Help!

[MwMkomla]

Help it is currently 4am where I love and I was just woken up by my cat randomly running around. The only reason this has me worried is because he has been licking himself from head to toe non stop and schratching himself a lot. Even over trying to eat he is still doing it. He will take a bite pause mid bite and start scratching or licking himself. He’s never done this before and it has me very worried. I can’t go to the vet because they are closed at this time and I’m too afraid to go back to sleep and take my eye off him. Please help with any advice you can give.

 

[MwMkomla]

Help it is currently 4am where I love and I was just woken up by my cat randomly running around. The only reason this has me worried is because he has been licking himself from head to toe non stop and schratching himself a lot. Even over trying to eat he is still doing it. He will take a bite pause mid bite and start scratching or licking himself. He’s never done this before and it has me very worried. I can’t go to the vet because they are closed at this time and I’m too afraid to go back to sleep and take my eye off him. Please help with any advice you can give.

Sorry also he’s 1.5 years old not a kitten

 

[Jem]

Is he continuously licking himself where he may cause irritation in ONE spot? or is it like he runs crazy stops, licks quick a few times, stops like something startled him, scratches, runs a bit more licks again and twitches his skin (rippling skin). Look up online videos on cats with feline hyperesthesia (twitching cat syndrome) that's the one where I described above with the lick, run, lick, twitch...
If he is scratching and licking his full body non stop, I would check for fleas or lice or he may have some sort of skin irritation/allergies. Did you change anything lately? (food, litter, etc..)
Both of the first two suggestions are stress related, so some detective work would be needed as to what is causing the stress. But of course, fleas or lice are still very much a possibility. I hope the vet will find the cause soon, it's no fun to watch you cat in distress.
Oh and YOU are the "kitten", being new to the site. If that's what you were referring to when you apologized about your cat's age

 

[biscuity]

I would call your vet's emergency line & get him some help urgently.

 

[MwMkomla]

Yea I looked up a few things online thinking it would help but it just made me more paranoid. None of the vets in my town are open today either just my luck. It’s leading more towards hyperesthisia than anything else. He at first was all over the place like you described, but now he just sits in one spot and licks his entire body and scratches where he can scratch. It calmed down for a while but it started up again. Been a very long morning for me as I’ve been too afraid to go back to sleep.

 

[MwMkomla]

And yea I thought that was my cats age lol that’s funny you guys have that for new members

 

[MwMkomla]

Also it started out of nowhere he was fine all day then I go to bed and wake up to this craziness I wish I was awake when it started so I knew exactly what he was doing

 

[Daisy6]

And yeah I thought that was my cats age lol that’s funny you guys have that for new members

I tihnk it's cute. Up to a certain post count it will change to Adult Cst.

BTW the Purriase link is liking a post.

 

[Jem]

My cat who has anxiety, suffers from hyperesthesia, among other stress related behavior problems. It's not fun, I get it. Although it's difficult to watch, hyperesthesia is not a life endangering condition on it's own, but if something is stressing him out that this started so quickly, it could lead to more serious problems. Watch for any change in eating drinking and especially his bathroom breaks. If he strains to pee or only a small amount comes out, he needs to go to the vet IMMEDIATELY. There is always the option (as much as it sucks) to go to the ER vet that's on call. I know you said your vet is not open today but I urge you to call as soon as possible to make sure this sudden "stress" (if indeed it is stress) is not CAUSED BY something more serious and to make sure that his stress does not CAUSE something more serious.
I hope I'm not adding to your stress with this information, but I as I said hyperesthesia is not a danger on it's own, just that whatever caused it or what could happen because of the stress can be dangerous.
In the mean time (until you get your cat to a vet), when ours starts up with his "episodes" we use 2 to 3 fingers and delicately stroke the bridge of his nose and do small circles on top of his head and a bit at the tip of under his chin. Petting him on his body will sometimes make it worse, it's like he is "hypersensitive to touch" but the face touching calms him. We will also bring him to his favorite sleeping spot, give him some treats to distract him, do the petting thing and make our "kissy clicking" noise, that to him, means something good is coming. (It was our own version of click training for his behaviors) It works MOST of the time.
Maybe he heard, saw or smelled something in the middle of the night that spooked him?
Have you checked his skin at all yet? (fleas, lice, maybe he got stung or bit by something, rash...).
If I think of more, I'll come back.
Hope your cat feels better soon and comes back with a clean bill of health after seeing a vet.

 

[MwMkomla]

Well where I live it’s super Smokey right now because of the neighboring cities and surrounding areas having forest fires, last night there was also a pretty bad storm. It’s the fact that it started so randomly that bugs me he was fine when I went to bed. I’ve tried to check him for fleas and lice but haven’t seen anything and he also won’t sit still (probably because he’s stressing) he seems to be alright for a few hours to an hour then something triggers it again. Roommate said that last night his cat seemed strang too but only in that he was wet as if sweating heavily. So not sure what to think. I’m hoping to get him into the vets ASAP as I am supposed to be going on vacation at the end of the week and if he’s still like this I would never forgive myself for going on vacay.
Thanks for this very informative response, unfortunately part of doing the research is finding things that might make you worry more so I appreciate the help.

 

[Jem]

About your roommates cat....cats don't sweat. Well they can sweat bit from the pads of their paws, but not enough to get them all wet. Have you or your roommate searched the house for a water source? (open window + storm = unhappy wet cat . Both the smoke and the storm could cause a stressful situation for a cat. One they can't "escape" the threat of the fire, (they don't know they are safe) and some can animals actually "feel" a storm and it makes them physically uncomfortable. In the midst of the stressful night, they may have fought or got startled and one ended up in the water dish. IDK.
And on a different topic, I hope you and your family are well out of harms way of the fires. We have some near us as well. It's been a tough year for forest fires. All the best.

 

[MwMkomla]

Yea I didn’t think so lol was probably my roomate sweating so much he got the cat wet haha, as for your theory on the storm/fires that could be it because the first thing I smelt when he woke me up was the smoke outside.and the storm wasn’t close enough to hear but I could see the lightning so that makes sense. And thank you I hope you and your family are safe as well!

 

[MwMkomla]

Update for you Jena since you were so helpful! I seem to have figured it out, turns out he was reacting to the smoke from the forest fires, once I closed my window it took about half an hour for the air inside to filter out and he’s been fine since, will update you in the AM to confirm! Thank you so much for your concern and help

 

[MwMkomla]

Jema*

 

[MwMkomla]

Oh it’s just jem hahaha

 

[MwMkomla]

So am update he’s doing it again I checked him with a comb for ticks and fleas so I’m thinking it’s hyperesthesia gunna take him to the vet today

 

[Jem]

Hope the vet gives him a clean bill of health, I would love an update when you have it.

 

[MwMkomla]

Will do thanks jem