My 7-year-old cat shakes when stretching. Is this a problem?

You really need to get a video of him doing the behavior and then take it to your vet's office and show them. After they see it they can give you more of an idea of what may be going on. It could be dreaming but it is better to be safe than sorry.

First off, I love your cat's name! I'm a big Harry Potter fan. As Ronald is stretching out, his muscles are reacting to the stretch, and this is something you see commonly in cats. If he's only shaking them as he stretches, it's not something to have any concerns about :-)

I would not be concerned about her twitching a little when you touch her back. Sometimes when cats get happy and excited they seem like they are shaking their back/lower body but it is just the stance that they are in. Without seeing what she is doing it is hard to say if it is something to be concerned about. A lot of times your veterinarian will be willing to look at the video to see if it is something to be seen or not. I would call and see if they will be willing to look at a video on their email (if they have one). Otherwise if she is acting completely normal otherwise I wouldn't worry at this time. If things change or the shaking gets worse then I would recommend evaluation with a veterinarian. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

To be honest with you, if you really wanted to figure out what is going on it would probably take a considerable amount of testing. My opinion is that it is not likely anything to worry about but, of course, I have not seen the behavior so it is very difficult to say. The best I can tell you is that if you are worried, I suggest you video tape the behavior with your phone and then take Scotch to the vet for an exam and show them the video. If they see the behavior then they may be able to tell you more. This article will give you more information about muscle tremors in cats. ( https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/neurological/c_ct_tremors )

If you can wake her up and the shaking stops it is not a seizure and is more likely movement associated with REM sleep. If you try to wake her up but she continues to have muscle tremors it could be a seizure or neurologic disorder and you should see your veterinarian. If you do decide to see your veterinarian a video can help them determine what might be going on.

She may have some mild cerebellar hypoplasia. I suggest you take her to your vet for an exam. I recommend you videotape her doing this behavior so you can show that video to your vet in case Cleo is not doing it during the exam. Here is a link to an article about CH in cats. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cerebellar-hypoplasia-in-cats )

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!