My cat shakes her head when eating. What could be wrong?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chloe. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian for an examination. She could have an ear infection, something known as a nasopharyngeal polyp or even a loose tooth. Based on her exam findings, her veterinarian can recommend treatment if necessary. I hope this information helps!

Poor Missy! She could have a dental problem causing her symptoms, such as a tooth root abscess, broken tooth, or severe periodontal disease. There could also be a growth or foreign body in her mouth. Shaking the head frequently can also be a sign of an ear infection, while licking the mouth as well as not eating and drinking can be a sign of nausea . She is in pain from this, and she is showing this to by shaking her head frequently, licking her mouth, not eating, and not drinking. It's very concerning when a cat won't eat or drink, and I would take her into a vet today. The vet can diagnose what is causing her symptoms, and can treat her for it. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I would recommend bringing Lily to a veterinarian. Lily can also have something like a bad tooth or an infection in her mouth. With her shaking her head it can also be an ear infection. With the symptoms you are describing they do not sound as severe as they typically would be with FOPS. Your veterinarian can evaluate her and see if they feel like there is something else wrong of the feline orofacial pain syndrome. Here is some information on FOPS if you would like to read more about it:https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/neurology/feline-orofacial-pain-syndrome-fops/ Thank you for using PetCoach.

This could be caused by an ear infection, fleas, drug reaction (if she is currently taking medications), or a brain issue (trauma, infection). More than likely, if he is up to date with his real treatments, this will be due to an ear infection. I would take Theodore into the vet. The vet can diagnose what is causing the head bob and treat accordingly. I would take him into the vet first thing in the morning.

Twitching in his sleep is normal. Kittens dream a lot. The shaking though when he is eating is unusual. It could be an intention tremor. I recommend to record the behavior and then have him examined by the veterinarian. Make sure to show the vet the video of Spirit eating. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Hmmmm, I’d really have to see Lumi to determine if this is problematic. When I hear about a kitten with odd shaking concerns, I do think about a neurological disorder such as cerebellar hypoplasia....and symptoms can become more obvious when the cat is focusing on a task (“intention tremors”)..... but it’s usually pretty apparent and I think I’d be hearing more concern from you. If Lumi is completely normal in every other way, and this is just a little “shiver” sort of shake, then it’s likely normal. Sometimes they’ll shiver/tremble when they’re very excited, or nervous, both of which could come into play when eating. So, no concrete answer but I suspect this is normal. However, if it looks concerning to you (and certainly if you feel anything else about Lumi’s movements look odd) then it’s worth having your vet take a look at her to be safe. Hope this helps!

Tell your mom to take him into a vet first thing in the morning, this does not sound normal and needs to be checked out asap. There could be something stuck in his mouth, he could have a severe dental problem, or a bad ear infection.