[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:	Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:	FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:	MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO

Created:	Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:	Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5089
Total number of notes:	60366

560.0. "SICK CAT, HELP..." by KOALA::FAMULARO (Joe, ZK02-2/R94, DTN381-2565) Sat Apr 25 1987 13:41

Does the following problem sound familiar to you?  Any help you 
can give would be MUCH appreciated.

One of my cats has developed a problem, involuntary twitching of 
the muscles, especially along the back and front legs.  At times 
it is so severe it wakes him out of a sound sleep.  Over the last 
several days I'm not sure he's got much sleep at all.  Here are 
the symptoms:

    o Twitching of the muscles
    
    o Extreme nervousness.  Hyperactive.  He can't seem to sit 
      still more than a few minutes.
    
    o Crying type meow every once and awhile.
    
    o Loss of interest in some of his normal activities (begging 
      for food at table, playing with running water)
    
Other info:

    o Age 5 years
    
    o The cat is one of three.  The other two have no problems.
    
    o This twitching problem was preceded a few days by the cat 
      scratching and pulling at its fur.  When the twitch 
      developed I looked for fleas and could not find any sign of 
      fleas or any other parasite.
    
    o All my cats are indoor cats.  We've ruled out poisoning of 
      any kind since there is nothing for them to get into.  We 
      have no plants.
    
    o Cat is alert, eye, gum and coat colors good, no ear 
      infections, good appetite, bowel movements normal
    
    o Diet: C/D Maintenance and IAMS dry.  Distilled water only.
    
    
Vet was puzzled after examining him.  Thought maybe it could be 
hyperesthesia, skin nerves are over active and sensitive to the 
touch.  He prescribed 2.5cc (1/2 teaspoon) phenobarbital elix 
(sedative type drug) twice a day.  Gave him first dose last night 
and I see a slight change today.

If this problem sounds familiar to you I would appreciate hearing 
from you.  Thank you.

Joe

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
560.1	a couple of suggestions	VAXWRK::SKALTSIS	Deb	`Mon Apr 27 1987 19:39`	11
	I think that some kind of twitching in a cats sleep can be normal (three of mine do it), but your kitty sounds like it might have gotten into something or caught something. Has anything out of the ordinary happened lately, like rugs being shampooed/steamcleaned or some kind of cleaner put on them? Do you use anything in their box as a deodorizer? Maybe it is an allergy to something around the house. Has the cat vomited at all? Deb
560.2	MORE INFO...	KOALA::FAMULARO	Joe, ZK02-2/R94, DTN381-2565	`Mon Apr 27 1987 20:01`	36
	We went on vacation about 3 weeks ago for a week and all three were boarded at the vets. We've boarded them there for years. The cats problem started about a week and a half after we picked them up. Pugs, the cat with the problem, received his yearly shots while he was being boarded. He has had reactions to the shots in the past so the vet watches him closely after giving them to him. The reactions, if they occur, are immediate, within 5 to 10 minutes after injection, They are similar to the problem he seems to be having now, hyperactivity. According to the vet, Pugs had no problem with his shots, he hasn't for the past three years. I asked the vet if it could be a delayed reaction and he said he'd never seen such a thing but anything is possible. Nothing in his environment has changed recently other than the warmer weather is here, but being a house cat he is used to warmth. At night and when not at home I keep the cats in the laundry room. I noticed this morning when I was running the dryer, a musty mildew smell. The dryer exhaust hose is punctured due to their claws. Mildew and mold may have built up in the hose and he may be having an allergic reaction to that (as you can see I am pulling at straws). So I am replacing the hose tonight. I am also increasing the vitamin B intake he gets by mixing his wet food with brewers yeast. The cat books say vitamin B is the nerve vitamin and a deficiency could cause the exact problem he is having. I tend to doubt this since he has been on C/D since he was a kitten. So, thats what I doing so far. Keep those suggestions coming please. Thank you, Joe
560.3	a wild guess . . .	GEMVAX::GRANT		`Mon Apr 27 1987 20:36`	17
	Is there any chance that your cat has developed a seizure disorder? Animals, as well as people, can suffer from epilepsy (an interesting note -- phenobarb is used, for some people, to control epileptic seizures). If it is a seizure disorder, the meowing could be due to discomfort in pulled muscles, and the unusual behaviour could be due to the confusion that follows a seizure. Is the cat reponsive during one of his spells? Does he recognize you, answer to his name, etc.? If so, then it is probably not a seizure disorder. Good luck in finding out what it is! Marleen
560.4	MORE INFO...	KOALA::FAMULARO	Joe, ZK02-2/R94, DTN381-2565	`Mon Apr 27 1987 21:04`	10
	Not a seizure. I thought that also and looked up what the symptoms of an epileptic seizure are and they did not compare. I do think the meowing is due to either discomfort or aggravation. He has been experiencing this for about a week now. Thank you. Joe
560.5		RHODES::BAUMANN		`Tue Apr 28 1987 12:17`	5
	Have you used flea powder with any of the cats recently? The symptoms do sound neurological -- are they changing in intensity over time? Is the phenobarb kicking in? You might want to call one of the big vet school to see if you could get someone to consult with you over the phone. Poor kitty. Good luck, Joe.
560.6	GETTING BETTER!	KOALA::FAMULARO	Joe, ZK02-2/R94, DTN381-2565	`Tue Apr 28 1987 13:42`	26
	Good news that I hope will last! Pugs has improved 95% in a little over 24 hours! I read in several pieces of cat literature that lack of vitamin B in the diet can cause neuro problems. So, I purchased yeast (big vit. B source) and garlic powder for pets and added it to Pugs wet food. I also added it to his daily chicken baby food treat. He seems to be back to his old self! I decided not to give him the phenobarb last night since the muscle spasms had subsided almost totally. He was a.o.k this morning. Playing with water in the sink, his toys, running around, begging for food...etc. I hope that this is not just a coincidence. My other two take yeast and garlic tablets as treats regularly, but Pugs never did like them. They have not had any neuro problems. So I guess I'll stick with the powder mixed with the food and hope that is the answer. (Side benefit: Yeast and garlic work as a natural flea repellent.) I appreciate all your helpful suggestions. Thank you very much! Joe
560.7	good going, Pugs	RHODES::BAUMANN		`Thu Apr 30 1987 12:32`	5
	Glad to hear the good news. If you start seeing symptoms again, you might want to put Pugs back on the phenobarb. It takes awhile to build up an effective blood level of the drug (or reduce the level), so it might be that it's just now becoming effective. Here's hoping it is the vitamin B, though.