My cat is having seizures. What are the common causes of cat seizures?

It is a little unusual for seizures to happen during a sleep cycle, but if she seems disoriented after waking up this is probably what is happening. In a cat Cassie's age I would worry that the seizures are due to a primary brain disease and not something more benign like epilepsy. Kidney disease, liver disease, or hypoglycemia can also cause seizures but it would be less likely for Cassie to act like her normal self in between seizure episodes. Infections, some inflammatory diseases or cancer would be most common. Regardless of the cause of the seizures anti-epileptic drugs can sometimes help control the frequency and severity of the seizures, but if the underlying disease is not treated at some point the seizures will progress. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to discuss testing and treatment options.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Seizures can occur due to many reasons that go from a toxicity, metabolic diseases, inflammatory diseases and even tumors. I highly recommend that you have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible for further assessment and treatment. Diagnostics that will be recommended will include bloodwork and advanced imaging such as an MRI. They would also be able to start him on anti-seizure medications to try to avoid the onset of more seizures. Good luck and have a good day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Sorry to hear about poor Blitzen. Seizures can have many different causes, but I would not be concerned about the tapeworm medication as a cause. Seizures can happen due to a body function not working properly, or from a problem within the brain. It is possible that the previous head injury could be the cause, but really difficult to prove and likely nothing that can be done for it now. There could also be a brain tumor, infection or some congenital defect causing this. The truth is that we often don't find the cause of the tumor, because it requires special imaging that is usually too expensive for most people. However, it's worth having a vet do an exam and possibly check the blood for any abnormalities. Sometimes we can find the cause and fix it relatively easily. If not, the vet could prescribe medication to prevent more seizures, so it's still worth the visit. I hope that helps and you get this under control soon.

Yes, I would make an appointment to discuss medication options with your vet and to rule out any other underlying or treatable conditions causing the seizures. While the meds may be lifelong, they are better in the long-term than letting your cat have seizures constantly which could lead to accidents, injury, or death. Your vet may also be able to work with you on a cohesive treatment plan in combination with medications that may help reduce seizures.

Hi. Poor Chewy. Each seizure takes a full on the body and brain, so he does need veterinary care and assistance. There isn't anything at home or from this site that we can recommend in this case other than he needs to be seen right away. The potential causes of these seizures include a congenital disease of the brain, an infection in the brain or affecting the brain, toxins, trauma, or unknown cause of epilepsy. Please get max seen right away.

No, stress does not cause seizures by itself. Seizures can be caused by many conditions such as epilepsy, poisoning, electrolyte imbalances, drug ingestion or infections in the central nervous system. I recommend to have Gaz examined by the veterinarian. She will need some blood tests and potentially a fecal exam. Additional diagnostics may be recommended as well. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I'm sorry to hear that Maci is having this problem! Idiopathic epilepsy, which refers to seizures without any underlying cause, is rare in cats but can occur. Other possible causes would include a brain tumor or neurologic disease of some kind, as there would not be any evidence of these issues on normal bloodwork. If you are concerned and want to try and get a definitive diagnosis, you can request referral to a veterinary neurologist for further testing, which would likely include an MRI or CT scan of the brain as well as a CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) tap. If going to see a specialist is not an option for you, your veterinarian should still be able to prescribe medication to control Maci's seizures even without knowing what the underlying cause might be - I would definitely recommend this at this point, if she is having seizures every other day.