I could not open your link (apparently I need a newer version of Explorer), but I found another site about it. Quite scary.. Oddly enough, this has just been mentioned in this post: Why has my cat..... This is so weird! Had never heard of that until a few days ago... and here comes this second post.
Now I keep wondering if this is not what happened to my cat. The article I read (from Cornell) mentioned it occurs in the summer (most cases in August--which is when our cat got sick!!!) Vet never figured out what was wrong with him. He went very fast, and when symptoms got worse, they all seemed to point to a brain tumor. Oh my... will need to investigate!

Anne-Marie

I have never heard of this and so glad you posted this information. Thanks

I just read the article and didn't realize it was a botfly that caused it. I've rescued a few kittens who have had botflies that burrowed under their skin. Had one with a botfly under the skin at the top of it's head. They are some disgusting little creatures that's for sure. The vet was so kind as to save one to show me. I could have done without that show and tell. I get the chills just thinking about it.

I live in Mn, Twin Cities area and hadn't known that anything scary was around here. No poisonous snakes, scorpions, spiders. This gave me the creeps. My cat did survive but was always slightly off balance when she walked and didn't do well anymore with jumping up and down from 3' or so. It took her about 2 weeks to feel better. The seizures/dizzy episodes were maybe 5-6 a day in the first few days and gradually decreased after that until no more. She didn't appear to be in any pain, not aggressive, problem just seemed very frightened when happening and afterwards. The only thing the vet offered was anti-nausea medication incase she had trouble keeping food down. I do remember he said some cats recover, some do not. He is a somewhat conservative vet.

If you have problem w/link I posted go to petmd.com, cats, altered behavior.

The problem is I can't get to petmd.com, at all. I have found a few articles though. I'm puzzled. So glad your cat recovered so quickly. The answer will always be blowing in the wind for me, but I will ALWAYS be looking. He had just received some vaccinations (which he did NOT need- new vet due to our move) and he may have had a weaker immune system.. Nausea, blindness, circling, behavior changes.. but all this is also signs of brain tumor, or even lead poisoning (we moved to an old house)..

Thanks for sharing,
Anne-Marie

Just bumping this..still wondering if any others out there have had this happen to their cat, or other pet?

Yes! My cat had this 2 years ago. She survived but will never be the same. Blind in one eye, and has to have phenobarbitol 2 x a day to prevent seizures. Some of the behavioral issues have never gone away. She had to be totally retrained to use the litterbox, everything, as if she was a kitten. It was weeks before she could even walk again. Net effects are similar to a stroke victim.

She was not really an "outdoor" cat, just went out to the garden with me occasionally. She never roamed (a scared-y cat) but stayed with me. I thought that was safe. If I ever get another cat, I will never let her go outside.

I looked for my own original post on it here, but could not find it.

Here is an extract form what I originally posted:

"My 8 year old kitty Shadow started having seizures yesterday afternoon. She ran around frantically, I followed her to see what was going on, then she fell on her side and I could see strong contractions moving down her sides from the waist down. Then she did an all-over shuddering and trembling. The whole thing lasted less than a minute. She seemed woozy or sluggish afterward but otherwise normal; I brought her fresh food and water and she ate/drank them normally.

She had never had them before. It was so alarming to see that I immediately called my vet, only to find they were not open. The service referred me to an animal emergency clinic; who told me to watch and wait and if she had more, to bring her in; other wise wait for her regular vet in the morning.

A few times I came into the room and saw she was drooling; I began to realize that she was drooling after one of these seizure incidents; that not all of them were as frenetic as the first one I had seen; if I left the room for a second I could very well miss one. I had appointments and family things to do, off and on all afternoon and checked her in between. I decided to bring her in because I could tell they were not going away. While I was getting her carrier cleaned up she had the worst one of all. She was completely out of her head, after the spasming and thrashing she could not see us and ran right into a wall. When it was over it was like a light switch turning off. She would be still and look like she was just becoming awake. While I stuffed her into the carrier. In car to the emergency clinic (only 5 minutes away) she had another one, a trembling version.

So she was admitted to the animal ICU. They gave her a little valium to be able to get an IV in and the seizures stopped. I had to leave her overnight and left after paying over a $1000, just as a deposit. My husband wanted to put her to sleep (which he did not dare say in front of our kids). They are adamant that everything should be done. If she is "only" epileptic; there are meds for that. Its hard to know what to do when we donÂt know whatÂs wrong. And this is so sudden.

Initial blood tests were all fine. No rabies, tetanus, etc. They are testing for more things now. The doctor called me 2 hours ago (11 am Thursday) and gave me a laundry list of what it could be; from epilepsy to a brain tumor to various kinds of infections. The brain tumor looks the most likely, except for the rapid onset. They are doing an MRI on her right now! The bill for that will be another $1300. If nothing is found in the MRI, after that a spinal tap for another $1000.

The doctor just called again with the results from the MRI. She has either brain inflammation or has had a stroke. The stroke can be from several causes; a parasite that the cat sniffs up from dirt and burrows into the brain and causes damage; or some other disease; like a fungus. Some are treatable, some not. I said to go ahead with the spinal tap: they still canÂt treat her without knowing what she has.

Where do I go from here? Do I draw an imaginary line and say "donÂt do more than".Âwhat? After all this, she still may have to be put to sleep. What price do I put on her? What am I willing to give up?"