Need advice again please!

[Cuddles01]

I posted about 6 months ago about my 16yr old cat Cuddles acting sick, and it ended up being a bad tooth. Well I have something new that's ocured. Cuddles, still 16, woke up the early yesterday morning, went to use his litter box, stepped down about a 3 inch step to get to his box, then stopped, all 4 legs were spread out like he was spooked, but then his head started to turn side by side a few times. I bent down and pet him and then he stop up straight, started to walk and was stumbling side to side as if he were going to fall. I picked up him right away and felt his heart was pounding. I carried him to my husband and told him what happened, but by the time I could finish telling him, Cuddles was purring loudly like normal, his heart beat slowed down. I sat him on the floor and he went back to his box and urinated, then I got his food and put in front of him and he ate, drank water and has been acting fine ever since. This was like 3am yesterday (Wednesday 8-20) and again, has been his normal self since. He is getting up there in age I know, but for him to be perfectly fine, running and playing one day, then the next this episode happen. Does anyone know what this may have been? Could cats have dreams and wake without fully waking up and get spooked at something? Can they sleep walk in other words? Has anyone had this happen to their cat before? Please help if you can. I'm worried about my baby and can't lose him yet. Last time I posted you all were wonderful and helped me alot, and hopefully you all will try hard to help my Cuddles again.
Thanks in advance!
Fran and Cuddles

[PrettyKitty1]

Hi Fran,

Hope Cuddles is still doing fine. What happened to your baby hasn't happened to me before because I have a young cat, but it did sound neurological at first. Now that you've mentioned he was just looking, perhaps kitty saw/heard something and he was just looking side to side see what it was. If he was asleep before it might have been he was still a bit disoriented, and that's fine. He is 16, a senior kitty, and it is normal if your baby gets disoriented every once in a while.

Good Luck.

[Cuddles01]

it was a side to side look, no shaking or twitching. it hasn't happened again since and he's acting normal, running and playing, eating and drinking. If it happens again, i'll take him in.
thanks so much for your advice. hopefully he just got spooked and it'll never happen again.

[Savas]

It sounds like a neurological event, which at that age, isn't uncommon.  Was the side the side motion a twitching/shaking or was he just looking side to side?

If it's the former, you should probably have your kitty fully checked out (especially if it happens again).