Feline epilepsy

Kline, Karen L.

The diagnosis and management of seizures in the cat require an understanding of the more common diseases that predispose to feline epilepsy. Feline seizures may occur secondary to intracranial or extracranial disease. Intracranial causes include inflammatory, neoplastic, vascular, and traumatic disorders. Extracranial causes include various metabolic and toxic insults. Previous brain insults that are no longer active may leave “seizure foci.” Idiopathic epilepsy is uncommon in the cat relative to the dog but should be considered if no cause can be found. Regardless of the etiology, ictal events in cats can manifest themselves in multiple forms and levels of severity. Therapy should be directed at controlling seizure frequency and treating the underlying cause. An aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approach to feline epilepsy may improve prognosis and lead to a favorable outcome.