Cat's skin twitching and tail growling: Is it Feline Hyperesthesia?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I would make sure to fully rule out fleas by giving her a preventative flea treatment such as Advantage, even if no fleas are visible to the naked eye. I would also make sure that a skin scraping test and cytology have been done to fully rule out infection. If these causes are ruled out, then it may be related to hyperesthesia ("twitchy cat syndrome"). You can speak to your vet about a trial of pain medication that targets the nervous system. You could also try a feline pheromone spray called Feliway, which can help reduce her stress and anxiety related to the behaviour. I hope this helps, and that Mae is feeling better soon!

Hyperesthesia is basically where the pet has short bouts of excessive itch, that causes them to become very sensitive to touch, sounds, and any interaction really. It causes the pet to act in an exaggerated way which can include biting, tail chasing, and errotic unexplained behavior. Here is more information on the condition in detail --->https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952886 Treatment for this involves prescription anti-itch (i.e. Gabapentin) and/or anxiety medication that your vet will have to fill. There aren't any over the counter options for cats that can treat this condition successfully currently. I hope that your pet Pistol gets this treated soon, if she does indeed have hyperesthesia. Best of luck and take care.

Hello, and thank you for using PetCoach. I can understand why this syndrome may be confusing - as it's still a fairly poorly understood disorder. Hyperesthesia simply means "abnormally sensitive", but in cats it usually refers to sensitivity of the skin along their back. These cats often exhibit a strange twitching of the skin, and may suddenly take off running as if frightened or painful. There isn't a test for this condition, so your vet will develop a suspicion based on observations during an exam, your description of whats happening at home, and often taking a video of an episode can be very helpful. The cause is not completely well understood, but there is some belief that these could be related to focal seizure activity, due to the fact that many cats will respond well to seizure medication. If Mars does have hyperesthesia syndrome, it is possible that wearing a jumper could make it worse. I recommend having Mars examined by your vet to determine if it's worth doing a trial of medication for hyperesthesia syndrome Feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss it in more detail. Finally, you may have come across this page in your searching but there's some good information here: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/04/04/feline-hyperesthesia-symptoms.aspx Hope this helps!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If your veterinarian has diagnosed Toby with this condition, it can be treated with anti-anxiety/depressant medications and certain supplements such as L-theanine. It may take several weeks to see results of the medications but can be very beneficial for cases such as Toby's. Sometimes patients are kept on the medications for a year or more and then slowly weaned off. Amputation is generally not recommended unless there is a medical issue directly with the tail. Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome is usually closely related to anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder and may manifest in other ways (such as excessive licking or grooming behaviors) even if the tail was removed. I hope this helps and I wish you and Toby the best!

If your cat has been diagnosed with feline hyperesthesia syndrome, that could definitely be factoring into her resistance to having you pet her. I recommend scheduling a vet consult to have her examined - many hyperesthesia cats will improve on medication. I would start there, before concluding that her scratching/biting is purely behavioral. However, if you don't notice any change in her behavior with hyperesthesia treatment, then it's worth considering behavior interventions and stress management. https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hyperesthesia-syndrome Hope this helps!

Poor Maxwell! This sounds like it could be something called feline hyperesthesia syndrome. This problem is not well-understood, but is thought to be linked to abnormal pain perception and hypersensitivity in the lower back and tail area. Here is a link to an article on this syndrome with more information: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3000 I have also seen similar behavior in cats with a slipped or herniated disc in their back, or with certain types of skin conditions. Depending on the underlying problem, medication options that may be helpful include steroids such as prednisone, pain medication such a gabapentin, and/or anti-seizure medication such as phenobarbital in some cases. If the Prozac hasn't helped, I would recommend calling your veterinarian to see what he/she recommends as the next step for Maxwell, or seeking a second opinion from another local vet if you prefer.

Depending on the amount of damage to the skin, the hair may or may not grow back. I do recommend consulting a vet to get the cat started on medications. The type will depend on the suspected cause of the hyperesthesia. A good-quality flea preventative, probiotic, and joint supplement should be used in addition to pain medications and/or medications for anxiety. Laser therapy and acupuncture can also aid in healing of the skin, hair growth, and pain.