Violent awakenings of my cat

[holly harrison]

My cat awakens violently. She does this at least 1-2 times a month.  When she is laying on me she causes me some significant harm sometimes. She is 7 years old and I became her mom when she was 4. I have no knowledge of whether she did this before since I adopted her from the local pound. I have several scars over the last 2 years. She doesn't always hurt me, but sometimes she doesn't wake up so bad, She will just go from zero to 60 in a blink of an eye. She wakes up like she is scared to death and is fighting for her life. She is sleeping and suddenly she literally pops up like something pushed her from underneath, spin/flip wildly around and then land a distance away. She stands with her ears back and seems confused for a minute. I know she can't help it, but I am getting hurt too. I don't know if she is having a nightmare or if she has a neurological problem. I don't have a lot of money and I am hoping I can get some advice. Maybe it's normal or maybe it "just happens." I have scars up the side of my neck and jaw, on my arm, stomach and now, as of 2 nights ago, on my left calf. The night before last we were lying in the recliner. She was between my knees and she just went from being asleep to bouncing like popcorn. her back claws tore the back of my calf up. I just worry for her and I want to help if I can. I feel bad that she may have had a bad experience in her former home. Should I just take her to the vet and if I do how can they figure it out without so many tests I can't afford? Are there simple tests? Is there anything I can do for her at home? She always sleeps with me and doesn't sleep in a high place of danger. She lives in a limited space as I do.

 

[Norachan]

No, this doesn't sound normal to me. The first thing I'd do is check for fleas. Suddenly being bitten by fleas could cause her to wake up like this. Once you've ruled that out you should have her checked for FHS. Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. You can Google this and have a look on Youtube. I think there are some videos of cats who suffer from this syndrome on their.

How is her behaviour when she is awake? Have you noticed any twitching? Does she suddenly start biting her tail or her flanks?

 

[holly harrison]

She has never had fleas anytime with me as her momma. I have heard of Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome. It never occurred to me to look on Youtube. Good idea! As far as when she is awake, no, she acts totally normal. I have never observed any twitching or abnormal behavior. Thank you for answering me and giving me a jumping off point.

 

[holly harrison]

I just watched videos for Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome and my car doesn't do the licking thing or act like she is trying to outrun what is "getting" her like in the videos. She doesn't lick her flanks like the ones in the videos either. She only snaps awake, spazzes out and jumps/falls from where she was sleeping. Since she sleeps on me I take the brunt of the invisible attack she seems to be reacting to.

 

[holly harrison]

Is there anyone who can help me with some ideas? She doesn't have the rolling skin thing with the Hyperesthesia. Any other ideas? It's like she is just having nightmares.

 

[Norachan]

Hi Holly,

I'm going to bump your post to the head of the queue so it will get more attention.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Hmm.... It's a shame we don't have information about her past to go on.  My first thought is wondering if she experienced something bad before she came to you.  From what I remember reading; cats go from asleep to alert extremely quickly.  I suppose she could be waking from a vivid dream.  Does she seem to be dreaming when she does this?  Noodles does a lot of paw and whisker twitching when she is in a deep sleep.  With Mooch it's harder to tell. 

 

[ritz]

Ritz has FHS, and based on your description, it doesn't sound like FHS.
I'm thinking some type of muscle spasm, which can be quite painful. Perhaps her sleep is really really deep; Ritz twitches when she's in a really deep sleep. Do her eyes flutter?
My thought/guess is to try petting her on all areas of her body and seeing if she reacts.
Regarding testing, don't know. MRI comes to mind, and some other expensive tests usually done on humans.

 

[holly harrison]

She is definitely dreaming when she does it. her whiskers and paws are gyrating and twitching like crazy. The only thing I can say for sure is that she never did it until we moved and shortly thereafter my doggie died. I really have nothing else to go on. Also, I am sorry if I am slow responding. I have health issues and sometimes I don't come online except every other day. I am grateful for everyone's help and time.

 

[holly harrison]

Thank you so very much. Any help is appreciated.

 

[holly harrison]

Her back is very sensitive. Her skin twitches and ripples fast and hard when I scratch it. She seriously freaks out if I touch her butt or if I try to brush the back of her legs near her butt. I can't afford serious testing since I am alone and on a disability fixed income. It's just little ole me and her. There isn't anywhere for me to get financially assisted help here. I live in the boondocks and there just isn't something like that around here. I guess I was really hoping for something I might be able to find in stores or online that may help us.

 

[ritz]

Is your cat a stressful cat overall (Ritz is).
You *might* try something like Feliway, it can calm cats down.
Maybe play peaceful music when she's sleeping.

 

[holly harrison]

I have considered buying one of this diffusers. I actually think I will now. It's worth a shot, right? She doesn't seem stressful, but I have never really thought of it that way. She does obsessively lick me. She insists upon it. She wants to wash my face with her extremely painful rough tongue. I have to fight her to not lick my face when I am trying to go to sleep. She doesn't wash me while I am asleep though. It's really weird, but she licks and licks and licks and....well you get the idea. She always has to lay on me and would 24.7 if I would let her by sitting 24/7. I have never had a cat that was so clingy. I love her more for it though. Is that weird? She loves me so much and is very very unhappy when I am away from home. So, basically yes, she is a stressful kitty in her own way. I should have seen that. Oh sheesh, she is asleep beside me and power twitching right now. *cowers a little*

 

[meowstheword]

My tabby does the same thing. Id say it happens once or twice a month, but it's like you said, something has litter ally scared the crap out of him from a dead sleep! He jumps, flips, and lands somewhere 3 feet away and looks startled and seems to look for whatever it was that just pushed or threw him out of "bed". He's never laying on me when this hapoens, so I have no scars. He didn't do this for the first couple of years (he's 4), but it seems to happen every now & then. Other than that no problems. His brothers don't do this, and we don't have fleas, nor frantic licking, kicking, or skin rolling. But he is a skiddish cat...always has been since I adopted him, he won't come to anyone but me & hides for all visitors.

I will say this though, I've never slept a decent full night here in my home of 3 yrs....just sayin'

 

[holly harrison]

I tell ya, MeowstheWord, that sounds exactly like what Abbie does. She isn't skittish and co-mingles with everyone in the home. She is pretty quick to want to explore and do anything she wants. We don't have visitors, but when she hears someone at the door she acts kind of funny. She is really hyper alert to what could be going on at the door when that happens. Also, when she is lounging or half asleep and someone sneezes she will jerk or act startled. Maybe she is just getting jumpier in aging. I have no other cats here either. There are a few dogs and they don't bother her. She even rolls around in front of them to get their attention. I guess I should just take it as it is. There is nothing else wrong with her so, it's probably just like your cat.

I want to thank everyone for their help, advice and ideas on directions to take. It has made me feel much better. I honestly am convinced that sites and forums such as this are a God send. It's important to be there and support one another.

 

[lokhismom]

I wish I had some advice for you but to share my experience with my new 4 month old kitty Lokhi.     He has a few times awaken from a dead sleep and bolted behind the couch as if something was chasing  him.  Its happen a few times since I've had him.  I sweetly talk to him to come out and he quickly does but it is scary when it happens. 

He didn't come from a neglected or abusive background so I'm assuming its nightmares he is having. 

 

[Norachan]

Hi Holly,

How're things going with your cat? Did you ever get to the bottom of her behaviour?

I was watching My Cat From Hell on Youtube this evening and saw a cat that had really similar problems to yours. Take a look, maybe there is something on here that could help?

 

[manemelissa]

OMG that's funny, I was thinking the exact same thing! The things that make me think this is that you've mentioned it looks like she's "dreaming" when she does it. When cats/people twitch in their sleep it's because they're in REM sleep, and there's a chemical that prevents your body from twitching so much that it wakes you up or causes you to hurt yourself. The cat in that video Norachan posted had multiple episodes a day, pretty much every time it was asleep (if I remember right!); but maybe there's some connection?

 

[holly harrison]

Yeah I saw this episode when it aired. My cat doesn't act like this when she is sleepy. She twitched a lot like she is dreaming, but she doesn't do it to the extreme the cat in the video does. She doesn't do it on a daily basis either. When she does it it's just one sudden, violent and spastic reaction as if she is having a horrifying dream. She always seems to do it when she is laying on me. I have never seen her do it when she is laying somewhere by herself. It only happens every 2-3 months too. I have resigned myself to accepting the fact she is just this way. I just deal with it basically. I love her more than anything so if I have to endure scars all over from her episodes then, so be it. She hasn't hurt herself yet.

 

[furmonster mom]

.... yet.

The whole idea is to avoid that "yet" from happening.

I wouldn't expect that cats would act exactly the same way. 

It couldn't hurt to ask your vet or a specialist if there may be something to the low melatonin or stroke possibility.