How to care for an epileptic cat

Epilepsy is not an exclusive disease of the human being, dogs and cats also suffer , being in these small felines much more common than we might initially think, which is due to numerous causes ranging from genetic inheritance to various physical problems.
Symptoms of epilepsy in cats are very similar to which a human could experience, and although the most characteristic is the seizure, in the feline we can also observe other signals that prepare us to provide the necessary assistance.
While it is true that a feline that presents This disease will necessarily require various veterinary care, there are also certain recommendations that we must adopt at home.In this article of Animal Expert we show you how to care for an epileptic cat in order to offer you the best quality of possible life.

Recognizing the symptoms of epilepsy in cats

Epilepsy in cats is a disease that becomes evident when our pet suffers a spontaneous seizure , however, to be prepared to provide all the necessary help, we can recognize other symptoms more subtle but which in turn tell us that it is very possible that a seizure will occur soon.These symptoms are as follows:

• Nervousness
• Muscle stiffness
• Loss of balance
• Difficulty walking
• Hyperventilation
• Excessive salivation
• Loss of sphincter control
• Difficulty eating and drinking

What you should not do during an epileptic seizure

Although there is pharmacological treatment indicated for feline epilepsy, it should be regulated periodically by the veterinarian and despite this it is possible that even so our cat experience an epileptic crisis.Let's see what those mistakes we should avoid while the cat is having a seizure:

• Try to give him some kind of food or drink : Usually during the seizure there is also a loss of consciousness and therefore the cat could suffocate.During these moments you do not need to ingest anything.
• Cover it with a blanket : The cat does not have any type of awareness about his movements and covering it with a blanket is not a good idea since it could become damaged and even suffocate.
• Hold his head : For our part this is a very instinctive reaction, however, it is a serious error, since if we hold our cat's head while its whole body moves involuntarily and abruptly there is a risk that the neck will fracture.

Tips for caring for an epileptic cat

Sometimes it is not possible to avoid a seizure, therefore, what we can do to ensure that an epileptic cat is well taken care of is to monitor our surroundings so that it is safe in all circumstances Those guidelines that we should take into account are the following:

• Do not place in the areas that your cat normally inhabits any object that could be dangerous during an epileptic crisis.
• Try to keep your cat away from the stairs, at least when you can not supervise it.It is also possible to place networks in all those places that could enter a great danger for an unconscious cat with strong muscle spasms.
• Keep the windows closed whenever you cannot supervise your cat, since a convulsion could be deadly in front of an open window.
• Place a bed or fluffy cushion in those areas where your cat usually rests, from this way, if there is an epileptic crisis there would be a lower risk of physical injury.
• At the time of the attack, avoid the stimuli of the environment that may worsen the situation such as television or direct lights towards the cat.
• Choose one quality food specific for their age and physical activity.Remember that food is essential for a good state of health and for the body to have enough energy throughout moment.
• You can consult with your veterinarian the possibility of using synthetic pheromones with your cat, supplements that can improve your well-being at home, thus lowering your stress levels and promoting tranquility.

The life expectancy of a cat with epilepsy remains around the age of 20 , although to achieve such longevity there are many cares we must give our pet.In the event that seizures occur very frequently it will be necessary to go to the veterinarian to assess the status of your cat and adjust the medication if necessary.

This article is purely informative, in ExpertAnimal.com we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the ca So if you have any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to care for an epileptic cat , we recommend that you enter our section on Other problems of health.