Broken, and it's my fault
I'm not sure, but I think my cat had a seizure last night.
She is just over a year old, and we were playing with one of her Christmas gifts, a mouse on a string. She is a ball of energy and a bit of a spaz, so she was jumping around and running in circles after the toy. After a couple minutes, she suddenly crawled onto a blanket, and for a second I thought she was humping it before I realized something was seriously wrong. I wasn't sure what was happening, her mouth was open like she was coughing or choking, but no sound came out, and she pulled her legs and arms tight to her body and seemed to shake. I picked her up and pulled off her collar, thinking it might be hurting her, and then I just rubbed her while she shook. Her heart was racing, and since she'd been playing so hard, it might have been a heart attack, but I've never seen a heart attack or a seizure in a cat, so I don't know.
After maybe half a minute or a minute, she stilled and let out a pitiful moan, then jumped out of my arms and ran into the other room. When we dragged her out of her hiding spot, she had bubbles around her mouth and it smelled like she'd thrown up (though we never found where if she did.) Her bowels didn't release, though I think her anal glands did. (she smelled very bad.) After all that, she calmed and seemed to be all right. She sprawled on the bathroom floor for about twenty minutes, panting, then got up and investigated the room like she'd never seen it before. My husband gave her a treat, which she swallowed without chewing, then she investigated his hand for more and bit his finger hard (which she has never done before.) When my dog walked in, she arched her back and puffed up her tail like she didn't know him, and typically she loves the dog more than she loves my husband or me. That's when we realized she might have brain damage. We went through the night routine of feeding the animals (though they had already eaten, the cat constantly begs for more food.) She didn't react to the sight of her food bag, or even to the sight of the food scoop, but she did eat when we put the bowl in front of her (though she had trouble and didn't chew.)
This morning she is acting more like herself, I woke with her sitting on my back, purring because we slept through feeding time. She ran right to the kitchen when I opened the bedroom door and asked for her food like normal. I guess time will tell if there has been permanent damage.
Is anyone reading this familiar with cat seizures? Was this a seizure, or something else? Could it have been an isolated incident from the extended play, or was it inevitable and this just triggered it. I'm scheduling a vet appointment, but I don't know how we will afford any expensive tests. If anyone can share advice, it will be greatly appreciated.
She is just over a year old, and we were playing with one of her Christmas gifts, a mouse on a string. She is a ball of energy and a bit of a spaz, so she was jumping around and running in circles after the toy. After a couple minutes, she suddenly crawled onto a blanket, and for a second I thought she was humping it before I realized something was seriously wrong. I wasn't sure what was happening, her mouth was open like she was coughing or choking, but no sound came out, and she pulled her legs and arms tight to her body and seemed to shake. I picked her up and pulled off her collar, thinking it might be hurting her, and then I just rubbed her while she shook. Her heart was racing, and since she'd been playing so hard, it might have been a heart attack, but I've never seen a heart attack or a seizure in a cat, so I don't know.
After maybe half a minute or a minute, she stilled and let out a pitiful moan, then jumped out of my arms and ran into the other room. When we dragged her out of her hiding spot, she had bubbles around her mouth and it smelled like she'd thrown up (though we never found where if she did.) Her bowels didn't release, though I think her anal glands did. (she smelled very bad.) After all that, she calmed and seemed to be all right. She sprawled on the bathroom floor for about twenty minutes, panting, then got up and investigated the room like she'd never seen it before. My husband gave her a treat, which she swallowed without chewing, then she investigated his hand for more and bit his finger hard (which she has never done before.) When my dog walked in, she arched her back and puffed up her tail like she didn't know him, and typically she loves the dog more than she loves my husband or me. That's when we realized she might have brain damage. We went through the night routine of feeding the animals (though they had already eaten, the cat constantly begs for more food.) She didn't react to the sight of her food bag, or even to the sight of the food scoop, but she did eat when we put the bowl in front of her (though she had trouble and didn't chew.)
This morning she is acting more like herself, I woke with her sitting on my back, purring because we slept through feeding time. She ran right to the kitchen when I opened the bedroom door and asked for her food like normal. I guess time will tell if there has been permanent damage.
Is anyone reading this familiar with cat seizures? Was this a seizure, or something else? Could it have been an isolated incident from the extended play, or was it inevitable and this just triggered it. I'm scheduling a vet appointment, but I don't know how we will afford any expensive tests. If anyone can share advice, it will be greatly appreciated.
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