What to Do If Your Cat Has a Seizure

1 Cat Seizures (Epilepsy)

I. Types of Feline Seizures

1. Reactive disease secondary to metabolic or toxic causes: metabolic diseases include hepatic encephalopathy, uremia, hypoglycemia, hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism; toxic include lead, organophosphates, ethylene glycol, and pyrethrin/pyrethroid poisoning.

2. Intracranial disease: symptomatic epilepsy from tumors, inflammation or infection, trauma, congenital or degenerative or vascular disease. Symptomatic epilepsy is the common type in cats; intracranial disease is the most common cause.

3. Symptomatic epilepsy: episodes from a possible symptomatic cause—prior head trauma or infection—but the true cause is unclear.

4. Idiopathic epilepsy: no definite cause found; episodes usually occur at age 1-4.

II. Symptoms of Feline Seizures

Before an episode a cat shows depression or excitement, very abnormal. During, it loses consciousness and convulses, crying, collapsing, comatose. Pupils dilate, eyes roll back, limbs splay; sometimes tongue-biting bleeding. After a while it wakes, briefly very agitated, then tired and asleep, with abnormal appetite.

III. Treatment of Feline Seizures

Main treatment is medication, but first confirm the cause and treat the underlying disease. Phenobarbital is a common anti-epileptic drug effective for cats. Diazepam or gabapentin are effective antispasmodics as adjunct therapy. The aim is to minimize seizure frequency, but watch for adverse drug effects.

After a seizure a cat seems normal again and is easily overlooked, but epilepsy is dangerous and needs timely treatment, so owners should watch the cat’s state. If you have other related questions, consult an online pet veterinarian.