Weird Behavior - Google Says It Could Be Fhs?

[Pixie_kitttie]

Hi guys,

This behavior started on Monday, she had an episode of frantic running, pupils wide, acting like she was scared, and she would stop running randomly to excessively from her front legs and her flank and then run agaon. Also, when she hides and I go look at her, I see her back skin like, rippling or rolling a lot. She gets scared of me and hisses at me and will give me warning bites if I get close.

She had one episode Monday and one tonight. The only thing I can think that triggered this behavior was that on Monday I started her on Metronidazole but promptly stopped it since she wasn't having diarrhea anyways and it was causing her a lot of stress.

It's really freaking me out, she looks so distressed and I don't know what to do for my baby. I know they say FHS is rare and there's no test to diagnose it, but they also say it's more common in Siamese cats and she's part Siamese.

Anyone have experience with the behavior I'm mentioning?

 

[abyeb]

I think that her symptoms do sound similar to FHS. Can you take her to the vet to get checked out?

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

I just took her to the emergency vet last week and regular vet today. Xrays and blood work is clean. I initially took her in because she had developed vomiting and diarrhea after starting with a cat a sitter. She's now eating and pooping fine. Honestly, I started the antibiotics on Monday when though I felt like she didn't need them, and that's when all this started.

I'll call the vet but I just had to pay $700 in very bills the past 2 weeks, I can't afford anymore right now

 

[sweetblackpaws]

My girl is a classic case of FHS and has been since kittenhood. While your girl does manifest some hallmark symptoms (rolling skin - which is actually the muscle under the skin, of course, hissing, frantic behavior, etc.) the thing that makes me think it may not be is that she hissed at you and gave warning bites. During a FHS episode (which some vets think is a type of seizure disorder, but still is only a theory), the cat will be in her own world, and will generally not interact or attack other cats or people. These cats are more likely to self-mutilate and be prone to attacking "themselves", almost oblivious to their surroundings during an episode. My girl is not Siamese, but you are right in that breed is more prone to FHS.

If she does have a mild case of it, which she might, phenobarbital and gabapentin are often prescribed. Pheno requires frequent bloodwork monitoring.

As I understand, FHS is not life-threatening and not progressive. But it can be very distressing to witness, and of course, for the cat.

I am glad your baby is feeling better, but is she does have FHS you do have options. I eventually took mine off phenobarbital a few years ago. She still has "fits", but they are short-lived - maybe a minute or two.

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

Thank you so much for your reply sweetblackpaws that makes me feel a lot better. She's only had 2 episodes that I've witnessed, the one on Monday seemed to last for a long time but the one last night only lasted a minute or 2. The one symptom I see on the list is that she doesn't exhibit is the furious tail swishing. It just makes me sad and stressed to see her this way

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Yes, it is incredibly stressful to witness, I feel for you and your baby. My girl is now 8 years old, so I have been dealing with it for many years.

The 'furious tail swishing' is hallmark. It is almost as if the cat does not recognize the tail as her own and tries to attack it (not in a playful way).

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

Yeah she did bite at her tail like it was a foreign object, it was really odd. I was reading online about the diffuser Feliway could help, but I've also been reading that they are fire hazards and have started fires in homes :/

 

[bloop123]

I have the Feliway diffuser that I bought for my cat who has anxiety, and it works well. I've had it for months now and no fires, we've had a different brand a couple years ago and no fires either.
I just googled FHS and read about it on wikipedia, because from what you've said it sounds like what one of my cats does. He only does it outside and there's no self mutilation involved, and it only lasts for a bout a minute. Because he'd always done this outside, my mom and I always thought he was bothered by a bugs crawling on him or something. He would lick himself and swish his tail furiously, his back would twitch and sometimes he would run and jump in the air. I never knew this was a medical condition. But he's always loved catnip, and on the wiki page it said catnip can help. I reccommend the feliway diffuser.

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

B bloop123 thank you so much!! I think I'll give it a try, anything to keep my baby less anxious. How often would you change the plug? I appreciate it

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

(Turn down/off volume for this video.) What do you guys think?

 

[bloop123]

B bloop123 thank you so much!! I think I'll give it a try, anything to keep my baby less anxious. How often would you change the plug? I appreciate it

Once you buy the plug, you just need to buy refills.
The package said to change it every month

 

[Pixie_kitttie]

Quick update:

The other people saying this isn't feline hyperesthesia are probably right. Pixie was under a lot if stress when this popped up. She hasn't had an episode in 2 months and I haven't had the plug ins for that same amount of time. She's her normal self again; playing and eating like normal.

Thank you for everyone who helped me through this whole process, it was very scary and stressful for me and you all helped so much.

I do want to say the Feliway plug-ins *did* help for her anxiety/stress.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

So glad Pixie is doing better!