Do cats get dizzy?

tutti_bella

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I was playing with Lucy Belle, chasing after a cat teaser .. she's chasing and me, holding the cat teaser being chased after. And oh boy, we went on a merry go round and after like the fifth round, I was all dizzy and starting seeing twinkle stars!

Lucy Belle seems fine and she wants to go chase s'more, she loves to go round and round! So, do cats get dizzy like humans? Many times, I sat her on my lap, and swivel my chair, boy do I get dizzy after a few rounds. When I stood up, I could barely walk straight. And she again, seems a-ok.
 

dina

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hehe i used to play the same way with my old cat and he seemed to get dizzy now and then. I dunno i would imagine they do kinda makes sense in a way
 

bnwalker2

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I would think that they can get dizzy. John once had Tabitha chasing the laser pointer in circles and when she stopped, she wobbled a bit like she was a little dizzy. But then she went right back to chasing!
 

nekochan

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Yes, they do! I did the same thing with the Maine Coon kitten: moving the cat teaser around in circles, and she eventually stopped and was too dizzy to walk straight!
 

taterbug

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Just watch their eyes after a good spin around!! They definitely get dizzy,too!!
 
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tutti_bella

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Perhaps I am the strange one!
I hate going in circles since I tend to get dizzy often. I've never sat on a merry go round in my life! Talk about a deprived childhood ...
 

crazyforinfo

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Originally Posted by bnwalker2

I would think that they can get dizzy. John once had Tabitha chasing the laser pointer in circles and when she stopped, she wobbled a bit like she was a little dizzy. But then she went right back to chasing!
Originally Posted by Nekochan

Yes, they do! I did the same thing with the Maine Coon kitten: moving the cat teaser around in circles, and she eventually stopped and was too dizzy to walk straight!
This is pretty much what happened to Benson.
 

strange_wings

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Cats have ears and their inner ears control their balance just as ours do. Other animals can get dizzy too, or if something has damaged the controls on that - disablingly so. Though due to the fact they have four legs, they tend to have less problems(or causes for it) then humans.

People on the dysautonomia forum that I'm a member of have even posted links to articles about dysautonomia in animals. Sadly, it seems the balance problems/dizziness that is so much a part of it is worse on animals and euthanasia is the common recommendation.

(useless info of the day)
 

nekochan

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I've seen hamsters get dizzy, too... We used to use those hamster balls to let pet hamsters run around the house when I was a kid. A few times someone didn't see the ball on the floor and they bumped it with their foot, sending it spinning. When that has happened and I ran over and stopped the ball, you could tell the poor hamster was dizzy (moving jerkily and not in a straight line, that sort of thing.)
I know dogs can get inner ear disorders where they end up with a head-tilt due to an imbalance in the inner ear, and they sometimes have trouble walking straight as well.
 
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tutti_bella

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Thanks for all the replies. My kitty just loves going in circles but I have to make sure we don't go too far. I wouldn't want her to get dizzy, I know how it feels and it's horrible!
 

sarahp

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Our little Smudgey got very dizzy a couple of days ago when DH was playing with her. She loves chasing after it in circles, and it got a bit much for her. DH stopped, and her eyes were spinning, and she was falling over still trying to find the toy.
He had to hide the toy, and hold her still until she stopped spinning.
 
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