How do I know if my cat had a stroke

Cats are sensitive mammals and vulnerable to outspread diseases. It is really important to take proper care of their health and make sure to take them to the veterinary clinic for routine health checkups.

A Stroke is less common in cats than in humans but still, cat strokes are crucial and require proper veterinary care. There are two types of cat strokes, Hemorrhagic and Ischaemic. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when internal bleeding occurs due to an artery outburst. However, Ischaemic stroke occurs when blood circulation is disturbed due to blood clots. A Cat of any age can have strokes regardless of its breed. In such cases, it is impossible to find out the exact cause behind it.

Cat stroke symptoms:

Cat stroke symptoms are acute in the next 24 hours to 72 hours after the cat has had a stroke. Common symptoms are:

1.    Asymmetrical pupils i.e. both pupils are different in size

2.    Swiftly moving pupils i.e. rapid movement of both pupils

3.    Seizures

4.    Weakness

5.    Falling

6.    Loss of balance i.e. sudden collapse or irregular movements

7.    Vaulted body

8.    Abnormality in eye movements

9.    Coma

10. Muscles convulsion i.e. cramps or contractions of muscles.

11. Unawareness of surroundings

Signs of cat stroke may overlap with symptoms of other brain diseases too.

Cat Stroke Treatment:

There isn’t one treatment for cat strokes. It solely depends upon the veterinarian for a custom treatment plan which suits your cat’s best. Treatments that your veterinarian might suggest are:

1.    Oxygen therapy can opt for treatment if brain tissue damage is diagnosed

2.    Seizure treatment in case of excessive pressure on the skull

3.    Fluid therapy can opt for treatment if the cat is experiencing difficulty in balancing or in case of sudden collapse

4.    Physical therapy in case of the vaulted body or neurological defalcation

5.    High blood pressure medication

Mentioned signs of cat strokes don’t need to be the only symptoms a cat might show or the mentioned treatments are the only treatments of a cat stroke. Every case is different and the best thing one can do is to take the cat to the nearest veterinary clinic as only a veterinarian knows which cat stroke treatment would be the best for your cat.