What is feline hyperesthesia and how can I help my cat with it?

Poor Chole! If she does have feline hyperesthesia syndrome, this condition can often be successfully treated with steroids such as prednisone, a pain medication called gabapentin, and sometimes even an anti-seizure medication called phenobarbital. It can take some trial and error to find the best medication (or combination of meds) to control symptoms in some cats, but these three drugs are often a good starting point. All of these are prescription medications, so I would recommend taking Chole to the vet for an exam to discuss this issue and get her started on appropriate treatment.

Regularly scheduled feeding times (feed her twice a day) and play periods, for example, may help keep an insecure cat relaxed and well exercised. And any type of physical activity that may irritate or overstimulate the cat—such as scratching its back—must certainly be avoided. Leave out a little catnip fo Luna, and change her toys regularly so she doesn't get bored with them. Put on music or a "cat video" when you have to be gone. Provide a perch for her so she can comfortably watch what’s going on outside as long as this isn’t a trigger for her. Provide scratching posts and structures to climb on. Finally, keep her schedule as regular as possible.

If your cat has been diagnosed with feline hyperesthesia syndrome, that could definitely be factoring into her resistance to having you pet her. I recommend scheduling a vet consult to have her examined - many hyperesthesia cats will improve on medication. I would start there, before concluding that her scratching/biting is purely behavioral. However, if you don't notice any change in her behavior with hyperesthesia treatment, then it's worth considering behavior interventions and stress management. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperesthesia-syndrome Hope this helps!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If your veterinarian has diagnosed Toby with this condition, it can be treated with anti-anxiety/depressant medications and certain supplements such as L-theanine. It may take several weeks to see results of the medications but can be very beneficial for cases such as Toby's. Sometimes patients are kept on the medications for a year or more and then slowly weaned off. Amputation is generally not recommended unless there is a medical issue directly with the tail. Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome is usually closely related to anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder and may manifest in other ways (such as excessive licking or grooming behaviors) even if the tail was removed. I hope this helps and I wish you and Toby the best!

Hello. You do describe the condition known as Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. The fact that you describe her episodes as getting a bit worse does point to an escalating problem, but the prognosis for this condition is very variable. There are treatments, but we must first be very sure there are no underlying triggers such as a food or flea allergy. A hypoallergenic food trial along with diligent flea control is required, even if Daizy is strictly indoors. If the episodes are not too bad & are tolerable to you & Daizy, then I would not jump into seizure medications or anxiolytics/antidepressants that are sometimes needed for the more severely affected cats. There has been some response by cats when treated with supplements such as acetyl-L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 riboflavin & Vit E. Your vet can help with these, but if you should try them, you need to supplement for at least a month to see if they are beneficial. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor kitty! I'm sorry to hear that you're having this problem - feline hyperesthesia can be a frustrating problem. I would not recommend trying to bandage his tail to his body, since there is a risk of cutting off circulation and causing severe damage if it's positioned awkwardly or wrapped too tight. I'm not sure what medications your kitty is currently on, but if he's still very uncomfortable and constantly biting his tail, I would recommend calling your vet on Monday morning to talk about what else can be done. Many cats with this disorder respond very well to some combination of prednisone, gabapentin, and/or phenobarbital, and may also do well with adjunct treatment options like laser therapy or acupuncture. In the meantime, I would go to the pet store and get a larger cone, so that he can't reach his tail and do further damage until you are able to get his medication adjusted to make him more comfortable.

Hello, and thank you for using PetCoach. I can understand why this syndrome may be confusing - as it's still a fairly poorly understood disorder. Hyperesthesia simply means "abnormally sensitive", but in cats it usually refers to sensitivity of the skin along their back. These cats often exhibit a strange twitching of the skin, and may suddenly take off running as if frightened or painful. There isn't a test for this condition, so your vet will develop a suspicion based on observations during an exam, your description of whats happening at home, and often taking a video of an episode can be very helpful. The cause is not completely well understood, but there is some belief that these could be related to focal seizure activity, due to the fact that many cats will respond well to seizure medication. If Mars does have hyperesthesia syndrome, it is possible that wearing a jumper could make it worse. I recommend having Mars examined by your vet to determine if it's worth doing a trial of medication for hyperesthesia syndrome Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss it in more detail. Finally, you may have come across this page in your searching but there's some good information here: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/04/feline-hyperesthesia-symptoms.aspx Hope this helps!