Why is my cat suddenly off balance, breathing shallowly, eyes moving oddly?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms suggest that Stidi hs problems with the middle ear (infection, inflammation, polyp, tumour) or it may be related to brain disfunction (blood clot within the brain, ruptured vessel in the brain, tumor). Please, take Stidi to your local vets as soon as possible. If the symptoms are due to middle ear problem, he will need a course of strong anti-inflammatory medications and possibly antibiotics to get better.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tinsel! She needs to see your Vet when they open. It sounds like she is having a Vestibular event, this is when the balance center is off and they feel like the world is spinning. They can see but the abnormal eye twitching is called nystagmus. The most common cause in a young kitten is a deep ear infection or a nasopharyngeal polyp. She is growling because she is scared and stressed. Be careful and do not get bit. Use a towel or large blanket to get her in the carrier. Gently place it over her body and scoop her up and put her in the carrier. I wish you the best!

In any cat this can be a sign of a neurological problem, vestibular disease or an inner ear infection. No one knows what causes vestibular disease but it does often get better with time and treatment. Inner ear infections are also treatable with medication. At your cats age I would be worry about a brain disease such as a tumor or vascular disease to cause these symptoms. She does need to see a vet as soon as possible to see what the problem is and your potential prognosis. They can start medicine to help calm her and minimize the symtpoms

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Snoop is having an issue keeping his balance. This can be due to an issue with his vestibular system, or the part of the nervous system responsible for compensating for changes in location (for example, in a human, getting dizzy on a merry go round is a result of your vestibular system getting "confused"). This is especially likely if he is falling to one side consistently. Vestibular issues can come from the nervous system itself or from the inner ear. Snoop can also have a generalized weakness causing him to fall over, which can be due to a toxin, dehydration, low blood sugar, and many other causes. Snoop should definitely be seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine the underlying cause of his loss of balance and initiate the appropriate treatment.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The signs you describe can be caused by an irregularity in the spine - this may cause the bones to compress the actual spinal cord, damaging the nerves that are responsible for controlling the back legs and tail. A veterinary neurologist would be able to further diagnose the condition and propose a treatment plan, your original vet may be able to recommend one. I would be happy to take a look at x-rays or bloodwork and answer any questions you may have about them!

Poor Future! This sounds like it could be serious. This could be due to a toxin that he has ingested or come into contact with or some type of bacterial or viral infection. With him being so young, I would take him to your vet or local emergency clinic as soon as possible to have him examined. The vet will be able to do an exam, ensure he doesn't have a fever, and see if this could be an infection versus a toxin. Your vet will also be able to run blood work if needed. If it is an infection, your vet will likely want to start antibiotics or other medication . If a toxin is suspected then they may recommend some fluids to help flush the toxin out. I hope this helps!