Unfortunately, yes, we are suspecting that and all I can say is that I do plan
to address that with my vet on Monday b/c I can talk to him like that. I was
hoping he might have some insight. I didn't want to say anything in my
original email b/c I don't want to accuse anyone with little to no proof. But
the cause of the sezizures IS important to me b/c of the fact that if the cause
is organic (dry FIP, Toxo, Tumor), then we are dealing with something
degenerative and fatal. Thus if his quality of life is horrible, I will do the
right thing by him. However, if the seizures have been induced by trauma, then
there is the possibility that the neurological damage is finite and can be
managed. My mom is a classic over-reactor, but at the same time, pretty
astute. She did not want to adopt this cat to this lady from the get go b/c of
the lady's oddness and obvious health problems and my mom and I both do
"profiling"/matching of potential adoptive parents and we are good at it! From
the get go, she did not think a hyperactive kitten was right for these people-
I agreed and I fought the good fight, but they paid their money and I got
over-ruled. My mom could barely handle him when I fostered him and would get
aggravated with him, so honestly I think this is what started her down the road
in her thinking of abuse/trauma. She apparently did research last night and
this solidfied her suspicions. I am suspicious too b/c the claws. And until I
witness a seizure myself, that is going to bother me. He freaks if I get near
them- and I know they must pain him so (he essentially supposedly declawed
himself)-- but it's just the way he reacted...I don't know-- so violent, like
he was prepared to fight for his life over his paw- not like it hurt him to
have it touched? Also because of his slight neglectful appearance-- nothing
major, but not acceptable by my standards at all! An indoor cat with fleas?
Hell no, not on my watch! And I just don't believe much of what they said
about him not ever growling before until recently? That lil monster growled
all the time when I fostered him- when playing with a toy or when he was
running around and I would scoop him up, he would growl like a dog and I would
laugh at laugh at him! That was like a part of his personality? I just don't
know. He doesn't really want me to pick him up. I sometimes think that is
because he thinks I'm going to treat him. The toys- he just doesn't seem to
know what they are. Which breaks my heart b/c he used to be a major toy
player. They seem to trigger something in him so I have put them away. I will
have to watch for that kind of walking, but he is a "stalker" he does kind of
stalk around and the only way I can describe it is like a wild cat at the zoo
in a cage. Pacing back and forth? And he does this in his crate, but out too.
It's not a play-stalk like cats do when they get low to the ground and shake
their booty just before they pounce. He's straight up, no low stance and just
kind of pacing, circling?
Whatever happened to him, I'll never not blame myself I guess. But at the same
time, I would not want this cat in anyone else's care right now. I trust no
one to do the right thing as much as I trust myself. I am not perfect, but I
am good and I know I will make the right decisions by him. I honestly can't
say I know one person who if they said to me right now they would take him on
for me and lighten my already over-bearing load (that I have made a concerted
effort to lighten lately b/c of my new demanding job!), that I would say "Okay,
I trust you!" Ugh.
caroline > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org> Date:
Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:23:16 +0000> Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Seizures?> > Hi,> > I
do have experience with feline seizures as I have a cat that suffered head
trauma (before I rescued him). My cat is not aggressive in any way but he does
display other odd behaviors. He does not play with toys and he is not
interested in catnip. He's really not curious about anything. The phenobarbital
is a strong sedative and I think that explains some of my cat's behavior. He is
on a fairly high dose to help control the seizures. Have you checked the cat's
mouth? I've found that sometimes cats freak out with medication because they
have bad teeth or mouth sores. > > Is there any possibility that the couple
abused the cat or that the cat had a head injury? The bloodied nails are a bit
suspicious. We have carpeting and all the times my cat has had a seizure he's
never gotten stuck in the carpet in any way, though I imagine it could happen.>
> One common sign of brain injury or damage is when a cat walks in a tight
circle over and over again. My cat does that and if he's doing it too much I
have to give him extra medication to hopefully avoid a seizure.> > --> Michele>
> -------------- Original message -------------- > From: Caroline Kaufmann
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > I apologize for the length of this email but I
need some help. It appears the > > non-FELV kittens that I fostered a year ago
in Sept.- whom all had severe UTIs > > and were rescued from the general
population at Metro-- and whom I feel that I > > literally rescued from certain
death due to the severity of their UTIs-- are > > coming back to haunt me. You
may recall that 2 of that group that I was unable > > to get my hands on to
foster early enough I feel- I wasn't able to get to them > > until Dec.- ended
up dying in late Jan. (Posse- maybe of wet FIP or a congenital > > heart
defect- I believe the latter) and early Feb. (Brumley- maybe of dry FIP or > >
Toxo). > > > > Well, one from this same group (we have no info about whether
any are > > littermates, but all were condo-mates and foster-mates at some
point) was > > returned to me yesterday. He was adopted out in Dec.- frankly-
to a lady I did > > not want him to go to, but was forced b/c he was not my
original rescue (it's a > > long story)- but she had clear health issues and
this cat was always the most > > hyperactive kitten I've ever fostered and I
really suspected he would make > > mince-meat of this old lady and her husband.
> > > > They called yesterday to say he's been having seizures since the end of
July. > > He's been to the vet twice- shortly after the seizures started. I'm
not clear > > on what the vet did that first visit- the people said vet took
blood, didn't > > find anything, and the cat was doing okay until recently when
the seizures > > started again. I did have the vet fax me records, but I am
having difficulty > > reading her notes from the first visit for seizures. The
adoptive parents say > > he pulled out nails during the seizures on the carpet
and he indeed seems to > > have a few bloodied nails- but he won't let me touch
them to examine. The vet > > put him on clavamox for the nails. > > > > They
took him to the vet yesterday morning again due to more seziures and the > >
vet took more blood to send off to the lab to check for FIV/FELV and most > >
importantly, Toxoplasmosis (he previously tested neg for Felv/FIV). We are > >
awaiting those results that won't be in until Monday at the earliest and of > >
course, I know ALL about the titers and the antibodies so I don't necessarily >
> expect the blood work to tell me much, unless of course his Toxo titers are
thru > > the roof (but even still?). > > > > Other than his bloodied nails and
just looking a tad more neglected than I would > > like (some dander, dirty
back feet pads, getting fat- big belly droop that I am > > NOT happy about- the
cat just turned 1!, and he had fleas (which the vet treated > > him for)), he
looks like a wonderfully healthy cat. But then again, if he's > > having
neurological issues, I wouldn't necessarily expect him to look unhealthy > > on
the outside. > > > > The adoptive parents called me b/c they said they cannot
medicate him. They > > were given Phenobaribitol to help control the seziures
and Clavamox. The lady > > said she couldn't get either in him b/c he is
aggressive and has bit her many > > times and scratched her.l The husband got
on the phone and said his wife is not > > in good health, he's trying to care
for her, and he "can't have the cat doing > > that to her" so if I didn't come
get him, he would put him down. I asked if he > > was willing to wait until the
results of the blood panel JUST taken that morning > > came back (which they
will have to pay for?) and he said no. So I knew I wasn't > > dealing with
people like me and there was no way I was going to ask any more > > questions
other than those regarding his health and meds. > > > > I've had him since
yesterday and I was able to medicate him, but then again, > > come on, I'm
good-- I have to admit that. I've had the worst of the worst and > > I've been
doing this since I was 5, so.... I figured these two people just can't > >
handle even the slightest struggling cat-- she is a teeny tiny thing with frail
> > arms that shake, she is almost legally blind I think and she is prone to >
> falling, so, yeah, when this cat decided he didn't want to be medicated
anymore, > > there wasn't anything these people could do about it! So far, he
has not had > > any seizures in my presence and I spent most of last evening
with him. It > > doesn't appear he had any in his crate either b/c the crate is
not trashed. But > > I have gotten all his Phenobar doses in. > > > > What I
have observed is odd behavior changes. When I fostered this cat-- he was > >
just always nutty and hyper. He would run around like a crazy thing and when I
> > would go to pick him up, he would growl. I thought it was funny and
harmless > > and he did it only b/c he wanted to be down and running- just a
willfull little > > monster. My mom thought he was beyond a handfull and
couldn't wait for him to > > get adopted b/c he was just a maniac! His adoptive
parents said yesterday that > > he only recently started growling and he "never
did that before"- which I find > > that hard to believe b/c he always growled!?
That was his "thing." I treated > > it like a party trick b/c I like for them
to all have their own lil > > personalities- even if it's something stupid like
growling for no reason! So now > > I just don't know if I believe anything
these people say. Their vet said the > > seziures are not good news and she
suspects Toxo or a tumor and that his > > behavior changes could be from the
neurological defects- especially if it's a > > tumor. I guess it's too early to
speculate. I have set him an appointment with > > the Doctor that I entrusted
Brumley's care to and I felt did a good job with > > Brum and whom I
communicate with so well. The appt is Monday. > > > > In the meantime, this is
scary and new territory for me. I haven't mixed the > > lil dude with my Yoda,
and the two current fosters I have. They all live in my > > room and share a
condo at night and they have become the 3 Musketeers! One is a > > kitten and I
don't want to expose her to anything until we have investigated > > further and
also, don't want them to have to be around a seizing cat. They are > > all so
sensitive and very happy with their life as is, so I don't want to throw > >
them for a loop by adding my new and ill dude. Plus, he is demonstrating > >
aggressive qualitites that I just don't know if they are behavioral or part of
> > some neurological disorder? He does not like treatment- what cat does?- but
I > > do have to treat him like a wild animal for the medicating b/c it's like
a > > switch flips and he knows what I am trying to do and he instantly starts
> > stalking around the room, growling and hissing. He also seems to have lost
his > > ability to play with toys? All my fosters are toy-heads and he was
definitely > > one. When I brought him toys last night, he looked at them like
he didn't know > > what they were and if I tossed one, he growled at it and
became aggressive- not > > play aggressive, but actually mad! Not good mad at
all. Thus I stopped doing > > that b/c I felt like toys were a potential
provoker. He seems to enjoy laying > > around the room with me. He does purr
and knead and rub up against me, lay with > > me and enjoy scratching. But if I
get out a towel to wrap him up for > > medicating, literally, it's like from 0
to 60 instantly and he becomes Mr. Hyde. > > It's very odd. I'm just stumped. I
plan to rely on my vet on Monday A LOT > > obviously, but if anyone has had any
experience with seziures in cats or has any > > thoughts on the behavior vs.
neurological defects debate, I would so appreciate > > it. I think we are doing
okay considering, but I just need some other heads in > > the mix to help me
solve this puzzle. > > > > thanks > > caroline > >
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