Please someone help me. My baby had seizures and I'm worried sick

kay1214

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My mom did take him to the vet after my 5 year old Long haired male cat had a huge seizure..I was at work when I got the news. He's always been healthy, he's the only cat I've owned, and he's never been outside! The vet prescribed phenobarbital so we've been mixing that with his wet food and he hasn't had a huge seizure since but I read about smaller seizures and I think he's having them. More info
I woke up the day before his huge seizure happened to a loud yowl from him and he had a foamy mouth. I was so worried but I just thought he threw up. Then my mom witnessed a full blown seizure the next day and I figured he probably had a seizure the night I was asleep? The vet took a blood test that turned out fine. His heart, liver and kidneys were fine. X-rays turned out fine. He said he didn't think my cat had epilepsy but gave my mom a script for phenobarbital to calm any more seizures. I dropped his script off and had to wait till the next day to get it. The next morning he had a full blown seizure right in front of me. Then he got up and seemed 'fine'. A little loopy but nothing major.

Now, month later, he hasn't had any huge seizures since taking his medicine but I've noticed he's just still not right....he twitches often. Shakes his head, rubs his head on surfaces. Bites and licks at his feet or back end. He never used to do any of this. Also, his fur is CONSTANTLY shedding. It's gotten so bad that my whole room gets covered! Plus I've noticed so much dandruff and he never used to have dandruff....his skin was so shiny all the time! He also wheezes as he sleeps, and sometimes randomly wakes up and looks and stares up and nothing. I've also noticed his belly is bigger, like he has a gut and I pressed on it lightly and he didn't like it too much.

I know who the mother is because my friends cat is the one that gave birth to him. She also gave birth to a full sister of his and a half brother and sister and they're all completely fine! My cat is neutered and I feel like I've done everything right so why is this happening??? As I write this, I'm just so lost and confused and my heart is broken. I'm crying my eyes out because I just feel like nobody has any answers as for why my healthy baby suddenly went through all of this at five years old. He came into my life when I was going through a very difficult time coping with my father dying and other things in my life....I was depressed and he's my little angel. I just feel so helpless and I get so paranoid that I keep checking on him at night to see if he's still breathing...someone please help. Just give me some kind of advice...anything. I'm so scared.

his dandruff.

My black carpet and his shedding.
 
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pushylady

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I don't have any experiences with cats and seizures, but just wanted to say I'm sorry this is suddenly happening to your cat. He sounds like a very well cared for and loved cat and for this to come out of the blue is obviously extremely upsetting. :hugs:

Regards his dandruff and shedding, I'm assuming this has just started since being put on the phenobartital? It could be a side effect of that and I wondering if you could counteract it with something like salmon or krill oil which I've heard is good for their coats.
 
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kay1214

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Thank you both! It could be a side effect, never thought of that really. I did try and put my cat on a natural diet but he refuses to eat the dry. He can't stand it. I'll try the krill oil/salmon though to see if it helps with his coat.
 

momto3cats

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Rosemary extract, which is a common ingredient in cat food these days, can cause seizures (or make them worse/more frequent)  in some cats and dogs. You might want to check your cat's food and see if it contains rosemary. 

http://www.thedogpress.com/DogFood/Rosemary-Neurotoxin-10032_Liquorman.asp

I don't think it's a problem for most animals, but cats and dogs who are prone to seizures should not be fed rosemary IMO.
 

mosimom

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Thank you both! It could be a side effect, never thought of that really. I did try and put my cat on a natural diet but he refuses to eat the dry. He can't stand it. I'll try the krill oil/salmon though to see if it helps with his coat.
What are you feeding? That is great that he doesn't like dry! Try grain free canned if you are not already. Read the replies in that link...try coconut oil....bacon grease.....fats....

Good luck!
 
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kay1214

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Rosemary extract, which is a common ingredient in cat food these days, can cause seizures (or make them worse/more frequent)  in some cats and dogs. You might want to check your cat's food and see if it contains rosemary. 

I don't think it's a problem for most animals, but cats and dogs who are prone to seizures should not be fed rosemary IMO.
Thank you for the helpful tip! I am going crazy by making sure everything is 100% healthy for him right now...I'm just praying it's not too late :(
 
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kay1214

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Oops sorry I quoted your reply and hit the send button to fast. I'm currently feeding him wellness core grain free wet cat food. He seems to like it a lot but I'm going to research this brand more just in case!

I WAS feeding him Friskies surf and turf dry food and I'd give him like 1/2 can friskies wet can food a day before he had the seizures. However I looked up some things online and read some bad things, more so about the Purina Dog Food but some people said they think their friskies cat food got their cat sick. So now I'm just paranoid about that. This website and board though makes me feel better.....so I'm glad I found you guys!
 
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kay1214

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Update on Jax....

I decided to ease my mind more since I've barely gotten any sleep....to go see a different vet for a second opinion. My mom and I took him to a Cats Only specialist, who was very friendly and gave him a great examination. They took a blood test to see if he perhaps has toxoplasmosis and I'll get the results back in a week. They ruled out FIV based on his passed blood test. She told me if its toxoplasmosis it's very treatable but for now she just gave me the phenobarbital in pill form so he eats it in those treats they have out. She did tell me if he doesn't have toxoplasmosis then my only other option which is for me to decide is better or not is too seek a neurologist so they could rule out epilepsy (even though that would mean he would have the worst thing imaginable to me, brain cancer). She said a spinal tap and MRI would cost around three grand which I most certainly don't have what so ever. So it's bad to say I guess I have to hope he has toxoplasmosis? Rather that then the alternatives.

One problem is I don't see how he could even get toxoplasmosis. No other cats have ever been here to spread it to him, he stays indoors, and I don't think he's ever gotten a hold of raw meat and consumed it...not to my knowledge at least. But maybe there's a chance he got it somehow randomly I guess? Who knows.

I feel a lot better at least knowing he was being examined thoroughly and properly. At least I know in trying to do the best I can. It's still very hard to think this happened in the first place...why my cat? What did he ever do? But everybody's cat is just like mine, nobody deserves stuff like this....EVER. Thank you all though for responding on here...I think this is a great site and community where people can just vent and ask questions and we all love or pets and cats. I really appreciate the help :) just pray and wish for my baby right now that his seizures aren't anything beyond my control....thank you!

 
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