Cat Yawning

[mommytobuck]

It has been quite a week. I took him to the ER for asthma and he is on new meds. He has been acting overall funny. But something I have noticed this week, my cat seems to be yawning a lot AND he tilts his head to one side when doing that.  He also is not exactly eating well. But as late as Sunday he was ravenous and eating pretty much like a pig.  So I feel the eating is related to the pills.

Anyone else have a cat tilt to the side when yawning?

 

[stephenq]

I have not but i'm bumping this up for people to see again.  Can you take a video?

 

[mommytobuck]

I found this on the internet, this is EXACTLY what is happening.


My cat, Io, tilts his head to his left every time he yawns...

My cat, Io, tilts his head to his left every time he yawns (recent development)...
My cat, Io, recently started tilting suddenly to the left whenever he yawns. The momentary tilt happens at the point when his yawns are the widest. I've seen it several times, now, and i'm wondering what could be causing this. Otherwise, Io seems totally normal and happy. He's eating well, drinking, being active (although really chubby, he walks around all the time), and seems fine. I'm concerned about this weird, very dramatic tilt that happens when he yawns though. I was thinking maybe i should take him to the veterinarian's, but he is extremely aggressive and goes wild when he's at the vet's office; he poohs, pees, freaks out and attacks the veterinarian and assistants viciously, and has had to be trapped in a net and sedated! I want to make sure he really needs to be seen before i bring him in. I'll call the veterinarian today, though, and ask about this. Has anyone ever seen this condition in a cat? This only started recently, and it happens with every yawn. Before this, his yawns were completely straight and upright. He has a history of chronic herpes 1 infection - a sinus and respiratory infection that's always there to some degree but which comes and goes in intensity.



Normally I'd say it's nothing but if he has a history of sinus infections.. I'd get it checked out. It's worth the hysteria of a vet visit

Not sure if you have this available in your area.. but do you have mobile vets or vets that do home visits? I'm in a suburban/rural area of connecticut (cow farm across the street) and we have one or two vets that offer this service. It;s a little more expensive, but not that much more.

hope things work out and it turns out to be nothing! beautiful cat!

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sageincave

May 10 2011, 12:55:54 UTC 3 years ago

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I recently had to put my cat to sleep because of a cancer in his jaw. This cancer changed/restricted his movement some.

Or maybe your cat just has a crick in his neck. I hope he's back to normal soon!

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stealthbunny

May 10 2011, 14:44:57 UTC 3 years ago

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Can your vet give you some tranqs to give your cat before you take him in so they are already taking effect before you get there?

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kitzira

May 10 2011, 23:24:23 UTC 3 years ago

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I would bet an ear infection. Head tilt is common in small animals when they have an URI go one for too long and affects the ears.

In your cat, he might be yawning and hoping a tilt to the side will help open up that side in his ears.

 

[stephenq]

It's true that inner ear issues can cause held tilts in cats.....

 

[mommytobuck]

 
It's true that inner ear issues can cause held tilts in cats.....

Well thanks for trying...

 I am wondering if all these things aren't related.

Two Sunday's ago: I went upstairs to see my cat who was sleeping. He could not open his eyes because his eyes were running and they had sort of closed his eyes. That NEVER happens. I cleaned them up and saw a few little remaining goobs on his eyes the rest of the day.. but never saw anything again.

Last Saturday / Sunday: my cat had a massive coughing fit.  Coughing most of Sunday morning... I rushed him to the ER and he was diagnosed with Asthma.

This week (though he is getting meds for the athstma in his food) he has been extremely tired and not exactly hungry.  But he has been eating.

As an aside, it has been extremely cold here... and I refused to put on my heat -- but each night --even though it is June, it has been dropping down to 30 degrees --

Conclusion... perhaps he has a touch of a cold and is not really getting over it because it has been so cold.

 

[mommytobuck]

Just to make me feel better... I am starting to conclude it might be the meds I am giving him for the asthma. Perhaps an allergic reaction.  As late as last Sunday he was eating like a pig.... then, I started giving medication.  Soon it was tough to get him to eat or drink... and then i noticed him yawning as if he couldn't get his mouth open enough -- I am worried it is causing his mouth / esophagus to swell up. There can be no doubt that whatever is going on came on quickly after I started giving him the meds... and is affecting his wish to eat or drink. He does seem to be having trouble swallowing. Often licking his chops for hours after eating.

No more tomorrow.  Thank god it was a small dose and I am not sure he was getting all of it with his food.  He still can meow at me.

I just have to rant. I called my vet on Friday left a message to call me because my cat was yawning and tilting his head sideways and though she was in today she did not respond. So she closed her place and left me completely out of luck until Monday....  that infuriates me.

ETA: A Google search on Broncodilaors did turn up a few people that found the medication caused excessive yawning.  Sure is excessive. We are up to 8 in 3 hours.

 

[stephenq]

Let us know what your vet says ok....

 

[mommytobuck]

Let us know what your vet says ok....

I would but ... even after a second call and an e-mail she has not responded... even with the question in the e-mail about a refill of the asthma medication. I swear... in my job I have to get back to all calls by the end of the day... here not so much.

I suppose the good news is that it might be subsiding. I saw only two yawns yesterday and none so far today.  He seems to potentially be eating more but not really drinking (unless I am missing it).

My guess... reaction to the meds or... withdrawal from the meds. My awesome vet told me to take him off sterioids abruptly last week, though he was only on for two days. I questioned that but she insisted it wouldn't "hurt him".

This is like the 4th poor vet I have worked with. I think going forward I am not going to use them.  It seems that they mostly push vaccines on my cat and torture him. But provide no service unless my cat is in dire streights.

 

[peggymcd]

It has been quite a week. I took him to the ER for asthma and he is on new meds. He has been acting overall funny. But something I have noticed this week, my cat seems to be yawning a lot AND he tilts his head to one side when doing that. He also is not exactly eating well. But as late as Sunday he was ravenous and eating pretty much like a pig. So I feel the eating is related to the pills.

Anyone else have a cat tilt to the side when yawning?

I see this is a very old post, I hope everything is well with your cat. One of my cats also does this but only while we are playing. We play with the worm on the fishing pole cat toy all the time. If I make the worm bounce up and down slowly she will clock her head way to the left then way to the right while she watches it, then she yawns really big. It's happens only when she is playing and it seems like she is trying to figure something out, like "why is this thing moving like this". She is a perfectly healthy and happy cat, I don't believe it has anything to do with a medical condition. Anyone else have a cat who does this?

 

[peggymcd]

I see this is a very old post, I hope everything is well with your cat. One of my cats also does this but only while we are playing. We play with the worm on the fishing pole cat toy all the time. If I make the worm bounce up and down slowly she will clock her head way to the left then way to the right while she watches it, then she yawns really big. It's happens only when she is playing and it seems like she is trying to figure something out, like "why is this thing moving like this". She is a perfectly healthy and happy cat, I don't believe it has anything to do with a medical condition. Anyone else have a cat who does this?

 

[mommytobuck]

Thank you. My cat is just fine a good 5 years later.