![]() Along with assessing your cat’s brain function, your vet will also check for any other physical damage that could have happened elsewhere in your cat’s body at the same time. Many factors are important in this history, such as how much time your cat spends outside, if you live close to a road, and if anybody witnessed the traumatic incident happen.Ĭat owners should carefully observe their pet’s behavior in the kitty litter box, to see if they are urinating and defecating normally. Your vet will discuss every aspect of your cat’s condition and review their overall health. Your veterinarian may take the following steps. However, in general, after any trauma that is severe enough to cause a concussion, it is safest to take your cat to the emergency veterinary service for medical attention if your daytime vet is closed. If the concussion is very mild, and your cat has rapidly made a full recovery after a traumatic incident, you may wish to monitor them at home. This is why it is so important to take concussions seriously.Īny cat that develops suspected concussions should be taken to your DVM veterinarian urgently so that the problem can be identified and assessed, and so that treatment can be given. Concussions are temporary, but more serious injuries following head trauma can lead to permanent brain damage. These can present in a similar way to concussions, but with a more severe degree of change. What To Do if You Suspect Your Cat Has ConcussionsĬoncussions can follow any head trauma, but more serious brain injuries may also happen. The problem is more often seen in outdoor cats, as they are more likely to encounter trauma. While outdoor cats are more often affected by concussions, it could happen to any cat.Ĭoncussions in cats of all ages are common, with a number of possible causes. Other possible effects can include pupils of different sizes, vomiting, and side-to-side flicking of the eyes (“nystagmus”). An affected cat may occasionally suffer seizures. Symptoms of Concussions in CatsĬoncussion symptoms include unresponsiveness, sleepiness, lethargy, lack of normal alertness, walking with an abnormal gait, trouble walking around, jumping up or down, and struggling to climb stairs.Ĭats may suffer dizziness, staggering, walking in circles, swaying, or they may just wish to stay still, sleeping more than normal. If their head or neck was involved at all, or if they were shaken or thrown around, concussions are very likely. If you have witnessed a cat suffering some sort of trauma (such as a road accident, a fall from a height, or an attack by a dog), then you should be aware of the risk of concussions. How To Know That a Cat Is Suffering From Concussions Cats cannot tell us this, so we need to observe them ourselves to appreciate that they have concussions. In a more serious case, affected (“concussed”) cats suffer impaired brain function, leading to an altered state of mental alertness.In a mild case, there is a brief loss of consciousness, after which the cat returns to normal.Repeated or multiple incidents are known as “concussions” and a cat could then be said to suffer from “concussions.” What Are the Signs of Concussions in Cats?Ĭoncussions in cats are not life-threatening in themselves, but the effects of a feline concussion can range from mild to serious. With concussions, there is some misunderstanding about the precise terminology, and in particular, the difference between the singular (“concussion”) and plural (“concussions”).Ī single incident is known as “a concussion” and a cat may be said to be suffering from “concussion” or “a concussion.” Laceration – there is physical damage (the equivalent of a cut with a knife) to brain tissue.Contusion or bruising – there is physical damage leading to hemorrhage within the brain tissue.More serious traumatic brain injuries include: Under the microscope, the brain tissue appears normal. There is no discernible physical damage to the brain cells. This then leads to temporary disruption of brain function and can lead to brain swelling. This causes compression and twisting of brain tissue, stretching and damaging brain cells. The word “concussion” comes from the Latin word “concutere,” which means “to shake violently.”Ĭoncussions in cats are caused by head trauma, such as a blow or knock to the head, or by trauma to the body which causes the head and brain to move suddenly in opposing directions, causing the brain to be jolted inside the skull. ![]() What Concussions in Cats MeanĪ concussion is the mildest type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Other Names: Dazed, loss of consciousness, fainted, stunned.
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