Cat twitches all the time

by Jessie
(Austin, TX)

Hi,

My cat has had a constant twitch for the past 3 years. When this happens he is fully awake.

It seems like it stems from a muscle in his back and that muscle pulls on the rest of his body and causes his feet to clench up in unison when he's laying on his back or side.

The twitching doesn't seem to happen when he's up walking around (maybe because he's using the muscle). I asked the vet but he didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about...and I can't reproduce it when he's at the vet (when my cat is on high alert).

I took 2 videos of his twitching.

This video shows what it looks like when he's laying on his back and how it affects his legs...he is fully awake, just relaxed:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMS9OFshYjc

This video shows the SOURCE of the twitch...a muscle behind his shoulder blade. Look closely and you can see it tensing up and making his whole body move:
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJCn6JIc4sI

Have you ever seen this before? Any help would be much appreciated by both me AND, my cat, Walter!

Kind Regards,
Jessie


Dear Jessie,

Thank you for writing in with concern for your Walter and for providing the links to the videos.

It is difficult to see from the videos what may be causing the twitching you described. If you haven't done so already, you may want to show the videos to your veterinarian for him to review.

Most cats will twitch slightly when sleeping, so although you have said that Walter is not sleeping when he twitches, he may be extremely relaxed or in a very light state of sleep.

Considering that this twitching has been going on for 3 years and he has been examined by a veterinarian, I am inclined to believe that the twitch is nothing to be concerned about. If you are still concerned, however, I would recommend bringing him for a second opinion, and again, showing the videos you have taken to whomever you bring him to see.

If I noticed anything slightly unusual from the video, it would be that your kitty's breathing looked a bit labored. However, since I was unable to see his face to determine his breed and could not hear whether or not he was purring, I cannot accurately say if that is the case. Again, your veterinarian should be able to diagnose any possible breathing problems.

Best wishes to you and Walter,
Dr. Neely