Muscle tremors in a cat when falling asleep. The cat is shaking: what could cause it?

Strange behavior pet always alarming. For example, without visible reasons the cat is trembling. An attentive owner will always notice if something is wrong with his pet. In fact, trembling in cats- not always a sign of a disease and not so causeless.

Very often the cat is shaking all over from overexcitement. The impetus for such excitement can be a game, hunting or sexual instincts - a bird outside the window, potential partner or an opponent, the desire to deftly catch a toy - and now the animal’s muscles are cramping from pent-up tension.

If the cat's paws are shaking in a dream - an uncomfortable position, excitement in a dream, however, if the same symptom is constantly present, we can talk about neurological reasons. The cat is shaking as if he is cold- this can actually happen if the animal is cold - for example, after bathing.For no apparent reason the cat hid under the sofa and is shaking. Probably, something scared him in your absence, or it was the consequence of a blow, a bruise - an unsuccessful jump from a closet, for example.

Before drawing any conclusions, you need to observe your pet - at what moments? the cat is shaking what is the tremor interval, intensity, how the animal tolerates it. The noticed symptoms will be the starting point for the doctor when making a diagnosis if the cat’s trembling is caused by a disease.

Why is the kitten trembling?!

Young the kitten is shaking(if we exclude health pathologies) during puberty, a male cat during estrus and rutting. In this case, it is better to sterilize the animal that is not intended for breeding. To understand why is the kitten trembling, he needs to be monitored, finding out the cause-and-effect relationship of the tremor.

Reason why is the cat trembling, may be vitamin deficiency, often a deficiency of B vitamins. Replenished food additives or by injection.But not everything is so rosy. Tremor in cats can be a symptom of an underlying disease. Diseases in which there is trembling in cats:

  • weakness, pain;
  • TBI or its consequences;
  • defects of genetic development (disorders vestibular apparatus, cerebellar anomalies, etc.);
  • neurological causes (degenerative and neuromuscular pathologies);
  • problems with metabolic processes in the body;
  • spinal injuries (possibly hidden, compression);
  • poisoning in a cat;
  • overheating (heat stroke), etc.

In order not to be tormented by speculation, why is the cat shaking, a full diagnostic examination should be carried out.

In order not to further injure a frightened or sick animal, it is worth inviting a specialist to your home. Examination, simple tests, necessary primary care- this is something that can be done at home.

After surgical intervention Complications may develop and your pet may feel different than usual. Therefore, many owners become concerned as soon as they notice that their cat is trembling after sterilization. What could this be connected with? Should I immediately go to the vet? What should you do if your cat is shaking after sterilization?

First, let's look at what causes trembling in cats.

Cold

Cats are warm-blooded animals, and just like their owners, they get cold. A comfortable temperature for pets in the house is +18 - +20 degrees. But if the room gets sharply cold or there is a draft, then the animal can poke at you.

Trembling increases if the cat's fur is wet (after bathing). Therefore, be sure to water procedures Wipe your pet's fur dry before letting it into the room (and especially outside).

Stress

Yes, if the cat is scared, nervous, angry, or has slight tremors (tremors). Usually the fur also stands on end, the tail is like a pipe. In general, recognize a cat in nervous tension not that difficult. As soon as the animal calms down, the trembling disappears.

Lack of vitamin B, magnesium or calcium

It happens that due to a lack of vitamins, calcium or magnesium, the animal begins to tremble slightly. There may be seizures. It is enough to add vitamin and mineral supplements to the diet (a course of 10 days), and the improvements will be noticeable.

Fatigue after exercise

If the cat has been running for a long time, the muscles may begin to tremble slightly. Think about yourself after running, how your legs can shake. But once you rest a little, it all goes away. Observe your pet if tremors persist long time, then the reason is probably not the active pastime of the mustache.

Why does a cat shake after sterilization?

So why does a cat shake after sterilization?

Frozen

If you notice trembling almost immediately after you brought it home, and the animal has recovered from anesthesia, then most likely the pet is cold. Many veterinarians give advice to owners even in the veterinary clinic: do not place the cat high (on sofas, chairs) so that it does not fall, but be sure to place its bed closer to the heat (a radiator, you can put a heating pad nearby). This is necessary because the animal is cool (the thermoregulation center “turns off” during anesthesia), and warming up will help it come to its senses more easily.

The blanket is in the way

Sometimes a cat shakes after sterilization if she is wearing a blanket or bandage. This is how the animal tries to “shake off” a foreign object.

Inflammatory process

If the trembling appeared after the pet had recovered from anesthesia (a day or more later, for example), then it is necessary to measure the temperature. Perhaps the cat has a fever caused by an incipient inflammatory process in the body.

Check the seams to see if there are any strange discharge(ichor, pus), swelling, redness, pain. Has your cat's appetite changed or is there vomiting?

In general, if you notice that your mustache has symptoms of illness (other than trembling) after sterilization, contact your veterinarian immediately. veterinary clinic to a specialist whom you trust and whose qualifications you do not doubt. After an in-person examination of your beauty, he will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment (antibiotic therapy is possible).

An attentive owner of a mustachioed, striped, and perhaps completely hairless meowing pet (we are talking about) will definitely notice the changes that are happening to his animal. But how to react to them? Is it always worth worrying veterinarian? Or perhaps the symptoms that frighten us are not some kind of terrible pathology?

Today we invite you to talk about why a cat might tremble, what diseases such trembling can be a symptom of, and how to help an animal in this situation

Reasons why a cat may tremble

It is impossible not to notice that your cat is trembling. This may be a small trembling, which is not visible under the animal’s thick fur, but which you can clearly feel if you put your hand on the cat and stroke it. It could be severe trembling, in which the animal’s limbs also twitch – is especially noticeable in short-haired or hairless cats. Fortunately, it is impossible to confuse this symptom with some other one. But how to behave in a situation when you notice that your pet is trembling and shaking like an aspen leaf in the wind?

We would not recommend you to panic, however, and you should not ignore this symptom. Of course, you should seek advice from a specialist, however, while you are going to the veterinary clinic, agreeing on an appointment time and preparing your cat for transport (don't forget to take it) - take a few minutes to find out about possible reasons such trembling in a cat or cat. Who knows, perhaps your pet’s tremors are associated with them, and by eliminating them, you will eliminate the tremors (the cat will then need to be shown to the veterinarian in any case). So, why can a cat tremble

Cold

Fear

Who said that our cats are absolutely fearless and are not afraid of anything? Perhaps they try to look like this, especially when they attack their owners’ feet and spoil their owners’ things, but at heart cats are deeply vulnerable and fragile creatures that can be frightened and hurt. As a result severe fright or stress, which may be associated with both a change in food () and the appearance stranger in your home (there are many reasons for stress), a nervous shock occurs in the animal’s body, which results in nervous chills or trembling. The cat is literally shaking from fright and fear. In this situation, of course, it is necessary to eliminate the provoking factor, try to calm the animal, caress it... In a word, it is better to treat stress and fear positive emotions.

Joy and positive emotions

The opposite cause of fear and stress is the joyful state of the cat, accompanied by positive emotions. For example, your pet has been missing you all day and is now happily curled up on your lap. The fact that he is trembling means that he is pleased that you are next to him. By the way, a cat often trembles after eating - experts explain this phenomenon by saying that the animal’s muscles in such a situation contract due to the fact that it has a full stomach.

Sexual arousal

In a state of sexual arousal in a cat or during a cat's heat, members of the feline family may experience trembling due to the fact that the animal's senses are heightened at this moment and excitement reaches its extreme measure. If you don’t plan to exercise, it would be better to use an animal.

Noticing that the cat is twitching in its sleep, the owner may be concerned about the well-being of the pet. If we're talking about O adult cat, suspicions are far from unfounded. Let's figure out why cats twitch in their sleep and what it may indicate if a cat twitches too much.

It was cats, or rather, their dreams, that made it possible to prove to the whole world that animals also plunge into the world of dreams. Moreover, scientists suggest that Our pets' dreams are much richer and more dynamic than ours. It all started when doctors began to study the phases of human sleep. To confirm my assumption that in REM sleep healthy people lose the ability to move, an experiment was carried out on a group of cats.

All animals had a small area of ​​the brain removed, which was responsible for muscle atonia in the REM phase of sleep. After the animals were fully rehabilitated, the scientists' suspicions were corrected. The observed cats stood on their paws, walked confidently, and turned their heads, as if watching someone. While in a state of sleep, cats sniffed and turned their ears. The experiment proved that cats see, hear and touch dreams.

This is interesting! A healthy, adult animal does not move during REM sleep, although rapid eye movements and slight twitching are considered normal.

With development medical equipment It was possible to prove that during dreams, cats experience real emotions: fear, joy, excitement, aggression. Near the animals under observation, “pheromones” of a same-sex cat were sprayed and the observed one showed aggression. In the opposite case, when the scent of an animal of the opposite sex was sprayed, the observed behaved calmly or interestedly. That is, animals not paralyzed by the REM phase not only sensed the outside world, but also made natural, instinctive decisions. These observations led to the conclusion that in their dreams, cats see themselves and their surroundings very realistically.

This is interesting! Experiments were carried out on cats, dogs and rodents. Cats surprised scientists by very naturally emitting hunting in their dreams. The dogs suddenly hinted at bestial essence, imitating the behavior of wild wolves. The rodents broke all records, because even in their sleep they were able to solve the tasks assigned to them.

The study of human and animal sleep continues. Of course, today it is no longer practiced to remove part of the brain for the sake of observation. To relieve atonia during the REM phase, blockades of part of the brain are used. Modern scientists are on the verge of a big discovery, since the experiments included observations of brain activity using highly sensitive scanners. There is no doubt that cats dream, but perhaps we will soon find out exactly what their dream world looks like. Already today, scientists have managed to find out that their Kittens see their first dreams while still in the womb.

Read also: Is it possible to walk a cat?

A kitten's active sleep is not a reason to worry

Most of the speculation surrounding the concern comes from kitten owners. We dare to assure you that if your cat twitches in his sleep, but he is not yet 12-15 months old, this is normal. Don't worry if the kitten sleeps in an unnatural position or if its eyes are slightly open. The first is explained by the fact that kittens are not so demanding of comfort, the second is due to the presence of a third eyelid, a transparent film that protects the eye during sleep, even if it is open.

The kitten may twitch violently, roll over, and even meow after stress or active play. If the baby is sleeping and you notice that his paws are twitching, it means that the four-legged animal is walking or running in its sleep. Until 1.5–2 years of age, activity in the REM phase is absolutely normal and is explained by an incompletely formed nervous system.

The REM phase of sleep in kittens up to 6 months takes up about 80% of all sleep time. If you notice that your cat doesn’t startle in its sleep as often as before, you can draw conclusions about the strengthening of the nervous system and the maturation of the animal as a whole. The period of formation of the nervous system is very individual and depends on many factors. In outbred so-called aboriginal cats, it lasts up to 10 months, some purebred cats“remain children” until they are two years old.

When are there reasons for concern?

The owner should worry, but it is better to consult a doctor immediately, If twitching in a dream reminds. If you have the slightest doubt, wake up your pet and observe how quickly he wakes up. Healthy cat, even being in a completely relaxed state, will fully wake up within 10–15 seconds. If the half-asleep state seems suspicious to you, you observe that the cat has difficulty breathing, raising its head or swallowing saliva - call a doctor.

Read also: What to do if your cat is lost?

If you cannot wake up your pet or he loses consciousness, call a doctor immediately, because seizure, most likely to happen again. After a severe seizure (depending on its cause), the cat may lose consciousness and never regain consciousness. Seizures are a very serious condition and indicate that the brain is unable to control the central nervous system.

Important! Videos periodically appear on the Internet of how a sleeping cat suddenly jumps up and runs, can crash into obstacles, etc. It may look funny, but this behavior indicates severe violations in the functioning of the central nervous system.

A separate risk group is pregnant and recently given birth cats. Immediately after birth, when the cat is resting, a seizure may indicate postpartum preeclampsia - Very dangerous condition which will lead to the death of the pet, if she is not provided emergency assistance. Constant, increasing trembling, turning into convulsions, is a sign of hypoglycemia, which quickly develops into a coma and is fraught with the death of the cat.

A seizure or violent twitching can be explained by a number of events that are not related to illness. After severe stress or fright, moving, fighting, experiencing danger, cat, with high probability, will twitch in your sleep - this is not entirely normal, but special measures no need to accept. Reduced control over the central nervous system, indicates that the brain and neural connections cats are temporarily “canned”. Everything will return to normal when the pet’s body recovers. If the cat was not stressed and looked healthy all day, it should be excluded.

Cats tremble when they are very stressed. Trembling can be a natural manifestation of the body at certain external factors, and a symptom of a serious illness.

Why is the cat shaking?

There are many reasons why cats tremble. This may be a manifestation of fear, the influence of cold, an uncomfortable body position.

Puberty in cats is one of the most common causes. After sterilization, the trembling stops. In cats, this phenomenon can occur before estrus. If symptoms persist after surgery, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

A lack of vitamin B can also cause tremors in your pet. In this case, buy brewer's yeast for your cat. They are sold at any pet store.

Don't worry if your cat twitches in his sleep - this is normal phenomenon which happens in a dream.

The cat's paws are shaking

Trembling paws means a lack of calcium in the body. To cure your cat, start giving him vitamin complexes with microelements. Typically, such courses last 10 days.

Kidney diseases can also cause trembling in the paws. In this case, give the cat the drug “Cat Erwin”. This is the medicine from natural ingredients, absolutely harmless to animals. He will take off inflammatory processes and will have a diuretic effect.

Trembling limbs can be a symptom of a serious illness, for example, rhinotracheitis. In this case, you need to contact a veterinarian.

But it is better not to self-medicate, but to immediately contact a veterinarian.