Is My Cat Having A Nightmare? Or Paralyzed? Or Coma? Idk Help

[SovietsAreBettetanhokages]

Well something weird just happened. I was just doing some homework, then took a look on my cat. I noticed that his arm twitched a little, so I decided to check on him.

First thing I did, I tried to wake him up by rubbing his tummy (I believe he hates being touched on the stomach) but no reaction.

I opened his eyes and I saw his left eyball is lookin far left and his right eyeball his looking far right (Like squinting but on opposite direction) I don't know if that is normal becuz i dont really interrupt his sleeps, or idk if that also happen on sleeping human eyes. I tried checking on sleeping dog eyes, but he wakes up quickly, so I really dont know if that is normal.

When I saw his sleeping eyes, I had the question (Is my cat dead?). He was breathing normally (Normal sleep breathing rate, not the actual normal rate) So I shaked him, still no reaction, I continued to shake him for like 4 - 6 seconds (I don't remember, I am doing this thread about 2 minutes later this happened, by the time I reach this part, it's already 6 minutes)

He woke up when I did the "continuous shake". When he woke up, he quickly grabbed my hand. I don't know if that means he really had a nightmare or it was just reflexes.

What happens next? As I expected, he went on his food container thingy.

What happens next next? He is now playing with my dog.


Did this happen before? Well I noticed his eyes were a little open, his eyes are also on the weird position, so I woke him up but that took 3 seconds to wake him up, he quitely hissed when I was shaking him while his eyes are still weird, then his eyes got fixed and woke up. I thought he had a nightmare, or worse; Somehow paralyzed, or having seizure? I don't think paralysis or seizures last for 3 seconds (Except if it was happening while he was asleep, I don't think he was twitching while he was sleeping.) I saw it happen once. Idk if mom saw this happened.

Also I don't know when my cat naps and when my cat sleeps.
Sometimes, he sleeps like a human.
Funny position, he sleeps in a curved position, laying his back.
Somtimes, he sleeps like a lazy cat.
How cats actually sleep, either left or right side. (He was on this position when the weird sleep thingy happened).
I think he naps when he is on back position, and he sleeps on side position. I am not sure.

How old is he? He is 2 years old.
So, it this normal? Or should I take him to the vet?

 

[Brian007]

Well, I don't know either but you seem to be very concerned for him, so I'd probably take him to the vet for a check-up.

Some cats do sleep very soundly to the point that they twitch when dreaming or snore. I have woken the odd cat who I was worried about but it never took more than a couple of seconds to rouse them. However, those couple of seconds felt much longer as panic took hold. I've never had to look into the eyes of a normally sleeping cat, only cats who had been sedated for operation or who were very sick. With these cats their eyes were not in the positions you describe.

It is possible that your cat had a TIA or mini stroke. It is also possible that he had some sort of seizure. It might be that this behaviour is normal for your cat but because it is new I would definitely recommend taking him to the vet.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I would also have him checked, if only for your own peace of mind. It IS possible for a cat to sleep so deeply that they have to be picked up and shaken to wake them. My Berry, the cat I had before Hekitty, was known for it. Hekitty, being a more high-stung cat, has only done it twice, and both times I was a little freaked out!

 

[losna]

My cats all start to twitch when they begin dreaming, and now and again they fall intot such deep sleeps I call them ragdolls and can't wake them up. So what you described doesn't sound like a concern to me, although if you havne't seen it before and are very concerned, there is no harm in a vet checkup.

 

[Neo_23]

Honestly sounds normal to me. A lot of cats twitch and shake during deep sleep. Some even vocalize and wag their tails.

He probably grabbed your hand cause you startled him. He may have been dreaming.

These are all normal behaviours in cat sleep:

 

[encino34]

Bella my oldest one has been in deep sleeps where it looks like she is dead. I can pick up her paws and push her around with no movement. It freaked me out at first but now im used to it.

 

[epona]

If you're concerned, of course get her checked out by a vet.

My cats dream though, and twitch their limbs and chomp their mouths in their sleep as if they are dreaming about hunting and eating things I have seen one of mine have a nightmare, where he was a asleep and started crying out and all the hair along his spine and on his tail puffed up.

They also don't always wake right away if they are deeply asleep - but should you be trying to? If you're worried that they have died, just watch their sides so that you can see they are breathing, instead of waking them every time you are worried. Also if you suspect one is having a nightmare, just quietly say things in a gentle soothing voice like "oh you're a good boy, I love you so much, it's alright darling" rather than trying to wake up. (If you shook me awake, I'd bite you tbh).

 

[danteshuman]

Cats can have strokes just like humans. I doubt anything is wrong with him ... still I would take a video of you waking him up & show it to a vet ... while a vet is checking him out. One of my cats makes meowinggrowl noises in his sleep sometimes and his paws twitch. I wake him up gently just in case he is having a nightmare *shrugs* He is barely vocal irl. Sometimes cats are weird.

 

[Tagrendy]

Twitching is normal - here's mine playing drums lol.

 

[gareth]

If it looked like this then I wouldn’t worry. Twitches away and even starts making noises

 

[Brian007]

Great videos guys!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL, make that THREE times for Hekitty. As I was getting ready to answer this, she began to slowly ooze over the edge of the daybed next to my computer desk. I caught her and lifted her into her cat bed without her budging. She just raised her head and looked at me as if to say, "HOW did I get HERE?"