Various spinal diseases in cats: diagnosis and treatment

Does the cat arch its back? Does she suddenly start running like crazy, as fast as she can, circling the room, jumping over couches or up and down the stairs, with her fur standing on end? It's very funny and interesting to watch, and at the same time scary, because she might bump into something and hurt herself. But she seems to be having a great time. Is it harmless fun or a cause for concern?

Most cats exhibit this behavior. Cat adventures, also known as periods of frantic random activity, are a normal and fun activity for them, although it can drive you crazy if they happen at 2 am.

When does this happen?

It comes out of nowhere. Sometimes the cat seems to “see” something invisible and starts running, or it may be in a playful mood, which may be aggravated by play. Cats also practice their stalking, hunting, and chasing behaviors, and this can cause them to arch their backs. There can be many reasons for this. After all, running is fun!

Kittens and young cats are more likely to fall into this state as they are full of energy and this can be a way of burning off excess energy. But sometimes even older cats can arch their back. Cats sleep most of the day when their owners are at work, so when they return home, the animals are awake and full of pent-up energy.

Treatment methods

Treatment directly depends on the cause of the disease. If problems with the spine are due to rickets, then calcium supplements are prescribed. In case of stagnation in the intestines, a complex of medications is prescribed to improve the functioning of the digestive system. Almagel, Omez, Vetom are prescribed. In severe cases, the hormonal drug Metronidazole may be indicated. Sinulox and Baralgin are recommended as injections. It is very important to get tested for biochemistry. Hepatovet is given to support the liver.

A correct diagnosis will allow you to prescribe adequate treatment and allow your cat to recover quickly.

Should I worry?

Your cat may need more exercise. Set aside time every day to play with her and provide her with toys and puzzles filled with food. Change her toys to new ones periodically so that she doesn't get bored with them.

There are medical reasons why a cat may begin to exhibit this behavior. If an older or lazy cat suddenly becomes abnormally active and restless or behaves strangely, your veterinarian may want to check for any health problems such as feline hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland).

Older cats suffering from cognitive dysfunction syndrome or dementia may also begin to run around uncharacteristically. Cats that are experiencing physical changes, such as vision or hearing loss, may also begin to arch their back, and if this is a strange behavior for your pet, a visit to the vet is recommended.

Behavioral problems may be related to anxiety or stress, where the cat may become hypersensitive to stimuli in its environment and react by running uncharacteristically. Even flea or insect bites can cause her to arch her back to relieve irritation or severe itching, so check her coat for parasites.

If your cat shows any sudden changes in behavior, it is recommended that you take him to the vet to rule out any medical problems. If her behavior seems unpleasant and there is no medical explanation, seek help from a qualified cat behaviorist.

The main reasons for a hunched cat

If a cat hunches its back when walking, the cause may be various factors, including:

1. Spinal injury. One of the most severe and dangerous conditions for a cat is damage to the spinal column. As you know, the spine plays an important role when an animal moves, performs tricks, jumps, and runs. When this department becomes ill, the pet begins to behave strangely. First, the gait changes and activity is lost. Over time, disorders in the vertebrae lead to the development of concomitant diseases. The condition can lead to serious consequences and even death. Therefore, first of all, you should palpate at home along the entire spine, including the upper parts of the tail. A noticeable response to pressure may indicate the location of the injury. To make an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to take an x-ray of the entire column. If the injury is minor, the doctor prescribes a complex of vitamins and sedatives for calm behavior. In severe situations, surgical treatment is recommended;
2. Rickets. The disease often develops due to poor nutrition. Balance in nutrients must be maintained throughout life. If there is a malnutrition, a lack of vitamins and minerals, problems develop in all parts of the body, including the spine. Veterinarians often diagnose calcium deficiency. To restore health, it is necessary to urgently adjust the animal’s diet, as well as introduce vitamin supplements. In severe cases, systematic treatment with a whole range of drugs is required;
3. Character. A cat does not always hump its back when walking due to some disease. There are situations when a pet simply shows its character in this way. It might just be a bad habit. As a rule, when visiting a doctor, cats do not show such symptoms; they do not have problems with their internal organs. To correct the situation, it is recommended to take a course of sedatives. Perhaps the arching of the back is associated with nervous disorders;
4. Stress or fear. Cats arch their backs due to fear and dissatisfaction, as well as in stressful situations. They arise for many reasons. This may be a long absence of owners from home. When a pet is left in the care of strangers in an alien environment, then after the owners arrive, the cats continue to arch their backs and show signs of aggression.

Cat communication

Cats communicate using posture, movement, voice and smell. Their language is universal. A cat from Greece will perfectly understand a cat from Canada. Apparently there are no cats that "speak" with an accent.

Body language Eyes Ears Tail Scent glands

Purring Paw kneading and drooling Sounds Table Gestures

Language of the body

Agile, agile, muscular, flexible, with an athletic build - all these words can be applied to healthy cats. Cats use their bodies extremely expressively. They might be masters of speech restraint. If a cat sits with its back to you, it means that it is telling you exactly what you think: “not now, not here and not with you.” If a cat is lounging in front of you, it means she feels free and self-confident. If she has rolled over onto her back, she may be in a relaxed, playful and trusting frame of mind. However, you should not rely on this. A cat lying on its back may also be in a defensive position. Even a good-natured cat can start biting and scratching if you rub its belly. For many cats, this is an instinctive reaction.

In general, if a cat tries to appear larger than it really is by arching its back and bristling its fur, it means it is defending itself. Cats tend to turn sideways towards their attacker to make themselves look as big as possible. The cat is scared, she tries to look threatening and will fight if she is forced to do so.

If a cat tries to appear smaller than nature intended, lies down, lowers its head, presses its ears and whiskers, does not bristle its fur, presses its tail to its body and, perhaps, waves it, touching the ground, it means that it is scared and hopes that no one will notice it. . She will defend herself intensely if forced, but would prefer "to be left alone."

A cat crouched on the ground, half-prostrate, usually emitting a long, low growl, holding its tail close to its body or waving it from side to side, is aggressive. Her ears are usually directed forward or upward, and her mustache bristles. This cat is ready and able to fend for itself, so don't force it to do so.

Eyes

The eyes are truly the window to the soul, and this is especially true for cats. Cats do not mislead anyone and with their gaze they will make it absolutely clear to you what they think about you.

If your cat looks at you for a few seconds, blinks, and then turns away, it means she is acknowledging you, but not inviting you to interact. This is the cat equivalent of the brief nod you might use to greet someone on the street. This hardly means an invitation to a long conversation, but at the same time it is not a manifestation of rudeness.

A long, persistent look most likely means a threat. This look has universal meaning, whether a stranger is looking at you on the street or a cat is doing it. This is a warning.

A cat who is on friendly terms with you may make prolonged eye contact with you in a gentle manner, and then such a look will not mean anything bad. To understand a cat's motives, you should read its entire body language in certain situations.

The pupils of your eyes will tell you more. If the pupils are dilated, it means they are screaming in fear. If you don't know for sure whether your cat is afraid or not, look at her pupils. Wide eyes and dilated pupils mean that something scary is approaching. In an aggressive cat, the pupils can turn into slits, as narrow as possible.

Ears

Cats' ears are much more mobile than ours. They are shaped to capture even the slightest sound. Cats have much more acute hearing than we do.

Because cats' ears are so visible and mobile, cats use them to communicate with each other. Some cats even have tufts of hair at the tips of their ears that act like flags, making the “language” their ears speak even more understandable.

Having ears pointing up can mean curiosity, joy, playfulness, relaxation, but whatever it is, it's always a good sign. An exception may be some aggressive cats, whose upward-pointing ears convey self-confidence rather than friendliness.

If the ears are directed to the sides, this is a sign of fear, mistrust or self-defense - it all depends on the characteristics of the particular cat and the situation. If your cat is upset, respect these signs and give her a wide berth.

If the ears are directed back and pressed against the head, it indicates panic, aggression or attack. Either way, this is a red stop light for you. Warning! Retreat if at all possible, or be prepared to pay the consequences.

Tail

If you can read what a cat's tail is telling you, you will know very well what your cat is thinking.

The tail can be ceremonial, pointing straight up. In this case, it is used to demonstrate self-confidence and pride. Cats that hold their tails like this walk in an important, pompous manner.

Fear can make the tail resemble a bottle brush. If the tail is fluffy and seems larger than its natural size, this means a mixture of feigned courage and fear. Never try to adopt a scared cat - she won't appreciate it, and neither will you.

Slow tail flicks indicate mild irritation. Such irritation may be the result of interrupted sound sleep or unwanted stroking. Many cats want to be close to you, but they don't want you to pet them all the time. Watch closely and don't miss those slow tail flicks. They tell you: "Enough!"

Quick swishes of the tail raised upward are a joyful greeting, while the cat rubs against its legs, meows and purrs, rejoicing at your return home.

Sometimes the tip of the cat's tail twitches sharply. She makes such movements when she looks out the window at a bird or prepares to throw herself at a toy. The longer she looks, the faster her tail twitches, until finally it begins to sway vigorously from side to side across its entire length.

Scent glands

Your cat uses scent to mark its territory. Fortunately for you, apart from the smell of cat urine, all the other smells she uses to mark objects are indistinguishable to the relatively primitive human sense of smell.

Your cat probably scent-marks you on a daily basis, although you may not be aware of it. In cats, scent glands are located on the lips, chin and forehead. Therefore, cats mark this or that thing with their scent when they rub their lips and muzzle against it. The joyful greeting with which a cat greets you when you walk through the door, when she wraps herself around your legs, rubs against them and purrs, cuddling up to you, really only means that she is marking you with a scent so that everyone can immediately understand: “ My! This man is mine, mine, mine! That's why they do this when they see us after a long day of being away or when we leave a room or enter a house from the street. Our cats mark us by happily rubbing their heads against us every morning, as part of their daily greeting ritual. We like it. Perhaps cats think that we also mark them with scent when we pet them.

Scratching is another common way for cats to mark objects with scent. They have scent glands on their paw pads, and they effectively scent-mark objects by running their paws over them. This is why even cats whose claws are trimmed still continue to scratch things.

There is another way that cats use to scent-mark objects: with their urine. For people, this method is the most unpleasant. The urine of an adult, unneutered cat seems to have the most disgusting smell in the world. This smell is amazingly persistent. You can thoroughly clean the area, and still on a warm, humid day, that musty smell will haunt you.

Purring

Purring is a more mysterious process than you might think. It is generally believed that cats purr when they are happy. This is true, but this is not the only condition under which they purr. It happens that cats purr when they experience terrible pain at this time.

Purring is like a runny nose. Almost everyone has had to deal with it, and yet we do not have a clear enough understanding of this phenomenon. But perhaps it doesn't matter: both cats and their owners know exactly what purring means. These are the minutes they spend with each other in complete harmony. This means reaching out in the middle of the night with your hand to your best friend who is always there. This is when a cat's head lovingly pokes a sad person's chin. Whatever it means, cats certainly express bliss in this way. There is no doubt that this is the most wonderful sound a cat makes.

Kneading with paws and drooling

The habit of kneading various objects with its paws dates back to the time when a kitten sucked its mother's milk and kneaded her nipples with its paws in order to squeeze out milk from there. This behavior expresses extreme pleasure and is often accompanied by purring and drooling. Drooling is a relic of the Pavlovian conditioned reflex associated with suckling mother's milk.

Sounds

The cat uses its voice masterfully. The normal vocal range is 750-1520 Hz. Cats pronounce about 15 simple sounds - seven of them are consonants: M, N, G, X, F, V, R. By changing the duration, pitch, timbre, cats can say a lot to someone who understands them.

Cats make sounds for a variety of reasons, some more often than others. A typical sound that cats often make is a short, soft meow, similar to the happy chirping that cats make when they see you coming. Schweika does this when she trots across the room to greet me. These are joyful sounds.

There is another type of meow that can be expressed by saying, “I want something.” These are more demanding, louder and longer sounds than the welcoming chirp. Most cat owners hear this sound when it's time to eat, when the cat is sitting near the door, or when she is locked in a room where she no longer wants to be.

The longest sound a cat makes means: “I hate you!” This is a cross between a growl and a squeal that cats make when they are scared or angry. Usually such a sound is addressed to another cat - an uninvited guest, or a fearsome dog. It is a tense, high-pitched sound in the throat, reminiscent of a siren. As soon as you hear it, you will immediately recognize it.

The most wonderful sound that can be heard from cats is snorting and purring. These joyful high-pitched sounds mean: “Oh, is that you? Glad to see you!" Cats reserve these sounds only for their closest friends.

When cats look at prey they can't catch, they make rapid sounds that sound like "keh-keh-keh." Usually people don't hear them. However, if you have a window with a bird feeder, and your cat is sitting at that window, watching the birds, but can't get to them, you have a chance to hear this sound. In these cases, the cat's gaze is focused on the birds, the tip of its tail twitches, and its jaw moves quickly. My Shvaika loves to sit by the balcony window for hours and “cluck” while watching the birds.

Attention! Danger of overheating! If direct sunlight falls through the window and your cat is susceptible to overheating (such as Persian and all black cats), then the animal can quickly overheat, which will lead to serious consequences for its health. Moreover, the speed with which the cat overheats is simply amazing.

In addition, angry cats can spit accurately.

Table Gestures

Partially used information from the book “All About Your Cat” by B. Kilcommons, S. Wilson

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Symptoms

Ataxia is characterized by common symptoms - a staggering gait, when the cat walks with its hind legs spread wide and raising them high. The position of the head changes - it “dangles” or is tilted down to the sides. If the spinal cord is affected, then pain appears when walking, the cat has difficulty moving, so it tries to lie down more. Loss of head coordination is often clearly visible.

Hepatosis

Chronic renal failure

Gastritis

With cerebellar ataxia, tremor appears and the back of the body trembles. Additionally, nystagmus is observed when the eyes begin to move quickly. The pet's gaze cannot focus. The same symptom is observed with damage to the vestibular apparatus. At the same time, this is accompanied by severe headaches. Then the cat sits with its head against the wall or begins to meow loudly.

Symptoms also differ in intensity. At the mild stage, the pet simply seems clumsy, often stumbles out of the blue, and experiences slight temporary difficulties during complex maneuvers. A moderately severe disease is characterized by changes in gait, the appearance of tremors, and the inability to hold gaze on a specific object. A lack of coordination is clearly visible. With severe ataxia, it is difficult for a cat to move around. Her head shakes from side to side. The pet cannot eat on its own.

Description

Ataxia is a neurological disease. Characterized by impaired motor activity of the cat, impaired coordination. However, the pathology does not negatively affect the pet’s memory, skills and mental capabilities. The cat can independently reach the tray or bowl of food.

Sometimes the disorder worsens during movement. Then it is difficult for the pet to find its way on its own. Due to lack of coordination, any heights are dangerous for a cat - balcony railings, cabinets, even tables and chairs.

The occurrence of ataxia in a cat does not depend on gender, age or breed. The disease can be primary or secondary (develop against the background of other pathologies).

Why does the disease appear?

Kyphosis is a curvature of the spine that is concave back. There are a number of varieties of this disease, both congenital, genetically transmitted, and acquired during the life of the pet. The following types of kyphosis in cats are distinguished:

• Genotypic. It is inherited from the forefathers, since the gene responsible for the hump dominates. If one of the parents has the disease, the newborn kitten will also be born humpbacked. For this reason, cats with this pathology do not participate in mating for breeding purebred individuals.
• Congenital. It appears due to abnormal development of the upper region of the vertebrae. It can occur as a result of improper crossing of cats. So, it is not recommended to breed a Scottish breed with another. Mestizos often have hump pathology. The correct option would be mating only between folds and straights - 2 varieties of Scots.
• Compression. Develops after a vertebral fracture, due to the development of compression. This curvature looks like an acute angle that is directed upward.
• Tuberculous. It is formed due to the fact that the vertebral body itself weakens, is compressed and destroyed from the inside. This type of hump also has an angular shape, like the compression type.
• Mobile. It occurs as a result of weakening of the spinal muscles.
• Rachitic. Appears due to the development of rickets in newborn kittens up to six months old. It begins to form in the womb; its development is affected by cat health problems and improper feeding of babies.
• Senile. Aging pets are susceptible to degenerative and dystrophic disorders in the vertebrae, which can cause a hump on the cat’s back.

Prevention

To prevent ataxia, mandatory vaccination against leukemia, panleukopenia and rhinovirus is necessary. You must not allow your pet to be injured, limit access to the street, or allow it to interact with other animals. Before mating, check for the presence of panleukopenia. It is necessary to treat diseases in time - otitis media, ear inflammation. If you suspect an injury, immediately take your pet to the veterinarian. If the cat is purebred, before purchasing, find out what genetic pathologies the parents had.

Ataxia is a serious disease, but with timely treatment you can ensure a normal life for your cat. In severe cases of pathology, the pet will face a quick death.