Nerve and Hormonal Disorders in Cats

The cat’s body works through a finely coordinated interplay of various elements. This system, which usually works perfectly, quickly falls apart. This can be seen particularly clearly based on problems of the nervous system and hormonal disorders in cats.

The Cat’s Nervous System

The cat’s nervous system consists of billions of small nerve cells that run through all organs, combine to form the spinal cord, and whose control center is the brain. This network coordinates almost all sensory impressions and movements of the cat’s body, it controls movements and emotions.

As with humans, the cat’s brain is the center of the central nervous system. All sensory impressions of the cat come together in this organ, which weighs between 20 and 28 grams and is approximately 3.5 cm long, wide, and 2.5 cm high. The brain is responsible for evaluating, linking, and storing nerve impulses – it also decides on the strength of a potential reaction to sensory stimuli.

Central Nervous System Disorders

This information network can be disturbed by various influences, including trauma caused by an accident, congenital diseases, or infections.

A well-known disorder of the central nervous system is the so-called “ataxia”. Ataxia cats show strong neurological disorders, which can manifest themselves in a wobbling gait, coordination problems, a tilted position of the head, and often also uncleanliness. The causes of ataxia can be taken as examples for various disorders of the central nervous system because they are unusually diverse:

• An infection of the mother cat with the cat disease virus, also called feline parvovirus, poisoning of the pregnant cat or a kitten can lead to damage to the nervous system with the symptoms mentioned.
• Lysosomal storage disease, an inherited metabolic disorder, is also known to be a trigger.
• External influences such as traffic accidents or falls with an injury to the head and/or spinal cord can cause lasting damage to the central nervous system.
• However, creeping diseases such as spinal deformations and degenerative diseases of the central nervous system damage the nervous network and can cause neurological failure symptoms.
• Last but not least, cats can also suffer from brain tumors or strokes, disorders of the central nervous system are sometimes the only clue that something is wrong.

Neurological failure symptoms are always an emergency! At the first sign of these unusual symptoms, the vet should be consulted – on the weekend or at night, it is advisable to go to the veterinary emergency service. Depending on the particular cause of the symptoms, the condition can be acute, life-threatening, or chronic. Still, they’re not always a death sentence: ataxia cats, for example, are often born with neurological disorders. If the human being is ready to adjust to their little peculiarities, the “wiggle cat” can still lead a happy and long life. The same goes for fur-noses who have suffered a stroke. Changes in the household such as a ramp to the slightly raised cat bed, litter boxes with a deep entrance, and the understanding and special affection of humans can not work miracles, but enable the cat concerned to have a wonderful cat life!

However, please refrain from making remote diagnoses using Internet research. A diagnosis and potential treatment options can only be made by the veterinarian!

The Cat’s Hormonal Balance

Just like the cat’s nervous system, the hormonal balance of our house tigers also consists of millions of small components that ideally work together seamlessly. Hormones are the body’s own chemical substances that transmit information in the organism and thus maintain and control body functions and metabolic processes. Hormones are produced by endocrine glands in the cat’s body; they travel to their target organ via the bloodstream. The release of hormones via the brain, the switching point of the central nervous system, is controlled and regulated.

The cat’s hormonal system is essential for every process in the cat’s body, from the formation of egg cells to the regulation of blood sugar levels and the utilization of food components to body growth. It has a huge impact on our house cats’ emotions. A balanced hormonal balance is so essential so that all biological processes of the cat’s body can run smoothly, kittens can grow into healthy cats and the house tiger stays fit and healthy even in old age. If the balance gets out of hand, this has immense effects.

Hormonal Imbalances in Cats

Hormonal imbalances in cats can have a variety of consequences. The most well-known diseases of the endocrine system include, for example, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, and diabetes mellitus.

Thyroid disorders

• The thyroid controls many essential metabolic processes and is, therefore, an indispensable endocrine organ of the cat’s body. If the cat is underactive, the metabolism is greatly reduced, it runs on the “back burner”.
• Cats with an underactive thyroid often gain noticeably weight. Therapy often consists of the administration of artificially produced thyroid hormones. These must be given for life, but reduce the symptoms immensely and thus maintain the quality of life of the animal.
• An overactive thyroid also has an effect on the metabolism – there is an increased release of hormones, the interplay of the organs gets out of hand. Typical signs of an overactive thyroid are nervous tremors, weight loss, and increased food consumption. Depending on the cause of the overactive thyroid gland, it can be surgically removed or destroyed. But there are also drug treatment methods.

Hormonal imbalances in cats: diabetes

Diabetes is an increasingly common condition in cats.

• The form of the disease known as “diabetes inhibits” is a hormone-related disruption of the water balance in the cat’s body, which is manifested by an extreme concentration of urine. This rare type of diabetes is treated with hormones given by the veterinarian.
• The disease “diabetes mellitus”, often referred to as “diabetes”, is much more common. They are often caused by a disorder of the pancreas, which is responsible for the production of the hormone insulin. An important task, because sugar is the body’s most important source of energy! Type 1 diabetes mellitus is an autoimmune disease. The cat’s body destroys the cells that are responsible for producing insulin. Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as “adult diabetes”. The body cells have developed a very high tolerance for insulin and no longer react to the body’s own insulin. Accordingly, their ability to use sugar in the blood suffers. The pancreas tries to compensate for this deficiency with increased insulin production. It comes to a derailment of the blood sugar level. Type 2 diabetes in cats is often treated by regulating insulin metabolism, often through the direct administration of insulin.

Diabetes and thyroid disease are just two examples of hormonal imbalances in cats. All disorders of the endocrine system are serious, they can only be diagnosed and treated by the veterinarian.

How Can I Avoid Such Diseases?

The causes of such diseases are often to be seen in the breeding selection, but sometimes also in the diet of our domestic cats. You can rarely protect your cat, but a healthy lifestyle with weight control and appropriate nutrition is a good contribution to the health of your furry friend!

We wish you and your cat all the best!