What Do Cats Dream About
According to veterinary neurologist, Adrian Morrison, when cats experience REM sleep, they tend to move their heads as though theyre following or watching something. So, its likely that when our furballs are curled up snoozing, that theyre probably dreaming about their favourite pastime hunting.
Research in the USA also suggested that cats may dream about things that have happened that day or in the distant or recent past, similar to the way that dogs dream. Cats might dream about snuggling with you on the sofa, hunting a bird or mouse or may be dreaming about an incident that occurred with another cat or dog.
What Are The Symptoms Of Nystagmus
Your eyes move without your control. It might be fast, then slow, then fast again. The movement might be in one eye, but it’s usually in both eyes. You may notice that you nod your head or keep it in strange positions. You do that because it helps you focus when you can’t hold your gaze steady. Things look clearer when you tilt or turn your head.
Objects may seem a little blurry to children with nystagmus. But the world doesn’t look shaky to them. It’s different if you develop the condition as an adult. Then the world appears to move a little when you look around.
Nystagmus may also affect your vision. You might have a hard time seeing in the dark, or you may be sensitive to bright light. You may have problems with balance and dizziness. These can be worse if you’re tired or stressed.
Do All Siamese Cats Suffer From Nystagmus Eye Conditions
While this eye condition is a congenital disability occurring in most cat breeds, in Siamese, the state is considered normal. Often, you can notice the flickering of the cats eyes from side to side, a condition known as Nystagmus.
This condition can be present at birth or develops during infancy. Acquired Nystagmus develops during adulthood, and it can be a symptom of an underlying disease or condition such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, or trauma.
Acquired Nystagmus, in most cases, can go away after the underlying condition is treated. It wont go away until the disease is treated if it results from a severe medical condition such as inner ear disorder, cataracts, stroke, or head injury.
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Why Is My Cat Shivering While Purring
If your cat is trembling while purring, it is likely that because they are purring strong enough for their body to vibrate, and many owners notice their cats tail vibrating. It is known that when cats purr to a certain degree, their body ends up shivering. If you did not notice any sign of abnormal symptoms that might require medical need, our cat is just purring strong enough.
Do Cats Actually Like Being Stroked
In a recent study, conflicting data was surrounding whether cats enjoy being petted or whether it stresses them out. Research indicates that how cats feel about being stroked has a lot to do with their mood while you are attempting to pet them.
So while it may seem like you petting your animal is what is causing them to be stressed, it is more likely the case that there are other external elements that are bothering your pet. For example, maybe your cat is hungry and was expecting breakfast. Or perhaps your cat recently heard a noise that put them on guard.
Cats are always hyperaware of their surroundings, so the odds are that if they seem agitated while you are stroking their fur, it is probably not related to you touching them, but rather something else going on that has bothered them instead.
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Why Do Cats Shake Their Paws What You Need To Know
Your cat, as usual, cuts in front of you while youre walking down the hallway. You notice that your cat starts shaking its paw, but youre not too sure why. You dont think your cat had the chance to hurt itself, but youre still not sure why its happening. So, why do cats shake their paws?
Cat shake their paws if they are sore, wet, or have something stuck in them. Paw shaking can also be a result of declawing issues, muscle spasms, or injuries.
Paw shaking doesnt always mean something terrible has happened to your cat. Your cat may be hurt after a high jump or after declawing, but most of the time, your cat may be shaking its paw because litter or tape may be stuck to its paw. Since there are many reasons for paw shaking, lets talk a little more about its means and why it happens.
Does Nystagmus Cause The Eyes Of My Siamese Cat To Move Side By Side
Yes, Nystagmus is responsible for rhythmic and involuntary oscillation of the cats eyeballs.
Such a movement indicates unintentional eye movement, a characteristic sign of a severe problem in the cats nervous system. Does Nystagmus get better over time?
Although there is no treatment for Nystagmus today, there are several things you can do to help manage this eye condition and help make use of most of the sight.
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Do Female Cats Spray After Being Fixed
Neutering will change the odor, and may reduce the cats motivation for spraying, but approximately 10% of neutered males and 5% of spayed females will continue urine spraying and marking. While cats in multiple cat households are often involved in spraying behaviors, cats that are housed singly may spray as well.
Tail And Body Language
Some cats are very vocal. They will meow, purr, hiss, growl, and chirrup. Some of these reactions are instinctive and evolutionary. Some have been learned as cats have adapted to living with humans.
For example, cats only rarely meow at their mothers when they are kittens. It is not a means of communication between adult cats, but domesticated cats meow throughout their lives. They do this as a means of communicating with humans.
So, despite being unable to talk, cats are highly skilled communicators, and as well as their vocabulary of cat noises, they rely heavily on body language and body motions to help communicate messages to other animals and people. Their tail is one of the most expressive areas of the body.
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Blindness From Untreated Eye Infections
Eye infections are a treatable condition in cats however, severe eye infections and eye infections which are left untreated can cause permanent blindness in cats. As well as the risk of blindness, eye infections cause extreme discomfort and pain. It is therefore extremely important that cats with eye infections are given veterinary attention.
Conjunctivitis is the most commonly diagnosed eye infection in cats. This is where the infection leads to inflammation of the conjunctiva the pink membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids and the outer surface of the eyeball . Left untreated, conjunctivitis can lead to eye damage, vision loss and blindness.
Eye infections can be caused by injuries to the eye, or foreign objects in the eye . Newborn kittens may develop eye infections due to vaginal infections of the mother at the time of birth, as well as being born into an unsanitary environment.
Can I Put Peroxide In My Cats Ear
No! You should never use peroxide on your cats ear. My cat Watsons vet has emphasized to us that its a big no-no. Peroxides can irritate the ear canal, which will lead to further head shaking and infections.
When it comes to ear cleaning, you should use an ear cleaner made for felines. This product has antifungal and antibacterial characteristics while remaining gentle on the kittys ears. Your cats veterinarian can prescribe a suitable ear cleaner for your pet. Just remember that youre not supposed to use dog ear cleaners on cats.
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Why Does Shivering Occur In Cats
Sometimes, you notice involuntary seizure-like movements across the head, legs, and tail of your kitty. These tremors can be scary for both cat and pet owner as well. It can last either for a few minutes or continue for an hour or more.
So, you must take appropriate measures to overcome this painful shaking in your furry friend. Several stimuli can cause trembling in your adult cat or kitten.
These include the following, which Ill dive into more detail below:
- Hypoglycemia
- Trauma
Tips For Living With Nystagmus
There are things you can do at home to make it easier to deal with your “dancing eyes.” Use large-print books and turn up the print size on your computer, tablet, and phone. More lighting may help with vision, too.
If your child has nystagmus, encourage them to use their eyes. Big and brightly colored toys are easiest to use. Choose toys that make noise and have unique textures.
Let your child hold books close to their eyes with their head tilted. Let them wear a hat or tinted glasses — even indoors — to reduce glare.
Talk to your child’s teacher to make things easier at school. It would be hard for them to share books or papers. Let them choose where to sit so they can see the board and the teacher.
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Why Does This Happen
So while this behavior isnt unusual, you may still be wondering why cats can sleep with their eyes open. The explanation may surprise you and make you marvel at your cat even more.
Just like us, cats experience a sleep cycle with multiple stages. When they are in a light sleep, their eyes are more likely to open. Although they are resting, their body is still aware of its surroundings and reacts to everything thats going on. You may also notice their ears twitching and facing in the direction of whatever has caught their attention. While your home is a safe place, your cats instincts never take a break. Sleeping with her eyes open allows your cat to keep track of her environment and feel more at ease. During the deeper REM sleep stage, most cats will not sleep with their eyes open .
A cat may also sleep with their eyes open because of an injury. Cats have a translucent third eyelid beneath the other two. If this eyelid is wounded, your cat may be unable to close her eye. An eyelid injury is easy to spot, especially when your cat is awake. If the eyelid is damaged, the cat may need surgery. Luckily, eyelid damage is rare and probably not why your cat is dozing with her eyes open. But if your cat is experiencing any other symptoms, be sure to take her to the vet for a full checkup.
Reasons Why Your Cat Is Shaking
1. Hypoglycemia 2. Hyperthermia 3. Hypothermia 4. Pain 5. Stress
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Treatment For Cats Twitching And Shaking
Low or high body temperatures, sickness, or low blood sugar are just a few typical causes for your cat to twitch and shake.
If you observe your cat suddenly shaking, regardless of the severity, it would be great to give your cat some extra attention.
Your veterinarians treatment technique will be determined by their diagnosis of the underlying reason for the trembling.
Treatments for twitching and shaking might range from surgery to drugs to other procedures, depending on the cause of the shaking.
If no cause can be found, medication may be provided to help with the twitching. The following are some of the most frequent therapies for muscular trembling:
- Muscle relaxants
Muscle relaxants are substances that relax the muscles.
This class of drugs aims to relax muscles, which may help lessen or eliminate tremors. To limit the danger of side effects, this therapy must be dosed appropriately for your pets size and physical condition.
- Supplementation
If your cats twitching is caused by a nutrient shortage or imbalance, your veterinarian may offer supplementation to restore the cats nutrient balance.
- Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications.
If it is found that the cause is a mental disease that leaves physical effects, drugs to improve mental state may be prescribed.
To reduce the possibility of side effects, this sort of treatment requires precise dosing.
Putting honey or corn syrup on a diabetic cats gums is an immediate solution to treat low glucose.
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What Does It Mean When A Cat Shakes Its Paw
A cat shaking its paw has various reasons that can include a hurt paw, something on its paw, or memories from being a kitten.
If youre new to cat ownership, seeing your cat shake its paw might be concerning. You might think something is wrong immediately, but that isnt the only reason why a cat may shake its paw.
An injury is one reason that your cat may shake its paw, but the reason can also be as simple as feeling like something is stuck to the bottom of its paw.
Dont start worrying when you see your cat shake its paw, but if different symptoms go along with it, it is a reason for concern. Otherwise, it is okay to write shaking paws off a weird habit of your cat.
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They May Have Declawing Injury
Cat scratches hurt like hell.
Any pet owner knows that. And declawing them might be the only option to reduce their damage.
However, sometimes we may make mistakes in declawing them and since they cannot verbally express their pains.
So much so, realize that it is damage caused by the declawing session.
They try to alleviate their pain by shaking their paws.
If not injured, they might just be feeling discomfort due to it.
That is why cats shake their paws.
How Do You Treat Nystagmus
If you developed nystagmus as an adult, there may be simple things you can do to lessen its effects. Sometimes you may just have to stop a medicine or quit drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Wear the right contacts or glasses to improve vision. It won’t cure nystagmus, but it can help with other eye problems that can make it worse.
Eye muscle surgery may be an option. The goal is to help with the head tilt that often comes with nystagmus. Sometimes surgery improves vision, too.
Some drugs may ease symptoms in adults but not children. These include the anti-seizure medicine gabapentin , the muscle relaxant baclofen , and onabotulinumtoxina .
For people who are very nearsighted, LASIK or Visian ICL can help improve eyesight. The surgeon may advisw you to take relaxation medication before the procedure to lessen the nystagmus.
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Middle And Inner Ear Infections
Typically an ear infection starts at the outer part of a cats ear. From here, the middle and inner of a cats ear can become infected if the bacteria has spread. Its potentially more serious than an outer ear infection as its covering a wider area and going deeper into the ear canal.
Some of the symptoms and signs for us to spot still the same, your cat will keep shaking their head and scratching at their ears. Some other signs to look out for are
- Tilting their head
- Difficulty with balance and distance perception
- A decrease in their appetite
- Excessive blinking or squinting
Middle and inner ear infections need to be examined by a vet. They may even take an x-ray or do a CT scan. Your vet will then prescribe the appropriate treatment to deal with the severity of the infection.
Treatment Of Unintentional Eye Movement In Cats
The appropriate course of treatment will depend on the underlying cause, if one is discovered.
Tumors
If nystagmus and overall vestibular syndrome are a result of a tumor, the vet or surgeon will likely perform a biopsy, followed by surgical removal of the tumor, if required. In some cases, laser surgery is used. Malignant tumors may also be treated with chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Tumors usually affect middle-aged and older cats.
Ear or Fungal Infection
Feline ear infections are typically treated with a course of antibiotics. Anti-fungal medications are also available to treat fungal infections. Severe and recurring cases of ear infection may require surgical treatment.
No Known Cause
A course of treatment will be prescribed based on the severity of symptoms. If your cat is vomiting or having trouble eating, your vet may prescribe medications that reduce vomiting. It is also essential that you monitor your cat while they eat, as they may experience difficulties.
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What To Watch For
An abnormal symptom in your pet could be just a minor or temporary issue, but it could also be the sign of serious illness or disease. Knowing when to seek veterinary help, and how urgently, is essential to taking care of your cat. Many diseases can cause cats to have a characteristic combination of symptoms, which together can be a clear signal that your Siamese needs help.
When Its Time To Call The Vet
Cat eye infections can cause discharge, irritation, and pain and are caused by a number of factors. If an eye condition persists for longer than a day and isn’t getting better, it’s time to make an appointment with a veterinarian to find out what’s wrong, so you can get it treated right away.
Ward advises pet owners to be wary of using old eye medications that were previously prescribed to treat a new problem that crops up. “I’ve seen so many cases where the pet owner has leftover eye medication, and when the is squinting and pawing at red eyes, they try it,” Ward says.
But because eye problems in cats can be caused by so many different issuesfrom allergies to corneal scratchesusing that old medicine without an examination by your vet can cause serious problems and even further damage to your cats eye.
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