What leads to a cat dying twitching?
Cats may twitch in the days before dying due to a depleted central nervous system, which causes involuntary muscle-based actions in the paws, body, and head. This can cause those parts of the body to twitch and/or shake as the cat gets sicker.
It’s essential to pay attention to these symptoms and make sure your cat is well taken care of. The symptoms can make the cat restless, confused, and agitated.
The signs can include:
- Shaking Paws
- Shivering Head and Facial Muscles
- Limp/Staggered Gait
It’s best to take the time to speak to a vet and learn more about what’s going on with your cat. With a cat dying twitching, you will notice the symptoms for months before they worsen.
It’s recommended to take action as soon as possible with the use of calming aids and other relevant medications as prescribed by the vet.
This guide is going to take a look at what leads to a cat dying twitching, signs to focus on, and what to use when it’s time to remedy the issue in the short-term.
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Reasons for a Cat Dying Twitching
Reason #1 – Central Nervous System Issues
The main reason has to do with the central nervous system not functioning at 100%. This means whenever the cat aims to do something or moves, the muscles are going to twitch.
This has to do with the neurons in the cat’s brain not understanding what’s going on or not connecting with the muscle tissues properly.
The issues begin in the:
- Paws
- Limbs
- Face/Neck
As time goes on, the condition will worsen and the twitching is going to become a constant issue.
Cat owners should pay attention to this concern because it’s a major reason for the twitching.
Reason #2 – Chronic Pain
This is a reason that’s going to become a major issue when it comes to a cat dying twitching.
As time goes on, the cat is going to deal with an unrelenting experience with pain. This means the pain is going to coarse through the body and it will ruin the cat’s quality of life.
This pain can go through the face, body, and/or paws depending on how the central nervous system is working.
Due to the incessant twitching, the cat will become restless and nervous.
This can make the pain-related symptoms worse and that’s what speeds up the cat’s death. It’s an unfortunate situation but one cat owners have to be aware of.
A cat dying twitching will likely deal with pain along the way and it’s best to give them their meds regularly.
Reason #3 – Anxious
This is often going to be a concern with cats that are twitching.
Their symptoms might have to do with the central nervous system, but there is a psychological element to all of this as well.
Some cats are going to see an increase in twitching because of their underlying anxiety. Since the cat tends to feel weaker and more exposed, they will start exhibiting signs of anxiety.
This can get worse as the condition fails to improve.
A cat might not understand what’s going on and that can make the proposition tiring and scary.
This is why taking the time to soothe the cat and keep it happy is a must.
Reason #4 – Muscular Failure
This is a common reason and it’s one that’s noticeable right away.
In general, a cat’s muscles will continue to work as designed, but that tends to go away when the central nervous system isn’t cooperating.
As a result, the cat starts limping, shaking, or simply not acting the way it used to. There are many situations where the cat begins to give up and simply stays in the same spot for hours on end.
This can be disconcerting for cat owners, but it’s a way for the cat to cope with its lingering symptoms. A cat dying twitching is going to be frustrate and that often has to do with the muscular failure.
In situations such as these, it’s best to massage the cat’s muscles and provide relief.
Final Thoughts
What leads to a cat dying twitching?
Most cats are going to be dealing with chronic pain and/or central nervous system issues. The cat’s body is intricate when it comes to different muscle fibers and neurons firing at the same time. Any issues in this relationship will cause harm to the cat.
This is why it’s essential to pinpoint what’s going on with your cat right away and speak to a vet.
The information you are going to get from the vet will go a long way to help a cat dying twitching. You don’t want to ignore these symptoms because they will likely worsen.
Don’t assume the symptoms are going to go away on their own because they won’t!
As a cat owner, it’s your responsibility to understand these symptoms and make sure appropriate action is taken. Whether this includes using calming ads, prescribed meds, and/or massage therapy, the goal is to alleviate the cat’s symptoms in the short-term.
For more on how to make your cat’s life easier, go through these articles – how to help an angry cat, how to properly give medicine to my cat, how to help a terrified cat, how to feed a dying cat.