Have you ever seen a cat suddenly stop what they’re doing, freeze for a moment, then jump straight up into the air and take off running like a hellhound was after them?
For most cats, this is pretty common behavior – it’s simply a way to burn off excess energy or initiate play. But for some cats, this behavior can be part of a disorder known as “Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome”, a rare medical condition that affects the brain and causes bizarre and frustrating symptoms in cats.
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, or FHS, can cause such severe and dramatic changes in a cat’s behavior that some owners swear their poor cat is possessed. It can affect cats of all ages, but it usually appears for the first time in afflicted cats between the ages of 1 and 5 years.
Called “twitchy cat syndrome”, “rippling (or rolling) skin syndrome”, or more technically “atypical neurodermatitis”, FHS is generally thought to be either a form of epilepsy or a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Another theory suggests that it has a genetic component (since it’s more common in Siamese, Burmese, Abyssinian, and Persian cats) that’s triggered by chronic stress and anxiety. Recently, research experts have suggested that FHS is caused by a problem with the electrical activity in areas of the brain that control emotion, grooming, and predatory behavior.
The word hyperesthesia means “abnormally increased sensitivity of the skin.” Although no one knows for sure what causes Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, one thing we do know is that the poor cats who suffer from this disorder appear to be tormented by stimuli or sensations from which they can’t escape.
Symptoms of Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome
Generally, cats with FHS will suddenly stop what they’re doing, look startled, and their tail will start swishing back and forth. They typically swing around towards their tail as if something is biting them on the back end. The muscles of the lower back often twitch, causing the skin to appear as if it’s rippling. Some cats will begin frantically licking or biting the skin around their tail, then take off running as if they’re trying to escape from whatever sensations they’re experiencing.
The video below shows a cat apparently in the midst of an episode of FHS:
Other symptoms of Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome include:
- Dilated pupils
- Staring into space with a strange expression
- Loud, persistent meowing
- Self-mutilation, including pulling out clumps of hair and/or biting their own skin
- Sudden mood swings (often from extremely affectionate to aggressive, hyperactive, frightened, or depressed)
- Apparent hallucinations, resulting in chasing things that aren’t there, or running away from an imaginary threat
- Fixation with the tail, including tail chasing or vicious attacks directed at the tail (these can result in serious self-inflicted wounds, some bad enough that they require a portion of the tail to be amputated)
- Extreme sensitivity to touch, especially down the back and around the tail area (many cats with FHS experience episodes immediately after being stroked or petted along the spine)
- Frantic self-grooming directed along the flanks or tail (often leads to patchy hair loss)
- In some cases, drooling and uncontrolled urination
It’s very common for cats to experience seizure-type behavior (falling over, leg-paddling, drooling, or vocalizing) immediately after an episode of FHS, which supports the theory that it may be related to epilepsy.
Episodes of FHS can occur daily, every few days, or weekly, while some cats suffer with bouts almost continuously for days on end. During an episode, it can be very difficult to distract the cat or try to help in any way, making it traumatic and extremely frustrating for cat parents.
Diagnosing FHS
Since there’s no definitive test for Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, it can only be diagnosed by ruling out all other possible causes of the behavior. Cats in general are very sensitive to begin with, and many of the symptoms of FHS can be seen with several other health disorders that affect the skin, muscles, and nervous system, so several tests are usually needed to make sure there are no other underlying health conditions that could be causing the symptoms.
Other conditions that need to be crossed off the list before making a diagnosis of FHS include:
- Flea allergy dermatitis (itching of the skin and hair loss due to a cat’s allergic reaction to flea saliva)
- Fungal skin infections, such as yeast or ringworm
- Epilepsy
- Arthritis
- Pinched nerve or a slipped disc
- Nutritional deficiency
- Mite infection
- Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone in the bloodstream)
- Toxin exposure
- Pain associated with abscesses, bite wounds, or impacted anal sacs
- Neurological issues such as brain tumor, head trauma, or infection of the brain
If a veterinarian suspects Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, he or she will do a thorough examination and perform several diagnostic tests to rule out any other medical issues. These tests can include blood work (chemistry panel, complete blood count, and thyroid test), skin tests, and/or x-rays. The vet may refer the patient to a neurologist (a specialist in everything related to the nervous system) or a dermatologist (skin specialist).
If you suspect your cat may be suffering from FHS, one of the best things you can do prior to your vet visit is to videotape your kitty during an episode and take the video with you to your appointment.
Treating Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome
Address The Stress
If your cat is diagnosed with FHS, the first step in treating it is to reduce stress or anxiety as much as possible. Things that can trigger severe anxiety in cats include changes in schedule, moving to a new home, adding or losing a family member (including other pets), and aggression amongst other cats in the household. Other triggers may be something as simple as rearranging the furniture in the house, or boredom caused by the cat not getting enough mental stimulation.
Providing consistency in their daily routines, giving them plenty of opportunities to “be cats” (by providing places to climb, sleep, scratch, and hide), and making them feel safe are some of the best ways to reduce anxiety in cats.
Other tips for reducing stress include:
- Playing with your cat daily to give him both mental and physical exercise (feather toys on a wand work well for this).
- Providing interactive toys that can also be used by your cat when you’re not with him, such as puzzle feeders, ball tracks (which contain a ball inside a circular track), or any other toy that moves or interacts with him when he plays with it.
- Hiding dry treats around the house so he has to hunt for them.
- Feeding at least twice a day on a regular schedule.
- Making your home more cat-friendly by adding window perches, kitty condos (which provide vertical territory for cats), fish tanks, scratching posts, cat trees, and cat shelves (a series of staggered shelves mounted to the wall that create a kitty highway above the ground.)
Drug Therapy
Although there are currently no FDA-approved medications for treating Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, there are existing medications that can help reduce the severity of symptoms.
One class of drugs that seems to be particularly helpful for kitties with FHS are serotonin-enhancers. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps stabilize mood, reduce aggression, and counteract obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Prozac®, Clomicalm®, Paxil®, and Zoloft® are all potent serotonin-enhancers.
Since FHS is also thought to be related to epilepsy, some vets prescribe the anti-seizure medication phenobarbital, which can be combined with other drugs used to treat FHS for a customized treatment protocol that is unique to each cat. Gabapentin, another anti-seizure medication that’s also used to treat nerve pain in humans, is also showing great promise for treating FHS in cats.
The goal of drug therapy is to find a balance where the cat is not sedated, but still experiencing as few bouts of FHS as possible. Once that happens, the dosage can be gradually reduced until the cat can be weaned off the drug(s) completely. However, some cats with FHS may require lifelong medication.
Alternative Options
Acupuncture and massage therapy are additional treatment methods that are gaining favor in the veterinary community for treatment of FHS. It’s thought that these are effective by helping to reduce stress and nervous system overstimulation.
Not Just “Psycho Kitties”
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome it not a life-threatening disorder, but for the cats who experience it, it can dramatically impact their quality of life. Even though once it appears it doesn’t tend to progress or get much worse, FHS can put affected cats at risk for infections from scratching and biting at their own skin. And as you can imagine, the mental stress of constantly feeling tormented by a force from which they can never escape must be incredibly frustrating for them!
If you suspect that your cat may be suffering from FHS, please don’t hesitate to discuss it with your veterinarian. Although FHS is not considered completely curable, with stress management techniques and the right use of medication, it is possible to manage it and give your kitty a happy, comfortable life.
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Have you ever seen a cat with Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome? Please tell us about it in the comments below!
My old cat has had increasing levels of hyperesthesia, to the point of screaming in pain. It was really awful to watch so I can’t imagine what it was like for her. I did all the research and thought I would have to resort to barbiturates.
My vet gave me a box of Zylkene to try – it’s a supplement made out of milk products (casein), and an anxiety-reliever.
We’ve played with the dosage – half a day – and she is totally improved – to the point that all the fur she pulled out in distress is growing back, and she rarely has episodes. It’s unbelievable!
My vet is surprised at how well it works!
Hi Christine! I’m so glad you shared your story, as I had never heard of Zylkene before, so I was very eager to learn more about it. In addition to what you had said about it being an anxiety-reliever, I also learned that the specific milk protein in it also targets inflammatory mediators in the body, which helps reduce inflammation. Since no one is sure what actually causes Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome, it’s fascinating to think that in addition to the anxiety component, maybe there could be an inflammatory response going on in FHS cats as well?
I’m so happy to hear that Zylkene is helping your kitty! I can’t imagine what these poor cats go through with this disorder. It’s wonderful that you’re able to manage her episodes without having to resort to stronger pharmaceutical drugs. Thank you again for sharing! 🙂
I have never heard of Zyklene either but I’m willing to give it a try. My kitty has had FHS for 9 years, we’ve tried almost everything at this point. Acupuncture and Phenobarbitol are the only things left. Nothing has worked 100%. It’s been hard. I’m always researching what is the latest so thank you for this.
Hi Charlotte, I’m so sorry to hear about your kitty. 🙁 Hopefully Zyklene can provide some relief! Trying to manage FHS can be incredibly frustrating, but your kitty is very lucky that you haven’t given up. Please keep me posted if you try acupuncture as well, and let me know if it helps!
Can Zylkene be purchased at a local pet supply store or is it only sold by vets?. I am quite interested in trying this product before resorting to stronger pharmaceutical drugs. My cat Chloe started with this syndrome about 2 years ago when she was 4 years old. She was a rescue kitty that we bottle fed since she was 4 days old and she is a wonderful cat but I am on edge at times when she experiences these episodes. Sometimes she actually screams and it is so hurtful to hear her like that but days can go by with nothing gong on and then suddenly the tail twitching and the nervous actions are back. At one point weeks went by and then the episodes started again. Nothing had changed in our lives but I do think she gets bored so I think I will also try the toys that were mentioned and hopefully she will enjoy them. Wondering if the cats ever outgrow this condition? Wish there was more info about it from researchers too. Thank you for any additional info that you may have on this frightening condition.
Hi Carol, I’m so sorry to hear about the FHS episodes Chloe is having. The vocalizations during these episodes can be absolutely heartwrenching to listen to! 🙁 Zylkene is classified as a natural food supplement, so you don’t need a prescription for it. It can be purchased through many different online pharmacies, so you can shop around for the best price. The dosage is based on the weight of the pet. I would recommend letting your veterinarian know that you are planning to purchase it, in case he or she has any input. In my opinion, it would be worth a try before, as you mentioned, having to resort to pharmaceuticals.
Unfortunately, there isn’t much evidence right now that cats are able to outgrow this condition. However, many cats with FHS can experience a noticeable reduction in symptoms with the right combination of treatments, so I’m a big believer in the “keep trying until you find what works for your cat” method! Hopefully there will be more research study findings released in the future, with even more options for treatment. Until then, wishing you the best of luck and success with finding the right combination of what works best for Chloe!
Have not tried Zylkene yet but Chloe seems to take a breather and the episodes seem to come only every few weeks instead of every day. Don’t know what brings these on but I can always tell when she will have an episode as her pupils dilate and of course her tail starts swishing but its not as bad as it has been. She is now 6 years old and I wonder if cats can outgrow this condition?!?
FYI to remember when you give animals meds like phenobarbital they are addicting and you can not just stop the med or they will have withdrawals. My kitty is a rescue about 4 years old and having the rolling back, wide eyes and I believe they do suffer. Talked with the vet. To get an appt. set up. Bunny Overstreet.
we discovered that my poor little kitten going through this FHS. Therefore to diverte her mind from the pain she is going through we are encouraging her to go out from home and discover new thing bcoz we notice that when to come from outside to home she is little bit of clam. And we also thinking for changing her dry food to raw food. Please give me suggestion to how to remove this syndrome. This is very painful to see her going through this syndrome.
Hi Mathila! I’m very sorry to hear about your kitten. Unfortunately, since so little is known about FHS, the suggestions in this article (reducing stress, drug therapy, and alternative treatments like acupuncture) are really the only ones that I’m aware of. Have you spoken with your veterinarian about your kitten’s symptoms, and has she been examined by the vet to rule out other causes? If your kitty is truly confirmed to be suffering with FHS, your veterinarian may have additional helpful suggestions to try to alleviate her symptoms.
Also, I think you’re on the right track with observing her and noting what things seem to help her. Since every animal is different, what helps one kitty with FHS might not help another. As pet parents, we have the opportunity to closely monitor our pets and take note of what seems to help them and what doesn’t. That’s what makes this condition so frustrating – so little is known about it, and we are still learning about possible causes and what might help cats who are afflicted with it. 🙁
My five year old cat has hyperesthesia – it came on in him around age 2. I could not for the life of me figure out what was wrong with him and so I resorted to the internet a few years ago to find out what it could be. When I brought him to the vet for another issue, I informed that vet that I felt that this was something he was dealing with, showing her several cell phone videos I’d taken of him when he had been having his “episodes”. She’d never heard of hyperesthesia and she had to look it up in the veterinary computer system and printed out the information and treatment information that I’d already received from a relative who I’d requested it from. The vet ruled out skin issues like fleas and other issues to do with the skin, and we tried Feliway and a spray called MyCodex at the house where I was living at that time. The house was quite old and musty and I figured we’d try whatever we could before going with drugs – and that vet had suggested amitryptyline. He hated the Feliway (turned his nose away at the scent) and the spray may or may not have helped with allergens, but his symptoms continued. I transfered him to a new vet after moving and his new vet who I informed of the hyperesthesia symptoms really didn’t pay any mind to the issue. This cat, who used to be unbelievably happy to go to the vet and be in a new environment, had one bad experience at the new vet (with a thermometer) and he became unbelievably hard to handle whenever we went in (which was not that often, but a couple of times for nasty feline herpes breakouts on his chin and neck). By chance, we got a different vet at our normal clinic the last time we went in for a particularly nasty breakout, and this vet was extremely sweet with him and he didn’t act as anxious as he normally does. I mentioned that he has symptoms of hyperesthesia and that he frequently has skin rippling on his back, bites at it, bites at things on the ground next to him, and then takes off with his back and tail swishing, clearly upset, often meowing and upset, and that he’s been doing it for years. She immediately said that she could offer him medication that’s effective in helping with hyperesthesia, and she went about prescribing him gabapentin. After several weeks of waiting, we have finally received the medication from another veterinary clinic downstate (it’s the only place that can dispense it for some reason), and tonight was the first time my cat was given a half dose of his new meds. I am hopeful that it works for him, and I’ll be sure to report back on his progress if people are interested. I’m really hoping it works for him and that he is offered some peace from these symptoms but isn’t too zonked from the medication. I’ve heard it can be a bit sedating so I’ve started him on just half of what was in a capsule. He’s been prescribed two capsules a day (to go in his wet food). One thing I would mention is that this cat has a lot of OCD-type behaviors that I would say may support the theory that this is a disorder rooted in that type of brain disorder. He is very odd with his litter box and eating behavior. Whenever he eats dry food or uses his litter box, he scrapes his feet on his food bowl or a nearby surface, or the wall next to his litterbox after either eating or using the litter box, and does it an INCESSANT amount. I am unsure what this is about, aside from quirky (and likely to cause us to lose the damage deposit for our apartment), but I’d imagine it has roots in compulsive behaviors. I’ll try to give an update once he’s been on the gabapentin for a bit!
Hi Meghan, thank you so much for this detailed information! First, I was a bit surprised that there are any vets in practice who either don’t know about FHS, or worse, brush it off. This is a very real condition that needs to be taken seriously, as it can greatly affect a cat’s quality of life. It’s interesting that you also see so many OCD-type behaviors in your kitty too. I’ll be interested to hear if the gabapentin helps with either the FHS or the OCD behavior. This drug has both anti-seizure AND pain-relieving properties, making it one of the front-runners for treating FHS.
Your comments also bring up another good point, and that is if the veterinarian you’re currently seeing is not a good match for you or your pet, keep looking. There are so many wonderful vets out there who are willing to work with you to find a solution to your pet’s condition, while making sure that treatment is as stress-free as possible. Just like when we select a human doctor, if the connection and bedside manner are not there, keep trying until you find a great fit.
Thank you again for sharing your story, and please keep us posted on your kitty’s progress! 🙂
I’m really interested to hear how the gabapentin is working. I’m helping a friend with a cat who was diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia and just started having these episodes and really mutilated her paw. Her vets were not helping much and I offered to help with the cat. We took her to my vet twice now and once I showed him a video of her during an episode he put her on valium. He never heard of FHS. I emailed another vet I knew about through a TNR group and she said when she was reading my email she thought of FHS. Her recommendation was gabapentin. I might try to get her into this other vet. I have had to keep increasing the Valium as it’s not lasting. I just got nailed on my thumb because her paw is finally healing and I’m more worried about her paw than me. Waiting to hear updates hopefully with the gabapentin.
Unfortunately even though I only had Addy for about 6 months and the gabapentin was working great. Addy was declining quickly and was showing signs of a disease I hate and the vet confirmed it
Addy passed away gently in my arms, assisted by my vet. She had developed FIP and there was nothing that could be done. May she RIP until we meet at the rainbow bridge.
My cat likes it when I vigorously and firmly scratch his hips, backside, and tail during an episode. He will come over to me when I call him and that seems to help him alot. It started when we had to move cross country twice in a span of about 6 weeks. The vet prescribes what we call “crazy cat medicine” and it keeps him symptom-free most of the time.
Hi Neva! That’s very interesting that the scratching and physical contact helps your kitty. In some ways it would seem like it might stir them up even more, so it’s good to know that in some cats it can actually make them feel better. It’s fascinating for me hearing about people’s different experiences with FHS, because it just goes to show that every case is different. Hopefully the more information that comes to light, the more management options people will be able to try to see what works best for their cat. Thank you for so much for sharing!
If my Benny is close enough to me when an episode starts, I can put my hand or foot on his side and just sit there touching him and that alleviates the rippling 99% of the time. No rubbing or scratching, just touching. Sadly, he’s not often close enough for this.
My cat was diagnosed with hyperesthesia a few years ago. The symptoms came out of nowhere but we think was the result of a traumatic experience (something bit her tail). I self diagnosed her after the first vet said she was fine. After showing the second vet video of an episode she agreed and we started a regiment of gabapentin. After two weeks and no relief we switched to phenobarbitol and within 48 hrs the symptoms subsided. She’s had a few “relapses” like if we move furniture or have to board her for a trip, but otherwise is doing great on a twice daily dose of the meds. She gets her levels checked every 6 months to make sure the drugs aren’t doing long term damage.
This is another great example of what works for some (both animals and people) may not work for others. That’s great news that the phenobarbital is working so well for your kitty! And since phenobarbital is very commonly used to treat epilepsy and seizure disorders, it certainly lends credence to the theory that FHS may be related to seizure activity. Thank you for sharing this, and I hope your cat continues to do well! 🙂
It’s good to hear about the phenobarbital!! The kitty Addy that I am working with because of her FHS was put on phenobarbital after Valium not working. The other day I was really upset with life events and she had a slight episode/seizure. She has CH also so I think that makes her super sensitive to changes. It didn’t last near as long as previous episodes. So I think the phenobarbital is working. It’s good to have other people that have experience with this. My vet isn’t familiar with FHS so we’re both on a learning curve. I’m so glad he’s willing to learn. Thanks for being here and being a sounding board and also giving advice.
Hi Linda, glad the phenobarbital seems to be working for Addy! I agree, it’s so helpful to hear from so many different people on what’s working for their kitties with FHS. I’m learning so much more than I ever knew before thanks to everyone’s comments and sharing their experiences!
The phenobarbital doesn’t seem to be working. We doubled it last week but over the weekend and today she hasn’t gotten worse again. I just don’t know what to do except changing vets. She’s destroying her paw even more. Prayers please. Going to try and get into another vet tomorrow.
Linda
I’m so sorry to hear that! Cats can develop a tolerance to both Valium and phenobarbital, so it’s not surprising, but it’s distressing when it happens. 🙁 Have any of the veterinarians you’ve seen recommended a consult with a Veterinary Neurologist? A Neurologist may be a good option for her, especially since she’s dealing with CH as well. Poor little Addy… I’ll be sending prayers and good wishes her way! <3
I took her to another vet I personally knew from TNR surgeries years ago. I had actually emailed her. We started gabapentin and are weaning her off the phenobarbital. Hoping that this works. Just have to wait and see now.
While doing research about FHS, I stumbled upon this post.
I own a Special Needs kitty who has Ideopathic Epilepsy. He’s currently on Phenobarbital, but he still experiences seizures daily.
Due to his seizure disorder, he also has FHS, and attacks his front, left paw, so bad to the point where I MUST keep his paw/leg bandaged up. He’s a very large neutered male, so you can imagine how large his teeth are, and he does awful damage to his paw when he attacks it.
I’m interested as to how Gabapentin is working for your kitty, and what milligram your vet started with.
My cat has recently been seen for symptoms of FHS. Our vet ran some tests and drew blood and since he seems healthy otherwise, we are thinking FHS is the issue. His episodes have been getting worse and worse over time. He also has some OCD behaviors – like he scratches the wall next to the litter box for an inordinate amount of time after using it, and he carries socks around the house in his mouth while crying. He’s so weird, but we love him! Anyway, she is starting us on a neuro-pain relief type of medicine to see if that helps. She just called it in so I am not sure the name. I am a little uneasy about putting him on constant pain meds though. I want to help him, but I don’t want to see him acting all drugged or sluggish either. I told her to go ahead with the prescription for now and I guess I will try it for a couple of weeks. He has episodes everyday so it will be easy to tell if it’s helping. Just came here to see what non-drug therapies have worked for others. Thanks!
If it’s the gabapentin I found out from the vet I had my cat at yesterday that the phenobarbital they sometimes prescibe is addicting. The gabapentin I got is a liquid. I’m weaning her off the phenobarbital. If you don’t like the medication possibly search for a holistic veterinarian. Wishing you good luck for your furbaby.
I just wanted to update on Addy. She was doing good on the gabapentin and went back to her family on Mother’s Day. I sent gabapentin along with her and told them it would last about 3 weeks and I would have to get more gabapentin. They called me and said she needed to see the vet she was attacking herself again and injured her paw worse then before. So I called to make an appointment and she told me that it seemed like the gabapentin was doping her up so they quit giving it to her. I had gotten an appointment for the next day so we could meet at the vet.
The owner called me back and asked if I could get her that night that it was terrible and she couldn’t handle it. When I met her she said I could just keep Addy because they go away too much and keeping her on schedule with the medicine was too much.
So back to the vet, E-COLLAR again for weeks, pain Medicine, gabapentin, and antibiotics. The pain medicine ran out and my vet wasn’t on duty and they wouldn’t give me pain medicine. So back to my original vet, explained why I went to the other vet. He gave pain meds and then gave capsules of gabapentin. I couldn’t get the dose right with capsules in her food so back to the liquid gabapentin. She’s on ,6 gabapentin twice a day. I tried dialing it back a little bit and she started the obsessive grooming on her back. Hasn’t done anything with her paw. So we’re at .6 ml gabapentin twice a day. She weighs 5 1/2 pounds.
Hi Barbara! You might be surprised with your kitty’s reaction to the medication… many animals tolerate pain meds quite well and don’t seem to experience the sluggishness that humans do when on pain medication (although some still do). Cats and dogs also seem to adjust to medications fairly quickly, so if you can find a medication that works (and subsequently, the dosage of that medication that is just right for your cat), he could experience all of the benefits without obvious side effects. When it comes to FHS, since every cat is different, it seems very much like treatment for this condition is truly trial-and-error. Hopefully the medication will help, and if not, don’t give up and keep trying! Wishing you and your kitty the best of luck!!
Thank you all for taking the time to share your stories… My kitten, Sir Cooper Wellington, first started showing signs right at the age of his 6 month mark. He too has OCD issues like pawing around the floor around his food. His episodes are now happening several times a day and it breaks my heart to see him like that. He also seems to have mood swings too now and can be playing one minute and then play biting but a tad bit hard biting the next. I brought him to the vet and explained in as much detail as I could and at no point did the vet suggest FHS. He said it was probably fleas, pulled a comb and searched and searched for signs of fleas…None! He said we can give him a cortisone shot…but I’m thinking why are we giving him this shot when you have no idea what’s wrong, so I declined the shot. I was not impressed with this Vet from day one and now having to figure out what’s wrong with my cat on my own…well I think I will try a new Vet also. I will continue to read here in hopes that something here will help my Cooper! Thanks again to all that take the time out to write about their situation… I for one truly appreciate each and every one of you!
Sincerely Cooper’s Mommy,
Shelly B.
My cat had FHS: mood swings, sensation to.touch, some loud meowing, and felt cat brought apparitions to.home and both.he and I felt tormented, iIE.for me by his behaviors, either apparitions came with.him or he aroused.already there, But once he began dying, the apparitions left, I.got him..prior the 8.weeks req and under stressful situation.Cat died 7-14
My cat chewed newspapers & such around 1-3AM in the morning, ate odd hours, & I never got any sleep, & then add the apparitions on the side,I was a wreck. Rarely did I have some peace with him, Again it was a forced marriage.
Hed chew newspapers even when Im there on weekends?
Super anti social., driven cat.
Played with me to get up at 5AM,
Is this the pattern of all breeds or Is HE just rare ( Russian Blue.)
Is this normal for Russian Blues or abnormal& for other breeds.
Stand outs:
Took early, pre 12 weeks
dont know home environment
constant meow when taken early.
chewing newspapers, papers (later years)
hide in closets IE before trips I take to MD etc.
did scratch me some.
odd eating hours despite feeding at 5AM, 4PM during work week.
Ideas,comments,???
I am 99.9% positive my cat Puddle has FHS. I want to take her to the vet but I am afraid to put her in a carrier. I fear it may trigger an episode or she could hurt herself in the enclosed area if she has a episode. She flails wildly while trying to bite herself. She has been on my lap when this has happened and she has nailed me several times with her front claws with a death grip into my skin. I bought krill oil hearing this could help but how in the world do you get a cat to take it. I also got lavender chamomile collars for her but don’t see a big difference. She has a bald spot on her front leg where she bites herself. I also see her appetite decreasing and it is difficult for her to sleep or even relax. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Hi Karen, I’m so sorry for the delayed response, as for some reason your comment went into my spam folder and I just now saw it. 🙁 In Puddle’s case, I agree that taking her to the vet might put a lot of additional stress on her, so would you consider having a vet who makes house calls come to you? It sounds like she could definitely benefit from medical intervention, especially since she is so agitated, is harming her own leg, and having trouble sleeping. In severe cases like hers, there might be some seizure episodes going on, so you’ll want to rule out anything like epilepsy. Although putting our cats on medication is never our first choice, there might be something the vet can prescribe that will give her some relief and provide a more normal quality of life. So I think a thorough veterinary exam is the best place to start – hopefully you have access to a vet who makes house calls, but if not, it might be worth the risk taking her to a vet anyway to get her some help. Good luck, please let me know how it goes!
Karen, I just wanted to say that my cat Addy who has cerebellum hyperplasia also has the FHS. She attacked her right front paw. I took a video of her during one of her episodes with the loud almost screaming meows, twitching tail and fully dilated pupils and showed it to the vet. That helped a lot with the diagnosis.
I have only just learnt about FHS and its such a relief! I thought it was a flea thing. When Milenko was a kitten i put ‘bob martin’ spot on flea treatment and he screamed, its awful stuff, an organophosphate used in agriculture and selling it should be banned for use in domestic pets. He has recurrent scabs on his neck and back, seems to have fits in his sleep (like he’s chasing something) basically every symptom that has been described – i’m trying cbd oil which is recommended for seizures but i havent seen an improvement yet. I dont want to go down the prozac or barbitol route, rather try something natural, he does respind to a good shoulder and neck massage though☺
Hi guys, my boy is definitely going through this. Didnt have time to read everything but has anyone had unsuccessful stories with Gabapentin? its been about 5 weeks we are on that along with Clomicalm 2x daily, Zylkene once daily, royal canin calm food and finally a feliway diffuser in the wall. He is still going for what is left of his tail ALL THE TIME. (we had to have it amputated, he bit about an inch clean off a few months back)
Addy is on gabapentin twice a day. 6/10 of a milliliter twice a day. We’ve had to adjust it to get it to the right place. I had used pain medicine for a while until her paw was completely healed. Maybe he still has pain? I have calming treats to help for stressful situations such as going to vet etc. But she’s basically just on the gabapentin twice a day. She weighs 5.5 lbs and I’m sure the gabapentin has to be by weight also. Good luck!!!
yeah he is on 0.8ml Gabapentin twice daily (hes about 9 lbs of muscle and that’s his max dosage) I was actually considering amputating the entire tail as that seems to be his main point of focus when an episode is starting up, he just looks back there with this scowl and then get agitated and dives for it or runs away from it.
and with the success of Gabapentin – how often does Addy have an episode and how intense are they? were still seeing them often and with a high intensity level at times.
My cat Jack just got diagnosed with this. He was just over 4 when it started(at the end of june). At first I wondered if the fireworks triggered him. What happened was at first I would find small turds trailed around the house. After a couple of days I found out it was Jack. He was running in a panic dropping perfectly healthy turds as he ran then at the end go into panic licking of his rear end. It was like he had no idea what was coming out of him. He was started on Gabapentin and now he doesn’t run in a panic,but he just goes where he’s sitting and then runs away upset. He pees in the box and even buries anything that smells left in the box(I have another cat who doesn’t bury his work). Just today we doubled his dose to see if we can improve things a bit more.
I raised he and his sister when fostering a feral litter-had them since they were 5 days old. Over the years I noticed he sometimes had what I called “crazy eyes”,but other than that this came out of nowhere. I’m lucky he’s not peeing or marking(it’s an easy clean up,all very healthy looking)but it’s upsetting to see him in a panic over something coming out of him that has been normal his whole life. I also worry that if anything happens to me he went from a very adoptable cat to one that is not adoptable. He’s a good boy who has always had a lot of play energy. I just hope the new med dose helps him-at least the panic is less now.
Hi Michael, I have Addy who started having issues at her previous home. I offered to keep her when she injured her paw. It’s a long story but she went back to original home and came back to me permanently when they didn’t think she needed the medicine gabapentin because it calmed her down too much. Addy had the wide eyes of panic when she was going to have an episode. She also would have accidents when she would have an episode. She is a 5 1/2 pound cat. We started out with liquid gabapentin 3/10 ml and now she’s on 6/10 ml of gabapentin twice a day. She is doing good on that. I tried lowering it a little bit and the excessive licking came back so I went back to the 6/10 ml dose. We tried the pills and I couldn’t get her regulated. She also has cerebellar Hypoplasia. It takes a little while for the dose to build up but I am pleased with her progress. Good luck with Jack!! Keep us posted on how he does.
Linda Mummaw
Thanks it’s nice to have people to talk to who have dealt with this very odd situation. Jack started on 2.5ml once a day and now that will be twice a day. He’s a big boy(twice as big as his runt sister)and is over 14lbs now. When the vet first checked him when she checked his lower back he growled for the first time ever at the vets(in fact the first time I have ever heard him growl)-it really upset him. Looking back now I realize he was slowly tending to panic a bit when someone came in the house,little things I didn’t think about until now. He started being a bit jumpy and that has gotten worse.I just hope to get this under control and keep it from getting worse…..he’s a good boy,the kind of cat you can’t find and then look up and he’s on top of the curtain rods.
I’m new to all of this. I’m worried my cat may have this. He’s 4.5. I’m very concerned about him. He goes through phases where it seems like he has a really bad itch and runs around the room with his lower back twitching, trying to lick it. He doesn’t get aggressive. He doesn’t try to bite his tail or self-mutilate as others have pointed out. I can hold him when he’s like this, he just gets annoyed and wants to go.This started a few days ago. I’m wondering if it’s maybe something else, or if it is this odd disease? He looks a lot like the cat in the video up there, without the hallucinations. I’m very very worried, any information is greatly appreciated! (I will be bringing him to the vet after I research which one knows the most about this disorder)
That’s the same age as Jack when his issues started. There’s no test for it it’s a process of elimination….but the med Jack is taking hasn’t fixed it but it has made the events happen less….good luck.
With the new dose of the med in him Jack has gone from having an incident every day to every other day and sometimes two days in a row go by without an incident. He has moments where it looks like he might build into a panic but then seems to calm down. It’s not perfect but it is better and I am glad he is not having as many moments of panic.
HELP! I have a foster kitten who I have been syringe/bottle feeding along with her 3 siblings from age of 3 weeks. One kitten at age 8 weeks started mutilating her tail tip so severely she exposed bone. I brought her to the shelter vet and they wanted to take off the first 2-3 inches of her tail, FHS was not mentioned. I have since done the research and do not think that amputation will provide any relief for this kitten. Her symptoms are classic FHS and she even has minor tonic type seizure activity after the episodes where she rears up stiffly on her hind legs and then tips over. Her tail is healing nicely, and looks great and she is in a cone until we can get meds rights. They put her on gabapentin for pain relief (.4), and I am trying homeopathic products and will start hemp oil today. I would like to know if anyone’s cat experienced a ‘cure’ with tail amputation. It is illogical to me that tail removal will effect a cure when this illness is the result of an anxiety or seizure disorder. Thanks for listening. Christine
Hi, Christine…I agree with you, I too would be skeptical of a tail amputation to solve this issue, as I also think it would not cure the original condition. And since surgery (and any type of amputation) is already a stressful experience, especially for cats, I can’t help but think it would make the underlying anxiety worse! Did you experience any benefit with the gabapentin or hemp oil??
Thanks so much for the reply Camille! I ended up digging in my heels and refusing to have her tail mutilated. She has stabilized nicely with using gabapentin originally for the first 2 weeks, and then using Bach’s rescue remedy in her water daily. She rarely has any symptoms as long as she stays in a setting she is comfortable in. When she starts to bother her tail, our dachshund bothers her (grooms her and licks her face) and somehow that breaks the cycle. The vets were throwing out scary scenarios out with the hemp oil, but I will be starting that soon as she has grown considerably. We will end up keeping the kitty as I think changing homes would be something that would be too stressful for her.
Oh, that’s great news!! I’m so glad she’s doing well on the gabapentin and Rescue Remedy, and that she didn’t have surgery. 🙂 It’s incredible how your dog knows how to snap her out of the FHS cycle! Animals are so wonderfully intuitive. And I’m also very happy to hear that you’re going to keep her permanently.. she is very lucky that you both found each other! <3
Hi there, I have a tortoiseshell who is almost a year old. A few weeks ago I started to notice these strange behaviours where she would twitch all over then frantically bite by her tail and dart around the house. I knew she didn’t have fleas so was a bit stumped! The behaviour has continued into where she will suddenly let out these shrieking meows and look around like she is seeing something, I thought to myself then it looks like she is hallucinating! So I googled all these symptoms and watched cats on YouTube with this disorder acting exactly like she does! She has been so frightened the last few days she hasn’t come out from under the sofa, my heart is breaking for her! I am going to try and film it and take it to the vets so they can have a look at her properly and hopefully diagnose her so she can be helped!
Dear Camille,
Thank you so much for this article, it answered a lot of questions and concerns I have about my sweet girl. The video you included was particularly appreciated, along with pointing out the accompanying symptoms in writing, because it shows specifics instead of leaving the reader to ‘imagine’ what the symptoms look like; poor kitteh! You can really feel his distress. Thank you too to all the commenters who, unlike many who post comments in response to articles, have all been very informative and supportive of each other and of their kittehs.
My kitty was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and put on methimazole to which she had a horrible reaction and I thought she might die. It was during the week she suffered this negative drug reaction that symptoms of FHS became frighteningly apparent. I had noticed some twitchiness around the eyes before the drug but I thought it was just a self-protective response to my petting her face and head. But during the time she was working through the methimazole reaction the twitchies became VERY pronounced and affected her entire body. She’s now completely recovered from the methimazole and is on a zero thyroid hormone diet and she’s doing wonderfully (oh, how lucky I am that my girl pulled through!) but the twitchies seem to be here to stay. Fortunately, they don’t seem to be distressing for her and she doesn’t have some of the more severe symptoms such as self-mutilating or hallucinations. I guess my whole point here is just to, once again, say “thank you” to Camille and all the responders to this article…it is comforting to know that 1) I’m not making a mountain out of a molehill with regard to the symptoms I’ve seen in my kitteh and, 2) there are lots of caring people out there who have helpful advice and experience they’re willing to share with others 😀. To all of you, I hope you and your animal friends are doing well.
Carey
Hi Carey, I’m so glad your kitty is doing better! Thanks so much for taking the time to write and for your kind words. I too am so grateful to all my readers who take the time to share their stories and advice…it’s wonderful to see so many caring people who are willing to help others in similar situations!
NEW treatment to try: Hi, my story is a little different. Tansy first got this when she was 19 and 1/2! She has kidney and thyroid disease too. I saw that she had a flea and some flea dirt even after treating her with Advantage. (There is a feral in the house who I can’t treat). I think her scratching her back end and it becoming very sensitive is what started this. She would bite her side during an attack. She bit a chunk out of her tongue, which grew back! She is now on phenobarbital for a month. With Gaba as needed. The phenobarb didn’t work for 4 days, so I decided to try adding CBD tincture! (pot oil, without THC). Within 2 days she was seizure free! This lasted weeks, but she had one last night after overgrooming her back. Much lighter than the others. Thanks for your knowledge on this site!
thank you for the bit about the CBD oil. i’m thinking of trying this on the cat i’m sitting for and wondered if it would work or harm her. what strength did you use?
Hi! Whoa! My cat not only has all these symptoms, but all of the symptoms of PTSD as well. My vet won’t acknowledge that my rescue cat has behavior issues. But it doesn’t end there. I myself have Bi-Polar and PTSD and she was supposed to be my therapy cat. I lost her trust the first time I had to put her in her carrier 2 years ago, after being a lap cat for the 1st 6 months I owned her. The more I try to help her the worse things get. I cannot offer her or do anything to her or for her without her thinking “it’s a trap.” She will not accept treats. She will not eat human food. She smells Gabapentin and won’t go near it after eating it the first time. Even though she was happy for 2 days after ingesting a drop of CBD oil I sparingly gave her, it evidently tastes or smells bitter, even through tuna in oil as a treat. She won’t go near CBD treated anything now, and won’t even accept the skim milk she used to get as a treat every few days. My environment is a nightmare. I am living w/ my 87 year old dementia ridden mother who has become verbally abusive to me. I have housing in the works, but at the earliest it will be May 1st. My cat, Kiddee Kiddee is a white short hair 5 1/2 yr old feral turned domestic. God only knows what horrors she’s endured. Her skin ripples, she looks like she’s hallucinating, bites and licks incessantly until a bloody pulp, and occasionally yowls. She hides from any strange voices, noises, sudden moves, sudden accidental moves (bumping an object,) and has enormous pupils often, looks terror stricken, is now afraid of my camera, etc. Every thing that I try seems to have the opposite result due to my living circumstances. I accidentally got the Feliway diffuser spilled on her bed, that she finally took too, only to have her totally reject it now. I am going to give her bed and things another deep wash to see if I can get that scent out of her bed, but she probably won’t go back to it. She has been treated for dermatitis 5 times w/ steroids and antibiotics as recently as 2 weeks ago, but the cuts, obsessive licking and biting,and weird hallucinated eyes have returned. The vet refuses to believe my stories (my mother told them I wasn’t credible because I have mental illness:NOTE; I had an amazing 30 year career in broadcasting and the music industry. I am totally credible. i am 55 years old and don’t take psychoactive medicines. It’s all me, baby, and I KNOW I can substantially help my cat if we could both have our own autonomous environment. It IS coming. Kiddee feels and senses each of my emotions before they even surface, which, again, makes it even more difficult to treat her….Help… Thanks, James…….I have rescued 4 cats so far this lifetime..and I won’t quit ever trying to help my little girl.
I adopted a 5 yr/o female, who was on gabapentin 50 mg/mL, with a dosage of 0.3mL twice a day. Her issue was excessive licking to the endpoint of fur removal. My vet suggested keeping the dose the same for several weeks, then cut back to once a day to see what happens. Well, she had dental problems so with that, I stopped the medication since she was getting the post-treatment medication from extracting 11 teeth. It has been a week, and today I saw about a 1″ area of no fur on her front paw. I guess I will do back to the gabapentin, at least once a day to see what happens. She takes it mixed with her wet food, and right now is on a UR special formulation, since she has small crystals in her urine. I was hoping that with a forever home, the anxiety or stress would end. But it is also that one of my other cats may be causing her stress. She hasn’t been with me even a month so far. After the dental work, she seemed so much happier and changed for the better.
My new kitten has just been diagnosed with FHS. He’s only about 2 months old. He has episodes that seem to last hours where he’s constantly meowing and grooming and scratching himself particularly on the neck. So much so that it bleeds and he just won’t stop scratching. It’s horrible to watch. It started this morning and is still constantly scratching now, it’s the evening. My vet said she’s never seen FHS this bad. She gave him some sedatives but he would just carry on. Does anyone know of anything to just calm him down?
Zylkene works on my cat. Not totally but it’s much better. You can find it on amazon.
My furbaby (now 8 years) has had FHS since kittenhood. The first vet prescribed pheno and she did fantastic on it, but it did make her very lethargic. Vet also told us pheno can cause other problems down the road, so we eventually weaned her off it. She did okay for a few years, and now her symptoms are worse than ever, with very loud vocalizations. Her bloodwork does come back normal every year. Current vet was nonchalant about the whole FHS thing and I am going to seek the advice of a new vet
We adopted “Shasta” last year after she was turned into a shelter during Hurricane Harvey. She’s a 10+ year old Siamese, and behaved very oddly right from the start. She didn’t like to be touched, and would sit in odd positions for long periods. Preferred the cold tile floor to a soft warm bed. She eats well and was on gabapentin, but then started having mild seizures. She would recover quickly but the vet put her on phenobarbitol to try to stop the seizures. That helped for a few weeks but she’s now having a seizure every few days and does not recover as quickly as she used to. Any suggestions or other ideas for this sweet little girl?
Karen, I’m so sorry for the delayed response… my website wasn’t functioning properly a few months ago, and your comment was one of several that went into the spam filter, so I just now saw it! My sincerest apologies, as I know this response will not be timely. 🙁 Regarding Shasta’s seizures, there could be many different reasons for them since there are several conditions that can cause seizures in older cats. And unfortunately, seizure disorders tend to get worse over time since cats and dogs can build up a tolerance to the medications used to try to control them. Sadly, two of the most common reasons for seizures in older cats is brain damage or brain tumors. Shasta could have suffered a brain injury during the hurricane that could be causing her issues. I know it’s been several months now, but has the vet run a CT scan or MRI to see if there’s been any visible damage to her brain? Again, sorry for the late response, but I didn’t want you to think I just wasn’t getting back to you. If you want to discuss this further or have specific questions, please feel free to email me at camille@goodpetparent.com . Thank you!
My feral-born kitty, adopted very young, now not quite one year old, often shows signs of what I suspect to be mild FHS. (I learned about it from a friend whose cat had cerebellar hypoplasia and worsening FHS; I further researched the symptoms online when I began to wonder about my kitty.) She sometimes appears to hallucinate and chase things that aren’t there; during those spells she is wide-eyed and jumpy, looks wildly around, switches her tail, and growls and smacks you (doesn’t bite) if you try to pet her. I read about Zylkene and am trying it, and it seems to be helping! She is calmer, more affectionate, and comes for purring/kneading/drooling sessions again. 🙂
That’s great to know that the Zylkene is helping your kitty! 🙂
Me & my one year old rescue cat also suffering from his FHS ,, it’s exhausting & debilitating for both of us .. Has anyone had any success with St Johns Wort (Hypericum) ?
My cat Lucy started with this condition about a month ago. Some days it goes off, and other days it’s really bad. Although, interestingly, it’s basically only when she moves about. When she is resting or eating, it goes off. Also seems to go off when she’s distracted by something else. For instance she was in the garden and twitching, then saw a mouse or other tiny mammal, and became completely normal while she (unsuccessfully) chased it round. I’m going to try that zylkene which sounds good, and will post the results back here. Apart from that, she’s very healthy.
Hi Michael, yes, please let us know if the Zylkene helps Lucy!
oh my! I am cat sitting for a Russian blue female, approx. 5yo, who is exhibiting mild symptoms of this illness. moodiness, tail lashing, growling and hissing when touched along the spine even if very lightly, sudden licking of places as though she’s being bitten by a flea even though fleas have been ruled out. I see this cat in everything i’m reading. the only thing she isn’t doing (yet?) is obsessive licking or biting herself and causing harm. what can I try to help this cat while she is in my care? she is a large condo and I let her out (on her good days she comes out freely; bad days she isolates herself in her kitty cave) regularly, feed her twice a day, give her chin scratches when she will allow it, give her catnip, …… I think that’s about it. she’s not a very interactive cat. would CBD oil help this condition?
I have some HempWorx 250 that give my dogs daily so it’s already on hand, but I know cats are super sensitive to drugs and things and I don’t want to harm her.
So my kitty, Jax has been the biggest scaredy cat in the world for the past 2 years or so (he’s 3). It seems to have started after something scared him under the couch. He ran out from behind the couch Fred Flinstone footing it to the bedroom, zoomed back into the living room and jumped into the window. There was nothing under the couch, I checked. He had always been a bit skittish before, but now it is to the point that he is afraid of literally everything. The floor, the rugs, under the table, and what is most upsetting is he is afraid to use the litter box. So he holds it until he can’t any more. He only pees once a day and it’s a ton. We thought getting another cat would help him and it seemed to at first but now he is worse than ever. I took him to the vet a couple weeks ago because his belly was getting so big and it was hard (still is). She took an x-ray and his colon was full from one end to the other. Plus his bladder was full and enlarged. They did blood work and everything looked okay. They kept him overnight with an IV hoping he would finally poop. He didn’t. He didn’t even pee until morning. I am now giving him gabapentin (half a capsule 2x daily) and two 1/4 teaspoons of miralax. He must be so miserable! Anyway I noticed that his back quivers and he does do some excessive grooming, but not to the point of losing hair. He also looks at EVERYTHING in the house like it’s the first time he’s seeing it. If we cough or even sniffle when he is walking by he literally jumps in the air. The gabapentin doesn’t seem to be doing much. I put a litter box in the living room directly under his cat tree, thinking he wouldn’t be scared of it, but he seems to still be a little frightened. Sometimes he just looks at me and cries and if I put him in there, he goes. My vet is at her wit’s end, to be honest. I have ordered a “thunder jacket” from Chewy.com as well as some feliway plug-in diffusers. I hope they help. If anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them. Thanks.
Hi Marti! My heart goes out to you and Jax, I can’t imagine what your poor kitty (and you) are going through. 🙁 Does the thundershirt seem to be helping him at all? Or the diffusers?
Based on what you’ve said, it sounds like it’s possible that Jax may have an actual chemical imbalance in his brain, similar to humans who have psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. This is different from a phobia, which is one single thing (like thunderstorms, fireworks, etc) that you can easily identify as the culprit that is scaring him. Some cats with chemical imbalances see the entire world as scary, and their life is one of constant fear and anxiety – it’s heartbreaking to think about what the world must be like for them. 🙁 Fortunately, there is more and more research being done on this particular condition, and it’s becoming more common for veterinarians to use medications that can help balance certain neurotransmitters in the brain (similar to the ones used in humans) to help improve the quality of life for these poor kitties.
I know you said the vet had started Jax on gabapentin and it didn’t seem to be helping… is that still the case? Sometimes it can take several weeks to months for anti-anxiety medications to reach full effectiveness, so I’m curious as to whether you’ve seen any improvement. If not, there are several other medications available that may work better. If your veterinarian has truly exhausted her options, it might be worth getting a second opinion from another vet who is also a board certified animal behaviorist and has more specialized training in these kinds of anxiety disorders.
I hope this helps…and please keep me posted on how Jax is doing, I learn just as much from my readers and their personal experiences as they do from me! Hopefully you are able to find a medication or treatment that helps him, and the quality of both of your lives greatly improves! In the meantime, I’m wishing you both the best of luck!!