Is my cat having seizures while sleeping? My vet won't help.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Seizures can occur due to many reasons that go from a toxicity, metabolic diseases, inflammatory diseases and even tumors. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Diagnostics that will be recommended will include bloodwork and advanced imaging such as an MRI. They would also be able to start him on anti-seizure medications to try to avoid the onset of more seizures. Good luck and have a good day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

It can be very hard to find the cause for intermittent tremors, so while it's appropriate to have him checked out, your vet may not be able to find anything. I would recommend a general exam, a neurologic exam, and a general bloodwork panel including urinalysis and thyroid levels to make sure everything looks normal. If all that is normal, and a veterinary neurologist isn't available where you are, your kitty can either just be monitored to make sure it's not getting worse, or you could try an anti-seizure or anti-tremor medication. Those medications definitely can have side effects, so you probably only want to go that route if the episodes seem to be causing lasting harm. I hope that helps a bit. Good luck!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear that Clunker has been having seizures. It is important to see exactly what is going on, to determine that he is having a true seizure, as opposed to a collapse or localized tremors for a different reason. A video would be very helpful and I would be happy to provide a consultation. If this is a true seizure, they are usually the result of abnormal brain activity. This can be due to a large number of diseases including brain cancer, infection, or epilepsy (the cause of which is not currently known in cats). With brain cancer or epilepsy, blood work can be normal, however, x-rays or a CT scan would determine if there is something else causing the seizures. It may be helpful to know that seizures themselves are not thought to be painful, and it is normal for animals to urinate/defecate while they are having a seizure. This frequency of seizures is definitely confusing and distressful for Clunker, and a veterinarian can prescribe an anti-seizure medication to keep him comfortable. It is important to have Clunker evaluated by a vet to ensure that there is nothing else that can be causing collapse or tremors, such as a hormonal issue or viral infection, and to have him treated appropriately.

Hello. I'm sorry to hear that Guinness is having this issue. Yes, it sounds like seizure activity to me based on what you have described. You really need to get him to a vet for an examination and some bloodwork to start with. Epilepsy is possible however, if the seizures have just started now at 6 years of age, epilepsy as a diagnosis is less likely. Usually that shows up at a younger age - between 1 and 4 years. It's not impossible, but less likely. Seizures showing up at 6 years old OR if he has had more than one seizure within a short period of time then it is more likely to be something like neoplasia (cancer) somewhere in the brain or spinal cord. It is really best to document the seizure activity -write down when it happens, how long it lasts, what he does when he has the seizure and video tape the episode(s) if possible so your vet can see what is going on. Here is a link to some information of seizures in cats for you to read: http://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/neurological/ct_epileptic_seizures%20?page=show I hope this helps. My recommendation would be to get him to your vet for an examination as soon as you can to discuss this issues. Best wishes. Dr. Amber

If you can wake her up when this occurs and she seems normal then this is probably a nightmare or dream. If you attempt to wake her and it doesn't stop I'd be concerned that this might be seizure activity. If it seems a seizure is more likely I'd recommend making an appointment to see your vet.

Sorry to hear about poor Blitzen. Seizures can have many different causes, but I would not be concerned about the tapeworm medication as a cause. Seizures can happen due to a body function not working properly, or from a problem within the brain. It is possible that the previous head injury could be the cause, but really difficult to prove and likely nothing that can be done for it now. There could also be a brain tumor, infection or some congenital defect causing this. The truth is that we often don't find the cause of the tumor, because it requires special imaging that is usually too expensive for most people. However, it's worth having a vet do an exam and possibly check the blood for any abnormalities. Sometimes we can find the cause and fix it relatively easily. If not, the vet could prescribe medication to prevent more seizures, so it's still worth the visit. I hope that helps and you get this under control soon.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jack. As you probably ready have experienced, neurologic disease is unpredictable in pets. There is no way to know if or when he will regain control of his body. However, he needs to see a veterinarian. He needs a thorough examination to assess to extend of his neurological problems. He needs to be able to breathe normally, eat and drink and go to the bathroom. Cats can have blood clots that can affect one limb. He needs to be checked for adequate circulation. There may be medications that can help him feel better. I hope this information helps!