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Hi there, I need some help regarding my cat Percy. He is a two and a half year old indoor/outdoor cat (would be completely indoor, but my husband lets him out daily). A week ago he came home from his usual daily hunt and had a tick on his neck. I plucked it out with tweezers but couldn't get the head (it fell out or something? the next day- I checked). I checked him again today and he had another tick on the other side of his neck. I plucked it out too. But now he's acting very strange and I can't figure out if it's just him feeling sick or a result of the ticks. He's normally extremely active and playful and at 3 pm every day he runs to the front door meowing non-stop until my husband lets him out. Today he slept all day (as usual) but hasn't gotten out of his bed at all (it's 11 pm now) except to get his nightly wet food, and when he got up to get that, he was extremely slow moving and ate very little. This cat is my baby, and I love him to death! Please help! I'm going to make an appointment for him tomorrow, but need some peace of mind now! Is it the ticks, some kind of illness, or just strange cat behavior??
Also, he was on Revolution up until last month. I have an appointment to get him back on it next week.
Lucy,
I don't know where you live but here we have ticks that causes a paralysis in the animal after biting them. Females that are feeding will emit a neurotoxin that causes the paralysis. Once the tick is removed the symptoms should resolve quickly. If they don't, you need to get him into the vet.
It is more common in dogs but cats are affected and ticks all over the world do this.
Could be unrelated to the ticks as well. The only way to know is check him again for ticks everywhere on his body and/or take him to the vet if he is still lethargic in the morning.
I hope you find the answer soon!
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Answers by Expert:
Jana Connell RVT, CVT
Expertise
PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!
Experience
I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina.
I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.
Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.
Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT.
Certified Veterinary Dental Technician
Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).
Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.
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