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My cat hit her head. What symptoms should I watch for and how long?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Shorthair | Female | spayed | 2 years and 9 months old | 7 lbs

My cat was running around the living room and hit her head pretty hard on coffee table. She hid for a minute but is back to playing and chasing treats. It’s been about 15-20 minutes. How long do I need to watch for symptoms and what do I look for?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 1st, 2018

Keep an eye on her mentation (is she acting normally, responding normally, she doesn't seem "depressed" or "dull"), the way she's walking (is she bumping into walls, does she have a wobbly or drunken appearing gait), and her desire and ability to eat and drink. Also keep an eye out for vomiting. If it gets to be 12-18 hours after the incident and she's showed no symptoms, you should be in the clear.
I hope thats helpful! Thanks for asking PetCoach!
Here's some good info regarding brain injuries in pets:
http://download.skyscape.com/download/ota/5mvetcf5/documents/pdf/brain_injury.pdf
Vote Icon19Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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