Worried about Harley

Pretty worried about Harley...

Today he had a decent day until about 2pm. He slunk down and made a mad dash around the house, not a fun run, a panicked scared run. When he stopped he had a full "shiver" down his back and then flung around and started biting at his fur and then licking it like crazy. He would be calm for a moment and then mad dash again... When he'd stop it would be in a quiet, small, area, and he would ball up super tight, tail wrapped around him too. Eyes big and wide. Almost panicked / scared. This personality is not him at all. Not one bit. he is a very social cat, never hides, never runs from people, never tries to get away. Always laying sprawled in the middle of the floor.

This went on all evening... He'd be in his ball for about 30-40 minute and his ears would start twitching sometimes or it looked like a muscle would twitch and he'd flick around, lick it a few times, and then take off running again. Dashing around the house until he found a new hiding place. I was able to catch him a few times and his BGs were never below 357 (I haven't charted all those numbers yet, pretty stead at that number).

I was able to catch him one of the last times and put him in my bedroom like I do for the evening. I did his PMPS, dinner, and insulin. He usually is yowling for food and treats and nothing would get him to come. But when I sat the food in front of him he ate it all. His treats he usually climbs me for he wouldn't come for - just now - but when I sat down and reached under the bed to give him one he did take it and eat it.

He currently is curled up in a nasty used litter box. He has never done this... He is tight balled up in the litter box fast asleep. Two cats have peed in it, then he peed and pooed, and then curled up and is sleeping in it. I sat on the ground petting him for awhile. He seems to want the head scratches but wants nothing to do with the back/tail. When I do pet there after a few pets the rippling / rolling / spasming effect happens down his back again and he freaks out.

I have had him since he was born. He was a bottle baby, he is 3.5 years old. He has had ONE other instance exactly like this, right before he turned 1 year old. I took him to the vet the next day because we were due to leave on vacation in 2 days and I couldn't leave him thinking something was wrong. She explained it could have been a flea bite, even though we found no fleas. So she treated him. It only lasted that one day and never happened again, until tonight. I have combed him with the flea comb and nothing.

I hope when I wake he is back to himself... but I will be calling the vet Monday to make an appointment. If he stops eating at any point or anything else I will take him to the Evet tomorrow.

Anyone else experience this?

Super worried mama with a kitty currently curled up in a dirty litter box .

 

Update: after posting this he currently got up, stretched, and went and got some water. So eating and drinking is making me feel a bit better...

 

It sure does sound like he got bit by something!

That wouldn't really explain sleeping in a dirty litterbox though!

Glad that he's acting more normal now and hope it was just a freak occurrence!

 

Is Harley able to pee normally? Years ago, my cat Leo started behaving very strange one evening. He was playing at first but started darting about and going in and out the litter box looking very frantic. We took him to the vet and turned out that his urethra was mostly blocked and he couldn't pee. He was diagnosed with cystitis. We've seen this two more times over the years but were able to recognize this sooner and treat him immediately. Please take him to the vet as soon as possible. If it is a blocked urethra, it is quite dangerous. Since you say he is curling up inside a litter box, it could be the reason.

Good luck and hope he feels better very very soon!

 

He is peeing quite well. He peed many times last night like he usually does since his BGs are still higher he drinks tons of water.





This morning he was doing better, not twitchy and such. But still cautious of being touched too much. Also FREAKING out when I would try to give him his shot. Literally flipping and clawing and trying to run away. Never has done this before because he is so distracted by his food. I had to poke the poor guy 4x before I was able to hit the plunger without him pitching a fit. I felt awful.

 

Edited at bottom:
We have an appointment for Monday set up. Couldn't get into the vet he was DXed by until later this week so I set up an appointment in town about an hour or so away with our old vet because I don't like the way he was acting.

Had to go away for a few hours today. Had someone home keeping an eye on him. They said he ate lunch just fine, but slept in the litter box most of the time. Got home and he was waiting at my bedroom door for me 100% like himself again. Doesn't care if you full body pet him again, asking for pets, jumping all over the place.

I don't know what this way... but boy I wish I had... I'm sure the vet will find nothing again but I sure don't like it. Just glad my boy is himself again <3

Edit: Spoke too soon, after dinner he had a big "jerk" motion, started shaking his back legs like something was on them, tail twitching like crazy. Bolted out of the room again. Went and picked him up from the corner of the living room and he was so tense. Held him close, he dug all claws into me, placed him into my room and he cuddled down into the litter box again.

Glad we are going in tomorrow.

When it happened when he was a kitten was the first time we fed him soft food and I remember my mom making a comment to me if he could have been allergic. The vet didn't think so. Well this is the first time he is back on soft again, never really had it again, curious if one of the friskies he is allergic to... will have to mention it to the vet.

 

Might want to mention hyperesthesia to your vet. It can cause sudden rampages and sensitivity to touch in the hind areas.

 

This is what had / has me so stinking worried. I researched the signs and this popped up first and it pretty much was 100% what is happening to him. I immediately had to stop reading because the webpage I found just sounded like he would live a miserable pained life and I couldn't read that. Ugh... I pray so HARD it is not.

 

Yikes...I really hope your vet can pin down what's going on that you can get it remedied. I'll keep you and Harley in my prayers

 

Thinking of you today. I hope whatever it is bothering him is treatable.

 

While a diagnosis of hyperesthesia is not a pleasant prospect, there are medications that can limit/eliminate symptoms. It's treatable!

 

Thank you all! She did a really extensive exam. We decided to treat for fleas to see what that does. She said if it doesn't seem to lesson it (though there was no signs of fleas) then we will move on to the next steps. She did bring up hyperesthesia and said it was a dx of ruling out everything else to get to that dx. So she said if that doesn't work next step is she has some pain pills on file for me to call in and fill and see if that gives relief. If it does then she will move on to a spinal xray since it is running down his spine that it happens. She did bring up though he is 3 years old since we don't know how long he has been diabetic neuropathy is something else worth looking into after an xray - though she said it usually presents in the hind legs and not the whole spine.

So no answer... but a vet that is going to help me best she can. *sigh* so worried for him. I don't want to lose who he is... he has such character... spunk... and life... he hasn't had that the past few days.

 

I wonder if it could even be a pinched nerve or something.

 

All fingers and paws crossed you find the answer to making Harley feel better. Sounds like the vet is taking a real interest in finding the cause and getting things figured out!

 

Yes, that is something she mentioned. Hope we figure it out soon.

He seemed in better spirits tonight. Trying to steal food from me again as I ate dinner.

 

Re hyperesthesia: both Teasel and his sister have mild bouts of this. They aren't frequent and aren't severe but result in skin rolling, tail biting and dashing around. I wonder whether Lantus might be triggering it in your kitty? It can sting some kitties even at a low dose and it makes sense that it could trigger a fit of hyperesthesia.