Vestibular Disorder in Cats

A cat that becomes suddenly dizzy and uncoordinated is likely suffering from a disorder called feline vestibular disorder or idiopathic vestibular disorder, which effects the inner ear. Vestibular disorders, most often characterized by an odd head tilt or balance problems, are quite common and easily corrected in cats not born with this disorder.

  1. Types

    • A cat can have two types of vestibular disorder--one caused by an inner ear problem and one caused by a congenital problem. Idiopathic vestibular disorder occurs when the labyrinth, a complex sense organ in the inner ear, becomes inflamed. Though idiopathic vestibular disease is highly treatable and often goes away on its own, it can be serious enough to require a pet be hospitalized until it recovers. A second disorder, congenital vestibular defect, is mostly found in Oriental breeds and cannot be treated or cured.

    Symptoms

    • The symptoms of vestibular disorder come on quite quickly and can be frightening for the pet owner. A cat with the disorder will suddenly begin falling, appear uncoordinated, tilt its head to one side, walk in circles, appear drunk, and have eyes that shift back and forth. While many pet owners when witnessing these symptoms fear their cat has suffered a stroke, the experts at Pet Place say strokes in cats are extremely rare. Affected cats tend to be older and the disorder most often occurs in late summer, early fall.

    Diagnosis

    • While vestibular disorders are the most frequent cause of such symptoms, other, more serious conditions must also be ruled out. Other diseases and conditions that cause similar symptoms include inner ear infections, head trauma, Thiamine deficiency, and middle ear cancer. If no specific cause of the symptoms can be found, veterinarians will deem the problem idiopathic vestibular disease. To rule out other causes, a vet may conduct several tests including blood test, urinalysis, and a neurological and ear canal examination.

    Treatment

    • Most cases of vestibular disease disappear on their own with no specific treatment, usually in days or at most three weeks. If the symptoms do not disappear, a veterinarian will likely order more tests to determine the underlying cause of the symptoms. Some cats become so dizzy, they could harm themselves if left at home and are often hospitalized for their own safety and sometimes require sedation. Cats can also develop motion sickness and vomit, and vets often prescribe motion sickness medications such as meclizine or diphenhydramine.

    Home care

    • Once your cat is home, try to keep your pet in a safe environment and away from stairs. Do not let your cat outdoors until it is fully recovered. If your cat does exhibit any symptoms of this disorder, keep in mind that it is more frightening for your pet than for you. Keep calm and your pet will be better able to cope. Because no cause for this disorder has been found, there is no way to prevent it. Many experts believe the cause could be environmental because it tends to occur at about the same time each year. Some cats do develop a permanent head tilt, but cope with this well. If the cat's symptoms worsen, bring it back to the vet immediately.