What is vestibular in cats?
What is vestibular in cats?
Vestibular disease is a condition in which a cat suddenly develops incoordination, falling or circling to one side, involuntary darting of the eyes back and forth (called nystagmus), a head tilt, and often nausea or vomiting.
Is vestibular disease fatal in cats?
The cat may be experiencing a transitory problem with its vestibular system—the complex arrangement of nerves and other components that governs its sense of balance and coordinates the movement of its head and eyes. Such a disorder and its alarming manifestations are typically temporary and ultimately harmless.
Is vestibular disease common in cats?
Symptoms of Vestibular Disease in Cats The most prevalent symptom of vestibular disease in cats is an uncoordinated gait or falling over. Your cat may also circle to one side. While your cat is stumbling around you may also notice a head tilt and/or a rapid eye movement called nystagmus.
Why is my cat’s head tilted to one side?
Head tilt is a medical condition that may be indicative of a serious underlying disorder, usually of the vestibular system. If a cat is tilting its head frequently to either side of the body (away from its orientation with the trunk and limbs), this is an indication that the cat feels imbalanced.
Why is my cat staggering?
It’s likely your cat is experiencing an issue with her vestibular system. The feline vestibular system is essentially the balance center of her brain. When something is amiss in this complex web of nerves and synapses, she’s likely to become dizzy, disoriented, and have trouble with muscle coordination.
What causes vestibular disease in cats?
What causes vestibular disease in cats? While Siamese and Burmese cats may suffer from an inherited or congenital form of the disease, it is believed that most cases are caused by middle- or inner-ear infections. In rare cases tumors within the vestibular system may be the cause.
Does vestibular syndrome go away?
Luckily, vestibular disease typically goes away on its own after a few days, though it may stick around for a couple of weeks, and the head tilt could remain for the rest of his life. If symptoms don’t begin to improve after 72-hours, this may be a sign of something more serious.
Why is my cat acting drunk and wobbly?
Do male cats live longer than female cats?
Female vs Male Cats and Lifespan On average, female cats live a year or two longer than their male counterparts.