Just curious on other peoples’ experience with young cats that have seizures?

[ndahl]

My shelter is aware and the vet returns tomorrow so we’ll figure out a game plan for treatment at that point but I’m interested in hearing about other peoples’ experiences with kittens that have seizures!

I took in a special needs foster kitten. He came to the shelter with his mama and seven siblings. When the techs went to pick him up to do his exam he began to have a seizure. They said he went rigid and foamed at the mouth a bit but it was quick. For the next few days no one at the shelter noticed anything out of the ordinary. Since I brought him home on Friday though he has had at least one seizure every evening starting around 7:15 pm. Poor buddy,thankfully it’s not too bad. I saw videos of cats thrashing and hurting themselves and he justkind of freezes up. His ears twitch, he starts foaming, he doesn’t respond to stimuli, and his limbs are braced is the best way I can explain it. He’s not super rigid, just tense and crying and not moving. They’re pretty quick little episodes and he’s restless for some minutes afterward. I take his temp after each one and it’s always normal so no fevers. Like I said, the shelter is already aware and hopefully tomorrow we’llhave a plan going forward.

I am concerned that based on the frequency of his seizures, this might be something pretty serious. So I’m wondering if anyone else has experience with a young kitten (Squirt is 5 weeks old) having so many frequent seizures and still being treatable? I’m scared of what the vet is going to say and I worry that we might end up having to put him down. He’s really a sweet little guy otherwise

 

[iPappy]

Do you think it's possible he got into something before he came to the shelter? IDK if he's old enough for a blood draw? Poor little guy!!

 

[ndahl]

Do you think it's possible he got into something before he came to the shelter? IDK if he's old enough for a blood draw? Poor little guy!!

I suppose anything is possible! I’m not sure where him and his mama came from but he is not scared of people or other cats at all. If he had gotten into something toxic would it still be causing issues days later though?

 

[Timewarpcat]

I hope you get good news from the vet. I have two kitties with seizures and they are reasonably controlled on phenobarbitol that I give to them in the Royal canin pill pockets. But they got seizures later in life from an infection.

 

[fionasmom]

The seizures I have experienced with a cat were with a young male rescue, definitely not a kitten however. He had been on his own for a while and had Cryptococcus.

Seizures can be hard to pinpoint, or the reason for them I should say, but don't give up. Many can be treated with medication.

 

[ndahl]

The seizures I have experienced with a cat were with a young male rescue, definitely not a kitten however. He had been on his own for a while and had Cryptococcus.

Seizures can be hard to pinpoint, or the reason for them I should say, but don't give up. Many can be treated with medication.

Thank you, I really hope it’s treatable and that he can live a good, long life!

 

[ndahl]

Update on the little guy. He’s just like barely alive at the this point. Yesterday was dental clinic day at the shelter so the foster coordinator gave the doctor my notes but I guess the doctor didn’t have time to go over them. So we had another full day and night of seizures. Initially his seizures were focal so they seemed less intense and he usually came out of them walking around and meowing. Now they’re grand mal and even when he’s not actively seizing, he’s so out of it. His appetite has been great but this morning after his most recent seizure, he didn’t really eat a ton of breakfast. I think he had four or five seizure in the last 24 hours, poor kid. I know the shelter has other animals and I’m trying to express how bad he’s doing but I don’t think I can let him go on like this another night. I don’t have the money to support an emergency vet visit and I have no idea what the shelter would do about that since he’s “theirs” but I don’t know what else to do. If a doctor thinks there is hope of treatment then I won’t give up on him but he seems blind and deaf and I would rather euthanize him than see him continue to “live” like this. He’s deteriorated so much in just 48 hours. Still no fevers though. I’m just kind of venting my frustrations at this point. I almost want to just show up at the shelter so they can see how out of it he is. I’m a mess right now

 

[fionasmom]

We all understand. Seizures are extremely disturbing to watch and this little guy is not even getting any help. Is going to the shelter at all an option? Ask if they would support a visit to the ER. The ER will try to stabilize him, at the least, even if they can't determine the cause of the seizures. This sounds dire and I think you should try to impress on the rescue that he needs to be seen.

My boy who had Cryptococcus went blind; it is very upsetting for both of you to go through this without any assistance.

 

[tiggerwillow]

My adult girl Ebony had seizures (spelling), she turned out to have strongly-suspected brain cancer, cancer was confirmed to be in her tummy and lungs, all I could do when she had them was make sure she couldn't hurt herself during one

I hope your guy can be helped

 

[ndahl]

We all understand. Seizures are extremely disturbing to watch and this little guy is not even getting any help. Is going to the shelter at all an option? Ask if they would support a visit to the ER. The ER will try to stabilize him, at the least, even if they can't determine the cause of the seizures. This sounds dire and I think you should try to impress on the rescue that he needs to be seen.

My boy who had Cryptococcus went blind; it is very upsetting for both of you to go through this without any assistance.

My adult girl Ebony had seizures (spelling), she turned out to have strongly-suspected brain cancer, cancer was confirmed to be in her tummy and lungs, all I could do when she had them was make sure she couldn't hurt herself during one

I hope your guy can be helped

Shortly after my update the shelter got back to me and I explained that he is basically unresponsive even when he does come out of his seizures. I told them I thought he was beyond my care and needed emergency care so they got me in right away. I dropped him off and they checked his glucose levels, all normal. Since he isn’t spiking a fever either they’re just not sure why he keeps having them but they confirmed that he is blind and deaf at this point. When the tech came out to explain everything to me she said the prognosis didn’t look great and that there was a high chance he wouldn’t come home. I said goodbye and did some grocery shopping then got home and the coordinator texted to say that he was ready for pickup! The doctor wants to put him on antibiotics to see if that will at least slow down the seizures and see him again in two days.

however, I told them that I didn’t feel like I could emotionally handle his care anymore.I work a lot this week and have hardly slept because I just keep waking up in a panic, thinking that I heard him crying from another seizure. I feel awful about it but I don’t think I can give him the care he needs if I’m not well myself. I’m grateful there is some hope though and I asked to be updated. He’s only five or six weeks old so maybe if they can get the seizures to stop he can regain his hearing and sight Thank you everyone for your reassurance and comforting words!

 

[Timewarpcat]

My cats got seizures from toxoplasmosis, and antibiotics saved them and they need phenobarbitol the rest of their lives. But they're happy and live normal kitty lives again. So I think the vet is smart to at least try that.

It's so overwhelming, i understand. I lost a lot of sleep over kitties too, and I don't have the pressure of a job. You did as much and more than you could do!

Keep us posted when you get new information.

 

[ndahl]

My cats got seizures from toxoplasmosis, and antibiotics saved them and they need phenobarbitol the rest of their lives. But they're happy and live normal kitty lives again. So I think the vet is smart to at least try that.

It's so overwhelming, i understand. I lost a lot of sleep over kitties too, and I don't have the pressure of a job. You did as much and more than you could do!

Keep us posted when you get new information.

Thank you! I’m so glad your kitty made a recovery and that gives me more hope for this little guy.

 

[Timewarpcat]

Well I'm not super hopeful about this kitten, but I think the vet has a reasonable approach. It's very stressful to be a caregiver for pets or people.

 

[iPappy]

Shortly after my update the shelter got back to me and I explained that he is basically unresponsive even when he does come out of his seizures. I told them I thought he was beyond my care and needed emergency care so they got me in right away. I dropped him off and they checked his glucose levels, all normal. Since he isn’t spiking a fever either they’re just not sure why he keeps having them but they confirmed that he is blind and deaf at this point. When the tech came out to explain everything to me she said the prognosis didn’t look great and that there was a high chance he wouldn’t come home. I said goodbye and did some grocery shopping then got home and the coordinator texted to say that he was ready for pickup! The doctor wants to put him on antibiotics to see if that will at least slow down the seizures and see him again in two days.

however, I told them that I didn’t feel like I could emotionally handle his care anymore.I work a lot this week and have hardly slept because I just keep waking up in a panic, thinking that I heard him crying from another seizure. I feel awful about it but I don’t think I can give him the care he needs if I’m not well myself. I’m grateful there is some hope though and I asked to be updated. He’s only five or six weeks old so maybe if they can get the seizures to stop he can regain his hearing and sight Thank you everyone for your reassurance and comforting words!

IMO it's always worth a shot. If he has some infection going out of control that can be helped, maybe he'll pull through yet. Is he back at the shelter? I took care of my terminally ill dog for 4 months, and the sleep/work situation....what a disaster. You got him the help he needed during a really scary time

 

[ndahl]

Well I'm not super hopeful about this kitten, but I think the vet has a reasonable approach. It's very stressful to be a caregiver for pets or people.

I still don’t have a lot of hope but it seems like there could be a tiny chance of recovery if the vet is trying another option so we will see.

 

[ndahl]

IMO it's always worth a shot. If he has some infection going out of control that can be helped, maybe he'll pull through yet. Is he back at the shelter? I took care of my terminally ill dog for 4 months, and the sleep/work situation....what a disaster. You got him the help he needed during a really scary time

I believe he went to a different foster home. Someone else with experience with medical cases. The coordinator said that he will have a check up Thursday (two days from now) and they will go from there. I did request an update and the coordinator was happy to oblige.

 

[maggie101]

I am not a cat but I have seizures and I am still alive. So I believe there is hope for this kitten!

 

[maggie101]

I strongly suggest pet insurance