Difference in pupil sizes

[toads]

My 9 yr old cat suddenly has a difference in the size of his pupils.  He is eating and acting ok so far.  I have noticed alot of twitching in his tail when he is resting.  Anyone else experienced this?

[zodiacqueen]

Hi, you should make your post a new thread.  You'll get more responses, than this old one here!

Anyway, I know how scary it is trying to make sure an elderly cat stays well....I've got a 17 yr old now.   I am a raving, paranoid lunatic over her.  Admittedly, I probably get on her nerves following her around!!  LOL

Well, about your cat's unsteadiness on her feet and unequal pupils-this may be related to high blood pressure.  High blood pressure causes changes in the brain that can cause the symptoms that you describe.  Unfortunately, vets do not routinely check our cats blood pressures, but they can AND they should.  My cat has high blood pressure, discovered after I discovered blood in her eye from a ruptured blood vessel.  That was the only symptom.  She is now treated w/ 2 blood pressure meds.  

Please get your cats blood pressure checked.  High BP can cause damage to the kidneys, brain, heart, and eyes.

Good luck!

Please come back w/ an update!

PS-That says a whole LOT about you having a 19 yr old cat!!  Congrats!  You've obviously done right by your cat and are a good kitty parent!

[muffie44]

one week ago my 19 yr old cat suddenly was unable to walk straight. we took her to the vet and left with no diagnosis. today, I noticed one pupil is dilated. i'm really scared. any help would be great.

[madgeOwens]

That can indicate head trauma, stroke, or tumor and I would have him checked asap. Are they different size and fixed or do they contrict with a flash light shined into them?Good Luck.

[toads]

Just a quick update.  I took my cat for his 2nd checkup on the condition.  The vet seems to think he had an aneurysm.  She also thinks since the pupil is correcting, that the aneurysm is resolving itself.  I really hope so.  It was a scary thing to have happen to him.  He is also starting to act like his old self.....running around and chasing all his toy mice.
Thanks again for all the advice and concern.

[Ghilly]

Pupils of differing sizes is a condition known as "Horner's Syndrome", and it's important to remember that it is not a disease in and of itself, it is a symptom of some other underlying cause.

There are several things that could cause it, and all of them require a trip to the veterinarian to try to figure out what it is that is causing it.  Head trauma can cause the pupils to be diffferent sizes.  It can be caused by anything from getting bumped by a car to getting into a scrap with a dog and getting shaken, there's any number of types of head trauma.  It can also be caused by a swelling that is pressing on a nerve, and that swelling can be caused by something minor or it can be caused by something as serious as a tumor.  That's why it's so important to have a vet check out any animal that has Horner's Syndrome, because early detection of a tumor can mean the difference between survival of the animal and losing the animal.

The good news is, if it is caused by a head trauma, it usually resolves itself within a couple of days to a week.  As soon as the swelling goes down, the pupils return to normal.  With a tumor, naturally, it's a bit different, that's why it's so important to figure out early on what the cause is,

Elle

[marissposa]

Oh dear!  I'm sorry to hear that.  So scary.  

[toads]

Thanks.  I did indeed take my cat to an emergency vet.  They said it is Horoner's syndrom and could be from stress, or even worse, a lesion in his central nervous system.  He is being monitored closely since the symptoms were so sudden.  I've just never seen anything like it before, and I have had cats my whole life.

[Louise_Cam]

Hi there.  I'm sorry to hear about your cat.  My sister noticed one of my parents' cats pupils was bigger than the other, and we knew it hadn't always been that way.  I don't want to scare you but please take your cat to the vet.  Pupils of different size can sometimes be an indication of a serious problem.  I hope it turns out to be nothing, but it really is worth getting checked.

I hope everything works out.

[marissposa]

is it possible he has suffered any head-trauma?  My kitty did that when she had a concussion.  But she had other symptoms as well.  She was  angry and scared,  eyes also watered and she went and hid.  I would just keep observing him closely.