Pet Owners: Cat Seizures??

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

So, I have a cat that is probably about a year and a half old... this evening, my game group was sitting around and, Shark (the cat) jumps into a large shopping bag--the kind you get at a clothing store with the cardboard lining on the bottom... and so, we all laugh about how cute she is, pick her up in the bag and spin her a bit (like, once around... very slowly... nothing inhumane-- just normal cat play).

But, when she gets out, she runs away and starts shaking and foaming at the mouth in a little kitty seizure... now, it's a Saturday night and so, no vets are open and, as much as I would like to, I'm not willing to call the emergency service because I know that, no matter how much I love my cat, I can't afford to have her rushed away in the cat ambulance...

She seems fine, now. Curling up in all her favorite places. Her eyes are no longer HUGE like they were just after the fit... she is making some little grunty noises when she purrs... but, aside from that-- she's normal little Shark...

I've been doing lots of surfing and searching on pet websites about seizures... most say that it is not that abnormal... but, I'm still totally freaking on. In fact, the rest of my group just went out for dinner and I can't bring myself to leave the apartment in fear that something will happen to my little baby. I know it's kind of ridiculous, but my cat is a pretty big part of my life...

Have any of you had this sort of experience? How did you handle it? I'm really scared that my loveable little fluff ball is really sick...

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I also use a 2000 Flushes toilet bowl thing... and Shark likes to try to drink out of the toilet...

... wonder if something like that could make her have a seizure...

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Couldn't resist a cat post.

I would suspect that the 2000 Flushes would be responsible. If your cat no longer seems in distress then I would keep an eye on her but wait till Monday. Generally unless it's really bad (and it should be readily apparent if it is) cat's are much tougher than I ever thought. Of course I am not a vet, but I have taken my cat in on multiple occasions when I thought something was wrong to always find out that it was nothing, or that it could have waited a day or two safely.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Edit: Just did a quick check and it says that bowl water is safe for kids ( ) and pets with 2000 flushes and then three bullet points down says:

POISON: Causes Burns: Contains organic chlorine bleach. Avoid direct contact of product with eyes, skin and mucous membranes. May be harmful or household chemicals including ammonia, acids, bleaches or chlorine cleaners. If tablet must be removed before tank refills, remove from tank (wear gloves). Place in plastic bag. Avoid dripping.

So I assume they are talking about the dispenser itself being poisonous. Maybe it's working a little too well and some of the bleach is getting into the bowl water.

 

[Christopher Lambert]

Holy ...!

I'd call a vet right away, although I wouldn't be surprised if they just said wait until Monday before bringing them in.

If it weren't corrosive I'd suggest making the cat throw up (it sounds cruel but it's not that hard on a carnivore). Of course you'd have to feed them right afterwards.

 

[Alzrius]

Just wanted to add that you shouldn't underestimate the level of damage that cleaner chemicals can do to a pet. I had a cat that died of kidney failure that was most likely caused by the fact that she drank from bathtub-water, and we had cleaned the tub with chemical cleaner. Your cat should NOT be drinking from the toilet if you spray it down with something.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

The 2000 Flushes is iffy... it's been in the bowl for months and months and she's never had a seizure before... and, I haven't ever seen her drink out of the bowl with the cleaner in it...

Just one of those possibilities that, as I was walking through the house trying to determine what could have caused it, popped into my mind...

But, she's acting totally normal, now. Snuggled up on my lap, as I type...

 

[Torm]

and so, we all laugh about how cute she is, pick her up in the bag and spin her a bit (like, once around... very slowly... nothing inhumane-- just normal cat play).

It isn't possible that the rotation was causing a sequential flashing of light from her perspective, is it? A bit of googling says the most common cause of seizures in cats is epilepsy.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

It isn't possible that the rotation was causing a sequential flashing of light from her perspective, is it? A bit of googling says the most common cause of seizures in cats is epilepsy.

Nope-- was a black bag... so, it would have been really dark in there...

But, current status: still cute and snuggly and normal.

 

[Raging Epistaxis]

Sounds scary, but I'm glad to hear your kitty is feeling ok.

First a disclaimer: I am a vet, but AFAIK I have never seen your cat professionally, and any of this may or may not apply to her situation. In other words, take your cat to be checked by her vet ASAP. Consider this advise to be from an educated source, but not gospel truth.

From your description I have a couple of sleep-deprived thoughts.
•If she's acting completely normal now, and never had an episode like this before, and doesn't have any more then that's generally a sign that it's not an immediate life-or-death situation.
•I have seen cats that have had seizure-like episodes after some extremely excitatory event. Basically a form of epilepsy that is triggered by a hyper-excitable state, kinda like the feline equivalent of a 'panic attack' that leads to a seizure.
•Of course there are a multitude of other conditions that can affect the central nervous system and result in seizures of varying intensity and duration. These are the things your vet can talk to you at length about and test for any possibilities.

As Mr. Lambert said, a good basic reaction to them having eaten/drank something they shouldn't have is to induce vomiting. If you can catch it before it's absorbed or passed on to the intestines. (30 minutes or so in most cases)

The big exception to that is when a caustic chemical (bleach, strong acids, or strong alkalai) is swallowed, it's much better to have the stomach pumped ASAP, rather than inducing vomiting. Why? Because it burned on the way down, and it will burn again on the way back up. One of the worst sequelae to such ingestions is esophageal scarring and stricture (scar contraction). It's a real pain to deal with. Just ask anyone with chronic reflux (heartburn) disease. There's also the throat and nasal burns possible if it heads up that way on the way out. Pleasant, no?

Having said that, I suspect the actual quantity of bleach in the water of the bowel itself is not sufficent to cause significant burns, but could cause other health issues. Tell Shark 'no bowl water for you!'

In a nutshell: Watch your kitty closely and have her checked ASAP. It may have been a seizure, but they can be a 'normal' thing under certain circumstances.

Raging E.

 

[Algolei]

Have any of you had this sort of experience? How did you handle it? I'm really scared that my loveable little fluff ball is really sick...

I have!

My friend's sisters got a new cat, and it crawled into a paper bag. I picked up the bag, and swung it around in a circle a couple of times, thinking it would be cute to see a dizzy kitty.

Mistake!

Kitty seizured. My heart stopped for a moment. But after a very brief time she came out of it, and has been okay ever since (we're talking years and years now).

It was very clear at the time that the kitty's seizure was due to me spinning her around in a bag. I'm not sure why it happens, but I think that's the answer to your question. It wouldn't hurt to have a vet see your pet, of course--I mean, who knows, right?--but rest a little easier until you find out if there's anything really wrong.