Seizures in Cats
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 10/21/2016Updated: 08/20/2021
Seizures in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost
What are Seizures?
If your cat is displaying symptoms of a seizure, it’s important to stay calm. Remove other pets that could harm your cat from the room and call a veterinarian right away.
Seizures are characterized by sudden, violent movements of the body, disorientation, and uncontrollable twitching, among other symptoms. Cats may have a single seizure, or experience multiple seizures in a matter of minutes. Although treatment is usually not given until your cat has experienced multiple seizures, you should still take him to a vet after the first episode.
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Seizures Average Cost
From 552 quotes ranging from $500 - $6,000
Average Cost
$1,800
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Symptoms of Seizures in Cats
There are two main types of seizures that your cat may experience: partial and generalized seizures, although the former is more common in cats. Partial seizures only affect one part of the body, while generalized seizures affect the entire body. Each of these types has a different set of symptoms, including:
Partial Seizures
  • Drooling
  • Facial twitching
  • Growling
  • Sudden, strange neck, limb, or head movements
Generalized Seizures
  • Dazed or confused appearance
  • Salivation
  • Urination or defecation
  • Violent shaking throughout the whole body
  • Collapse
  • Twitching
Causes of Seizures in Cats
Unfortunately, the cause of most seizures is unknown. However, some seizures can be caused by health conditions that affect the brain, called intracranial causes, including:
  • Head trauma
  • Brain tumors
  • Fevers
  • Infectious diseases, including leukemia, immunodeficiency virus, and cryptococcosis
  • Congenital disorders
Other seizures are caused by conditions that occur outside of the brain, known as extracranial causes, including:
  • Low blood sugar levels
  • Poisoning
  • Electrolyte imbalance
  • Liver disease
  • Thiamine deficiency
Diagnosis of Seizures in Cats
It’s important to provide your veterinarian with as much information as possible to facilitate the diagnosis. Be sure to talk about your cat’s behavior immediately preceding and following the seizure. Cats often display odd behavior before and after a seizure, so this will help the vet understand exactly what was going on. The vet should be able to determine your cat is having seizures based solely on the information you provide, but to properly diagnose and treat the cat’s condition, the cause of the seizure must be discovered.
The vet will do a complete blood count test, blood chemistry profile and urinalysis to try to determine the cause of the seizures. The complete blood count test is done to see if there is an infection in the body based on the number of white blood cells present in the sample. A blood chemistry profile will give the vet insight to the cat’s liver health, and will also show calcium, sodium, and potassium levels. Finally, the urinalysis will help the vet determine if the kidneys are functioning properly. If something turns up on any of these tests, further tests may be required to pinpoint the exact cause of the seizures.
However, if nothing turns up, the vet may perform an MRI or CT scan to take a closer look at your cat’s brain. This will help the vet diagnose intracranial causes of seizures. 
When a vet is confident your cat is having seizures but cannot identify a cause, he will issue a diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy, meaning the cause is unknown.
Treatment of Seizures in Cats
If there is an underlying cause for the seizure, such as low calcium levels or another diet deficiency, these need to be treated. But in general, treatment does not cure this condition, rather controls it. Cats are often treated with anticonvulsant medication to reduce the number and severity of seizures. The most common anticonvulsants prescribed to cats include phenobarbital and potassium bromide. Your cat may experience side effects including fatigue and unsteadiness on his feet, but these should subside after he gets used to the medication.
Cat owners will be responsible for administering this medication to their cat at home, and it’s very important they follow the vet’s instructions closely. If a dose of medication is missed, the cat may begin to have severe seizures. Even if the cat does not experience any other seizures, the vet will still ask that you bring your cat in frequently to test his blood while he is on the medication.
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Recovery of Seizures in Cats
Your cat may need to be on anticonvulsant medication for the rest of his life unless otherwise instructed by the vet. In some cases, the vet will allow you to discontinue the medication if your cat has not had a seizure in over a year. But, it’s important to wean your cat off of the medicine instead of ending it abruptly. Speak to your vet about how to do it if you are told to discontinue the treatment.
Doses of medication may be adjusted over time. For example, if your cat’s body has gotten used to the level of medication, he may begin to experience seizures again and need a higher dose to control his condition. On the other hand, if your cat has not had any seizures, the vet may try to lower the dose. 
Seizures Average Cost
From 552 quotes ranging from $500 - $6,000
Average Cost
$1,800
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Seizures Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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tabby
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abbie
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7 Years
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0 found this helpful

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My pet has the following symptoms:
Drooling
Drooling Shaking
Drooling Shaking Eyes Closed
Hello. My 7 year old female cat had a seizure about a year and a half ago. Vet could find nothing wrong at that point.She has just had another one. She has been find till now.
May 8, 2018
0 Recommendations
It seems that the seizures are very infrequent which is good, daily management wouldn’t be required; but you should visit your Veterinarian again for another examination and to discuss your options. Continue to monitor Abbie and try to think (I know it is hard) if there is anything similar which happened before both episodes. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
May 8, 2018
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tabby
dog-name-icon
Hades
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4 Months
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Not Moving
Stiffening
I put Hades in the bath tub for a couple hours because I was cleaning the house and going to bathe him. I brought him water and food. All he did was push it away so I took it out and put it back where I keep his bowl. I came back after an hour of cleaning to bathe him and he wasn't moving. His back legs are stiff and his front legs are limp. He was breathing normal for about five minutes then he started breathing heavy and meowing really loud and fast. He stretched out and kept crying then went back to the way he is now. He is currently not moving and baring breathing and the animal hospitals are closed. I am worried for my fur baby.
May 2, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
I am worried for Hades as well. There should be emergency after hour care available, if you call one of the clinics near you they should have an after hours number. I don't know what is going on with him without examining him, but he needs medical attention right away.
May 2, 2018
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Nebelung
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Link
dog-age-icon
8 Years
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0 found this helpful

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My pet has the following symptoms:
See Detailed Description Above
My cat is having very unique seizures. First off the pre-ictal phase consists of some kind of minor walking or jumping issue involving his rear legs a few hours before the seizure. It only lasts for a few moments and then he is fine. Right before the actual seizure event, he seems to know it is about to happen and will get onto the floor very quickly. Once the seizure hits him his entire body will instantly flop from one side to the other and then back. Today he only flopped once. That is usually it. The whole thing lasts about 2 seconds. Although today he did make a destressed howl for an additional 3 or 4 seconds. Then he is pretty much completely normal. He does tend to hide under the bed and rest for a couple of hours or more, but does not seem disoriented or confused. He started having them a few months ago. Had had 2 or 3 within a month's time. Then they stopped for almost 2 months until the one he just had about 90 minutes ago.
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european
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Câline
dog-age-icon
6 Years
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0 found this helpful

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My pet has the following symptoms:
Seizures
My 6 year-old cat has suddenly started having a seizure at the slightest stimulus, whether it's sound, smell, sight etc. She does a complete roll on the right. Nothing was found in blood tests, she had an MRI scan and tests on the cerebrospinal fluid and again everything appears normal. She always jerks and turns around on the right side. She's on anti-epilepsy medication but it doesn't help at all. Every move (drink, eat, use the litter tray) means she suddenly jerks on the right side and does a complete tern. Vets (in France) say they have never seen anything like it. They have contacted vets in the US who have also never seen a similar case. I was told there was nothing to do and that she should be put down. I would appreciate any help.
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Domestic shorthair
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Gracie
dog-age-icon
3 Years
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We have had Gracie for about two years. She started having seizures a month after we adopted her when she was about a year old. We have had her on phenobarbital since she was having seizures multiple times a month. It has been over a year now and she hasn’t had any seizures. We get her blood work done about every six months and her protein levels were slightly off last time (may be related to the phenobarbital, but maybe not). We are considering lowering her dose if she continues to not have seizures. Our vet told us it was up to us if we want to try to lower the dose or keep it the same. Does anyone have experience lowering the dose of phenobarbital?
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Mix
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Loki
dog-age-icon
18 Months
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0 found this helpful

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My pet has the following symptoms:
Convulsions
My cat Loki is 18 months old and has suddenly started to have seizures, sometimes 3 times a day. The vet did some blood tests but all came back clear and has now prescribed Phenobarbital 0.1ml however almost immediately after giving him the dose he has another seizure. Should I stop giving him this medication and go back to the vets to try something else?
Seizures Average Cost
From 552 quotes ranging from $500 - $6,000
Average Cost
$1,800
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