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What's wrong with this cat?

machine gewehr

machine gewehr

Sep 17, 2005
3,320
570
Istanbul
#1
Some of you may know, we have lots of stray cats around here. I feed them, pet them (like crazy 50 year old cat woman), and I love them.

There's this one, my favorite but something happened to her. She can't keep her balance, falls to her right side if she moves fast. Just a moment ago, she meowed at me and her mouth was weird, like right side wasn't working.

I know a lot of you guys and girls are cat people here, any idea what's wrong with this girl? I'm thinkin about a blow to the head or maybe an ear infection.

I don't think I'll be able to afford a vet unfortunatelly.:(
 
#3
Stroke is what I was thinking, Hope not.




Stroke in Cats
Overview and Facts
Diagnosis and Tests
Treatment Options


Introduction

Stroke in cats occurs when the normal blood supply to the brain has been reduced. The symptoms and effects of stroke in cats primarily include: a head tilt, difficulty walking, uncontrollable circling, sudden loss of vision and bowel control, and sudden behavioral changes. While the condition of stroke in cats is not common, there are a number of conditions that can cause a stroke to occur.

Causes of Stroke

Strokes in cats can be caused by an underlying medical condition, or through an accidental injury or poisoning. Ischemic strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain has been reduced, and hemorrhagic strokes occur when a vessel within the brain breaks. The symptoms of stroke can mimic other diseases as well, and advanced diagnostic tools are needed to positively diagnose a stroke.

The most common underlying medical conditions which can lead to stroke in cats includes:
•Brain tumors
•Cushing’s disease
•Diabetes
•Heart disease
•Kidney disease
•Thyroid disease

In some rare cases internal parasites can cause a stroke to occur, or a stroke can occur when a fragment of fat or spinal cartilage becomes dislodge and trapped in the brain. Strokes can also occur in cats whose brains did not develop normally or in cats that have inherited blood clotting disease. Accidental injuries which involve a strong blow to the head can also cause a stroke, and poisons such as rodenticides have been known to cause strokes in cats as well.

In over half of the diagnosed cases of stokes in cats, the cause of the stroke remained undiscovered. These types of cases are known as idiopathic strokes. Regardless of the cause of the stroke, early diagnosis and timely treatments are essential to a complete recovery. If you notice any signs or symptoms of stroke in your cat, take your cat to a veterinarian or emergency animal clinic immediately.
 
#4
Yeah, that's my guess. My suggestion - you may want to call either the local vet, or if there is an animal control. It may be a situation where the will want to do something if they think the animal is in pain or something. I know mine would, but not sure how things are re: animals over there.
 
#8
Brother, this may help. Sounds like it could be otitis media, or otitis interna - middle or inner ear infection.

Have a look at this, from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

​
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

WINN FELINE FOUNDATION
Vicki L. Thayer, DVM, DABVP (Feline)
©2009
​
Anyone who takes a fast spin on a merry-go-round can appreciate vestibular disease in a cat. Cats have a remarkable ability to stalk, hunt, run, and land on their feet with ease. This is due to coordination of the primary sensor system maintaining balance and normal body orientation relative to the earth’s gravitational field. A disruption of this finely tuned nerve control can lead to a loss of equilibrium.

Common signs of vestibular disease are ataxia (lack of coordination or balance), head tilt, circling, falling to one side, nausea (motion sickness), strabismus (deviation of the eyeball), and nystagmus (back and forth, up and down, or rotary eye movements). The cat will usually fall, circle, or tilt the head toward the side of the body where the primary lesion is located.

When vestibular disease is suspected, it must be determined if it involves the inner ear (peripheral) or the brain stem (central). In addition, the signs can be unilateral (one-sided) or bilateral (both sides affected). Cats with bilateral peripheral disease appear weak because of a sense of disorientation; yet the muscles of their limbs have normal strength. If central vestibular disease is present, there will be deficits in such postural reactions as limb placing and proprioception (positioning), along with a diminished mental awareness (depression or decreased consciousness). A paradoxical form of central vestibular disease affects the opposite side of the body from the lesion. Evaluation for cranial nerve deficits may exhibit a loss of facial sensations or movements.

A common form of peripheral vestibular disease is otitis media or interna (middle or inner ear). Bacterial infections can result from an extension of disease in the external ear or the upper air passages by way of the auditory tube. Nasopharyngeal polyps and cancerous growths can be found in these same areas. Ear cleaning can lead to vestibular signs due to over-stimulation or inflammation of the eardrum and deeper ear structures. The use of certain drugs, such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, and the overdose of other medications such as metronidazole can be toxic to inner ear tissue. Deafness could be the end result in some cats.

...... [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
​
Click to expand...
 
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#10
It could be any number of things, including feline distemper, particularly if its a stray and without having had the typical battery of shots. Super sad. Another Bob Barker shout out for the spay and neutering cause if we as a collective human species so neglect care of other species...
 
#12
Tom Bomb said:
Brother, this may help. Sounds like it could be otitis media, or otitis interna - middle or inner ear infection.

Have a look at this, from [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

​
Click to expand...

This sounds exactly like her symptoms, she's losing her limb coordination ( half an hour ago she stepped with her right paw way too far and almost fell, her face is kind of weird, she leans to right, falls to right and her head drops to right.

We have a neighbour that takes care of injured cats around here, I just completed my bike ride and petted her and he saw us. I'll speak to him and see if there's anything we could do together. It makes me so sad to see a cat suffer...

DerHoggz said:
It's a cat, they are all hellspawn. Not the fun kind either.

Clearly the devil is in this one.
Click to expand...

Shen she came here she was a few months old. She used to stare at us with her deep dark eyes and we used to shoo her. She literally scared the **** out of us, we thought she was posessed (as every other cat, but more severe) :D

We used to call her Demon or Antichrist. Then something happened, she stopped staring and started to fall asleep on our lap.

SWe must have exorcised her with all the alcohol we were drinking.:D
 
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#14
I work at an emergency veterinary clinic. The best advise I can give it take the cat to your local veterinarian for an exam. While others have thrown out some possibilities on what could cause Ataxia in cats there is no way to know for sure what going on with out a physical exam and most likely further testing. Google is not you friend when it come to trying to diagnose a health problem in pets or people.
 
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Reactions: Tom Bomb
#16
machine gewehr said:
Some of you may know, we have lots of stray cats around here. I feed them, pet them (like crazy 50 year old cat woman), and I love them.

There's this one, my favorite but something happened to her. She can't keep her balance, falls to her right side if she moves fast. Just a moment ago, she meowed at me and her mouth was weird, like right side wasn't working.

I know a lot of you guys and girls are cat people here, any idea what's wrong with this girl? I'm thinkin about a blow to the head or maybe an ear infection.

I don't think I'll be able to afford a vet unfortunatelly.:(
Click to expand...

Look at her eyes- are the pupils equal, or is one wide open and the other closed more? That can be an indicator of neurological problems.
 
#17
RadioactiveGuy4 said:
I work at an emergency veterinary clinic. The best advise I can give it take the cat to your local veterinarian for an exam. While others have thrown out some possibilities on what could cause Ataxia in cats there is no way to know for sure what going on with out a physical exam and most likely further testing. Google is not you friend when it come to trying to diagnose a health problem in pets or people.
Click to expand...

That's what I'll do asap.

Inertialsky said:
All jokes aside, did you try removing that piece of cheese from her head?
Click to expand...

She loves that cheese, besides it looks good on her.;)

1958Bassman said:
Look at her eyes- are the pupils equal, or is one wide open and the other closed more? That can be an indicator of neurological problems.
Click to expand...

I'll check that when I get home.
 

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