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Cat Head Shaking Like Parkinson’s – Causes, & Treatments

Cat Head Shaking Like Parkinson’s – Causes, & Treatments

Cats are famous for their unpredictable yet adorable behavior but shaking heads like Parkinson’s is a clear sign that something is wrong with your feline partner. Continuous and unusual head-shaking indicates that your cat has some diseases or discomforts in its body. So, when this happens in your cat, you must pay attention and take the actions necessary to treat your cat’s condition.

Can Cats Have Parkinson’s

Cats cannot have Parkinson’s disease like humans. But your feline friend may show neurological symptoms that seem like Parkinson’s.

Your cat can show tremors, uncontrollable head shaking, leg weakness, lack of balance, sluggish gait, twitching ears, eyes, tongue, or face. If you find your cat with any of these symptoms, you must consult your vet to diagnose and treat the condition without further delay.

Reasons Your Cat’s Head Shakes Like Parkinson’s

There can be several reasons why your cat’s head shakes like Parkinson’s. It is most likely that your feline partner has an ear infection or gets affected by ear mites.

Your cat’s can also shake its head unusually due to aural hematoma, allergies, and inflammatory skin disease. Diseases like myopathy and ear polyps also cause head shaking in cats. However, your feline partner may shake its head like Parkinson’s being affected by feline infectious peritonitis or some oral problems.

Your Cat Has Ear Infection or Ear Mites

In most cases, cats shake their heads like Parkinson’s due to ear infections, parasites, or ear mites. It can cause extreme itching that leads your cat to shake its head repeatedly.

Ear infections in cats may occur due to two types of bacteria; cocci and rod-shaped bacteria. Mites like Otodectes cynotis also cause severe discomfort inside the ears of your cat. As a result, it can shake its head like Parkinson’s to show pain and discomfort.

In this situation, you should immediately have an appointment with your vet to diagnose the reasons behind head shaking. Your vet will check your cat’s ear canals, membranes, and eardrums with an otoscope and prescribe the necessary medication.

Your Cat Has Aural Hematoma

Your cat can shake its head like Parkinson’s due to aural hematoma. An aural hematoma is visible from the outside. You can see that the earflap of your cat gets swelled like a pillow. This swelling is blood-filled and happens when a blood vessel is damaged.

It causes extreme discomfort, and your cat shakes its head like Parkinson’s and scratches its ear to ease the pain. Aural hematoma, in most cases, is associated with the problems like ear infection, ear mites, or itchy skin. To treat this condition, your vet may drain the fluid off.

Your Cat Is Shaking Heads Due To Allergies And Inflammatory Skin Disease

Allergies are another reason behind your cat’s extreme head shaking. It causes intense itching around your cat’s head, neck, and ears. As a result, your cat starts shaking its head like Parkinson’s.

Cats may get affected by allergies from different sources, including food, flea, insects, pollen, grass, or dust mite. Allergies can be responsible for your cat’s inflamed skin, rash, and even fur loss.

Eventually, your cat may fall prey to inflammatory skin disease and feel uneasiness and severe discomfort. But the good thing is, with proper medication, allergies can be controlled.

Your Cat Has Ear Polyps 

Your cat may shake its head like Parkinson’s due to ear polyps. There can be a benign growth in the mucous membrane of your cat’s ear.

When cats develop such ear polyps, they show symptoms like head shaking, coughs, sneezing, nasal discharge, etc. Your cat feels severe pain and acts strangely when it is in such a condition.

Your Cat Developed Spasticity Or Myopathy

If your cat is Devon Rex or Sphynx, it may shake its head like Parkinson’s due to spasticity or myopathy. It is quite common in those breeds. Myopathy causes muscle weakness with head shaking and a high-stepping forelimb gait.

Myopathy-affected cats find it difficult to keep their heads in normal positions. This occurs very early in Devon Rex cats, from 5 to 6 months of age.

Your Cat Is Experiencing Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)

When your cat is affected by Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) disease, it can shake its head like Parkinson’s. FIP is a viral infection caused mostly in multiple-cat environments.

When your cat is affected by FIP, it may show signs like watery eyes, nasal discharge, and head shaking. It also loses its appetite and falls into depression. Sometimes, it can cause diarrhea and breathing difficulty.

Your Cat May Shake Its Head Due To Oral Problems

Your cat may shake its head like Parkinson’s being affected by some oral problems. The problems include tooth disease, gum problems, gingivitis, periodontitis, etc.

They can cause extreme discomfort to your cats. Consequently, your feline partner may stop eating and start shaking heads like Parkinson’s due to severe pain and distress.

Why Is My Cat’s Head Trembling

Though occasional head shaking is normal in cats, continuous head shaking or trembling unusually may indicate that something is wrong with your cat. It can be due to ear infection, allergies, or inflammatory skin disease.

The head trembling may also occur when your cat has some neurological disorders or myopathy. However, it can be a sign of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) or severe oral problems.

If you see your cat trembling its head abnormally and losing its balance, you must consult your vet immediately for proper diagnosis and treatment.

What Are Tremors In Cats

When you see unusual or involuntary muscle movements in your cat that are alternating between contraction and relaxation, it can be a sign of tremors. In simple terms, tremors in cats are repetitive movements twitching of one or more body parts.

This movement can be slow or rapid and occur in any part of the body. There can be several causes for tremors in cats, including genetic issues, trauma, extreme weakness and pain, nervous system disease, inflammation, etc. Tremors indicate that something is wrong with your cat that must be treated as early as possible.

Why Is My Cat Shaking Head And Losing Balance

Your cat may shake its head and lose balance due to many reasons. Maybe your cat is having an inner ear infection or head trauma. It can also happen when your cat has any central nervous system disease or neurological disorder.

However, tumors in the ear canal can cause shaking and losing balance in your cats. Shaking and losing balance can also be a side effect of some toxic drugs. You must consult a vet when you see your cat shaking its head unusually and losing balance.

Things To Consider

There are several things to keep in mind when you see your cat shaking its head like Parkinson’s. It’s a sign that your cat is experiencing some physical issues that must be treated urgently.

Your cat may have an ear infection, aural hematoma, or allergies. It can also fall victim to ear polyps, feline infectious peritonitis, and oral problems. However, your cat can shake its head like Parkinson’s for the following reasons as well.

Insect Bites Can Cause Head Shaking 

Your cat may shake its head unusually due to insect bites. As your feline friend loves to play with insects, it can get an insect bite on its face or neck while playing. This may cause head shaking in your cats.

Head Shaking May Occur Due To Tumors On The Pancreas

A tumor may develop on the pancreas of your cat and interfere in the normal insulin secretion process. It is called insulinoma that can cause your cat physical weakness, head shaking, and even your cat get unbalanced and collapse.

Consult A Vet Immediately When You See Unusual Head Shaking 

When you see your feline partner is shaking heads unusually and for a long time, you must immediately book an appointment with your vet. It’s an obvious sign that there is something wrong with your cat’s body.

So, to make your feline friend healthy and active, always observe its behavior closely and take prompt actions if anything unusual happens.