My cat had another seizure

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

My late-teens cat Soldier, an owner-surrender I adopted from a rescue a couple of years ago, just had another seizure, a strong one that lasted several minutes.

The trigger seems to have been my feet as I stepped past him; there’s something about feet moving by him that sets him off occasionally, though normally he just twitches a bit. This evening, though, it was full-blown seizure: flailing legs, writhing, shuddering body thrashing across the floor; eyes wide but unseeing. He crashed into a door and I draped a towel over him, tried to hold him there, talked soothingly, and carefully stroked him through the cloth. It stopped the wild progress across the floor but otherwise didn’t reach him.

When Soldier seemed to calm somewhat, stopped the strong shuddering and thrashing, though still trembling, I lifted the towel off him, still talking and stroking, but he started flailing again, wound up dangerously near the top of some stairs, so I redraped him and stayed with him, talking softly and stroking, till he settled down. This time when I took off the towel he stayed put on his belly, unresponsive to me but no longer seizing.

After a few more minutes he sat up but otherwise stayed put, staring wide-eyed into a corner, still not seeming to react to me. He then let out several very loud low-pitched yowls, which gradually diminished in volume and force as I continued to soothe him. When I was sure the seizure wasn’t coming back I left him to finish recovering, still faced into the corner.

This is only the second major seizure I’ve observed in the couple of years I’ve had him, although I do hear loud yowls from him once in a while, out of my sight, so perhaps he’s had others unobserved.

I took Soldier to the vet after his first seizure but by the time he was seen he was back to normal, and an exam turned up nothing significant.

2

I’d try the vet. again; or at least call the vet. and discuss whether they want you to bring him in. [ETA: if it’s also one in the morning where you are, and he seems OK now and has done this before and then not done it again for quite some time, you can probably wait till their ordinary office hours.]

It’s not likely that he’s conscious while he’s having a seizure.

3

Watching your pet go in to seizure is the worst feeling in the world.

You have my sympathies @EddyTeddyFreddy

4

I don’t know what to tell you, ETF (long time no see!), other than to offer my good wishes. :frowning:

5

How terrifying it must have been for you. I have no suggestions, but lots of hugs for you and maybe a careful ear scritch for Soldier. May he be pain and confusion free until the end of his days.

6

If he starts going in only one direction, like only turning to his right, you may be dealing with a brain tumor.

7

Thanks, all, for the kind words. Sometimes his semi-seizure startle reactions involve an abrupt lunge/swerve away from the triggering foot movement, to either side, without then going into the fullblown thrashing of last night’s episode. Often followed with a few booming yowls.

My vet’s office is closed for the long weekend but I did send an email with the text of my OP to them, and will follow up when they open tomorrow, probably with another email questioning whether this could be a brain tumor, and if so how it could be diagnosed.

Given his age and underlying (still relatively mild) renal disease, I don’t foresee subjecting him to any aggressive diagnostic or treatment modalities. My vet and I agree that quality rather than quantity of life matter most, and most of the time he’s a plump, happy, affectionate little guy. He does need subcu fluids now and then, which he gets.

8

Discuss with the vet. also and they may be able to reassure you that, however disturbing the seizures are to watch, while they’re happening the cat isn’t conscious of them.

Yes, with an old cat in early-stage kidney failure, I’d be aiming as you say at quality of life, not quantity. Sometimes that progresses very slowly, though; you may have years left together. – do you give the fluids at home? It’s fairly easy to learn how to do, and generally less stressful for the cat.

9

I’ve given the fluids at home – hang the bag from a curtain rod, put Soldier in a top-opening carrier below, stick in the needle and away we go. Did it a few times and he became increasingly resistant to the whole procedure, to the point where I couldn’t control him for the full prescribed amount. So the last time he needed subcu fluids (he develops a particular odor) I had it done at the vet’s office. Bonus, they clip his claws while he’s there.

The renal disease has been present at a low level for the two-plus years I’ve had him and hasn’t advanced much, according to his blood work, although in the last few months the peculiar odor of renal insufficiency has appeared.

Googling, I see that such odor, also poor haircoat and seizures, are some of the signs of end-stage renal disease. Given his condition otherwise, I don’t think we’re there yet, but perhaps his disease is advancing. It’s been a few months since his last bloodwork, so maybe it’s time for another renal panel.

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I’m posting now with him sitting on the arm of my chair, one forepaw pressed onto my forearm.

11

Awwww, skritches to the sweet boy. A socially distanced hug {{{ you }}} to you for giving him such a loving forever home.

You know, we have a pet picture thread if you want to show him off. Hint, hint.

12

Many hugs to you and Soldier. Here’s hoping for a good outcome.

13

Just got an email back from my vet. I plan to discuss this further with her. Any medication would have to be compounded into non-pill form, preferably a lotion that can be rubbed inside the ear, as you do NOT try to put a med down this cat’s throat, not without collateral damage to the pill-pusher.

It does sound like it was a true seizure - abnormal mentation, a post-ictal phase (where it takes 1-2 hours to return to normal after), and the jerking of the limbs. It does concern me that he had several in a row - this is a condition called a “cluster seizure.” The good news about seizures is that they don’t cause long-term discomfort, but when we see multiple seizures in a day or if they’re progressing in frequency, it may be a good time to discuss starting an anti-epileptic medication. These, however, do not stop EVERY seizure - we can still occasionally see a breakthrough despite the medications. What are your thoughts?

14

Lemme see if I can upload a photo of the boy. This one’s not in good focus, given the light conditions, but it’s otherwise a good picture of the boy.

Google Photos

15

Yawn face!

Google Photos

16

Pretty cat!

– looks like you can do the consultation by email without having to bring him in; which is easier on the cat (and probably on the pocketbook and your schedule.)

17

Done! Here, anyway.

18

Heh. I have a credit card on file with my vet’s office, given I have four cats in their mid to late teens and a 29-year-old horse, and I try not to look at the accumulated balance when I’m not trying to whittle it down, but it’s like one of those magic drinking horns that never runs empty, ya know?

Plus it’s a ten-minute drive from my home, and they have much better luck clipping claws than I do, what with having multiple people to hold 'em down.

19

He is beautiful. He looks just like my not so old boy, thirteen in May '22.

20

Love the yawn face! What a handsome guy, I hope you have many more happy years with him.