Tigers Seizures (a Running Commentary)
AnimalCare 
Jun 30, 2017 
AnimalCare, NGOs 
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I had another discussion with Tiger’s sporo vet again this morning. The vet thinks perhaps Tiger is mentally stressed and that is why he is holed up in the tv rack all day. This made sense, of course, but we don’t know why he might be mentally stressed. No one bullies him in the house and no cat goes near him too. Occasionally Tabs drops by to say hello by way of sniffing and that’s about it.
Then, Tiger’s (new) vet had told me to try and look for triggers to the seizures, so I observed Tiger closely today, while texting the vet to keep him informed. Yes, with a running commentary. And with photos as well.
17:27: Tiger is grooming. Normally, this will be followed by a sudden twisting of the body to bite the flank and then, a violent fit lasting for about 5 seconds. I told the vet that if I disrupt his grooming momentum, I can probably stop the fit from happening. The vet told me to try.
17:30: Me distracting him.
17:32: He made a slight sudden jerk, but I kept distracting him more. No fit. Then, he starts biting his paw again.
17:34: He goes under the sofa because I’m disturbing him a bit too much (to distract him and stop his incessant grooming).
17:35: Comes out from under the sofa.
17:37: Still calm.
17:42: I can see he wants to start biting again. But he knows I’ll distract him.
17:45: Starts biting again.
17:52: Biting feverishly at one spot, then twists to back. I stop him. Now quiet but wants to twist to back again.
17:53: Biting paw again.
17:55: Goes away to another spot where I cannot see him from where I am. He is behind a chair. I decide to let him be.
18:10: All calm.
18:18: Throws a fit. Fur fly. Urine splatters.
Sigh….
So, what was the trigger?
Grooming, I guess?
Hyperesthesia in cats is not properly understood yet, even by vets.
Tiger threw two seizures today. One at 4.30pm and another at 6.18pm.
Both vets suggest putting Tiger in his own room and see if it helps. Maybe we will try that, if need be. But as it is now, it is almost like having his own space because the living room is fairly big and no other cat comes near him. I’m just afraid that putting him in another room might create “neophobia” (which practically most cats have) and it might prove to be a new stressor for him. Also, I won’t be able to monitor him as the room would be upstairs.
Source: https://myanimalcare.org/2017/06/30/tigers-seizures-a-runnin..
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