Cat Seizures

by Joanne Heniades
(Chicago, IL, USA)

My cat Zach is 18 years old (going on 19). At an early age he was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. He's been on one pill of Prednizone every 4 days for many years and doing really well. In the past few months I've noticed he's been throwing up more often (2-3 times a week) and water only. But the reason I'm e-mailing you is that last night at 2:30 am my cat started convulsing on my lap from a deep sleep. This went on for about 30 seconds and then I put him on the floor. While on the floor his convulsions continued for about another 20 seconds or so. After the seizure, he just laid there, breathing with short breaths. Afterward, he got up and started walking gingerly around my one chair, with his back leg not responding very well. He limped around the chair about five times. I went to pick him up (he loves when I pick him up) but he meowed at me as if he didn't know me and squirmed to get down. I quickly put him on the couch where he didn't move at all!!! I stayed up until 4:00 am but he didn't move. I then went to bed (but didn't sleep) and he didn't come to bed like he always did. This morning he was unsteady a little bit on his feet but had some water but nothing to eat.


The vet said I should keep him comfortable and warm. She didn't say I had to bring him in. She understands how upset Zach gets going to the vet annually. They had to put him in a "gas" chamber to sedate him just to take blood.

Has anything like these seizures happened to anyone else's pet? I just want to do right by my Zach and not put him through any undo trauma or prolonged torture at his old age if there's nothing anyone can do. Your thoughts are welcome.

J

Answer by Kate
oh Jo i am sorry to hear your news.
I must admitthat i haven't personally experienced anything like this myself with any of my pets but i have heard others talk about similar experiences.
Due to his age i would think that the vet is thinking that he is just getting very old and that there probablys in't much they can do for him. i always say that as long as your pet is able to eat and drink properly and use the litter tray ok and are not in pain then just love youre cat as you alwasy would. if any of that changhes then you really do have to consider your pet first and think about doing the kindest thing for them.
I wish you both well.
Kate

Perhaps other vistors have had similar experiences they would like to share with Joanne.

Comments for Cat Seizures

Click here to add your own comments

seizer kitty
by: Anonymous

I just wanted to acknowledge that I have, unfortunately, experienced seizers with one of my cats. I adopted a two-year old female Siamese cat back in 2003. I had her for four years before she had a seizer. It first started with ?vocal seizers?, where her body tenses up, head tilts up, eyes flutter and her tongue goes in and out rapidly. She then drools profusely and runs around meowing and being excessively lovey. Her vet put her on Phenobarbital for about one year before they turned into ?grand-maul? seizers. I too was always checking with my vet to make sure I wasn?t holding onto her for my own emotional needs. He assured me that she still had good life left in her. I had to question this because I wondered how she could possible when she was always drugged. She use to play all the time and was such a loving kitty and now all she did was sleep. We adjusted her medication but she continued to have violent seizers. A year and ½ from the first one she had I made the very hard decision to put her down. I cry as I write this because I loved her so much and miss her terribly. My heart goes out to anyone that has had to make that tough choice. Her name was Sheba.

Comment from kate
thank you for sharing your experience with us. I am sorry that you had to let your cat go but it is heart breaking to see a loved friend change so much.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Cat Questions Archive One.