Worried about Luna: Strange symptom; she's twitching (update #36)

Luna's very attached to me lately, spends a lot of time in my arm when I'm at the computer. A week ago, I noticed for the first time that her entire body is kind of twitching, down to her paws... Sometimes, this happens every couple of seconds. :( It's hard to describe, it resembles a hiccup, but without any sounds... I also saw her twitching - barely visible - on other occasions, but it seems to be worse and occurs more often when she's lying on her back, curled up in my arm.

Looks nerve related to me, and my biggest fear is she may have a brain tumor. :( Already spoke to my vet about it, but of course there's not much she can do. To find out, it would require an MRT, which of course I cannot affort, and even if I could and would get the dreadful news, it wouldn't help because in that case, there's nothing you can do... :(

So my vet suggested to try not to worry too much, as Luna doesn't show any other symptoms of a brain tumor. She also suggested B-vitamins to support the functionality of her nerves. I already started with these vitamins.

But I'm still worried. The thought that my beloved girl may have such a terrible disease is like a heavy weight on my shoulders.

Please keep my Luna in your thoughts and prayers...

Thanks,
Kirsten

Kirsten, I hope that Luna's twitching isn't anything serious. You do have to believe that! Fister is also twitching now and again, but otherwise, he seems in great form - racing in the yard, eating well, peeing and pooping. And I just noticed how shiny his coat is. :)

Could it be that her skin is itching now it's winter? Mine do.

Kisses to Luna, and hope she'll be fine! :love:

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Could it be that her skin is itching now it's winter?

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Well, to me it seems it's not her skin. It's her entire body. But I really hope it's nothing serious. Same goes for Fister!

Kirsten

Still hoping it's nothing serious- as long as she's well otherwise.

I sure hope that it's nothing serious. Does she do this when she's sleeping? I've sometimes noticed my cats twitching too. I always thought that it was because they were having a dream. I'm sending positive vibes her way.

Could it be reverse sneezing? Not sure if cats get this since I'm not a cat owner.

My old girl had very similar thing going on, she wouldn't leave me alone and twitching, sadly it ended badly for her, she ended up having high blood pressure which caused a series of strokes, i had her pts.

I pray this is not where your kitty is heading, it may pay to have her checked by a vet

Thank your for keeping my girl in your thoughts and prayers.

Not sure, but it doesn't feel like reverse sneezing to me, nor is it the kind of twitching they do in their sleep.

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he ended up having high blood pressure which caused a series of strokes, i had her pts.

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I'm very sorry! :(
How did the vet find out about the blood pressure? Is there a way to test this in cats?


BTW, I did not notice her twitching today, I figure it cannot be the B-vitamins kicking in already?

Kirsten

Keeping Luna in my thoughts. I know how worried you must be.
Give her a kiss for me!

Is Luna on any type of medication? My Puddy twitched like that, it was a little tic that she developed while on some meds but when I discontinued them, the twitching stopped. Also, the B vitamins is a great idea and, yes, they do work fast. I also put Puddy on B complex vitamins, injected them right into her bag of fluids when she was on subQ's and the positive change was immediate.

There is a condition called hyperesthesia, a skin condition that can cause twitching but I can't recall too much about it. I looked into it when Puddy was twitching but, as I said, hers was due to medication. Also, if a cat is low on potassium, it can twitch but I hear that Rescue Remedy in the drinking water is good for that.

If Luna continues w/the twitching, you'll have to get some tests done but if the B complex vitamins stopped it, then you may just have found the solution. Let us know how she's doing. :)

I hope the B vitamins work. It sounds like there might be some improvement already which is great. :)

I was also wondering if it might be her skin as Randi posted. I know you said it's her whole body but skin covers all of her so it still could be that. My cat Stinky has been having some food allergies (I think) and she has been pulling her fur out on her belly which is now pink. She too is twitching, sometimes on her face, or her body. I don't yet know what ingredient she is allergic to but I think the two are related.
Have you changed foods lately or introduced any new treats in their diet?
Or if the air is really dry and making her skin itchy, a humidifier might help.
Prayers that it is nothing serious.

Well, I'm really confused now... Luna did it again, yesterday in the evening when she came onto my lap. Today, I noticed the same in Lily, but only once. So maybe it's nothing serious after all...? Still, it doesn't look skin-related to me.

And no, Luna is not on some kind of medication. I changed her diet to Hill's s/d a while ago to dissolve her struvite crystals. But she's been on that diet before in the past. And in her last blood test, potassium was fine.

Right now she's in my lap again and the twitching happens every couple of seconds, down to her legs and paws... :( Strangly enough, it seems to stop when I'm petting her.

Thanks for keeping Luna in your thoughts.

Kirsten

Adding my thoughts and prayers for Beautiful Luna, and you.

Thank you! :)

She's still doing it. I'm getting the impression that it happens when she's relaxed. :confused:

Kirsten

That is definitley strange. My kitties have all twitched, but it has always been because they were dreaming, they were itchy, or they were just plain cold.

I found this online, written by a vet:

There are a number of causes of twitching in cats, because this can be
associated with pruritis (itchiness) and there are a lot of causes of
pruritis. If this occurs very frequently during the day it is probably
more likely to be some sort of problem with itchiness. If it occurs
infrequently during the day then something like a focal seizure may be
possible. These are reported in cats more frequently than in dogs (at
least that is my impression, I'm not sure it is actually true). Twitching
is sometimes seen with liver disorders, pancreatitis, low blood sugar and
high blood sugar, as well. I think that toxoplasmosis causes enough
neurologic problems that twitching could be related to it, but haven't
seen that written anywhere.

One particularly common cause of twitching is feline hyperesthesia
syndrome, but normally the twitching occurs more along the flanks and top
of the spine near the base of the tail. Often, cats with this condition
are OK unless they are touched or petted, but many will have twitching and
even self-mutilation without any external stimulus.

Facial twitches have been reported with feline immunodeficiency virus
infection and sometimes occur when there is periodontal disease,
odontoclastic lesions of teeth or stomatitis in cats.

Ear mites make some cats twitch their heads or ears. Fleas can do this.
Allergies make some cats so itchy that they have skin twitching. Mite
infections (cats get several skin mites) can cause itchiness and twitching.

Your vet probably didn't see any clinical signs of skin disease or ear
mites and may think that the other conditions are unlikely. If this
problem is getting worse, if there is visible skin damage in addition to
the twitching or if you just want to know if a cause can be identified,
you should schedule a visit with your vet for this particular problem.
Sometimes I forget to take things that clients mention during an exam,
that isn't part of the presenting problem, seriously enough. I assume
other vets might do that, too.

Hope this helps some. Feel free to write back if you need clarification
about what any of these conditions are.

Mike Richards, DVM
2/16/2000



Keep us updated on the little baby, I am praying it is nothing serious. :love::love::love:

Thanks a lot. Like I said, it doesn't look skin-related to me (fur and skin looks fine), and her blood has recently been tested. Liver and pancreas are okay.

What scares me is the mention of focal seizures. :( Could be something like that, I think. :(

Strangely, it seems to occur more often when she's in my arm, like this:
http://www.catmom.de/pix/arm_1.jpg

In this position, she's twitching a lot, especially with her legs. Wonder if it's any kind of nerve damage in her spine, even though my vet doesn't think it's that.

Kirsten

:) Could be the position you are holding her.. She may have a sensitive spot like a funny bone type sensation that makes her twitch some..

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Originally Posted by lvpets2002

:) Could be the position you are holding her.. She may have a sensitive spot like a funny bone type sensation that makes her twitch some..

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Hmm, yes... you could be right. Hopefully it's just something like that, that doesn't sound too bad to me. :confused: And it doesn't seem to cause her pain, otherwise she would avoid this position, wouldn't she?

Kirsten

:) Oh yes for sure if it was hurting her = she would fuss or get out of your arms.. I would say its a minor sensation she has that causes her to twitch or could use the word flench..

At least it doesn't seem to bother her because she always want to be in my arm like that! :love:

Kirsten

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Originally Posted by Kirsten

At least it doesn't seem to bother her because she always want to be in my arm like that! :love:

Kirsten

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:love: I know my babies can lay is some goofy ways in my lap & arms & are so comfy.. Now I have a couple of babies that you cannot hold that way or even try to set them in your lap on their backs.. They will jump down pronto.. So I would say she is ok.. Like I said she will for sure let you know if she is uncomfy..

Kirsten, when you mentioned that you were feeding your cats S/D, it got me thinking that maybe there was a connection to the S/D food and the twitching. But in my search for information about that I found something much more interesting. I found some info that I had never heard of before about a connection between Feline Interstitial Cystitis and the central nervous system. Maybe your vet will know some things about it and it very well could be the cause of the twitching.

Below is all the info I found on various sites but the basic breakdown is this:

Feline Interstitial Cystitis can include abnormalities of the nervous and endocrine systems. I looked up some of the particular endocrine systems that can be affected and adrenal glands are one of them. Studies done showed that cats with FIC may have mild primary adrenal insufficiency. I looked up symptoms for adrenal insufficiency and muscle twitiching is one of them among others (adrenal exhaustion include extreme hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia ( you go to bed but three hours later you are wide awake), environmental sensitivities, low blood sugar, poor concentration, low energy, dizziness upon rising, irritability, nervousness or anxiety, shortness of breath, knee problems, muscle twitching, heart palpitations, sensitivity to light, digestive problems.)

FIC can be caused by crystals:

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Other Causes of Cystitis
Common causes of cystitis in cats include crystal formation in the bladder and a condition most commonly called Feline Interstitial Cystitis. Less common causes include bladder stones, drug reactions, and tumors. Each of these causes will be discussed separately.

Sometimes crystals will form in the bladder of cats. While these crystals are microscopic, they have very sharp edges which rub on and cause irritation to the walls of the bladder. This leads to inflammation, irritation, and often blood in the urine. Affected cats will show the typical signs of cystitis--frequent urination with little passed, often with blood. If large numbers of crystals are present, a "plug" of crystals may get stuck in the urethra, causing complete obstruction and the inability to urinate. This is always a medical emergency. Cats use urine to rid themselves of waste products. If they cannot urinate, these waste products build up, leading to an internal poisoning of the cat. Untreated obstructed cats will continue to strain, often becoming vocal as the bladder distends and becomes larger and larger. They will stop eating, start to vomit, and eventually be too sick to get up. Death will occur if the obstruction is not relieved and the effects of the toxin build-up treated. This is why all cats showing signs of cystitis should be examined by a veterinarian--owners typically cannot differentiate between obstructed and non-obstructed cats until the obstructed cats become very ill.

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the above info came from this site.

There is alot of information to sort through but I'm wondering if your vet might be able to test for adrenal function to see if something is going on. It does seem that hormone therapy might be able to help with adrenal insufficiency, if that is what it is.

With regard to the S/D, when a few of my cats were dealing with struvite crystals they too were put on S/D but my vet always told me that they shouldn't remain on this diet.
I don't know how long your cat has been on Hills S/D but this diet is generally prescribed for a period of time, anywhere from 2-6 months depending on the severity of the condition and then cats are supposed to be switched over to a crystal prevention diet like Hills C/D or Medi-Cal Preventive. But your vet may have prescribed this food differently than my vet.
I did find some sites that say that the feline S/D is okay for life so it is confusing. :confused:


Below are some quotes from sites and the site addresses.

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Based on recent research we believe that FIC may include multiple
complex abnormalities of the nervous and endocrine systems that likely
affect more than just the urinary bladder [8]. Enhanced central noradrenergic
drive in the face of inadequate adrenocortical restraint seems to be
related to maintaining the chronic disease process (Fig. 1). These systems
seem to be driven by tonically increased hypothalamic corticotropinreleasing
factor release, which may represent the outcome of a developmental
accident [8,9]. Because of these abnormalities, treatment strategies that
decrease central noradrenergic drive may be important in reducing signs of
FIC; those that do not address this aspect of the disease seem to be less
effective. Until more effective treatments to normalize responsiveness of the
stress response system are available, efforts to reduce input to this system by
environmental enrichment seem reasonable [10,11].

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the above is from this site.

Here are some more sites about nerves and bladder conditions.

website

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We documented the uncoupling of sympathetic nervous system activity from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in cats with feline interstitial cystitis (FIC). Altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity was recently suggested in some humans with interstitial cystitis (IC) but to our knowledge no information exists on adrenal gland size and histopathology in this disease. To investigate further adrenal function in cats with FIC we determined cortisol responses to 125 μg synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) as well as adrenal size and histology. Materials and Methods: ACTH stimulation studies were performed in 11 healthy cats and 20 with FIC. Adrenal glands obtained at autopsy in 8 healthy cats and 13 with FIC were weighed, measured and examined histologically. Results: Cats with FIC had significantly decreased responses to ACTH (2-way repeated measures ANOVA p <0.05). Mean weight ± SD (58 ± 50 vs 241 ± 60 mg) and volume (264 ± 72 vs 410 ± 115 mm3) of adrenal glands were significantly smaller in cats with FIC than in healthy cats (p <0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that cats with FIC may have mild primary adrenal insufficiency. Decreased adrenal size has been observed in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, which can be a co-morbid condition in some patients with IC. If these abnormalities are confirmed in humans with IC, hormone replacement therapy may be indicated in select patients.

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the above is from this site.

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Symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include extreme hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia ( you go to bed but three hours later you are wide awake), environmental sensitivities, low blood sugar, poor concentration, low energy, dizziness upon rising, irritability, nervousness or anxiety, shortness of breath, knee problems, muscle twitching, heart palpitations, sensitivity to light, digestive problems

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the above is from this site.

Wow, that's a lot of information, and really interesting! In fact, I'm thinking about showing this to my vet. Thanks a lot for looking for all these information!

I had no idea that an idiopathic/interstitial cystitis affects the nervous and endocrine system as well! Will ask my vet re. a possible failure of her adrenal glands. It's funny that I recently had such an ACTH test done myself (still waiting for the results), as - along with my thyroid condition - my hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is messed up big time. Would be almost eerie if Luna was dealing with the same thing! Most of the symptoms posted for adrenal exhaustion are very familiar to me!

Re. the s/d: It's not her regular diet, she's usually on a crystal prevention diet, but sometimes the crystals reoccur, so I need to change her diet back to s/d. Right now, there is such a time. She's on s/d for maybe two months now, and will be for one more month.

Re. the twitching: It really seems to be worse when she's in my arm. Funny thing is that whenever I put my hand on her back, she'll calm down and the twitching stops. :confused:

Kirsten

Kirsten, I am a bit late in reading your thread. I hope there has been some improvement in Luna's condition! Prayers for you both!!!!

Prayers for Luna! :love:

Maybe she's ticklish, Mom! ;):D

to those that one of my kitties has. How old is Luna? My Sam is 14 and a half, and has been having these tremors for about a year and a half. The time in between when she has these varies. Sometimes weeks go by with not much happening, and then there are periods when she does it a lot. These tremors don't seem to hurt or bother her, fortunately.

My vet ran some labs and they came back okay. She thinks that this is likely neurological, maybe epilepsy or some other seizure disorder (both are not uncommon in cats). Right now we are watching and waiting. Down the road, if it becomes necessary, there are medications we can use. I know cost of treatment is a concern, but has your vet done any labs? Often, vets will work with you on payment. Labs may be helpful in determining what may or may not be the problem.

In the meantime, try not to worry too much (I know...easier said than done). Hang in there!:)

Thinking of sweet Luna and hoping all is well!:love::love::love:

Thank you everyone for keeping Luna in your thoughts. :)

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Originally Posted by weluvcats

How old is Luna?

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Luna is 8, will be 9 in April. What you describe in your Sam sound a lot like Luna. I already asked my vet about epilepsy and she said that would go along with other symptoms Luna doesn't show, but I wonder if there's a mild form of it... Luna's blood was tested three months ago, and as usual, her blood count wasn't so great. Here's the thread. But at that time, the twitching hasn't occured yet.

BTW, some days seem to be better than others; right now, she's in my lap and there is no twitching. But this morning when she lay next to me, it was bad for a couple of times, almost like a hiccup (well, maybe it was). A couple of days ago, I had my hand on her stomach when she was twitching and it seemed to me it came from her thoracic diaphragm. But I'm not sure... :confused:

Kirsten

According to my vet, it is possible for a cat to have a mild form of a seizure disorder (ie., epilepsy, etc.) As in people, some have a more severe (or mild) type than others.

At this point, it sounds like you're doing pretty much all you can do...keep a watch on her labs, condition and behavior, wait, hope and pray. Boy, it would be nice if either we could speak "cat" or they could speak "human", huh??:confused:

Try not to worry too much, love her bunches:love:, and hang in there!!:)

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I had my hand on her stomach when she was twitching and it seemed to me it came from her thoracic diaphragm.

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Hiccups?

Indigestion?

How is Luna today?

Yes, how is Luna doing? We love your little girl, she has become part of the Pettalk family!:D

Thanks for asking! :) She's in my lab right now, and she seems to do better. She's still twitching sometimes, but not as often as she used to do. Maybe the B12 vitamin was really helpful here. The strange thing is, I now noticed Lily doing it a couple of times. :confused: Wonder if it's really caused by the s/d diet. :confused: (Lily's eating from Luna's bowl sometimes).

Kirsten

You are a GREAT MEEOWMIE Kirsten, and the fact that you noticed something amiss with Luna speaks well of the love and care that you provide.
We are Praying that Luna will be home with you and Lily very soon, all rested up and waiting for her Animal Mas Presents.:love::love:

Well, it's been a while since I gave you an update on my girl, and I'm happy to tell you today that she seems to do better! She's still twitching sometimes, but not as bad as she used to do by the time I started this thread. Makes me wonder if it really had something to do with the s/d diet she's been on. Or it's been the vitamine B12 that helped her. :)

Kirsten

Hi there - I was just checking on Luna. My cat, Shaddy, has a head twitch/bob thing as well and it is only when he is my lap resting or relaxing - just like yours. But he just suffered a bout of pancreatitis and they had him on metrodazinole. This seemed to make his twitches and bobbing even worse. He only has three more doses of the pill but I'm thinking of taking him off because it has made his twitching so much worse. But on the other hand - I want to get rid of all his pancreatitis. I hate this! I've asked my vet numerous times what would cause the twitching and they never have a good answer for me. Have you had a "breakthrough" about what is wrong with her? And what is the s/d diet you talked about? Thanks!

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Originally Posted by kwood411

Hi there - I was just checking on Luna. My cat, Shaddy, has a head twitch/bob thing as well and it is only when he is my lap resting or relaxing - just like yours. But he just suffered a bout of pancreatitis and they had him on metrodazinole. This seemed to make his twitches and bobbing even worse. He only has three more doses of the pill but I'm thinking of taking him off because it has made his twitching so much worse. But on the other hand - I want to get rid of all his pancreatitis. I hate this! I've asked my vet numerous times what would cause the twitching and they never have a good answer for me. Have you had a "breakthrough" about what is wrong with her? And what is the s/d diet you talked about? Thanks!

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My cat Stinky has been having seizure like bouts with her head. The vet thinks they might be 'focal seizures'. I think I started a thread about it at some point. We're trying her on ear drops right now called Tresaderm and they are for ear parasites (though her ears are clean as whistles and she is an indoor cat). It has has an anti-inflammatory property to it and has an antibiotic in it. She's been on it for about a week and the seizures have all but stopped so something is working. Just as you described, Stinky only did this when she was resting, and she'd be on my chest with her eyes closed.
Anyway, might want to ask your vet about trying Tresaderm, it's worth a try. Hope it helps. :)

It's interesting to read that there are more cats that show these symptoms, especially when they are resting.

I have to say, since Luna is done with her s/d diet, the symptoms have more or less stopped. No idea if it was really related to that, guess I'll find out the next time she has to be on s/d. :confused:

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Originally Posted by kwood422

And what is the s/d diet you talked about?

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It's a diet to dissolve struvite crystals. Luna tends to have those several times a year.

Kirsten

I would call or write Sd and let them know she was doing this and ask if anyone else has reported that symptom. I would also ask what was in it and get a detailed list and do some research.. I would especially ask WHERE it is made!

Maybe asking questions and researching could save another baby from going through this is that is what is indeed causing this...