Epilepsy is a disease that humans can have, but also cats. Therefore, it is very important that we monitor them so that we can provide the necessary assistance. And, although it is not as common as other pathologies, if we do not take care of them as they deserve, they will not be able to lead a completely normal life.
So I'm going to tell you how to care for an epileptic cat so that you can help him in everything necessary to make him happy.
How do I know if my cat has epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a disease that becomes evident when the person or the affected hairy one suffers a spontaneous seizure; However, there are other symptoms that will prepare us to help our cat that are:
- Loss of balance
- Loss of sphincter control
- Nervousness
- Muscular stiffness
- Trouble walking
- Hyperventilation
- Excessive salivation
- Eating and drinking problems
How NOT to act during a seizure?
Sometimes humans do things out of pure instinct, thinking that this is how we are helping, but the reality is that it is often better to do nothing or almost nothing. When the cat is convulsing it is very important that we DO NOT act in the following way:
- Hold his head: When the body moves involuntarily and abruptly, holding its head could cause a bone in the neck to break.
- Give food or drink: During the seizure there is usually also loss of consciousness, so that if we give him to swallow something, he will most likely suffocate.
- Cover it with a blanket: Although it is highly recommended to cover the carrier or cage with a cloth or a blanket when carrying a very nervous cat to calm down, during a seizure this will not do any good; in fact, it could suffocate you.
What care does an epileptic cat need?
Caring for an epileptic cat is not much different than caring for a healthy cat. It is very necessary to take into account that he must be given a high-quality diet (without grains) so you can have better health. What's more, you have to give him the medications prescribed by the vet.
And of course, you have to keep the doors and windows closed, and put everything that could be dangerous (cables, objects, wires, etc.) away from the furry friend's reach. Likewise, if we cannot supervise him for a while, for example, when we go to work, if we live in a house with stairs we will put a net or other type of barrier so that he cannot climb them.
With this and giving it a lot of love, you can have a good quality of life 🙂.