Aa
Does my cat have nerve issues?
I picked up a shelter cat about 6 months ago. The shelter gave him a clean bill of health, although I suspected they lied to us about his last deworming, as shortly after getting him we had to take him to a vet for a tape worm. The vet took care of everything good, and the cat also got a clean bill of health there.
Starting about 3 months ago my cat started doing what I call "dancing." At first I thought it was just some cute and quirky thing he was doing, but the more I've seen him do it and the more frequent it becomes I'm starting to get worried. The best I can describe the behavior is as follows.
The cat will be walking at a normal pace in any direction and rapidly arches his back and lifts his front legs off the ground, when he lifts them off the ground his legs are 100% locked straight and front of him, he looks like a human sticking their arms out as far as they can. I've also noticed that his paws (toes) are all separated when he does this, and he usually continues to try and walk forward while he does it creating a weird sort of jerking motion as he tries to keep his balance.
The whole motion lasts only about 3 - 5 seconds and then he's fine for awhile. Is he just stretching in an overly comical way? He doesn't make any noise or cry out when he's doing it, nor does it look painful, but it doesn't look like he's in "control" of the action because why would he continue walking. His paws will get anywhere from 6 inches to about a foot off the ground depending on how much he comes up, but as I mentioned, through the whole motion his legs remain locked and his paws very "expanded."
What is going on?
Starting about 3 months ago my cat started doing what I call "dancing." At first I thought it was just some cute and quirky thing he was doing, but the more I've seen him do it and the more frequent it becomes I'm starting to get worried. The best I can describe the behavior is as follows.
The cat will be walking at a normal pace in any direction and rapidly arches his back and lifts his front legs off the ground, when he lifts them off the ground his legs are 100% locked straight and front of him, he looks like a human sticking their arms out as far as they can. I've also noticed that his paws (toes) are all separated when he does this, and he usually continues to try and walk forward while he does it creating a weird sort of jerking motion as he tries to keep his balance.
The whole motion lasts only about 3 - 5 seconds and then he's fine for awhile. Is he just stretching in an overly comical way? He doesn't make any noise or cry out when he's doing it, nor does it look painful, but it doesn't look like he's in "control" of the action because why would he continue walking. His paws will get anywhere from 6 inches to about a foot off the ground depending on how much he comes up, but as I mentioned, through the whole motion his legs remain locked and his paws very "expanded."
What is going on?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That is the strangest thing I have ever heard of.
Unfortunately though it sounds like a motor-tic issue or a seizure. If you were me client I would say videotape it and let me see it before I comment. I would ask your vet to view a video taping.
Keep me posted.
Unfortunately though it sounds like a motor-tic issue or a seizure. If you were me client I would say videotape it and let me see it before I comment. I would ask your vet to view a video taping.
Keep me posted.
I would also like to add, it does happen rarely on occasion when he's running round the living room. In this circumstance he doesn't get as high of the ground and it looks like he's "skpping" the same way those fainting goats do before they fall over. Again, it only lasts for a few seconds so he maintains balance.
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