Fitting cat - anything I should be watching for?

RacyRed

My recently rescued cat had a fit a little while ago. It lasted a few minutes (seemed like hours to me) and afterwards she was very disorientated for a while but is now playing, eating and poo-ing as normal.

I realise now that this is the second fit she has had in the month I've had her. I was out at the time of the first one but must have arrived home just after it had happened - she was behaving strangely and had made a puddle, not like her to do that at all. The strange behaviour then was identical to the way she behaved after tonight's fit.

All I know of her history is that she had a fall from a 1st floor window in November(ish) and badly injured her jaw and abdomen. I'm now wondering if she took a worse blow to her head than was realised at the time, or perhaps it was a fit that caused her to fall. She fell off the back of the sofa tonight, fortunately onto the cushioned side.

Obviously she is going straight to the vets tomorrow (I'd have taken her right away if that had been possible). In the meantime does anyone have experience of this, is there anything I should be watching for overnight? She seems fine now but I'm worried.

Thank you

lowis

i am sorry your cat is having fits, i don't have any experience of this, but i just wanted to say i hope things turn out OK for you both

RacyRed

lowis wrote: »

i am sorry your cat is having fits, i don't have any experience of this, but i just wanted to say i hope things turn out OK for you both

Thanks lowis, kind thoughts are especially appreciated in this home tonight. I just gave her (and my big tom) an extra bowl of wet food, as she appeared to be thirsty but didn't want water or cat milk. she licked up all the gravy from her food bowl (left the meat) then pushed the big tom off his bowl so she could get at his gravy too! He just moved aside and licked her ears a bit- 1st time I've seen him do that, bless!

UKTigerlily

Please let us know how she gets on tomorrow, we have Vets here but I don't think any are online right now to advise, they may see the thread though. All I can suggest is keeping her in tonight but I can imagine you'll be doing that anyway. Good luck tomorrow & please update us!

Mutter_2

Have no expert help RacyRed, sorry. Replying only as most posters are now asleep and you are feeling alone.
Only to say if kitty has another before the visit to the vet, do nothing apart from wait for the seizure to take its course. She may feel a bit sleepy and disorientated afterwards.
The fall I shouldnt wonder was caused by a seizure or maybe just coincidence.
I 've heard that it takes quite a large head injury to cause fits and you make no mention of one.
Try and sleep, if she had one tonight, the chances are slight of another so soon. I would remove anything with sharp corners , low coffee table etc, to be safe.
Why did the rescue home not mention it? Surely they must have known!
Keep receipts from the vet and then contact the rescue.
As much as you love her, they surely should help with costs.

RacyRed

Thank you so much for your kindness UKTigerlily and Mutter.

Daisy is now sitting on my bed wondering why I'm not throwing her favorite toy for her to chase.

I honestly don't know how badly her head was injured in her fall but I shall certainly be asking a lot questions in the morning! I had specifically asked about her medical history when I adopted her, just so as to be prepared, but nothing was said about fitting. There are vets at the rescue home so I'll take her there instead of my nearest vet in case they know more about her medical history.

My big fear now is that she may now really need a home where there is someone around a lot of the time to watch out for her. I'm at work all day and had adopted her as company for my lovely boy, Yogi, who was a stray until he moved in with me a couple of months ago. I'll be heartbroken if I have to part with Daisy, so will Yogi.

Thanks for the good advice Mutter, I've sorted as many sharp corners out as I can and will try to get some sleep, as you suggest.

Mutter_2

Please dont think of parting with Daisy, RacyRed. Think, she could be with someone at home for 8 hours and they pop to the corner shop and she has a fit.
It's just chance. With the right medication she may never have another. Also, there is nothing to be done whilst she is having a fit. Whether you are at home or work. Don't uproot her again. Poor little Daisy.

Waterfalls

sorry to hear this. hope all goes well at the vets
in the means time if she does has a fit again, make sure ur very quiet, as noise can stimulate a fit to last longer, turn off lights/make the room dark, and move away any possible dangers, do not fuss her it will stimulate the fit and she may injure u without knowing what she is doing. try and time it and phone the vet. should last just a few minutes. u may ot be able to take her straightaway as may stimulate it further.
some pets may have one fit in there lifetime and never have another one, other may need further investigation/treatment, good luck, and keep us posted

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

We had a rescue cat with epilepsy.We also have a daughter with epilepsy.
Both were on medication and both fine.
Our cat died aged 17,after having suffered nothing but epilepsy in her life time.It's a condition although scary can be treated and kept under control very easily.

RacyRed

Daisy is absolutely fine this morning thank goodness. No sign of any more fits.

I'm calmer and realise that she is perfectly well between fits so the real need is for tests to find out what is going on and to see if long term treatment is needed. I know for sure she has had 2 fits in the space of a month, she has maybe had more that I don't know about.

The rescue center are not open again until Monday but I will really need their help with this, not least because they possibly know how to contact her previous owners to find out more about her history. Is there anything a private vet would do between now and Monday or are we OK to wait do you think?

Waterfalls, thank you so much for that advice. Last night I just made sure that she was safe and breathing. I'll remember about sounds and the lights, she did head off in search of a dark corner after the fit had finished - odd thing is that she didn't settle in any of them.

Mutter I dread the thought of possibly having to part with her, she is such a lovely little girl. I'm a bit panicked because when she came to me for rehoming it was because she had been an indoor cat but wanted to go out. Unfortunately where I live could be very, very dangerous for her - think possible big drop into water if she fits in one of her favorite places and slides under the railings! It's perfectly safe and manageable for a healthy cat, but for one having a fit?

If I'd known about the fits I'd not have taught her how to go out. The very last thing I want to do is uproot her and will only do so if there really is no other option. Her well-being is the single most important consideration for me.

I can't thank those of you who replied to me last night enough. I was absolutely terrified for her and your kind words calmed me.

UKTigerlily

Glad to hear she's better today, i'd definitely call the Vet to be sure they don't want to see her before Monday, it's quite a while if they do. Hope she'll be ok! And if she does need to be an indoor cat, you could always cat proof the garden!