Why is my cat shaking and trembling? His body is twitching. I am afraid he is ill?

Question

He is almost one year old and an alpha kitty. He is always content and into some kind of trouble or another. I have a bamboo tree in the house, is this a toxic plant for cats? He is acting OK other than the twitching. I am worried about "Little Pus".

He is sleeping and in no distress other than the twitching. I have not seen this before.

He has had his rabies shots. He is now playing with his fishing pole toy. My son is swirling it around the floor and he is chasing it. I do not think he is sick. He was twitching while sleeping. I will call the vet just in case though....thanks.

I took him to the vet this morning and he had an abcess on his back leg. He must have had a fight with my son's cat. (He just came back home to stay for a while) He was acting funny because of the pain!

Answer 1

take him to the vet don't take chances

What are signs of pain in the cat?

A cat’s behavior and interactions can be unique to the type of pain it is experiencing. A cat’s reaction to pain is dependent upon its personality and the degree of pain it is experiencing. The characteristics listed below do not include everything that you may see, but the list gives you a general idea of what to look for if you think a cat is in pain. Some of these characteristics (marked with an asterisk *) are also things you will see when a cat is anxious or nervous or in poor health. Items that are in bold print are the subtle and early signs of pain or poor health you may see in a cat. Cats are extremely good at hiding their pain until it becomes almost totally unbearable. Remember that there is no substitute for being familiar with an individual cat in order to recognize how it shows pain.

Posture

* Hunched back with head lowered
* Guarding (protecting) the painful area
* Sitting or laying abnormally
* Attempting to rest in an abnormal position (sternal or curled up)

Movement

* Stiff
* Bearing no or partial weight on affected limb or any degree of limp
* Thrashing
* Restless *
* Trembling or shaking *
* Limited or no movement when awake *
* Slow to rise *

Vocalization

* Screaming, yowling, or crying (with acute pain)
* Hissing or growling, especially if you touch a painful area *
* Lack of vocalization (no noise of greeting or wanting to be fed) *

Behavior

* Hyperventilation (rapid shallow breathing)
* Agitated *
* Poor or no grooming *
* Decreased or absent appetite (associated with weight loss when chronic) *
* Dull, sleeping excessively, or noticeably less active *
* Inappropriate urination or defecation, or not moving away from it *
* Acts out of character (aggressive or playful cats may become docile or quiet) *
* Licking wound or surgical site *
* Sitting in back of cage or hiding under blanket *
* Retreating to quiet areas of house for long periods of time *
* Vigorous attempts for escape, often with marked aggression

Adapted from:

Mathews KA. Pain Assessment and General Approach to Management. In: Vet. Clin. Of N. Amer. Sm. Anim. Pract. Ed: Mathews KA. WB Saunders, Philadelphia, July 2000.

Dobromylskyj P et al. Pain assessment. In: Pain Management in Animals. Eds: Flecknell P and Waterman-Pearson A, WB Saunders, London, 2000.

What causes pain in the cat?

Just like in people, different kinds of stimuli or injury can cause different levels of pain in the cat. Below are some examples of things that may cause pain. These items are listed according to what level of pain characterizes them. This list does not include all things that cause pain, but it will give you an idea of what to look for when you are working with cats. Remember that not every cat reacts the same way, and these categories are not concrete separations of how pain is felt. We can only try to anticipate, based on clinical experience, what the cat is feeling.

* Irritating or mild pain
* Dried blood or urine scald
* Clipper burns or cuts
* Intravenous (IV) catheterization
* Full bladder, needing to urinate or defecate
* Minor cuts or scrapes
* Anal gland evacuation
* Surgery or other procedures on the eyelid (eyelash removal, entropion)

Mild to moderate pain

* Endoscopy with biopsy
* Dental cleaning with or without tooth extraction
* Arterial catheterization (A-line)
* Muscle biopsies
* Stabilized fractures of smaller leg bones (tibia/fibula, radius/ulna)
* Surgeries of the lower abdomen (castration, spay, cystotomy)

Moderate to severe pain
* Small areas of burns or ulcerations
* Corneal ulcers
* Eye removal
* Surgery of the mid and lower spine, including disc surgery
* Declawing procedures
* Stabilized fractures of larger leg bones (femur, humerus) or pelvis
* Mastectomy (breast tissue removal)
* Surgeries of the upper abdomen (diaphragmatic hernia, abdominal exploratory)

Severe pain

* Large areas of burns or ulcerations
* Infections within the abdomen (peritonitis, pancreatitis)
* Procedures in the nose (endoscopy)
* Leg amputations
* Surgery of the chest (opening the chest cavity)

Adapted from: Carroll GL. Small Animal Pain Management. AAHA Press, 1998.

What are some treatments for pain in cats?

Treatments can vary from simple physical therapy to complicated drug regimens. Working together with your research or health care team will be important in determining the most appropriate treatment plan for the cats in your care. Remember that there are two major categories of pain that you will encounter: acute and chronic. Acute pain occurs with trauma and surgery while chronic pain is associated with things like arthritis and cancer. The types of therapy you can use will often depend on whether the cat is experiencing acute or chronic pain as well as the level or degree of pain. Listed below are some of the treatments available. Drug classes are followed by examples of specific drug names in parentheses.

Acute pain treatments (associated with surgery or trauma)

* Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS (Ketofen®; Metacam®)
* Steroids (dexamethasone, prednisolone)
* Local anesthetics (lidocaine, bupivicaine)
* Opiates and their derivatives (morphine, Torbugesic®, fentanyl patches)
* Alpha-2 agonists (Rompun®, medetomidine)
* Dissociatives (ketamine)
* Acupuncture
* Heated cage or warm blankets to prevent trembling and muscle tension
* Plenty of comfortable bedding and quiet area for recovery

Bandaging or padding for protection of traumatized tissue

* Splinting or support of fractured legs
* Urinary catheterization for animals unable to move or urinate normally
* General nursing care including cleaning, grooming, and petting

Chronic pain treatments (associated with arthritis, cancer, etc.)

* Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS (Ketofen®, Metacam®)
* Steroids (prednisolone)
* Opiates and their derivatives (morphine, Torbugesic®)

Tricyclic antidepressants (amitryptiline, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, benzodiazepines)

* Neurectomy or therapeutic surgery
* Radiation therapy (cancer)
* Acupuncture
* Physical therapy (massage, range-of-motion exercises, etc.)

Nutriceuticals (food supplements that protect bone and cartilage such as glucosamine, etc.)

* Heat or cold packs
* Comfortable bedding with plenty of support
* General nursing care including cleaning, grooming, and petting
* Weight management for obese animals with arthritis

Adapted from: Dobromylskyj P. et al. Management of postoperative and other acute pain. And Brearly JC and Brearley MJ. Chronic pain in animals. In: Pain Management in Animals. Eds: Flecknell P. and Waterman-Pearson A. WB Saunders, London, 2000.

Answer 2

You should take him to the vet.
Has he had his rabies vaccine yet? I do not want to get you freaked out but that might be it but please don't think that he has rabies. I am not a vet but it might be a symptom of it. Or he might just be very excited and have an over active adrenalin. You should still take him take him to the vet just in case. Just keep petting him and keeping him calm. I do not think that bamboo trees are toxic to cats but take a little sample from the tree to the vet if he needs to test it.
I hope Little Pus is well give him my best wishes!

Answer 3

Bamboo is fine for cats, it has nothing to do with his twitching. He probably has some type of external pain, contact your vet now. Seriously, get off of the computer and take him to the vet, you shouldn't wait since you don't know how serious it is.

Answer 4

Walk to a co-worker's desk to chat instead of instant messaging.

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

In the mood for the hot meal? Make a big pot of veggie bean soups, divide into two-cup containers, and store inside the freezer. Before bed, place a container from the fridge, then grab it before heading out the door the next day.

Answer 7

He may be having seizures. You need to make an appointment with the vet asap. even if he stops doing it, it is important to find out what the problem is so that you can do what needs to be done in order to fix it. My aunt's cat had something similar and it turned out to be an inner ear thing (easy to fix with ear medicine.) but take him to the vet!!!

Answer 8

For sandwich-lovers, use spinach or swiss chard leaves as an alternative to a wrap, skip the portion of cheese, and load standing on the veggies.

Answer 9

Don’t focus on your imperfections, spotlight your best bits. Tiny waist? Belt it in. Lovely bust? Lower the neckline. Well developed butt? Rock tight jeans. Sexy legs? Show ‘em off. It’s really that easy.

Answer 10

Eat in front of a person rather than a screen. It cuts down on mindless eating and forces you to more accountable for each nip.

Answer 11

Add cooked whole grains with a salad to increase the soluble fiber and protein and make the meal feel more satisfying.