Please help! Cat with FHS feline hyperesthesia (fhs) caused by neutring surgery

Hello,

I wish someone able to help me or had same situation. I have 1 year old male cat "Jojo". He was until 4 days healthy and start to mature so he was humping everything and crying day and night with stinking urine. We just moved to new house but he get accommodated well. So, we decided to neuter him based on many advices from all people we know and vet.

we did it for him on 5th March. He was fine after surgery. Them next day he started to lick the injury and shows signs of laziness and sadness. Also, he started to act very wired, so he shakes and twitches his skin over his back, and then tail and area around tail. He is watching right and left and shakes and then runs to hide as someone chasing him. He seems as he wishes to eat and play but this shaking or shevring stops him. I took him to 2 vets and they said the surgery is very good and healed, but he might have urinary tract infection, they got him 3 antibiotics shots over 2 days. He seems as he is, not change at all and feels lazy and shakes and his skin rolls which has never happened.

I checked with some doctor online in USA, and he stated that he might develop FHS, when the cat feels anxiety and afraid all the time and rolls his skin as I showed him. He said that rarely happens and might be due to fear and shock of surgery but he does not know the reason.

Can anyone tell me if this is normal? and does it happen to anyone. I love and care of my cat a lot, since I adopted him when he was 2 weeks old. He is British short hair cat.

Thanks a lot all cat lovers.

Hyperesthesia  may not be a specific disorder but rather a sign of underlying medical or behavioral problems. Most commonly, the skin along the lumbosacral area may twitch or ripple. There may be excessive self-grooming, hissing or biting at the back or flank, and intensive tail wagging. Some cats cry, dash away, and even defecate. These episodes arise when the cat is highly aroused and may be incited by physical contact or external stimuli. A compulsive disorder is a consideration when the intensity, frequency, and duration of these problems is sufficiently severe. However, medical causes such as neuropathic pain, dermatologic conditions, myopathies, and focal seizures can also present with similar signs. Therefore, a therapeutic response trial for neuropathic pain, seizures, pruritus, or compulsive disorders might be part of the diagnostic process.

Recommended treatment for a cat that is diagnosed with hyperesthesia syndrome is likely to include a behavioral component aimed toward reducing any anxiety that the animal might be experiencing. Regularly scheduled feeding times and play periods, for example, may help keep an insecure cat relaxed and well exercised. And any type of physical activity that may irritate or overstimulate the cat—such as scratching its back—must certainly be avoided. For some patients, a veterinarian may prescribe a serotonin-enhancing drug—amitryptyline or fluoxetine, for example—to stabilize a cat’s mood; an anti-seizure drug, such as phenobarbital; an anti-inflammatory medication, such as prednisolone; or a combination of drugs. Gabapentin, a drug with both analgesic and anti-seizure properties, is potentially useful for treating hyperesthesia syndrome.

FHS can occur at any age but is commonly seen in cats from 1 to 5 years of age and occurs equally in either sex. While all breeds can be affected, Siamese, Burmese, Persian and Abyssinian cats are more commonly affected.

Thanks a lot Detmut. My cat Jojo is better now and started to be active and happy as before. It was just issue due to operation shock!

Hello, I am a very scared feline mother and need someones help. This is something like what had happened to your cat, so I would appreciate any in site. How long did it take for your cat to stop? Was it constant?

My cat 10 months old, was neutered about 16 days ago. He had never had a twitching/spasm issue. After getting neutered 9 days after, I noticed that he was twitching/uncontrollable muscle spasms and running around. It is constant, does not stop at all unless he is in deep sleep. I took him to the vet who prescribed him more pain killer medications known as buprenex. The pain killer medications did help but once it wheresout it would come back again. I again took him to the vet to figure out what is going on and the vet did x-rays and found nothing abnormal in the back/spinal area. The twitching looks like mini seizures. Happening from the lower back area to his legs, ears, and head. The doctor said to wait it out couple of weeks to see if it would go away on its own. He said it could be a numerous things more of a behavior issue or something known as feline hyperesthesia. He does often go to his site, which is now completely healed to lick it. The doctor has now prescribed Prednisolone because he thinks that my cat has injured his back. The Prednisolone has not made much improvements. I don't know what to do and I'm very worried for him. He is eating, drinking water, and going to the bathroom normally. He has no issue with walking or jumping at the moment. If you have experienced this, and know anything about it. I would greatly appreciate it.