QUOTE OF THE NOW

"Our life evokes our character. You find out more about yourself as you go on. That's why it's good to be able to put yourself in situations that will evoke your higher nature rather than your lower. 'Lead us not into temptation.'" Joseph Campbell

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Pauvre petite Diablotine (Information on Cats with and FHS / Hyperesthesia / Rippling Skin)

On Saturday June 4th my cat suddenly developed Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome for the first time ever, as I wrote about here. Then I wrote this post later the same day after some more research. Today I was googling "FHS grain-free" and noticed that my post came up third in Google. For this reason I decided to create an information page about this mysterious condition and theories on how to maybehere. treat it with diet. You can check that out



ORIGINAL POST 

This is what Minion's been acting like, but also running around the house.

Except for the last couple hours we've been sitting in my room. She burrows under the blanket (not usual for her) and that calms her.

Then she was able to fall asleep. When she woke up she still had the symptoms, but now she's asleep again.

I'm sort of relieved to see, from more googling, that a lot of people cured their cats of FHS by putting them on grain-free diets.

That's what Haley and Minion were already on--not just grain free but extremely low in carbs (meaning carrots, peas and other weird things they put in cat food to appeal to human buyers.)

I read a book by a very anti-carb vet, and became anti-carbs-for-cats brainwashed, which is the reason they're fed what they're fed (Evo CANNED.) I'm like "the source of all evils in the cat world is carbohydrates!!" except I try to keep my crazy to myself. I had a vet student (who we got Minion from) try to talk me into feeding them tooth-cleaning crunchies, so out of respect for her I give them one meal of tooth crunchies usually, but that's it.

Of course, now that this has happened, I won't be so likely to keep the crazy to myself. I just hope Minion's symptoms GO AWAY. I don't know how long it will take, if they will, though.

_________
Details added June 4th
Self-soothing
DETAILS: Minion's symptoms were: licking herself all over, rippling skin, bolting all over the house, dilated eyes, and generally looking at me like "WTF!" She had the first attack 30 minutes after eating. She had been on the non-usual food (a store brand beef cat food) for about 2 days, as had Haley. Her first attack lasted 4-5 hours. After that she would leave her blanket, have a soothing finger-suck, think she was recovered and wander off, then an attack would come on and she'd run like lightning back under the blanket. The attack would last a little while, then she'd fall asleep, wake up,  etc.  This repeated itself all day Sunday except the attacks, though frequent, grew shorter. She knew every time that going under a cover would self-soothe. By Monday she wasn't staying under the blanket more than 5 minutes, 2 minutes, 30 seconds. By Monday evening she was back to chasing Haley and tearing down the apartment. It's possible her recovery was unrelated to being back on her usual no-grain/low-carb food. If she has any future attacks I'll update the FHS page.

       
        

5 comments:

widdershins said...

Poor baby looks so stressed ... hope she winds down soon.

lora96 said...

poor little girl! I hope she feels better!

London Mabel said...

Fully recovered after 2 days. Phew! Thanks :-)

Anonymous said...

I have had a cat with FHS and seemed to have a bit of luck with stroking him from his shoulder blades down his back several times and treating him as if I was brushing something off his back and flicking my wrist to throw it off my had. I am not saying this is the solution, but if you can do this it might give some relief for that episode. I treat it as if it were a sparked negative energy and I am smoothing it out and shaking it off. Now I have been looking into FHS and if you can find a vet acupuncurist A GOOD ONE that may be a solution. My vet anticipates being able to relief my past foster kitty with that and maybe Chinese herbs. TTouch is another solution/treatment for it.
How's your cat?

London Mabel said...

Thanks! I'm glad you're able to give your kit some relief. I'll add your advice to my FHS page. Minion's fine--once she went back on her eegular food she was good.

Reading

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
Les années douces : Volume 1
Back on the Rez
My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey
Stupeur et tremblements
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