Hyperesthesia Syndrome

[dollface]

Has anybody heard of this or have cats who have it?

I think Gizzy has it and possibly very minor in Forest.

http://www.lclarkecushingvmd.com/sho...=178&Private=0

I've noticed that his back twitches a lot and more often he takes off like a maniac like something is chasing him. And when I say back, I mean his fur on his back. His tail does move a lot, like as if he has Restless Tail Syndrome but I don't even know if that is a real condition or not. I also noticed that while I was holding him to get some litter out of his rear paw, I must've been holding him a lil too long cuz when I put him down I noticed a chunk of fur sticking out of his head, so I went to smooth it out but it came out anyway...like self mutilation?

It says "Siamese, Burmese, Himalayans and Abyssinians are the most commonly affected breeds." I'm gonna go out on a limb here and think that Gizzy might be part bengal part Aby, b/c his fur is very ticky just like the Aby's but he still has the bengal fur.

At first I thought it could just be itchy skin b/c I've also noticed Forest's back twitching but he doesn't run away like a maniac, but I have noticed more chunks of hair coming out of him (Gizzy) as well, but with the root still attached.

Has anybody had experience with this before? I would get them both tested for it, but it's one of those conditions you find out by ruling every other ailment out and then this condition could be the culprit since there is no test for it.

[catlover2]

I didn't know this behaviour was a "syndrome" and even had a name. One of my girls will occasionally do that; she's a Devon Rex, but her half brother Devon never does it. The skin on her back ripples and she'll stare at her twitching tail, and then bite it and chase it, then take off through the house. I thought it was very funny, and it never occurred to me it could be anything like some sort a syndrome. In fact, because I laugh at her when she does it, she'll actually do it on command just to be funny, if I say to her "where's your snake?" meaning her tail, and 9 times out of 10 she'll attack her tail and then run around like crazy. I think she does it just to amuse me because she knows I think it's hilarious. She is healthy all around and I'm not worried about it.

[luvsmallfurries]

Hi Dollface;

I have an 8 year old male Himalayan with what the vet has diagnosed as a mild case of Hyperesthesia Syndrome. We decided on the diagnosis after ruling out everything else. No allergies, no skin conditions, no blood disorders, no apparent deformities of the spine, etc. Basically he checked literally everything. Yeti's symptoms include the rolling skin, dashing around and chewing on the base of his tail as if he had a flea biting him there, sudden movements (taking off or dashing around madly without any provocation), distressed sounding vocalizations, and a dislike of my petting his back or tail (LOVES the cheek rubs though) I haven't seen any serious hair loss, but I do notice he will shed a LOT if he gets stressed; such as a vet visit.

I've done a lot of research about the condition and there seems to be some disagreement about it's underlying pathology - mental health issues, neurological issues, dietary issues, environmental toxins, etc. The one thing that all of the vets I've spoken to agree on is that diet and stress are the two things that will exacerbate the condition the most.

Like I said, Yeti's condition is very mild - I only see the symptoms sporadically and it doesn't seem that he is experiencing a lot of pain when he is symptomatic so I am able to treat him without medication. I've researched the food I was feeding him and spent about a year experimenting with assorted grain free high quality wet foods. I've settled on Wellness chicken and turkey formulas to avoid any possible reactions with seafood and beef. I also make sure he gets lots of physical exercise ( chase him around with cat toys and play tag) and lots of mental exercise (hide his toys, treats, etc. so he has to "hunt" for them). I also make sure I don't cause him any undue stress; no furniture moving, feed him at regular times, don't let the other pets pick on him, make sure if I'm away he has someone he knows come and stay here with him, etc. We have it under control for now and here's to hoping it stays that way

I would definitely suggest working with your vet on this one. It's going to take some work and a lot of tests to rule out every such as allergies, skin or blood conditions that could be causing the rippling skin and hair loss. Consider having x-rays done to check for a spine disorder (scoliosis, herniated discs, etc.) If your kitties seem to be in pain you might consider a low dose pain killer for a few days to see if that stops the symptoms.

A few things to consider:
diet - what are you feeding them? too much seafood (particularly red tuna) combined with a low vitamin E intake can lead to a painful condition called Pansteatitis (pop it into google - you'll get a ton of hits that will explain it)
toxins (this is a big one) - any chance there are any chemicals they could be exposed to? household cleaners (my cats both love to lick glass so I never clean with glass cleaner, just water and vinegar) - some flea collars and flea treatments affect some cats (they are chemical after all) - older houses sometimes still have lead paints (especially on base boards) - new carpet and linoleum can off-gas chemicals for years - carpet cleaners and floor cleaners (they walk all over them and then lick their paws)
space - do your two fight or compete for space? have a special spot in the house they fight over which could be causing them both stress
changes in the house - any recent changes such as moving furniture around, new pets, new household members, a new work schedule?
pests - if they go outdoors have you checked for the obvious pests (ticks, fleas, etc.)
stimulation - how much physical and mental exercise do they get?

This is one heck of a condition to try and pin down but once you do - there are many different treatments to help. Most cats with this syndrome are on the mild end and it's possible to maintain them at a total or nearly total symptom free status. With the more extreme cases there are some good results with antidepressants, etc. The trick is to find a vet willing to keep trying to find the best solution. Best of luck to you -

[dollface]

Originally Posted by catlover2

I didn't know this behaviour was a "syndrome" and even had a name. One of my girls will occasionally do that; she's a Devon Rex, but her half brother Devon never does it. The skin on her back ripples and she'll stare at her twitching tail, and then bite it and chase it, then take off through the house. I thought it was very funny, and it never occurred to me it could be anything like some sort a syndrome. In fact, because I laugh at her when she does it, she'll actually do it on command just to be funny, if I say to her "where's your snake?" meaning her tail, and 9 times out of 10 she'll attack her tail and then run around like crazy. I think she does it just to amuse me because she knows I think it's hilarious. She is healthy all around and I'm not worried about it.

Hmm she could have it, but as long as she is healthy and you're not worried about it, it's just one of those things

[dollface]

Originally Posted by luvsmallfurries

I've done a lot of research about the condition and there seems to be some disagreement about it's underlying pathology - mental health issues, neurological issues, dietary issues, environmental toxins, etc. The one thing that all of the vets I've spoken to agree on is that diet and stress are the two things that will exacerbate the condition the most.

Hmm, Gizzy acts pretty psycho most of the time. Thinking he may have been a feral cat, or was abused previously.

Like I said, Yeti's condition is very mild - I only see the symptoms sporadically and it doesn't seem that he is experiencing a lot of pain when he is symptomatic so I am able to treat him without medication. I've researched the food I was feeding him and spent about a year experimenting with assorted grain free high quality wet foods. I've settled on Wellness chicken and turkey formulas to avoid any possible reactions with seafood and beef. I also make sure he gets lots of physical exercise ( chase him around with cat toys and play tag) and lots of mental exercise (hide his toys, treats, etc. so he has to "hunt" for them). I also make sure I don't cause him any undue stress; no furniture moving, feed him at regular times, don't let the other pets pick on him, make sure if I'm away he has someone he knows come and stay here with him, etc. We have it under control for now and here's to hoping it stays that way

I think Gizzy has a mild case of it, if it really is this syndrome which it seems to describe. He gets plenty of mental stimulation and spoiled to death but no matter how much I try he still stresses out at the tiniest thing.

A few things to consider:
diet - what are you feeding them? too much seafood (particularly red tuna) combined with a low vitamin E intake can lead to a painful condition called Pansteatitis (pop it into google - you'll get a ton of hits that will explain it)

I am feeding them Wellness Grain Free canned, switching up the flavours every two weeks, but am in the process of switching to a raw diet.

toxins (this is a big one) - any chance there are any chemicals they could be exposed to? household cleaners (my cats both love to lick glass so I never clean with glass cleaner, just water and vinegar) - some flea collars and flea treatments affect some cats (they are chemical after all) - older houses sometimes still have lead paints (especially on base boards) - new carpet and linoleum can off-gas chemicals for years - carpet cleaners and floor cleaners (they walk all over them and then lick their paws)

I think we use Pinesol for floor cleaner, and I'm sure that's not safe for them to walk on. What could we use as an alternative? For carpets we just vacuum, haven't gotten the landlord to do a carpet steam cleaning, too much hassle to move everything and would prolly cause unnecessary stress anyways. I would like to get the H2O mop ultra (the red one, new and improved) anyone have good reviews on that?

space - do your two fight or compete for space? have a special spot in the house they fight over which could be causing them both stress

I don't really know why they fight but maybe it is for space. Forest picks on him a lot and mostly when Gizzy is on a purr pad next to another purr pad. Forest will come over, start licking Gizzy's head and then "play-attack" him, Gizzy runs away and Forest steals his spot. and another thing I've seen lately when they are eating. Gizzy starts off no problem, Forest will eat some from his dish, and then try to go to Gizzy's and eat his. I have started Gizzy on Bach drops again and put it in his food, so I've had to put drops in both dishes. Kind of a waste for the drops but then I can't tell if Gizzy is getting the drops to alter his skittish-ness.

changes in the house - any recent changes such as moving furniture around, new pets, new household members, a new work schedule?

Only change was in November when I got laid off and I'm home all day everyday, but I see it as a good thing b/c it has bonded Gizzy and I.

pests - if they go outdoors have you checked for the obvious pests (ticks, fleas, etc.)

Both stay indoors, live in an apartment so not feasible to take them out all the time when they get scared of the elevators.

stimulation - how much physical and mental exercise do they get?

Plenty for Gizzy! He's young, and loves to play. Forest is getting older and doesn't like to play much.

This is one heck of a condition to try and pin down but once you do - there are many different treatments to help. Most cats with this syndrome are on the mild end and it's possible to maintain them at a total or nearly total symptom free status. With the more extreme cases there are some good results with antidepressants, etc. The trick is to find a vet willing to keep trying to find the best solution. Best of luck to you -

I'm glad others have seen this condition in action, and I'm not alone! If this starts to cause him pain, to the vet we go. Maybe it will hold off til I can pay for it fat chance

[luvsmallfurries]

HI Dollface;

Cleaners: white vinegar is a GREAT all purpose cleaner (and cheap!). 1 part vinegar to 1 part hot water. It's a grease cutter so perfect for the floors, especially linoleum. It is hard on grout though so if you have tiled floors you need to rinse afterwards with plain hot water. I also use it in the toilet and sinks, undiluted, since both my kitties like to drink from there when I forget to close the lid or even just run some water from the tap. If you do get any carpet cleaning done, ask for 'green' cleaning solution. Most companies are offering it now but they may charge a bit more.

I've never used the H2O mop - but I did have a floor steam cleaner similar to this quite some years ago. It did an OK job but I found they don't perform as advertised - I don't think there is enough heat to get a really effective steam. I still had to get down for a good scrub every couple of months to get the deep grease up, especially in the kitchen.

Diet: Raw is great! I tried to get mine on a raw diet and they just wouldn't go for it. If I recall my research there is a bit of effort required to ensure the proper vitamin/mineral mix. I'm sure you've done your reading though.

Feeding: We have a bit of competition over the food dishes here too. I have one gulper and one grazer. I've managed to get them into a routine where they get 4 meals a day (2 in the AM about 1/2 hour apart and then two in the PM) and they are fed in separate rooms. It sounds like a bit of a chore but now that they are into the routine it's not a lot of work. I have noticed they get along a lot better now that they aren't competing over the food. Haven't figured out how to get them to stop competing over the space though

Good luck with this. It's a totally manageable condition when it is mild and can be managed with careful control of environment and diet. Do get a vet check if you see the symptoms increase though - there is still the possibility that this has some other underlying cause (allergy, vitamin deficiency, etc.).

Cheers

[tbcookie]

I was so interested see this as a new discussion topic on here, as I had only just come across the term "Hyperesthesia Syndrome" mere moments before logging on here.

I'm still searching the net, trying to pin down General's not-yet-quite-himself behaviour since he finished his course of Metronidazole. In doing so, I thought I'd take a moment to find out about something I'd always considered part of his normal behaviour -- racing around the house like a cat possessed and meowling like a maniac in various rooms of the house every morning. This is something my dearly departed cat Smokey used to do all the time as well, and I just assumed it was the norm. Or at least the norm for tabbies!

But having googled "cat" & "racing around the house" and coming across this syndrome, I was intrigued. General does do a bit of "twitch and lick," but the one thing he does that I've not heard discussed is he rapidly thumps one of his hind legs like a rabbit from time to time. He has one foot that is extra sensitive and he doesn't like anyone touching it. Every once in a while, seemingly out of the blue, he'll rapid-fire that little foot of his against the carpet. Does anyone else have kitties who do this?

I'm not overly concerned about this behaviour. Like I said, I'd always considered these things to be part of General's normal behaviour. In fact, I took his return to his early morning races and yeowling to be a sign that maybe he was starting to feel a bit better again -- a bit more like himself. Alas, we're not there yet, so my search (and concern) continues.

[chico2]

My cats all get like that sometimes,race up and down the stair through the house as if crazy,but I just call it the Zoomies,letting off steam

[luvsmallfurries]

Hi tbcookie;

This just sounds to me like the zoomies too. I've had 4 cats over the last 15 years - two are still with me. Yeti, my Himalayan, has the diagnosed case of Hyperesthesia Syndrome. Of the four, three of them did the zoomies on a regular basis - racing around like there was a demon on their butt, screaming all the while I always took the meowling as an invitation to join in and would just race around after them The one thing about this syndrome that really stands out when you see it is the twitching back muscles - it's pretty pronounced, it's pretty regular and the accompanying biting at the tail or over-grooming is always present. I think your guy is just letting off steam.

As for the foot thumping - Corkie, my tuxedo, did this all the time. Her settling down routine involved finding a wall to back up to - thumping the wall madly with both feet for a few seconds and then curling up for a snooze. I just figure she was shaking out the kinks! She did this in my lap as well - nothing quite like getting thumped in the gut! I also have a rabbit at home - and rabbits thump as a form of communication - Yeti has taken to thumping back at her

Sounds like a lot of perfectly normal cat stuff going on at your place!

I was just looking at your other post though - and I agree with Hazel. If you are seeing new behaviours post meds, and he's not back to normal by next week, take him for a followup.

Hope he's back to his normal, zoomie fun self soon!