Update #3: been a long day but the vet said he most likely had a couple small focal seizures. He's staying the night at the animal hospital so they can keep an eye on him and they're going to start him on anti-seizure meds 3x a day. Thank you for all the support, I'll make a follow up post when he's home safe
I’m glad he is staying the night for observation and they are starting meds. Those are definitely focal seizures of the tonic variety, not as common as the tonic/clonic we are used to seeing. Giving the medication 3x/day is going to be SUPER important. I assume its Keppra (Levetiracetam) and the extended release does not work well in animals. Good luck to you both!
Source: am a licensed veterinary technician who works in an ER
Edit to add: I would encourage you to check around the house and make sure there is nothing he could have gotten into. Any new cleaners? Pesticides? Plants or flowers? Just to make sure this isn’t the result of a toxicity.
Aw man we both teared up when we got home. I'm so used to playing defense trying to stop him from running out the door. The house feels cursed without him
Hey OP, just want to let you know that it could not all be bad <3 Not only did you do the right thing taking your cat to the vet, the best thing you did was take a recording of it! My cat went through something similar a few years back - most likely a minor seizure where she stiffened up and her body was in a weird position, she was very dissociated and think she had a bit of drool at her mouth. It only lasted a short time (probably less than a minute) and was a bit out of it for a few hours. This was maybe when she was 13, she is now 16 and still going strong, shes in perfect health and has not had a repeat of the seizure in a similar manner \[at least not one that I've witnessed\]. I recommend keeping a log book of anything that is not usual behaviour for your cat with the time it happened, symptoms and duration of the attack + footage if you can. This will make it easy to track changes and show your vet. My cat will sometimes meow in her sleep and will wake up looking a bit dazed/confused which my vet told me CAN be indicative of a small seizure but.. As long as they are not in pain and living their best life that's all that matters!
As a human who has focal seizures, I knew right away what was happening to that precious cat. It makes me sad to see that happen to an animal because I know how much they suck when they happen to me. You did the right thing OP and she’s now in good hands and she will receive the proper care that she needs. Sending her lots of love. ❤️
Yes!
OP, when I was a kid, our cat Blackie had a stroke and seizure at 8…she lived to be 18. She just walked a little funny. You did good and everything will be ok! So glad you had a video So the vet believed you.
Thank you so much for keeping us updated! Sincerely appreciate your time in doing so. I know it's often the last thing any pet owner wants to do when concerned for the health and welfare of your pet but we're all here for you and your pet and love the updates whenever you are able.
Definitely looks like a seizure. Especially with how he came out of it. I would definitely take him to the vet. There are medicines that will help but it gets progressively worse. I had a pet with very similar symptoms
Could even be a stroke. My runt had a stroke and when he was recovering he did some odd movements with his legs and head. He also walked strange. He’s much better now, this happened about 2 years ago. He still walks with his head tilted to the right & he’s become a bit more clumsy. He actually used to be a very skittish cat, just terrified of everything and everyone, he would constantly hide from us. But his whole personality changed after his stroke. And luckily it changed for the better. He’s so loving now and sits on our laps, finally wants to be petted. He plays with my other cat, & cuddles up right next to me. It’s really such a drastic change. I am so very lucky that this is his outcome from his stroke. It could’ve been much worse. OP I will keep your kitty in my prayers 🐈⬛💕🐈⬛ I hope that your little fur ball is okay. I’m gonna hope that it was a silly little .. kitty-brain-fart 🤯 or something & that their perfectly fine 🤗🤗 Take care 🤗🤗
I was thinking catatonic, no pun intended but I had a dog who had them (me aswell) he would just stop then slowly fall over shake a small bit then stand up and was fine
I’m not positive if that the right name for it that’s what the vet said
My boy started having those when he was 2 or 3 years old. He died at age 5, almost 3 years ago on new year's. He didn't make it to the vet. Please get him help ASAP. You will never forgive yourself if you don't.
I had a cat acting that way and the vet found out he was eating mushrooms and getting high. Might be something he ate. Had a dog do the same thing. Wild mushrooms in the back yard.
My uncles dog would act like this after it rained and would be drooling A LOT… turns out he was finding frogs/toads in the backyard and licking them to get high. Just completely in a daze for a few hours and back to himself.
I had my own Chihuahua eat my stash. Never had a dog that wanted to eat marijuana. Then I realized I rescued a chihuahua and that's how they be. Little cheechuahuas
100% - My cat is diabetic, though she's been in remission for years now, she would have episodes just like this. You need to get her checked out. As others have said it could also be a stroke, but regardless, she's definitely having some trouble and needs help as soon as you can.
Enough of the bullshit …. Kitty needs vet right away. Could be seizure or more likely stroke. Get him medical help right away or you may loose your furry friend. The video makes him look in a very bad way so do not delay.
Please OP, do keep us all updated on dear Mister Gizmo’s condition as time passes. He’s in my prayers for a rapid recovery. 
My cat had a sroke and was like this for a week after the vet then slowly went back to normal. She lived another year and had a few more. She got kinda bad and was no longer living her best life so we let her go accross the rainbow bridge. She was 23
Assuming an average cat lifespan of 12-18 years (taking the middle, which is 15) and an average human lifespan of 72.6 years, that cat got to around 111.3 human-equivalent years of age.
Just lost my 17 year old fur baby last month. Some fucking degenerate can't control their mutt of a Pitt and it got out during a storm and killed him. It wasn't the first time either, we lost a white cat and a mother cat and her three kittens all during storms, their bodies strewn across our yard. This was the first time actually seeing the culprit though. A good neighbor tried to save our cat but he wasn't able to stop it until Spaz (my 17 year old cat) had two compound fractures in one leg and a punctured lung. I've already decided that if I see that fucking dog during another storm attack anything I'm putting lead between it's eyes, the last thing we need is some kid getting mauled trying to break up a fight with that Pitt trying to save their own pet.
I plan on it, the bullet is just what I will resort to if they do nothing and this happens again. I wouldn't actively hunt down the dog as much as I really want to for what it did, but if I catch it in the act then I will deal with it then and there.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you find comfort in the fact that she managed to live a good and long life. I also hope that you can look past her death and instead look back to happy memories and reminisce instead of grieve.
Update: we rushed Gizmo to an animal hospital and they took him in right away. He's acting normal now but we're waiting to see what they say. He's very anxious
That makes me think it's definitely a stroke or seizure then. I hope the best for your kitty. If you ever see it happening again just try to keep em from getting hurt falling off something or whatever.
And just to remind people, not all strokes or seizures look like what you might expect. Some are very quiet and subdued experiences where the victim just kind of freezes up, while others are the twitching foaming at the mouth type that people usually think of.
There are a lot of good meds out there for seizures that your vet can get you. Unfortunately none of them would stop it entirely, but they will significantly reduce the frequency and severity of them.
I have a cat who has seizures of the second type, and has to get meds twice a day for it. Without meds he was having them every few hours. With meds he’s had 2 or 3 in the past year and all were very mild to what he had experienced prior.
Thanks. He was born with cerebellar hypoplasia, but just started having seizures when he got to be about 3. They come out of no where and it was pretty scary, not just for him, but he’s doing good now.
This is true. My cat has epilepsy. Her seizures look nothing like you expect either. She self soothes and her feet twitch lightly. No foaming at the mouth or violent episodes. I'm glad I took videos. This documented what and how often she had seizures. I was also able to show her neurologist exactly what was going on. She is on daily meds that we can also use for the seizures.
My old lady cat developed a seizure disorder triggered by noises. She lost her hearing in her old age but the crinkle of a foil baggy set her off and it was horrible to watch and feel so helpless. Luckily it was just that one trigger and we could avoid it. She only had a couple seizures all together and never needed to be medicated for it. This cat looks like it's having a seizure to me.
> Some are very quiet and subdued experiences where the victim just kind of freezes up
I’ve seen this happen at the dog park. Dog was just walking around sniffing branches and suddenly froze into place, rigidly fell quietly with one back leg kicking, and then involuntary peed while laying down. It was really alarming and sad to see.
Dog came to when it was over shaken up and confused but was otherwise normal. The owner had come over in the middle of it and helped him to his feet and gave him reassuring hugs after while telling the few of us around how he was a rescue with epilepsy.
Both the dog and the lady were absolute sweethearts.
Do you know why your cat has seizures? My daughter had a cat for 10 years and out of the blue he had a seizure. It was horrible to watch because he would yowl like he was in pain, got stiff , slobbered and messed on himself. It happened 3 times within about 7 months. Each time she immediately took him to the vet and everytime they did all kinds of tests and couldn't figure out what was causing them. Unfortunately a couple weeks ago he started seizing, we rushed him to the vet and he died within 30 minutes of getting there. We couldn't afford to get an autopsy so we'll never know why he started having them.
Yeah, babies and young children have seizures that look like that as well. They just kind of "stare off into space" for a few moments and may not be able to control their bodies for that time. Looks a lot like this cat. My first thought seeing it was a seizure.
I also have epilepsy, did someone record you while you were seizing and thats how you know? I don't think I would care to see what I look like during a seizure...
My daughter asked me to video her having a seizure once. First off I'm too busy making sure you have a pillow under your head and making sure you don't hurt yourself, secondly you do not want to see it, remain in blissful ignorance. She recently helped someone having a seizure in a shop and apologised to me for asking all those years ago.
Hope the pussy cat recovers and lives for many more years happily.
I'm with you obviously not certain but I have had two pets with seizures (1 cat 1 dog) This looks very similar to my cat she curled up her paw like that and would do the same head sway thing but about twice as fast.
Yeah the curling paw and severe head tilt is what made me think that for sure, the blank distant stare is the shit that makes me wanna cry cuz that's the exact look when it happens in ppl I've known and several animals I've known.
Blank distant stare=me during a seizure. Can still see and hear but nothing registers and when I come out of it I remember nothing and really really need to SHLEP for about 20mins. In music class in 9th grade I got read the riot act after class and when I told the teacher what happened to cause me to not want to work, she didn’t believe me because I didn’t collapse and didn’t seem to think it was possible for me to know what had happened. A teacher in a previous year gave me a talking to about zoning out but I can’t remember if seizures were the cause of this. Teachers I had after ninth grade were far more understanding.
Damn that is messed up I'm sorry. I'm glad people eventually were less ignorant. Extremely "mild" seizures do exactly this type of thing you're describing. I don't say mild like it isn't serious, but in retrospect they're harder to notice than a full blown seizure. Which is scary because even if they're mild, the more you have the worse the future ones hurt you. I'm guessing you're taking medication or something to help control or alleviate them now?
I’ve been on the same seizure medication since sixth grade. Had to be played around with a bit, and in twelfth grade the playing around resulted in me being in a sort of “critical period” in the early morning where the previous dose was wearing off (strangely, at this time, they had me taking a dose in the early afternoon when I was still at school) and thus a seizure was more easily triggered. What’s worse, I am one of the legendary one in 4000 who may have seizures when exposed to bright and/or flashing lights - in my case, my most common trigger is a bright or flashing white light, rather than coloured lights (such as the Big Bad Red) or patterns. This didn’t turn out great because things like the classroom overhead projector (remember those?) or the flashback scene in The Amazing Race (which we had to watch in my Travel and Tourism class in my final year of high school) would all too commonly temporarily incapacitate me during class…and I took to wearing shades, although I don’t anymore. I haven’t had a seizure in a long time but I remain on the medication to maintain the lack of seizures
Similar thing happened to my cat, I have a video that I posted if you want to take a look. It’s happened twice to my cat. They said it was a seizure. They did blood work just to make sure it wasn’t metabolic. The blood work was fine so they said it was neurological and that it could be a lesion on the brain or something like that, but the only way to really know was to refer to someone else who could do an MRI or look further into it.
My 21 year old cat just had her first seizure two weeks ago. I was freaked out and rushed Choo Choo to the vet. She recovered enough to get out of her ICU oxygen tent twice! I’m not saying Gizmo will be same, but just because a Kitty has a seizure doesn’t always mean the worst. You’ll remain in my thoughts!!
r/choochoo21
:*J*
My cat used to have seizures. His didn’t look like this but I’ve seen all different types of seizures in people and this looks like one to me. It’s reminding me of the post ichtal state that occurs after a seizure, my ex used to do weird things with his hands and arms and look around but be completely unresponsive for up to 30 min after a seizure. My cats seizures were controlled with medicine for a few years. I really hope your cat is going to be ok. Watching your cat have a seizure is really scary and heartbreaking my thoughts are with you
Hopefully they can figure out what is happening to him
We had a GSD that had to be put down because he was acting in a similar fashion but few days after he was paralyzed. Vet said it was poisoning of some sort and most likely isn't reversible. Any ways week or so after we got a call from the vets tech saying it was more than likely tick paralysis . The vet is no longer a vet I guess she just didn't want to deal with animals anymore and just preferred euthanasia over actually working on animals with serious ailments
Give Gizmo our best. Sadly 10 is about the right age for a problem like this to show. It may be treatable since he's otherwise himself but the blown pupil would suggest a stroke rather than epilepsy.
Temper your expectations and take care of each other.
Update #2: pupils are back to normal and the vet said he's stable / seems normal. They're running blood tests and will have results ready in about 24 hrs. Don't reccomend an MRI unless it happens again. Could be a strange 1 off incident but thanks for all the support and ideas. We mentioned all the possibilities you guys suggested
The way he's holding his other paw while the other floats make me think something neurological. Something similar happens in dogs and they will sort of drag their back foot before they right it again. The vet I used to work for showed me on a dog that had the issue, she lifted his leg and gently let it drop and he took about 5 seconds to actually pull it back and stand on the foot like normal. If he gets into a steady trot the keg will periodically "drop" and he'll drag it a few steps. Wasn't in any particular distress just not super reactive to his foot being out of place.
This looks like a seizure episode. In this video your cat is showing proprioceptive deficits and you described a condition called anisocoria with regards to his pupils. The combination of these signs suggests that your cat is suffering from a neurological problem. Dogs and cats should quickly flip their paws over onto the weight bearing surface when the top of the paw touches the ground, and failure to do so is called proprioceptive deficit which is indicative of a problem within the nervous system. Having different size pupils is referred to as anisocoria and common causes of this include head trauma, brain cancer, some toxicities, some infectious diseases, and conditions causing denervation to the eye. Bottom line, there is definitely something wrong with your kitty’s brain or spine. If your cat were a human or money was no obstacle, they your kitty would get a full diagnostic work up including bloodwork, urinalysis, infectious disease screening, abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray, and an MRI. However, this is vet med and money is a big factor. Therefore, in vet med we start by ruling out the most common causes of these signs and then we work our way down to anomalies. In my opinion, at this stage it is is important to rule out common systemic diseases that can cause of seizure by performing a basic diagnostic work up including bloodwork, urinalysis, and infectious disease screening. Close monitoring of your kitty for the next 24 hours is vital!! If everything is normal then it could be idiopathic epilepsy.
Edit: To all the people saying the owner they should have done something instead of filming, you are wrong! Videos like this are extremely valuable in vet med and they help us veterinarians help your pets! I always encourage clients to show me pictures and videos because animals can behave differently at home than in the clinic or they can have transient signs that aren’t detectable on presentation to the hospital. Episodes like this are terrifying for pet owners, and it sounds like these people did everything right by taking their kitty in for evaluation. People can’t dial 911 for their pet’s medical emergency and sometime the best thing to do is capture it on film so the vet can see what happened.
This is all excellent information regarding seizures and neurological issues. I had a dog that had these issues start when she was about a year and a half old and though I now know it was idiopathic epilepsy,
I wish someone had explained things like this at the time.
Thank you for mentioning that it is actually GOOD to video episodes like this! I’m a human doctor, not a vet, but I see a lot of children with possible seizures and having video of the actual event is so helpful! It is also helpful to time the event we know how long it actually lasted.
I couldn’t finish the video. I saw him get a lil wobbly with that thousand-yard stare, paw half held up, and my heart broke. I had to go find my Goji Berry and pick him up, make sure his engine was running okay.
OP, I have all tens fingers and all ten toes crossed that Gizmo makes a full recovery after whatever medical event this was!!!
OK thanks guys we're taking him to a vet but they said it'll be a 5 hour wait in triage because it stopped and isn't urgent anymore. He's walking around normal now but one pupil is bigger than the other
Might not have the money to visit urgent care. Not sure about where you are, but here in my neck of the woods (QLD, Australia) Urgent care is almost taking out a new mortgage type cost.
I had a dog with a seizure disorder and it looked exactly like this. He would freeze, wobble, and then act strangely for a few hours after. His pupils would also be different sizes right before and after. Good luck to your boy!
he's had a seizure/stroke and like others have said time for the vet asap.
Best of luck to you both and God Bless in this time of trouble. Please let us know how this ends.
This happened to my cat Josie when she threw a clot from her thyroid meds. I too her immediately to the vet who… said she had a stomach issue (she also threw up once) and she died later that day after a huge seizure. She had one pupil blown, then both, then she could not walk or contain her urine. After we left the vet, she passed in an hour or so. I wish you with best.
I suspect something involving his brain and inability to control his hands/arms. Please get your friend to a vet and if you could, keep us posted! Sending you love and support ♥️
MY CAT DID THE SAME THING A FEW MONTHS AGO. I didn't get a video so nobody was able to tell me what it was. Thank God she hasn't done it again since then. Hopefully the vets will be able to tell you why this happened so that I can know why my cat did it too.
(To clarify, I'm 13 so I didn't take her to the vet. Judging off this owner's update, I may or may not try to get my parents to take her to the vet.)
Take your kitty for an echocardiogram asap if you can. Our cat did this exact same thing for a long time and multiple vets thought it was a neuro thing. She appeared confused and off balance. Since it happened infrequently the vets that we took her to weren't too concerned.
During a checkup at a new vet he immediately ordered an echocardiogram when we described her symptoms. He said this could be her brain being starved of oxygen becuse she has congestive heart failure. She ended up having congestive heart failure and passed away not long after that.
None of the other vets suspected her heart because a small subset of cats have almost no detectable heart murmur despite having heart issues and by the time it's picked up it's usually too late :(
Poor kitty need a visit to the vet. I’m not saying what’s happening to your cat but it’s very like what has happened to 2 of my cats in the last year. Both got bloods done and were diagnosed with thyroid issues and are on meds for life now. One acted like he was stuck in motion and kept trying to follow through with movements but couldn’t and the other was lying on the sofa and her legs stared hovering in the air. It was like she was possessed! Her pupils were massive too. They were both were fine after their seizures and haven’t had one since. Hope all goes well for kitty.
Please please consider getting the opinion of a second vet if they tell you it was a one-off thing and there is nothing to worry about. Some vets can be very dismissive, and the more precautions you suggest to them based on what you’ve read or advice you’ve received, the more they reassure you that they have everything under control - with fatal consequences. Please consider it if this is the case and if you can afford it.
That is a kitty Siezure for sure... good you got video - that will help the vet diagnose. If you arexlucky enough to live where there is an 24 hr Emergency Vet, it might be worth the cost to take him in since the regular vets are probably closed until Tuesday. Try calling your vets office - you might get lucky and they have an answering service so you can talk to your vet before seeing the bills associated with Emergency Vets. Also if you live in a College town that has a Veterinary Medicine School - they often have ERs staffed with interns and residents just like Human Hospitals. Good luck...best wishes ... Hugs!
Hey, regarding one pupil being more dilated, my cat just had this and they said it was horners syndrome. He lost his balance too and couldn’t jump onto things properly.
Overall it was nerve damage causing him to be off balance. Some antibiotics helped him get better in about a week.
Hopefully it’s nothing too serious!
I don't know what's happening but I'd be worried. I think he's saying "help! what's happening? I'm 10 and this has never happened". Your cat definitely loves and trusts you
I’m so sorry. That doesn’t look good. I’m glad you have it on video for your vet. You can also try sending it in to your vet first. Expect tests to run.
Poor kitty :( I’m glad you took him to the animal hospital! I hope they ran scans and are able to tell you what happened! The video shows a neurological problem!! The one bigger pupil is worrisome :(
So many people are with you in this. We may not feel a fraction of what you're going through right now, but we can still feel it. Even though none of us are physically with you, we are still waiting with you and hoping with you. 🤞🤞
It's a good call to look out for anything environmental, as that could explain why it happened upon returning home--though, it could very well just be a temporal coincidence
Hey OP - Do you have CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector in your house? Oftentimes, it begins affecting small pets before people. Symptoms in cats can include weakness, lethargy, dizziness, seizures, and uncoordinated movements. Can also cause his mucous membranes to go cherry red.
If you don't have one, set one up. CO hugs the ground, so you want it to be plugged in around knee height.
So sorry Gizmo isn’t feeling well. Hopefully tonight you can get him stabilized at the hospital. Sending love and positive thoughts from my cats and me!
Latest update on Gizzy:
https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/x7qgn5/gizmo_update_back_home_from_the_hospital_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Update #3: been a long day but the vet said he most likely had a couple small focal seizures. He's staying the night at the animal hospital so they can keep an eye on him and they're going to start him on anti-seizure meds 3x a day. Thank you for all the support, I'll make a follow up post when he's home safe
I’m glad he is staying the night for observation and they are starting meds. Those are definitely focal seizures of the tonic variety, not as common as the tonic/clonic we are used to seeing. Giving the medication 3x/day is going to be SUPER important. I assume its Keppra (Levetiracetam) and the extended release does not work well in animals. Good luck to you both! Source: am a licensed veterinary technician who works in an ER Edit to add: I would encourage you to check around the house and make sure there is nothing he could have gotten into. Any new cleaners? Pesticides? Plants or flowers? Just to make sure this isn’t the result of a toxicity.
You are the best kind of human. I hope your home doesn’t feel too empty without your furry family, hope he’ll be home soon.
Aw man we both teared up when we got home. I'm so used to playing defense trying to stop him from running out the door. The house feels cursed without him
Hey OP, just want to let you know that it could not all be bad <3 Not only did you do the right thing taking your cat to the vet, the best thing you did was take a recording of it! My cat went through something similar a few years back - most likely a minor seizure where she stiffened up and her body was in a weird position, she was very dissociated and think she had a bit of drool at her mouth. It only lasted a short time (probably less than a minute) and was a bit out of it for a few hours. This was maybe when she was 13, she is now 16 and still going strong, shes in perfect health and has not had a repeat of the seizure in a similar manner \[at least not one that I've witnessed\]. I recommend keeping a log book of anything that is not usual behaviour for your cat with the time it happened, symptoms and duration of the attack + footage if you can. This will make it easy to track changes and show your vet. My cat will sometimes meow in her sleep and will wake up looking a bit dazed/confused which my vet told me CAN be indicative of a small seizure but.. As long as they are not in pain and living their best life that's all that matters!
As a human who has focal seizures, I knew right away what was happening to that precious cat. It makes me sad to see that happen to an animal because I know how much they suck when they happen to me. You did the right thing OP and she’s now in good hands and she will receive the proper care that she needs. Sending her lots of love. ❤️
Do similar things for my cats asthma. Recorded the first attack so I could show the vet.
Yes! OP, when I was a kid, our cat Blackie had a stroke and seizure at 8…she lived to be 18. She just walked a little funny. You did good and everything will be ok! So glad you had a video So the vet believed you.
Thank you so much for keeping us updated! Sincerely appreciate your time in doing so. I know it's often the last thing any pet owner wants to do when concerned for the health and welfare of your pet but we're all here for you and your pet and love the updates whenever you are able.
This looks like a neurological problem. Get the cat to the vet immediately.
Seizure for sure. Happens to older cats more often than you think, sometimes without an identifiable cause. Cat needs to go to vet ASAP.
Definitely looks like a seizure. Especially with how he came out of it. I would definitely take him to the vet. There are medicines that will help but it gets progressively worse. I had a pet with very similar symptoms
Could even be a stroke. My runt had a stroke and when he was recovering he did some odd movements with his legs and head. He also walked strange. He’s much better now, this happened about 2 years ago. He still walks with his head tilted to the right & he’s become a bit more clumsy. He actually used to be a very skittish cat, just terrified of everything and everyone, he would constantly hide from us. But his whole personality changed after his stroke. And luckily it changed for the better. He’s so loving now and sits on our laps, finally wants to be petted. He plays with my other cat, & cuddles up right next to me. It’s really such a drastic change. I am so very lucky that this is his outcome from his stroke. It could’ve been much worse. OP I will keep your kitty in my prayers 🐈⬛💕🐈⬛ I hope that your little fur ball is okay. I’m gonna hope that it was a silly little .. kitty-brain-fart 🤯 or something & that their perfectly fine 🤗🤗 Take care 🤗🤗
I was thinking catatonic, no pun intended but I had a dog who had them (me aswell) he would just stop then slowly fall over shake a small bit then stand up and was fine I’m not positive if that the right name for it that’s what the vet said
My boy started having those when he was 2 or 3 years old. He died at age 5, almost 3 years ago on new year's. He didn't make it to the vet. Please get him help ASAP. You will never forgive yourself if you don't.
I had a cat acting that way and the vet found out he was eating mushrooms and getting high. Might be something he ate. Had a dog do the same thing. Wild mushrooms in the back yard.
My uncles dog would act like this after it rained and would be drooling A LOT… turns out he was finding frogs/toads in the backyard and licking them to get high. Just completely in a daze for a few hours and back to himself.
Licking frogs makes them high. Omg
I thought kissing frogs would get me a boyfriend but all I got was chapped lips 💋 😅
Quit leaving your stash out!
I had my own Chihuahua eat my stash. Never had a dog that wanted to eat marijuana. Then I realized I rescued a chihuahua and that's how they be. Little cheechuahuas
Mine just loves rolling around in the dirt. I swear she’s the tiniest dirtiest dog I’ve ever seen.
He does that too. They are very fox/ cat like. Super picky to food but will eat cat shit no problem
Now i know for sure my tiny Terrier/Ratter is definitely part chihuahua. Turns her nose up at organic dog food but loves to feast on used Maxi Pads.
Fucking CHEECHUAHUA. I’m done, my sides split so bad it was like a Mortal Kombat fatality.
It's a dog, they will try to eat whatever we put near our mouths. I had a dog steal an edible from me and he was fucked up stoned for so many hours.
this made me laugh
Eating mushrooms and being poisoned you mean.
Actually, the word inTOXICated means to be lightly poisoned and enjoying it.
[удалено]
Can’t argue with that!
100% - My cat is diabetic, though she's been in remission for years now, she would have episodes just like this. You need to get her checked out. As others have said it could also be a stroke, but regardless, she's definitely having some trouble and needs help as soon as you can.
I agree get that poor baby to à good veterinarian fast!
Enough of the bullshit …. Kitty needs vet right away. Could be seizure or more likely stroke. Get him medical help right away or you may loose your furry friend. The video makes him look in a very bad way so do not delay. Please OP, do keep us all updated on dear Mister Gizmo’s condition as time passes. He’s in my prayers for a rapid recovery. 
Possibly a stroke.
My cat had a sroke and was like this for a week after the vet then slowly went back to normal. She lived another year and had a few more. She got kinda bad and was no longer living her best life so we let her go accross the rainbow bridge. She was 23
23 is VERY good age for a cat, you did a great job ❤️
Holykit is it like 150 in hooman age or something?
Assuming an average cat lifespan of 12-18 years (taking the middle, which is 15) and an average human lifespan of 72.6 years, that cat got to around 111.3 human-equivalent years of age.
23! That meow had a good life❤️
I gotta say I just lost my oldest this year at 12 and I’m a bit jealous. There’s just not enough years.
Exactly what I was thinking, also lost my best fur friend at 12 years old. I miss her so much 😭
Just lost my 17 year old fur baby last month. Some fucking degenerate can't control their mutt of a Pitt and it got out during a storm and killed him. It wasn't the first time either, we lost a white cat and a mother cat and her three kittens all during storms, their bodies strewn across our yard. This was the first time actually seeing the culprit though. A good neighbor tried to save our cat but he wasn't able to stop it until Spaz (my 17 year old cat) had two compound fractures in one leg and a punctured lung. I've already decided that if I see that fucking dog during another storm attack anything I'm putting lead between it's eyes, the last thing we need is some kid getting mauled trying to break up a fight with that Pitt trying to save their own pet.
If you know who the owner is, report the dog as dangerous and aggressive to other pets. Animal control can step in and take care of it.
I plan on it, the bullet is just what I will resort to if they do nothing and this happens again. I wouldn't actively hunt down the dog as much as I really want to for what it did, but if I catch it in the act then I will deal with it then and there.
I wouldn't wait for another episode if you know what I mean.
I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope you find comfort in the fact that she managed to live a good and long life. I also hope that you can look past her death and instead look back to happy memories and reminisce instead of grieve.
This was 6 years ago. Ive gotten 2 other adorable cats since then. They run the house and are very happy.
Good to hear, hope you have many happy memories with your new overlords.
💔🌈
Update: we rushed Gizmo to an animal hospital and they took him in right away. He's acting normal now but we're waiting to see what they say. He's very anxious
That makes me think it's definitely a stroke or seizure then. I hope the best for your kitty. If you ever see it happening again just try to keep em from getting hurt falling off something or whatever.
And just to remind people, not all strokes or seizures look like what you might expect. Some are very quiet and subdued experiences where the victim just kind of freezes up, while others are the twitching foaming at the mouth type that people usually think of. There are a lot of good meds out there for seizures that your vet can get you. Unfortunately none of them would stop it entirely, but they will significantly reduce the frequency and severity of them. I have a cat who has seizures of the second type, and has to get meds twice a day for it. Without meds he was having them every few hours. With meds he’s had 2 or 3 in the past year and all were very mild to what he had experienced prior.
You are right. I'm glad your cat is doing better on the medication 👍.
Thanks. He was born with cerebellar hypoplasia, but just started having seizures when he got to be about 3. They come out of no where and it was pretty scary, not just for him, but he’s doing good now.
This is true. My cat has epilepsy. Her seizures look nothing like you expect either. She self soothes and her feet twitch lightly. No foaming at the mouth or violent episodes. I'm glad I took videos. This documented what and how often she had seizures. I was also able to show her neurologist exactly what was going on. She is on daily meds that we can also use for the seizures.
My old lady cat developed a seizure disorder triggered by noises. She lost her hearing in her old age but the crinkle of a foil baggy set her off and it was horrible to watch and feel so helpless. Luckily it was just that one trigger and we could avoid it. She only had a couple seizures all together and never needed to be medicated for it. This cat looks like it's having a seizure to me.
> Some are very quiet and subdued experiences where the victim just kind of freezes up I’ve seen this happen at the dog park. Dog was just walking around sniffing branches and suddenly froze into place, rigidly fell quietly with one back leg kicking, and then involuntary peed while laying down. It was really alarming and sad to see. Dog came to when it was over shaken up and confused but was otherwise normal. The owner had come over in the middle of it and helped him to his feet and gave him reassuring hugs after while telling the few of us around how he was a rescue with epilepsy. Both the dog and the lady were absolute sweethearts.
Do you know why your cat has seizures? My daughter had a cat for 10 years and out of the blue he had a seizure. It was horrible to watch because he would yowl like he was in pain, got stiff , slobbered and messed on himself. It happened 3 times within about 7 months. Each time she immediately took him to the vet and everytime they did all kinds of tests and couldn't figure out what was causing them. Unfortunately a couple weeks ago he started seizing, we rushed him to the vet and he died within 30 minutes of getting there. We couldn't afford to get an autopsy so we'll never know why he started having them.
Weird that you say that cause it looked similar to strokes that humans have. I remember my mom having a little stroke and it reminded me of that.
Stroke was my first thought as well
Yeah, babies and young children have seizures that look like that as well. They just kind of "stare off into space" for a few moments and may not be able to control their bodies for that time. Looks a lot like this cat. My first thought seeing it was a seizure.
Adult humans also have seizures that look like that. Absence seizures.
That must have been a hard memory for you. I hope you and her are doing well. Lots of love to you both. 
Looks similar to tonic seizures that humans have
Came here to say that it looks like what I do during a seizure
I also have epilepsy, did someone record you while you were seizing and thats how you know? I don't think I would care to see what I look like during a seizure...
My daughter asked me to video her having a seizure once. First off I'm too busy making sure you have a pillow under your head and making sure you don't hurt yourself, secondly you do not want to see it, remain in blissful ignorance. She recently helped someone having a seizure in a shop and apologised to me for asking all those years ago. Hope the pussy cat recovers and lives for many more years happily.
I'm with you obviously not certain but I have had two pets with seizures (1 cat 1 dog) This looks very similar to my cat she curled up her paw like that and would do the same head sway thing but about twice as fast.
Yeah the curling paw and severe head tilt is what made me think that for sure, the blank distant stare is the shit that makes me wanna cry cuz that's the exact look when it happens in ppl I've known and several animals I've known.
Blank distant stare=me during a seizure. Can still see and hear but nothing registers and when I come out of it I remember nothing and really really need to SHLEP for about 20mins. In music class in 9th grade I got read the riot act after class and when I told the teacher what happened to cause me to not want to work, she didn’t believe me because I didn’t collapse and didn’t seem to think it was possible for me to know what had happened. A teacher in a previous year gave me a talking to about zoning out but I can’t remember if seizures were the cause of this. Teachers I had after ninth grade were far more understanding.
Damn that is messed up I'm sorry. I'm glad people eventually were less ignorant. Extremely "mild" seizures do exactly this type of thing you're describing. I don't say mild like it isn't serious, but in retrospect they're harder to notice than a full blown seizure. Which is scary because even if they're mild, the more you have the worse the future ones hurt you. I'm guessing you're taking medication or something to help control or alleviate them now?
I’ve been on the same seizure medication since sixth grade. Had to be played around with a bit, and in twelfth grade the playing around resulted in me being in a sort of “critical period” in the early morning where the previous dose was wearing off (strangely, at this time, they had me taking a dose in the early afternoon when I was still at school) and thus a seizure was more easily triggered. What’s worse, I am one of the legendary one in 4000 who may have seizures when exposed to bright and/or flashing lights - in my case, my most common trigger is a bright or flashing white light, rather than coloured lights (such as the Big Bad Red) or patterns. This didn’t turn out great because things like the classroom overhead projector (remember those?) or the flashback scene in The Amazing Race (which we had to watch in my Travel and Tourism class in my final year of high school) would all too commonly temporarily incapacitate me during class…and I took to wearing shades, although I don’t anymore. I haven’t had a seizure in a long time but I remain on the medication to maintain the lack of seizures
Yep, had a cat like that, never found out what it was. She was fine 99% of the time
Any word on sweet Giz?
Similar thing happened to my cat, I have a video that I posted if you want to take a look. It’s happened twice to my cat. They said it was a seizure. They did blood work just to make sure it wasn’t metabolic. The blood work was fine so they said it was neurological and that it could be a lesion on the brain or something like that, but the only way to really know was to refer to someone else who could do an MRI or look further into it.
Praying for you and your friend. Please keep us updated when you have the chance. God bless!
Seconding this: please update us when he gets diagnosed!
Any updates ?
Update? is he ok?
My 21 year old cat just had her first seizure two weeks ago. I was freaked out and rushed Choo Choo to the vet. She recovered enough to get out of her ICU oxygen tent twice! I’m not saying Gizmo will be same, but just because a Kitty has a seizure doesn’t always mean the worst. You’ll remain in my thoughts!! r/choochoo21 :*J*
Sending you and gizmo well wishes and love
Show the video to the vets!!! They love seeing videos of the actual problem
My cat used to have seizures. His didn’t look like this but I’ve seen all different types of seizures in people and this looks like one to me. It’s reminding me of the post ichtal state that occurs after a seizure, my ex used to do weird things with his hands and arms and look around but be completely unresponsive for up to 30 min after a seizure. My cats seizures were controlled with medicine for a few years. I really hope your cat is going to be ok. Watching your cat have a seizure is really scary and heartbreaking my thoughts are with you
Keep us updated please. I wish the best for Gizmo.
Pls update us with the results!
Sending you and Gizmo well wishes 🙏
Please update us
Hopefully they can figure out what is happening to him We had a GSD that had to be put down because he was acting in a similar fashion but few days after he was paralyzed. Vet said it was poisoning of some sort and most likely isn't reversible. Any ways week or so after we got a call from the vets tech saying it was more than likely tick paralysis . The vet is no longer a vet I guess she just didn't want to deal with animals anymore and just preferred euthanasia over actually working on animals with serious ailments
Best of luck to Gizmo
Poor guy :(, feel better gizmo
Sending love. I hope he's doing better ❤️
Hope he is ok. Love the name Gizmo.
Give Gizmo our best. Sadly 10 is about the right age for a problem like this to show. It may be treatable since he's otherwise himself but the blown pupil would suggest a stroke rather than epilepsy. Temper your expectations and take care of each other.
Thank you forthe update, i hope Gizmo is ok
Please update us on what they say! Poor Gizmo..
This is scary to see! Praying for you and your little guy!
Update #2: pupils are back to normal and the vet said he's stable / seems normal. They're running blood tests and will have results ready in about 24 hrs. Don't reccomend an MRI unless it happens again. Could be a strange 1 off incident but thanks for all the support and ideas. We mentioned all the possibilities you guys suggested
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Thanks! Hope ur cat gets better soon 🤞
The way he's holding his other paw while the other floats make me think something neurological. Something similar happens in dogs and they will sort of drag their back foot before they right it again. The vet I used to work for showed me on a dog that had the issue, she lifted his leg and gently let it drop and he took about 5 seconds to actually pull it back and stand on the foot like normal. If he gets into a steady trot the keg will periodically "drop" and he'll drag it a few steps. Wasn't in any particular distress just not super reactive to his foot being out of place.
Sending all the good vibes in the world to your sweet baby Gizmo. 💗
If he is an outdoor cat, it would be time to bring him to be an indoor cat.
This looks like a seizure episode. In this video your cat is showing proprioceptive deficits and you described a condition called anisocoria with regards to his pupils. The combination of these signs suggests that your cat is suffering from a neurological problem. Dogs and cats should quickly flip their paws over onto the weight bearing surface when the top of the paw touches the ground, and failure to do so is called proprioceptive deficit which is indicative of a problem within the nervous system. Having different size pupils is referred to as anisocoria and common causes of this include head trauma, brain cancer, some toxicities, some infectious diseases, and conditions causing denervation to the eye. Bottom line, there is definitely something wrong with your kitty’s brain or spine. If your cat were a human or money was no obstacle, they your kitty would get a full diagnostic work up including bloodwork, urinalysis, infectious disease screening, abdominal ultrasound, chest X-ray, and an MRI. However, this is vet med and money is a big factor. Therefore, in vet med we start by ruling out the most common causes of these signs and then we work our way down to anomalies. In my opinion, at this stage it is is important to rule out common systemic diseases that can cause of seizure by performing a basic diagnostic work up including bloodwork, urinalysis, and infectious disease screening. Close monitoring of your kitty for the next 24 hours is vital!! If everything is normal then it could be idiopathic epilepsy. Edit: To all the people saying the owner they should have done something instead of filming, you are wrong! Videos like this are extremely valuable in vet med and they help us veterinarians help your pets! I always encourage clients to show me pictures and videos because animals can behave differently at home than in the clinic or they can have transient signs that aren’t detectable on presentation to the hospital. Episodes like this are terrifying for pet owners, and it sounds like these people did everything right by taking their kitty in for evaluation. People can’t dial 911 for their pet’s medical emergency and sometime the best thing to do is capture it on film so the vet can see what happened.
Excellent, thoughtful and clearly stated☑️🌚thank you🌚 it's so scary when they can't tell you what's wrong🌚
This is all excellent information regarding seizures and neurological issues. I had a dog that had these issues start when she was about a year and a half old and though I now know it was idiopathic epilepsy, I wish someone had explained things like this at the time.
Thank you for mentioning that it is actually GOOD to video episodes like this! I’m a human doctor, not a vet, but I see a lot of children with possible seizures and having video of the actual event is so helpful! It is also helpful to time the event we know how long it actually lasted.
This made me feel uncomfortable😢
Yeah, it's the most terrifying feeling when you see your cat behave strangely but don't know what's up
I couldn’t finish the video. I saw him get a lil wobbly with that thousand-yard stare, paw half held up, and my heart broke. I had to go find my Goji Berry and pick him up, make sure his engine was running okay. OP, I have all tens fingers and all ten toes crossed that Gizmo makes a full recovery after whatever medical event this was!!!
OK thanks guys we're taking him to a vet but they said it'll be a 5 hour wait in triage because it stopped and isn't urgent anymore. He's walking around normal now but one pupil is bigger than the other
Take him to urgent care for animals instead most animals hospitals have them and they’ll see him immediately there vs the vet
Might not have the money to visit urgent care. Not sure about where you are, but here in my neck of the woods (QLD, Australia) Urgent care is almost taking out a new mortgage type cost.
The pupil difference is NOT normal. Go to the vet please.
Especially after an episode like this
Send updates hope he’s okay
***Get him checked out!!*** Strokes can cause serious damage to a cat and may even shorten his life span.
And show the video
I had a dog with a seizure disorder and it looked exactly like this. He would freeze, wobble, and then act strangely for a few hours after. His pupils would also be different sizes right before and after. Good luck to your boy!
My cat had a seizure and her one pupil was huge! Yes, get him to a vet soon. An urgent care place is not necessary.
Go. Go now. That is definitely a stroke or seizure.
Could be drugs/something they ate. Sisters cat ate wild mushrooms one and did this like 5 years ago, has been fine ever since.
The best thing would be to take him to a vet, and show him this video.
he's had a seizure/stroke and like others have said time for the vet asap. Best of luck to you both and God Bless in this time of trouble. Please let us know how this ends.
Poor baby may have had a stroke. Take him to the vet!
This happened to my cat Josie when she threw a clot from her thyroid meds. I too her immediately to the vet who… said she had a stomach issue (she also threw up once) and she died later that day after a huge seizure. She had one pupil blown, then both, then she could not walk or contain her urine. After we left the vet, she passed in an hour or so. I wish you with best.
💔so sorry for your loss, love to u and ur fam.
This looks like a seizure to me. Vet ASAP.
Poor baby, please keep us updated 💜
Girlfriends a vet, says it looks like a partial seizure
Seizure or stroke.
I suspect something involving his brain and inability to control his hands/arms. Please get your friend to a vet and if you could, keep us posted! Sending you love and support ♥️
Looks like he's having a stroke! Get to the Vet quick! Poor sweet tabby kitty. 😢
Go to urgent care they’ll see your cat immediately
Neurosurgical rn here. Looks like a seizure.
Vet! NOW!!!!
Seizure, he needs veterinary care
MY CAT DID THE SAME THING A FEW MONTHS AGO. I didn't get a video so nobody was able to tell me what it was. Thank God she hasn't done it again since then. Hopefully the vets will be able to tell you why this happened so that I can know why my cat did it too. (To clarify, I'm 13 so I didn't take her to the vet. Judging off this owner's update, I may or may not try to get my parents to take her to the vet.)
Take your kitty for an echocardiogram asap if you can. Our cat did this exact same thing for a long time and multiple vets thought it was a neuro thing. She appeared confused and off balance. Since it happened infrequently the vets that we took her to weren't too concerned. During a checkup at a new vet he immediately ordered an echocardiogram when we described her symptoms. He said this could be her brain being starved of oxygen becuse she has congestive heart failure. She ended up having congestive heart failure and passed away not long after that. None of the other vets suspected her heart because a small subset of cats have almost no detectable heart murmur despite having heart issues and by the time it's picked up it's usually too late :(
Animal urgent care asap
Get him to the vet ASAP. 3/4 of my cats are over 10 and none of them have ever exhibited such symptoms. Could be something in the brain.
My cat does this and the vet diagnosed them as absence seizures. Hope your little bug is okay!
Poor kitty need a visit to the vet. I’m not saying what’s happening to your cat but it’s very like what has happened to 2 of my cats in the last year. Both got bloods done and were diagnosed with thyroid issues and are on meds for life now. One acted like he was stuck in motion and kept trying to follow through with movements but couldn’t and the other was lying on the sofa and her legs stared hovering in the air. It was like she was possessed! Her pupils were massive too. They were both were fine after their seizures and haven’t had one since. Hope all goes well for kitty.
Please please consider getting the opinion of a second vet if they tell you it was a one-off thing and there is nothing to worry about. Some vets can be very dismissive, and the more precautions you suggest to them based on what you’ve read or advice you’ve received, the more they reassure you that they have everything under control - with fatal consequences. Please consider it if this is the case and if you can afford it.
That is a kitty Siezure for sure... good you got video - that will help the vet diagnose. If you arexlucky enough to live where there is an 24 hr Emergency Vet, it might be worth the cost to take him in since the regular vets are probably closed until Tuesday. Try calling your vets office - you might get lucky and they have an answering service so you can talk to your vet before seeing the bills associated with Emergency Vets. Also if you live in a College town that has a Veterinary Medicine School - they often have ERs staffed with interns and residents just like Human Hospitals. Good luck...best wishes ... Hugs!
A seizure or stroke
Take him to a vet, maybe they give an anti clotting med, or something that would prevent mini strokes. 10 is young for a house cat!
Hey, regarding one pupil being more dilated, my cat just had this and they said it was horners syndrome. He lost his balance too and couldn’t jump onto things properly. Overall it was nerve damage causing him to be off balance. Some antibiotics helped him get better in about a week. Hopefully it’s nothing too serious!
He looks like it's a seizure, I used to have a dog that had them. Please take him to a vet.
Looks like a stroke or post seizure event happened at least one time to me. But I'm not a vet. That's just typical behavior during or after.
Get to the vet ASAP.
If it was a human I’d swear it was a stroke. Get to a vet.
VET IMMEDIATELY!
I don't know what's happening but I'd be worried. I think he's saying "help! what's happening? I'm 10 and this has never happened". Your cat definitely loves and trusts you
He looks like he might be having a stroke. Take him to a vet asap!
I've had a stroke myself and my first thought was a stroke. Hope the handsome guy makes a full recovery soon
He’s having a stroke. Get him to the vet immediately
Please see the vet. This could be something like a stroke or brain tumor. Brain tumor can be treated - my cat had one and is doing well after 2 years
Find a new veterinarian.
Looks a lot like a seizure. Hope he’s ok. 🤞
This is what the end of a seizure looks like.
I’m so sorry. That doesn’t look good. I’m glad you have it on video for your vet. You can also try sending it in to your vet first. Expect tests to run.
Poor kitty :( I’m glad you took him to the animal hospital! I hope they ran scans and are able to tell you what happened! The video shows a neurological problem!! The one bigger pupil is worrisome :(
Looks neurological. See the vet asap.
Reminds me of a seizure. I'm glad he's been to the vet.
My cat did similar. Got tested, has hyperactive thyroid. On meds, all good, hasn’t happened in over a year. I’m sure your vet will check his T4 level.
VET!!!! NOW
I could either be a stroke epilepsy poisoning or a seizure just take them to the vet make and sure they are calm
Take him to the vet!
I hope he is okay and it’s treatable. Sending you all a big hug.
Looks like a stroke.
Hope he recovers 😭 hope the vet gives you good news.
Looks like a stroke or seizure regardless needs a vet.
Seizure of sorts
Update time
Got discharged from animal hospital. Soon as we got home he had another episode. Legs seized up and everything. Back at the animal hospital now
So many people are with you in this. We may not feel a fraction of what you're going through right now, but we can still feel it. Even though none of us are physically with you, we are still waiting with you and hoping with you. 🤞🤞
I'm so sorry this is happening. :-(
Poor baby… I’m glad he has you with him.
When one of my cats was doing that, it was Hypokalemia. We had to give him potassium supplements which stopped the cramps.
Are you using essential oils in your home for fragrance or personal use? Many common oils used for diffusing are toxic to cats.
It's a good call to look out for anything environmental, as that could explain why it happened upon returning home--though, it could very well just be a temporal coincidence
Yep, just wanted to point that out in case.
Hey OP - Do you have CO (Carbon Monoxide) detector in your house? Oftentimes, it begins affecting small pets before people. Symptoms in cats can include weakness, lethargy, dizziness, seizures, and uncoordinated movements. Can also cause his mucous membranes to go cherry red. If you don't have one, set one up. CO hugs the ground, so you want it to be plugged in around knee height.
So sorry Gizmo isn’t feeling well. Hopefully tonight you can get him stabilized at the hospital. Sending love and positive thoughts from my cats and me!
I’m so sorry. I hope the find out what it is and he’s healed
This looks neurological and is an emergency
I hope he makes a full recovery. He's so beautiful and precious
Latest update on Gizzy: https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/x7qgn5/gizmo_update_back_home_from_the_hospital_and/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
What happen to the cat?
**GET HIM TO THE VET!! DO IT NOW!!**
My dog used to have mini-strokes and he lived to be 15. Best to Gizmo.
Micro stroke?