005 15:36 GMT

Gary Stone at Eh@ram.net wrote on7/31/05 11:29 PM:

> Something is wrong with one of my two cats. She slept on a blanket in the
> basement all day as it is cooler down there. When she came up, she joined me
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Stone
> Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

Wow, Gary, what a scare! Yes, do have her checked. Seizures can take lots
of weird forms, but this doesn't sound like a typical epileptic seizure, and
as she's never done this before... well, I'd have a look at an x-ray of her
brain, maybe get some spinal fluid, blood work, etc. Too bad it's such a
long trip, but if you don't do it you'll stay in a state of worry, and want
to thrash yourself if it happens again. Please let us know more about this.

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Kalyahna - 02 Aug 2005 04:25 GMT

My little cat was diagnosed with idiopathic (no discernible cause) epilepsy,
though during even the smallest of her fits, she can't stay upright.

Take your cat in as planned, and talk to your vet to see what they
recommend. It does sound like something was wrong, but I've no idea what it
was. Perhaps a seizure, after all, but I'm sure fits don't necessarily all
follow the same pattern. Just keep in contact with your vet.

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BigPoppa - 02 Aug 2005 05:39 GMT

Every few months, my 10 year old male (neutered) has a fit. He'll fly
off until he hits a wall, then starts a digging motion. He's hollering
the whole time like he's in a fight. He has no control of himself,
he's rolled himself down the stairs with none of the usual grace of a
cat. He starts drooling, almost foaming with his teeth bared,
convulsing. He'll pee himself. After the worst is over, he'll lay
there panting with his tongue out. I took him to the vet once, they
said maybe he ate a nasty bug. I think I can count maybe 5 times that
it's happened in the past 5 years or so, but who knows if it's happened
while I was out.

Any opinions?

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Kalyahna - 02 Aug 2005 17:21 GMT

> Every few months, my 10 year old male (neutered) has a fit. He'll fly
> off until he hits a wall, then starts a digging motion. He's hollering
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Any opinions?

That sounds more like a grand mal seizure. The one grand mal in my cat was
limited in damage because she was in a relatively small carrier at the time
and I was on my way up north. Still, there was a lot of flailing and mouth
foaming. Since he's 10, it might be worth a blood panel, just to see if
anything strange crops up.

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Gary Stone - 02 Aug 2005 05:42 GMT

Update, the cat (Gretchen) was acting normal this morning. Little sh.t
(affectionately) learned a new trick, how to unlock the cat door. I got up
this morning after 1.5 hours sleep and couldn't find her, about went out of
my mind. I happened to glance outside and she was chasing a butterfly. I
called the vet and we made an appointment with the understanding that at the
slightest sign of a repeat I am to call or page him. I'm hoping it was just
a reaction to a bite or sting as she likes to chase bugs also. I hope it
isn't seizures, that cat would be miserable being kept inside. We'll see
when we go to the vet, they will do a total workup on her. I'm taking a
little comfort from the fact that the vet doesn't have me rushing her in.
The appointment is for next week. On another note, I thought it odd that the
two cats would be going through so much food during the night. I was
thinking a coon, porcupine or ermine might be getting at it. Well, tonight I
heard something crawl up the deck and went to the door wall and saw a young
blonde cat. Man, I live way out in the boonies, the thing looked awfully
skinny and when it saw me it ran off. Perhaps it got away from a vacationer
or someone dumped it. I really don't need three cats. Anyway, I can't wait
for the results of a workup on Gretchen. Thanks for the responses

Stone
Some pic's http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/stoneman72/my_photos

>> Something is wrong with one of my two cats. She slept on a blanket in the
>> basement all day as it is cooler down there. When she came up, she joined
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> was. Perhaps a seizure, after all, but I'm sure fits don't necessarily all
> follow the same pattern. Just keep in contact with your vet.

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paradigm - 02 Aug 2005 16:53 GMT

Cats are intelligient beings. My one cat, brings me up my washcloths and
dish towels from the laundry room at night ;-)

> Update, the cat (Gretchen) was acting normal this morning. Little sh.t
> (affectionately) learned a new trick, how to unlock the cat door. I got up
[quoted text clipped - 60 lines]
>> all
>> follow the same pattern. Just keep in contact with your vet.

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Kalyahna - 02 Aug 2005 17:19 GMT

> Cats are intelligient beings. My one cat, brings me up my washcloths and
> dish towels from the laundry room at night ;-)

My mom's cat brings up folded socks and nests with them like they're
kittens.

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Kalyahna - 02 Aug 2005 17:24 GMT

> I hope it
> isn't seizures, that cat would be miserable being kept inside.

If the vet decides that it's something worth watching... well, epilepsy meds
are about moderation and control. Start small, move up if there are still
seizures, until you find the right dosage (or rather, until your vet does -
it's treated usually with either valium or phenobarbital, so the dosage has
to be very carefully done). If you decide together that it's something that
should be medicated, keeping her inside for awhile is a good idea, to keep
an eye on her and watch for new fits. Once it's under control, she should be
able to go back out. The worst thing about it is that it's impossible to
watch them 24/7, so it's ALWAYS possible there are fits when no one's home.

> We'll see
> when we go to the vet, they will do a total workup on her. I'm taking a
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
> > was. Perhaps a seizure, after all, but I'm sure fits don't necessarily all
> > follow the same pattern. Just keep in contact with your vet.

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Gary Stone - 02 Aug 2005 20:38 GMT

Thanks for the info Kalyahna.

Stone

>> I hope it
>> isn't seizures, that cat would be miserable being kept inside.
[quoted text clipped - 78 lines]
> all
>> > follow the same pattern. Just keep in contact with your vet.

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necros - 04 Aug 2005 17:53 GMT

Definitely have a vet look at her or him. I had a kitten with seizures, that
means a swelling of the brain. Steroids didn't help it, however, if it is
epilepsy it can be helped. If it's epilepsy, the cat probably will get worse
during the night or that's how it goes for me. There are medications though.
My best to you two.

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