What If Your Cat Has a Seizure Due to Poisoning?

When your cat has a seizure it can be very hard to witness and sometimes it is hard not to panic. The most important thing you can do to help your cat, is to not panic. Stay calm so you can administer the care that your cat needs. While the time that passes while your cat is having the seizure, the actual seizure can last up to a few seconds, or they can last up to a few minutes.

Seizures are also referred to as convulsions, which are excessive firing of nerves in your cat's brain. And due to these firings it will cause your cat's muscles to contract causing the seizure. Seizures in a cat that is caused by poisons are usually associated with prolonged periods of hypoxia and the potential for brain damage. If your cat is having continuous or recurrent seizures, it may be controlled with intravenous diazepam (commonly known as Valium) or barbiturates, which these must be administered by a veterinarian.

If your cat has a seizure caused by strychnine and any other central nervous system poison, it could be mistaken for epilepsy. This could be a very serious problem, because immediate veterinary attention will be needed in the cases of poisoning, but not for most epileptic seizures. Seizures that are caused by poisoning usually are continuous or recur within minutes. Keep in mind that between seizures your cat may exhibit lack of coordination, tremors, weakness, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Most of the epileptic seizures will be brief and they seldom last more than two minutes, and are followed by a quiet period in which your cat will appear dazed but otherwise normal.

Keep in mind that cats cannot swallow their tongues, so you shouldn't worry and try to pull the cat's tongue out while he is having a seizure or you will risk a serious bite from your cat. For precautionary measures, you may want to wrap your cat in a towel or blanket while he is having the seizure to help keep him stay out of harm's way.

Resources: Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook, Third Edition