Page 62 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Nervous system disorders

The nervous system, comprising the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, carries
electrical signals that control body functions and conscious activities. Injuries,
genetic disorders, and infections are some of the main causes of problems.

Recurrent seizures with no obvious
cause are known as epilepsy.
Signs of a problem Seizures need prompt veterinary
attention. A vet will carry out blood
■ Seizures tests and may advise radiography,
■ Disorientation CT scans, or MRI scans of the brain.
■ Behavioral changes Your cat will be treated for any
■ Head tilt underlying problem. If the cat
■ Poor balance has epilepsy, he may need anti-
epileptic drugs for life. △ Movement problems in kittens
Young kittens can be wobbly on their feet at first,
60 Seizures and epilepsy Inherited and but a kitten exposed to panleukopenia virus while
In a seizure, abnormal electrical congenital disorders in the womb may move in a jerky, clumsy way.
activity in the cat’s brain may cause
Certain nervous system problems
For example, if a pregnant cat
Your cat’s health jerking body and legs. A cat may the gene that produces white fur infectious enteritis), her kittens
collapse, foaming at the mouth, and
are genetic (see p.46). For example,
catches panleukopenia (feline
and blue eyes may also cause
also show a violent, unprovoked
may be born with brain damage that
causes trembling and a jerky, wide-
deafness. In Manx cats, the gene
behavior change such as lashing
out in rage. The most common
legged walking gait. Cats are usually
that causes them to be born tailless
cause is poisoning (see pp.78–9).

spinal cord. Some other disorders
Other causes include head injury, may also produce defects in the vaccinated against panleukopenia.
stroke, tumor, or infection. are congenital (present from birth). Vestibular syndrome
The vestibular apparatus in the
inner ear controls balance.
Problems with this area, or the
nerve connecting it to the brain,
may cause a cat to fall over, totter
in circles, or crouch when he walks.
Other signs may include a head tilt,
eyes flicking from side to side,
nausea, and vomiting. In most
cases no cause can be found, but
sometimes the disorder results
from an ear infection (see p.49)
or, more rarely, a brain tumor or
stroke. A vet may treat underlying
problems and symptoms such as
nausea, but usually the condition
clears up by itself in a few days.
◁ Blood tests
The vet may take blood samples to detect
any underlying illness that could be
causing seizures.

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