A seizure, which you might also hear called a fit or convulsion, is a sign of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, rather than a disease in itself. In cats, seizures often happen when they are quiet and resting. While seizures are thought to be less common in cats than in dogs, cats that do have them may experience them more frequently.
There are two main types of seizures. The first is a generalised seizure, which is usually easy to recognise. During a generalised seizure, your cat may suddenly collapse, lose awareness, shake or paddle violently with all four legs, twitch their face, drool, and sometimes lose control of their bladder or bowels. These episodes typically last for one to three minutes. If your cat has several seizures with only short recovery periods in between, these are called cluster seizures. A seizure that lasts longer than five minutes, or when there is no recovery between multiple seizures, is called status epilepticus and is a medical emergency.
The second type is a partial seizure. These can be much harder to spot because they only affect a part of the body. Signs might include drooling, twitching of the face or eyelids, unusual crying or growling, and strange movements of the head, neck, or one limb. Sometimes, a partial seizure can develop into a generalised seizure.
A seizure event usually happens in three stages. Before the seizure, you might notice some changes in your cat’s behaviour, such as pacing, growling, or drooling. However, some cats show no warning signs at all. The second stage is the seizure itself. The final stage is the recovery period after the seizure. This can last from a few seconds to several hours. During this time, your cat might seem disoriented, wobbly, tired, or even appear to be temporarily blind.
The causes of seizures can be divided into those that come from outside the brain and those that come from within the brain.
Causes from outside the brain, known as extracranial causes, occur when the brain itself is healthy but is reacting to another problem. This could be poisoning from something they’ve eaten or a substance applied to their skin, like certain flea treatments meant for dogs. Other causes include metabolic problems like liver or kidney disease, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, or an abnormal heart rhythm.
Causes from within the brain, or intracranial causes, mean there is a problem with the brain itself. This could be a structural issue like a brain tumour, inflammation or infection of the brain (called encephalitis), a stroke, or an injury from head trauma. In some cases, no structural problem can be found, which is known as primary or idiopathic epilepsy. This is an uncommon cause of seizures in cats.
Treatment will focus on the underlying cause if one can be identified. For instance, managing high blood pressure or treating an infection might stop the seizures. For cats with epilepsy, or when the cause cannot be cured, anti-seizure medication is often prescribed for long-term use. This medication won’t cure the condition, but it helps to reduce how often seizures happen and how severe they are. The aim of treatment is to reduce the number of seizures by at least half, with as few side effects as possible. Keeping a diary of your cat’s seizures, noting when they happen, how long they last, and what they look like, can be very helpful for your veterinarian. Videos of the episodes are also extremely useful for tailoring your cat’s treatment.
Seeing your cat have a seizure can be very frightening, but it is important to stay calm. Make sure your cat is in a safe area, away from things they could fall off, like stairs or furniture. Do not try to hold or comfort your cat during the seizure, as they are not aware of their surroundings and could bite or scratch you by accident. Make a note of the time the seizure starts. Most seizures will stop on their own within one to three minutes.
You should always let your veterinary clinic know if you believe your cat has had a seizure. It is a medical emergency if a seizure lasts for more than five minutes or if your cat has several seizures in a row without recovering in between. In an emergency, please contact your veterinary team immediately.
We usually will want to see your cat for a full exam, and to run blood tests and check blood pressure as first line investigations for seizures in cats. Once we have an idea of what is causing them, then we can figure out a plan going forward.
For any non-urgent questions, to book an appointment, or for prescription requests, please email our team.