Nervous System Disorders and Effects of Injuries in Cats

A change in an animal’s ability to sense its environment can be caused by disease in either the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system. The primary signs of nervous system disorders include behavioral changes, seizures, tremors, pain, numbness, lack of coordination, and weakness or paralysis of one or more legs. The effects of an injury on sensory and motor functions depend on its location and severity.

A spinal cord injury can cause loss of feeling and paralysis below the level of the injury. Mild spinal cord injuries can result in clumsy movement and mild weakness of the limbs. Moderate spinal cord injuries can cause a greater weakness of the limbs. In severe spinal cord injuries, a complete loss of movement (paralysis) and feeling can occur. However, not all spinal cord injuries cause paralysis. For example, injury to the spinal cord in the lower back can result not in limb paralysis but in loss of bladder control.

Brain injuries result in different effects, again depending on which part of the brain is affected. Injuries to the brain stem can cause a loss of balance, weakness of the limbs, hyperactive reflexes, stupor, or coma. Injuries to the cerebellum can result in a lack of coordination of the head and legs, tremors, and a loss of balance. Injuries to the cerebrum can cause complete or partial blindness, loss of the sense of smell, seizures, coma, stupor, pacing or circling behavior, and inability to recognize an owner.

Some injuries to the nervous system can cause damage that is not evident until 24 to 48 hours after the injury occurs. Longterm damage is usually caused by swelling or internal bleeding of the vessels in the brain. Strokes caused by clogged arteries or high blood pressure are rare in pets.