Cat Collapse

Acute collapse in cats occurs when a cat suddenly falls and is not capable of getting back up due to a “loss of strength”. There are two types of acute collapse in cats, hind limb collapse and complete collapse. Hind limb collapse occurs when the cat ends up in a sitting position after falling and complete collapse occurs when the cat ends up in a lying position after the fall. The cat will actually lose consciousness, but the amount of time that the cat is out will vary. Cats can recover quickly and are normal looking and acting just seconds after experiencing an acute collapse or they can take longer to recover.

Acute collapse in cats can be caused by many disorders. These include disorders of the cat’s nervous system, musculoskeletal system, circulatory system or respiratory system. If the nervous system disorder is the cause, then the cat’s nerves, spinal cord or brain may be involved. If the musculoskeletal system is the cause, then the cat’s muscles, joints or bones may be involved. If the cat’s circulatory system is the cause, then the cat’s blood, blood vessels or heart may be involved. And, if the cat’s respiratory system is the cause, then the cat’s lungs, throat, nose or mouth may be involved.

Signs or symptoms that cat owners can watch to determine if their cat has acute collapse are the cat quickly and suddenly sitting down or the cat will suddenly lie down. Whether sitting or lying, the cat will be unable to get up. When this occurs, it is time to contact a vet who will treat the cat, as these are not normal movements that cats have.

Acute collapse in cats can be a symptom of a very serious medical condition. With this in mind, it is always best to contact a vet if the cat owner knows or suspects that their cat has suddenly collapsed. There are many causes for acute collapse that involve most of the systems in the cats body as discussed earlier. All of these disorders are very dangerous in a cats life, making it important to be aware of what is happening with the cat. One more reason that cat owners should always be aware of any changes in their cat’s life, or as much as they can. This will definitely be easier if their cat is an indoor cat instead of an outdoor cat.