Facial Tremors

cprcheetah

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,887
Purraise
149
Location
Bountiful, UTah
My 14 year old cat DeeJay does this thing where her eyes/face/ears twitch rapidly.  She does this multiple times a day, all different hours of the day.  I finally caught it on video and am showing it to her Veterinarian (whom I work for) tomorrow.  But does anyone have any experience with this or what could be causing it?  She has been doing it for probably a year, previous Vet (also human grandpa) thought it could just be part of getting older or could be focal seizures, but he hasn't actually seen her do it as she doesn't do it all the time, I will also be showing the video of it to him tomorrow for his input as well.  I thought at first maybe she was sensitive to light but she does it when there is minimal lights too.  It mostly seems to be when she is relaxing/laying down.  She had bloodwork done about 2 weeks ago and everything was great except her BUN was 2 points high, so nothing major.     She has never had any type of seizures.  Here is a video of her doing it, it's like at 45 seconds in.  (Don't mind Mercedes rar raring in the background :-)  She has a baby --sock that she is telling us all about, or my dog coughing at the end --she ate something too fast).

 
 
Last edited:

faery

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
65
Purraise
12
This is actually very similar to my American Pit Bull Terrier's seizures when he was around 2 years old (he is now 15). They started small but became full blown fall over or run into things seizures that occur every 4-6 months now. Oddly enough that is also how my rooster (a Dutch Bantam) started with his (yeap, I live in the house of handicapped animals!
 )

I'm not saying that is what's going on with your cat, but it does look familiar.

If they are seizures your cat will likely be tired and perhaps even sick to her stomach afterwards. She may even seem a bit confused as well. Seizures in themselves are not extremely dangerous, but if they happen to last for more than a few minutes they can cause problems and she may need to be on some sort of medication. I hope everything turns out well for her.
 

ldg

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
41,310
Purraise
842
Location
Fighting for ferals in NW NJ!
That looks very much like what our Sheldon has, only he only has a couple of twitches (that's what I call them), not quite so many.

Of course we took him to the vet when we first noticed them. In fact, they started happening about the same time his back legs went weak for a couple of days (took him to the vet for that too).

There was nothing to do about his back legs - the vet couldn't find anything, and they got better the next day. Took him back for the spasms/twitches. Again - it was just a "watch and see what happens" diagnosis. That was... almost 7 years ago. He was 5 when it happened/started. It only happens when he's resting, and he doesn't seem to notice it. Sometimes it does seem to involve his entire head, not just his eyes. :dk: He's seen three different vets, and none seem concerned...
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

cprcheetah

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,887
Purraise
149
Location
Bountiful, UTah
I have been trying to tell both my vets about it (the one I work for and my dad) for months (well okay new vet for only 2 months since I've worked there) and it's hard to explain, but as soon as they both saw it they were "seizures" it happens a lot actually multiple times a day but it doesn't seem to bother her, so I am not going to put her on the Phenobarb. 
 

goholistic

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
3,306
Purraise
370
Location
Northeast USA
My Boo has some kind of focal twitches going on, as well, along with FHS. I had started a thread on it back in August 2013. It really is a mystery and I'm still trying to figure it all out. Boo's facial twitches are different than what DeeJay was doing in the video, though. Boo doesn't have a bunch all in a row like that. He'll have one big twitch and then 1-5 minutes later, another. It's all very inconsistent. I have videos, but I can't get them off my phone!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

cprcheetah

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,887
Purraise
149
Location
Bountiful, UTah
I had to have my hubby help me get my video off my phone :-)
 

worriedsomuch

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 16, 2013
Messages
203
Purraise
12
My Grace has these same issues as well, unfortunately. If you read my thread "Very Worried About Cat With Ear Infection," you can read about when they started. They are not so pronounced, as in a little bit lighter than that but still noticeable. She has also had tremors in her head as well. She has what the vet believes to be inner ear problems and allergies that he thinks is the cause.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

cprcheetah

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,887
Purraise
149
Location
Bountiful, UTah
So sorry your Grace is going through this.  My DeeJay has been doing this for about a year or so, when she first started she had a thorough exam at the vet and no ear problems or anything.  They think it is just a form of idiopathic epilepsy although very mild in the seizures even though she is having multiples per day.
 

faery

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
65
Purraise
12
My son has seizures, and let me say this, seizures do NOT have to happen multiple times during the day and certain things can trigger them. Same could be for animals as well (in the case of the dog his are triggered with storms and loud bangs). She may never need any treatment (Keeker {the APBT} isn't on anything either) but you do need to keep an eye out for any increase in frequency or intensity.

Adding to what cprcheetah said about ear problems, there are many nerves in the ears and inflamation in the ear cannal can make their eyes water and their face twitchy at times. Look for any drainage, smell, or dirt in her ears.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

cprcheetah

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
1,887
Purraise
149
Location
Bountiful, UTah
Very interesting, I will have to watch DeeJay and see when it happens.  I know she was having it last night when she was sleeping on me as I could feel her twitch.
 

mander

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
1
Purraise
1
I have the same problem. I wonder if it could be food? I have noticed it happens more doing the evening. 
 
Top