Why does my cat always stick by me during anxiety or seizures?

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Animals can develop many different symptoms after having a seizure. This is because of the effects on the brain during a seizure. Some animals will become very lethargic and disoriented While others may become more affectionate and more energetic. If the seizures have not been addressed by a veterinarian, I would certainly recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate Diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If the seizures are becoming more frequent and longer in duration, she likely needs an anti-seizure medication to prevent these from happening. If the seizures are becoming longer in duration or more frequent, brain damage could develop. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further

This can be normal cat behavior. Sometimes they are needy and asking for something such as food or attention, sometimes they are bored. Be sure to try to encorporate lots of environmental enrichment for Roxy around your home—scratching posts, toys, treat puzzle toys, elevated car walkways on the wall, elevated perches or window perches, bird feeders on windows next to perches etc. That may help minimize this behavior. If the behavior is related to anxiety, which is possible, a product such as Feliway or Comfort Zone may be helpful. You can use catnip on scratching posts and toys to stimulate her to play with them. Here is some good information you may find helpful: https://www.petcoach.co/article/environmental-recommendations-for-cats/ Thanks for asking PetCoach! Have a good day!

Pets absolutely can tell when something is different or tense in the environment or with their favored person. She can tell when you're not feeling well and she is trying to comfort you. You're lucky to have one another.

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.

It's possible Spirit may feel a bit anxious when you're gone. Cats can become clingy and exhibit the behaviors listed when they are feeling anxious. A good first step is always to schedule a vet checkup and rule out any possibility of illness that may be causing these behaviors as well. That said, if Spirit checks out healthy, there are a few things you can do to help. When you leave the house, playing a soothing talk show on TV or on the radio can help, as well as placing pheromone diffusers/calming collars on spirit to help her relax. You can also get her more used to you leaving by only leaving for a few minutes, then coming back. Make sure to not make a big deal out of the event when leaving, so she doesn't anticipate it and start to become anxious. A good play session to get her tired out before you leave can also help reduce anxiety as she'll likely just want to sleep while you're away. If the issue continues, or worsens, talking with a veterinary behaviorist may help as they can create a more tailored plan and see what's going on in-person.

If she is licking you more often when she is in heat, then it's possible that spaying her could help with the behavior. If Samantha licks year round, then it's possible that she does have some stress or anxiety, or she may simply be an affectionate cat. 10-20 minutes of grooming herself or her brother doesn't seem particularly unusual to me and I wouldn't necessarily think this is an indication of stress or anxiety unless she is also showing other signs of being upset like pinning ears, running and hiding, or swishing her tail. You could always try a pheromone diffuser like Feliway to help with anxiety.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the licking comes on before a seizure, it could absolutely be that you are fortunate enough to have a dog who can smell/sense when you are going to have a seizure. If it seems unrelated to your seizure activity, it could just be that he likes to lick your eye- I’ve met a dog or two who is very interested in eyes or ears or particular places. Best wishes to you and Shadow!