How to Handle Feline Vestibular Disease (FVD): Loving And Caring For A Cat That Has It

Introduction

When your beloved kitty cat is diagnosed with the condition of Feline Vestibular Disease, it can be heart breaking to watch your little one suffer. Feline Vestibular Disease is a neurological disorder that can affect your cat and how it lives its daily life. While Vestibular Disease can affect many different species of animals, be sure to view the warning section for symptoms in cats.

By: Andrea Teague, CMT (to be)

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Tips & Warnings:

Don't be afraid to mourn the cat you previously knew. It takes a lot of courage to accept change willingly, especially for our dear friends. They will need your strength.
'Handicap' your home, your veterinarian can help give you suggestions on how to do it.
Join a support network, in case you do not already have one.
Help your kitty adjust by offering stress relief. Play with your cat frequently and help it re-learn it's old bag of tricks or help it to learn new ways of play.
Catnip or products like Feliway can relieve stress if you have multi-cat homes. It took our cats a few months to adjust to Reggie again. Even his best friend Baloo didn't want to play with him. Other cats need time to adjust too.
Be prepared for a relationship with your old 'new' friend. FVD impacted Reggie's life, but I can tell you... not a day goes by that he isn't a blessing and he is known to everyone as 'the crooked kitty with a big heart'
If you think your kitty may have symptoms associated with Feline Vestibular Disease, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately! Here are the most common symptoms associated with FVD:
Disorientation - The cat appears to walk in circles, have difficulty maintaining balance and may have trouble standing up or holding it's head straight.
Vocals - Cats with FVD will yowl and may also have difficulty 'speaking' clearly.
Eyes - The eyes in a FVD cat will often move from side to side very quickly and the cat will be unable to stop this movement on its own.
Seizure - One of Reggie's 'sudden onset' symptoms was a seizure. He laid down in the floor and placed his paws out to his sides to steady himself as his head and whole body tremored.
Stroke - While I am unsure if this is caused by FVD or if FVD caused the stroke, it was a symptom for our Reggie.

Step1

Reggie, before the onset of symptoms, over a year ago It is important to ensure an accurate diagnosis for your cat. Reggie presented with a text book example of FVD, our veterinarian also has a cat with FVD so she knew immediately what it was, however some vets do not.

Personality difficulties are also a 'hidden' symptom. When your cat is angry, upset or stressed out, symptoms are more likely to show and flare up.

If you feel your cat may have FVD, be sure to take it to the veterinarian for a thurough examination consisting of bloodwork, x-rays, monitoring and other testing. If you feel your veterinarian is misdiagnosing your pet or your FVD kitty is undertreated, get a second opinion.

Step2

Reggie after the onset of symptoms taking a nap, a few weeks ago When your diagnosis is confirmed, it is essential that you take care of your pet. Keep them indoors always or until symptoms pass, give them any medications they may need regularly, make sure your cat cannot be injured in your home - sharp corners and heights are not their friend. When they are outside, be sure that the feline has a special medical I.D. tag that has your name, your veterinarian's name and that your cat has FVD.

When your cat comes home you may also notice other symptoms: Difficulty walking in straight lines, trouble lining up to eat or drink properly, a tilted head and Reggie was very angry and frustrated because he could not do the simple things he used to do. Running into walls, falling off the sofa,etc. were common occurences until he learned how to navigate with his new perspective.

Step3

Finally, don't be afraid to show your little one patience as they take time to adjust. Loud noises may frighten them, strangers may confuse them and fast movements may scare them. Show them love and as much affection as you can. They will need your support as they will be different from the kitty you knew before.

Resources

Foothills Animal Hospital's Vestibular Disease Break Down

Photo/Video Credit

As you can see, Reggie has an excellent quality of life, even with Vestibular Disease. Here he is playing with Buddy (r.i.p.)

Comments

kebon77 said

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on 8/15/2008 Very informative article. thanks

ShackaZoolu said

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on 7/8/2008 I just started researching the symptom this evening since that is what my 4 year old cat was exhibiting. Unfortunately we took our cat to a university hospital and no one brought up FVD. They thought it was rabies or something neuro. They couldn't hospitalize her because she was a "rabies risk" So we thought we were doing the right thing by having her euthanized since her quality of life was going to be compromised. And NOW I read about this!!!! I am devastated! I wish we had a vet that had done a little more research instead of wanting to do MRIs and spinal fluid taps!!! I could've had my baby with me now!!!