Why is my cat dizzy, off balance, shedding, and acting weird?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to allergies. She could be showing signs of imbalance from potentially some degree of neurologic effects which sometimes can happen when cats develop significant ear disease due to allergies for instance. Otherwise, this may be a completely separate issue. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

You're right, it doesn't sound good. Possible causes for the bloat and decreased appetite include pain from arthritis, hairballs, food allergy, GI blockage, intestinal parasites, IBD, intestinal lymphoma, systemic disease (liver, kidney, pancreas, diabetes), among others. The shedding and change in coat texture could be due to a decrease in nutrition from not eating, but is likely caused by not grooming as frequently. I recommend that James go to the vet as soon as possible. After a thorough physical exam, your vet may recommend additional diagnostics like x-rays or bloodwork to try to determine the cause of his symptoms.

She could be suffering from a serious intestinal disease such as IBD which would be affecting the ability to absorb nutrients, that would explain the skin problem as well. You need to take her to the vet ASAP in order to get it checked, the vet will need to perform several tests to find out what is wrong.

Poor Tora! This hair loss could be due to a skin or fungal infection, fleas, mites, allergies, or endocrine disorder. Having her seen by a vet tomorrow is a good idea, as the vet can diagnose the cause and can treat her. Best of luck.

If there is fit missing I’d recommend seeing your vet for a physical exam. Tyler might have a skin infection, allergies or parasites like fleas. I would guess that Tyler might be grooming more than usual as well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The loss of balance can be caused by ear infections, tumors, or toxin ingestion. In very rare occasions, antibiotics can cause neurologic damage and this may be an indication of this. These episodes may also be seizures. I recommend having your cat examined by a veterinarian who can perform a neurological exam to see what is causing these episodes. You should try to take photos or a video when this happens to help your vet make a diagnosis. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Hello! Sounds like you are doing a great job trying to sort this out! What I usually do in these cases, is treat for mites and fleas regardless of whether we are seeing them (sometimes pets are allergic to a certain parasite, so they itch like crazy with just a few fleas, which could be hard to find on exam). Not sure which products you have in Australia, but your vet would know what is safe for your cat! (here, I would use something like Revolution!). Beyond that, I'm not sure! Some sort of allergy really fits well, but with the new symptoms of head shaking and sneezing, a virus could be brewing as well. Would you be able to call your vet today and ask about a topical flea/mite treatment? (Just make sure it is something your vet recommends-they know your cat best!)