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View Full Version : Cats and Stroke?



Running Wolf
01-17-2004, 01:42 PM
Mentioned in the "how long are cats in heat" thread about Xiena.

When my g/f moved out here she left the cat with her son. We went back out and got the little stinker after she has to spend a few nights at the Vet's Office.
Xiena had a stroke and a seizure and a step infection (missing an enzime in her liver to help fight it off). She almost died.

Took about 4 months for her to grow back the fur that was shaved off from the IVs.
She was lethargic when we got her, could hardly walk (not like arthritus since she doesn't seem in pain) just off balance in her hind legs.

She's doing good now, back to being a pain in the rear!! But for a few days last week she wasn't being her normal pain in the butt (pet me, pet me, pet me now!)... She had just gotten done being in heat a week or so before.
She would squat down (not really sitting, but not as far up as she squats when hitting the litter box) and just stare off into space. If we snapped our fingers her ears would move to tell us that she heard us but she was (pardon the pun) almost like catatonic. She is very affectionate and loves to be pet but if we'd go over and pet her she would walk away.
She wasn't making any noise or anything to make us think she was in pain.

She did this for about 3 days (off and on...not like she was doing this 24/7) but seems to be back to normal now. I was wondering if this might be a side effct of her having the stroke (and being sick 6 months ago) or what was up.

The other two PITAs (Pains In The Arses) are doing well. And Xiena is just her normal self.... trying to type from my lap.

slick
01-17-2004, 05:17 PM
Sorry but I don't have any advice to give you because I have not had any experience with cats and strokes. I'm hoping some other Pet Talkers will be of some help.

Sounds like she's really been through the mill. Please give her some kissies from me.

Running Wolf
01-18-2004, 10:36 AM
Like %95+ she is "normal". It's hard to describe when she sits down in her catatonic pose. G/f works third shift (she is sleeping right now) so I can't ask her how old the cat is.
The g/f found Xiena when she was about 2 weeks old (the kitten and her sister were about half past dead).

I'm just wondering if her behavoir is a side effect of the stroke she had or what... almost like how a stroke can lead to confusion in a human being.
She's been 6 places (not including the vet's office) in the past year. So with the stroke makes me wonder if she just squats down and starts thinking "where the heck am I?".

The only other strange behavior is that she likes to dig in the litter box (clean, used, needs to be changed).

Considering that she almost died last spring/summer from the infection and stroke I'm not going to complain that she has some strange habits :).