Feline hyperesthesia?

[joeturbo26]

I'd love to hear an update from all the people on this thread who have been affected by FHS...how are they doing?

 

[Robin Matsumoto]

Wow, wow. I had no idea this existed. Thank you for sharing .


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[Roki]

I'd love to hear an update from all the people on this thread who have been affected by FHS...how are they doing?

Hi Joe. I’m just starting to deal with this with Paris these past few weeks. She hasn’t been “diagnosed” yet; just got a new vet and we are starting with her digestive issues to hopefully ease her inner discomfort. She also might be having problems in her sinus from previous dental surgery. I don’t know if I’d rather deal with IBS/D or FHS... well, neither. Oh, also, she may be developing HCM, as evidenced by her latest scan.

Now I have her on the Hills prescription wet food diet, feeding 3 cans every 2 days (she’s a little skinny, at 6.5 lbs & one 5.5oz can a day isn’t enough for her to maintain weight). After feeding a case & a half of z/d without any weight gain, just switched to d/d = more fat?

I have begun wrapping the last half of her tail with cotton pads or toilet tissue, enwrapped with the stretchy tape that sticks to itself. I’m changing it every other day, or whenever it gets damp if she chews the tip of the tape, or it slips off. She really seems to be happier with it wrapped or if I just hold it gently in my hand, when it’s wrapped, or even unwrapped. So weird. I’m wondering if it’s comforting to her, like a ThunderShirt? The first time I held her tail she looked right into my eyes and started purring, like it was the magic key to stopping whatever urge she had to chew on her tail. She then began to calmly wash her face as I gently held the middle part of her tail for a few minutes. It was such a relief, after a couple of weeks trying to get her not to chew it.

So, X-rays next week, hopefully, to determine any possible sinus/jaw problems that may also be causing her to chew compulsively. Lots to learn. Thanks for sharing.

 

[StacyD]

My German Shepherd starting chasing his tail at about 6 months, after a set of shots if I remember correctly. He was literally chasing his tail for hours each day. And this problem has continued still today - he is 8 yrs old - but we can redirect him, making him stop and sit, so it is under control. Tiring him out with exercise helps. When company comes over & he is excited he does it more and we have to stop him very often.

Our vet said it was OCD and if we could not redirect him we could try Prozac but we never needed to. He normally chases, but doesn't chew, but about 2 yrs ago started to chew his tail, and did so right to the bone. The vet said it was a hot spot. We put this ointment that the vet gave us and we were instructed to put a sanitary napkin on it lol, which we wrapped in duck tape to his tail. This kept him from licking the medicine off it & also padded it because he was hitting his tail on the walls wagging & reinjuring it.

Our vet asked us if we ever used a laser pointer when playing with him, as this sometimes results in this tail chasing problems in dogs. We never did. But I know laser pointers are a popular toy to play with a cat. Perhaps this should be avoided in cats as well.

Our dogs personality is anxious. As an example: I had a Roombo vacuum but it caused him to be afraid to go around corners in my home and several years later it is still a problem with him. So I could see a med that helps with anxiety helping ease this tail chasing symptom.

We also tried the thundershirt. I don't think it calmed him, but instead seemed to scare him. He would jump on our sofa, which is his exact behavior when he anticipates something bad will happen to him, like ear drops for example. But it does seem to help many.

Good luck to you.

 

[Dublin Riis]

The vet is not 100% sure that's what it is but they think it is highly likely. He still has the cone on & is able to reach it but so far has only been licking it. It takes some effort for him to get it but he can get it.
Thanks for all the help. I do have bitter apple and going to get rescue remedy or feliway. Thanks so much!!
Yes, sorry its been so long since on the site.

Did you say the tail was amputated a couple inches from the tip? @Jenn.Dios Has the vet first offered to amputate the "entire" tail by leaving the length of a "Boxers" tail? I'm thinking this may(?) cut to the chase, with his cone on. He may find it too difficult to lick at that length if he only has a "nub"

 

[Mrnobutadakun]

Hello All,

I have just faced this issue after moving from a flat to our house. I have a 2 year old female Sphynx with the name: Yolandi. She started to bite the tip of her tail from one day to another to the point where the vet had to amputate a small piece of her tail (about 0,5 cm) After this we tried a couple of “natural” calming tablets and she was kept in a e-cone while being supervised all day long. After a lot of trials with materials recommended by our vet we started trying out a medication which has the agent clomipramine (dosing: 0,4 mg/kg/day) in it and after 2 months of struggle with other materials this is working. It was a horrible experience but it seems we were able to solve it without losing her tail.

 

[Catzzzmeow]

@Mrnobutadakun thanks for sharing your experience. It helps gives members hope that they too can get things under control and hopefully not have to lose a tail.

 

[Mrnobutadakun]

@Mrnobutadakun thanks for sharing your experience. It helps gives members hope that they too can get things under control and hopefully not have to lose a tail.

I just wanted to give back something to this community since without this post I couldn’t really solve it or get started on the path of solution. I’m a first time cat owner and this thread helped me a lot in realising what we are dealing with at home.

 

[Condo commando]

@Mrnobutadakun you handled it great and your vet did a great job too.

Do you think moving triggered the problem? I have moved with my cats a couple of times, but thankfully never had a problem. I don't think my cats got stressed at all, except maybe that I was a little late putting dinner out!

 

[Mrnobutadakun]

@Mrnobutadakun you handled it great and your vet did a great job too.

Do you think moving triggered the problem? I have moved with my cats a couple of times, but thankfully never had a problem. I don't think my cats got stressed at all, except maybe that I was a little late putting dinner out!

Yes, I’m pretty sure it was the move that triggered it since we ruled out everything else that could cause her (food,skin problems, injury, parasites) to do this to herself with our vetenarian. The place compared to my flat is huge and the furniture changed as well only her stuff was the same (tunnel,scratch post etc.) and our couch. I think because her routine and also her “hunting ground” changed she became really stressed since cats are really bound to their little routines. I also read that some cats handle moves well but others can be really stressed out by it but I also saw it on her behaviour and “tail sings” that the problem is fear induced stress.

 

[Condo commando]

Awww the poor thing. It's true cats notice everything. Maybe with time Yolandi won't need the clomipramine anymore.

The last time I moved I brought my cats to the new place first before any furniture arrived. I put them in a big walk-in closet but of course they got out. When I came back they were laying on the only chair which was in the living room. I got a look like "what did you think you were doing?" but they really looked pretty calm considering.

The time before that I put them in a bathroom in the old place while the movers were taking everything. When I opened the door to get them, they looked a little freaked out. Then in the new place there were boxes everywhere and the cats were very careful walking around them, like they thought something was going to jump out at them. I remember trying to feed them in the kitchen and they were afraid to come to the food bowl if it was too close to a stack of boxes. I wouldn't do it this way again.

Congrats on the new place though and I hope you don't have to move again for a long time!

 

[Monicamariem]

@Jenn.Dios my apologies for the delay in response... like Catzzzmeow said, I have been out of town on a business trip, but I am back now!

First, let me begin, by saying that my heart goes out to you. Feline Hyperesthesia, has been one of the toughest things I have ever dealt with in my entire life. For those who don't know much about it--it can be a living nightmare, watching your cat who seems possessed, consistently attack him/herself and there is nothing you can do to stop them. A little back history, if you don't already know:

It is a rare disorder, that is believed to be found mostly in Asian breeds like the Siamese. Some cats show signs of it, but never need medical intervention, while others seriously hurt themselves and require intervention. Because of its rarity, some vets believe it to be an OCD type disorder, and others believe it to be some sort of seizure disorder.

In Luigi's case, it was a living nightmare...Back in November a few days before thanksgiving, I noticed Luigi do something "cute" for the first time... He saw his tail and started chasing it like a dog.. I laughed at him, picked him up and didn't think about it again until the next day--when he began to chase it obsessively until the point where he learned how to catch it and chewed it until he was screaming and howling, but wouldn't let it go. I immediately took him to the vet, who examined him and gave him a clean bill of health. Within days of that, literally every moment of every day was a constant struggle to the point where he was wearing an E Collar 24/7... And I had my eye on him at every moment, it was a nightmare he went from normal cat to cat-a strophe within days.

Long long long story short, I knew after obsessive research that Luigi was suffering from feline hyperesthesia... One vet turned into four more, followed by a feline neurologist, acupuncturist, three different medications, felinaway, diet changes (even though he's been on excellent food since day 1)....nothing even slightly changed his OCD.

First it was the Phenobarbital, which literally had him jumping out of his skin... so there was no way I was keeping him on that.

Next was the Valium which in my opinion just had him dazed, walking into walls, and completely changed his life.. I was not keeping him on that either.

The one medication that seemed to impact the frequency of his episodes was the Prozac, which he is still on. It certainly wasn't an immediate change, and truthfully, did not and still has not eliminated the episodes but again, definitely changed the frequency in which they occurred.

His life and mine were miserable for three solid months and he needed constant supervision. Honestly, even reading what I am writing now, I could never believe the magnitude of just how life altering the experience was for both him and I....

Ultimately, I had no choice but to have his tail amputated as a last resort in hope that the feline hyperesthesia wouldn't manifest into another mutilating behavior. So here we are almost six months later and he's doing GREAT! He still has the episodes, which have been greatly reduced with the help of Prozac, although now when he begins to chase his stump he will fall on his butt and switch focus to licking vs. chewing or biting. I pray it stays this way.

I am concerned for you that Swindle still has a great deal of tail left. I opted to have as much of Luigi's tail removed as possible--since he is VERY flexible (more than an average cat) and being able to reach his tail even with an E Collar--and had read about people having to have multiple "shortenings" of the tail, I wanted to ensure one operation and no more. I don't regret it.

Just to touch upon some of the other comments regarding Feliway and Bitter Apple. Feliway, some say is life changing while others claim no benefit. After all Luigi has been through, what's an extra 50.00 plug in to be safe, so I continue to use them (but honestly see no benefit to him). As for Bitter Apple, what it is important to realize is that this hyperesthesia is non voluntary, and regardless of taste etc... the cat literally CAN NOT stop the behavior, so nothing will deter the biting, and as such, it is extremely important not to reprimand etc for the behavior.

In closing, after having gone to many many vets, specialists etc.. I noticed that you aren't far from NYC (where I live)--I have an INCREDIBLE feline only vet, whom I trust implicitly and has really been a god send (he is also Martha Stewarts Vet), private message me if you need the contact info.

And above all, just hang in there... I am here for you if you need to vent/talk... I promise even though this may be an expensive road... things WILL get better!

Here is a video of Luigi during the beginning stages of his Feline Hyperesthesia just so those not familiar with it, can see just how crazy it can be. In this video, he didn't have the opportunity to truly attach his tail because I stopped him.




And here are some photos of "stumpy" now... happy as can be! LOL

View attachment 47710 View attachment 47711

I AM LITERALLY GOING THROUGH THIS SAME EXPERIENCE NOW!! Reading this article, my kitten has been doing that same behavior as you posted , and from the video shown. I’m pregnant and it’s been so difficult for my husband and I .. should we amputate?! It’s been so difficult lately I don’t know where to turn ..

 

[Sheldon13]

You should try medication first before amputating.

Things have changed a little in the years since this was originally posted. The initial med most vets try is Gabapentin. It is fairly inexpensive and offers relief to most cats. A regular vet should be able to prescribe it to you no problem. Typical starting dose is 50mg twice a day.


Love and Sphynx ~ It’s all you need

 

[Condo commando]

I think amputation is a last resort. The worst thing would be if your kitten decides to gnaw on something else like a leg...you can't just keep amputating. I don't claim to know much about this condition but I've seen it on Animal channel and I think like @Sheldon13 says, it's possible to treat it with medicine.

Ask your vet if he/she has treated this before. I've learned it makes a difference to have someone with experience in whatever your cat has, and this might not be something that every vet has seen. Just a thought.

 

[Velour]

My little Swindle (6 year old male sphynx) recently had bitten his tail to the point it had to be amputated. About 2 inches from the tip. He use to just lick it. We are going through various steps to try to fix it. As he is in a cone now. It is healed but he continues to try to bite it. I have him on a pheromone collar & ordered a ThunderShirt. He just started taking prozac, but it may take up to 4 weeks to see a differance. Plus putting Deter-X on his tail every 48 hours. I just got a Sleepypod & a Smartcat wall unit with shelves that attach to a door. Plus calming treats.
Does anyone know or figured out anything or had any results from any methods? I am trying every avenue. Thanks. View attachment 47541

I am so sorry to hear of this struggle. I have had exceptionally great results with Flower Essences by the Flower Essence Society. I did not have the same issue...(aggression possibly due to boredom and physical discomfort / allergies in my 4 year old). I have also heard of a product (though have not yet tried for hyperasthesia. I am glad you reminded me to look into it. It is by two crazy cat ladies. I will try to attach a photo. Again, I have not used this product yet. The other thing I like is vetri science composure. My cat cannot take any drugs due to a heart condition.

 

[Velour]

I am so sorry to hear of this struggle. I have had exceptionally great results with Flower Essences by the Flower Essence Society. I did not have the same issue...(aggression possibly due to boredom and physical discomfort / allergies in my 4 year old). I have also heard of a product (though have not yet tried for hyperasthesia. I am glad you reminded me to look into it. It is by two crazy cat ladies. I will try to attach a photo. Again, I have not used this product yet. The other thing I like is vetri science composure. My cat cannot take any drugs due to a heart condition.

How dumb of me - this post was years ago....hope all is well now.

 

[Sheldon13]

How dumb of me - this post was years ago....hope all is well now.

Lol no it’s sometimes still good to add to key posts because people can do searches and find that information.

The issue comes when people ask QUESTIONS on old threads and then are let down when they don’t get a response.

Feel free to always add to old posts if you have a different take on something. It helps educate us all.


Love and Sphynx ~ It’s all you need

 

[Nell]

@Jenn.Dios my apologies for the delay in response... like Catzzzmeow said, I have been out of town on a business trip, but I am back now!

First, let me begin, by saying that my heart goes out to you. Feline Hyperesthesia, has been one of the toughest things I have ever dealt with in my entire life. For those who don't know much about it--it can be a living nightmare, watching your cat who seems possessed, consistently attack him/herself and there is nothing you can do to stop them. A little back history, if you don't already know:

It is a rare disorder, that is believed to be found mostly in Asian breeds like the Siamese. Some cats show signs of it, but never need medical intervention, while others seriously hurt themselves and require intervention. Because of its rarity, some vets believe it to be an OCD type disorder, and others believe it to be some sort of seizure disorder.

In Luigi's case, it was a living nightmare...Back in November a few days before thanksgiving, I noticed Luigi do something "cute" for the first time... He saw his tail and started chasing it like a dog.. I laughed at him, picked him up and didn't think about it again until the next day--when he began to chase it obsessively until the point where he learned how to catch it and chewed it until he was screaming and howling, but wouldn't let it go. I immediately took him to the vet, who examined him and gave him a clean bill of health. Within days of that, literally every moment of every day was a constant struggle to the point where he was wearing an E Collar 24/7... And I had my eye on him at every moment, it was a nightmare he went from normal cat to cat-a strophe within days.

Long long long story short, I knew after obsessive research that Luigi was suffering from feline hyperesthesia... One vet turned into four more, followed by a feline neurologist, acupuncturist, three different medications, felinaway, diet changes (even though he's been on excellent food since day 1)....nothing even slightly changed his OCD.

First it was the Phenobarbital, which literally had him jumping out of his skin... so there was no way I was keeping him on that.

Next was the Valium which in my opinion just had him dazed, walking into walls, and completely changed his life.. I was not keeping him on that either.

The one medication that seemed to impact the frequency of his episodes was the Prozac, which he is still on. It certainly wasn't an immediate change, and truthfully, did not and still has not eliminated the episodes but again, definitely changed the frequency in which they occurred.

His life and mine were miserable for three solid months and he needed constant supervision. Honestly, even reading what I am writing now, I could never believe the magnitude of just how life altering the experience was for both him and I....

Ultimately, I had no choice but to have his tail amputated as a last resort in hope that the feline hyperesthesia wouldn't manifest into another mutilating behavior. So here we are almost six months later and he's doing GREAT! He still has the episodes, which have been greatly reduced with the help of Prozac, although now when he begins to chase his stump he will fall on his butt and switch focus to licking vs. chewing or biting. I pray it stays this way.

I am concerned for you that Swindle still has a great deal of tail left. I opted to have as much of Luigi's tail removed as possible--since he is VERY flexible (more than an average cat) and being able to reach his tail even with an E Collar--and had read about people having to have multiple "shortenings" of the tail, I wanted to ensure one operation and no more. I don't regret it.

Just to touch upon some of the other comments regarding Feliway and Bitter Apple. Feliway, some say is life changing while others claim no benefit. After all Luigi has been through, what's an extra 50.00 plug in to be safe, so I continue to use them (but honestly see no benefit to him). As for Bitter Apple, what it is important to realize is that this hyperesthesia is non voluntary, and regardless of taste etc... the cat literally CAN NOT stop the behavior, so nothing will deter the biting, and as such, it is extremely important not to reprimand etc for the behavior.

In closing, after having gone to many many vets, specialists etc.. I noticed that you aren't far from NYC (where I live)--I have an INCREDIBLE feline only vet, whom I trust implicitly and has really been a god send (he is also Martha Stewarts Vet), private message me if you need the contact info.

And above all, just hang in there... I am here for you if you need to vent/talk... I promise even though this may be an expensive road... things WILL get better!

Here is a video of Luigi during the beginning stages of his Feline Hyperesthesia just so those not familiar with it, can see just how crazy it can be. In this video, he didn't have the opportunity to truly attach his tail because I stopped him.




And here are some photos of "stumpy" now... happy as can be! LOL

View attachment 47710 View attachment 47711

Wow thank you for sharing. My cat is going through similar and has had 3 amputations and now we are trying to deal with medication to help him.

 

[Yoda mom]

@Nell , welcome to the lair family. please do not hesitate to post an introduction and post your own thread with any questions. hugs n head smooches.

 

[Yoda mom]

@Nell , checking in for updates, we are here for you