La epilepsy It is a disease that affects humans, but unfortunately also cats. It is a disorder that prevents the animal from leading a normal life, since at any moment it can have an epileptic seizure. When you live with a feline that has been diagnosed with this problem, you have to make sure that the home in which you live is quiet and, above all, safe.
Let's learn more about this disease that, although it affects a decreasing number of cats, it cannot yet be considered eradicated.
Symptoms of epilepsy in cats
Epilepsy can be caused by two main reasons: the first is that you have inherited it, which is known as idiopathic epilepsy, and the second is produced by a disorder, either because you have hit your head or because of a poorly cured ear infection. The most common symptoms are very similar to those of epilepsy in humans; are as follows:
- Spontaneous seizures
- Muscular stiffness
- Difficulty eating and / or walking
- Loss of balance
- Hyperventilation
- Hyperactivity
- Nervousness
Diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy in cats
If your cat has any of the aforementioned symptoms, it is important that you go to the vet, who will proceed to perform a series of tests, as urine and blood tests, radiographs y encephalograms; and later, confirming the diagnosis, will give you the most appropriate treatment as appropriate.
It is important to say that, although there are natural products that can help relieve symptoms, such as valerian or passiflora, We can only administer them with veterinary consent.
How to care for a cat with epilepsy
Cats with epilepsy should be cared for with more care if possible. Must take extreme precautions at home, keeping the doors and windows closed. But you also have to prevent them from approaching the stairs, and keep those objects with which you could harm yourself.
For the rest, and despite having this disease, life expectancy is 20 years if it has been diagnosed in time.
What not to do in case the cat has an epileptic seizure
There are a number of things that No. They can never be done during an attack, and they are:
- Holding his head or body: We could fracture his neck.
- Give him to drink or eat: you could suffocate.
- Cover it with a blanket: We could endanger its life, since in those moments the cat is not aware of its movements, and therefore cannot react.
If your cat has a seizure, it is important to go to the vet as soon as possible.
Much encouragement.