{"id":637908,"date":"2024-08-13T23:57:07","date_gmt":"2024-08-14T03:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/?p=637908"},"modified":"2024-08-13T23:57:07","modified_gmt":"2024-08-14T03:57:07","slug":"do-cats-get-headaches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catster.com\/ask-the-vet\/do-cats-get-headaches\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Cats Get Headaches? Our Vet Explains Facts & Info"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n Click to Skip Ahead \n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/p>\n

\n
\n \r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/path>\r\n <\/svg> <\/div>\n
\n <\/span>\n \nWhat We Know About Headaches<\/a>
\nSigns Of a Headache<\/a>
\nTips to Help<\/a>
\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Like most veterinarians, I think it\u2019s likely that cats get headaches<\/strong>, and I will demonstrate why; however, it’s not something that has been scientifically confirmed. When asked about headaches in cats, one case always comes to mind.<\/p>\n

A middle-aged cat was brought into my clinic for lethargy and anorexia. Bloodwork and imaging tests were normal, and physically, the cat seemed fine, aside from a slightly withdrawn demeanor. We gave him some fluids, pain relief, and anti-nausea medication, and within a day, he got better and went home.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until months later that the same cat became very unwell again, eventually developing neurological symptoms. An MRI scan showed that, to everyone\u2019s dismay, this kitty had a large brain tumor. I immediately knew that this was the cause of his mysterious illness so many months ago. What was he experiencing at that time? Was it a headache?<\/p>\n

While this is an extreme and sad example, it highlights some challenges we, as vets, face while trying to diagnose and treat animals. The main problem is that they can\u2019t communicate their symptoms to us. Another issue is that their survival instincts prevent them from showing weakness, so some illnesses can fly under the radar.<\/p>\n

Since there is no test for a headache, we can only make assumptions based on our observations and what we know about biology.<\/p>\n

\"divider<\/p>\n

What We Know About Headaches<\/h2>\n

In humans, headaches are one of the most common forms of pain. Our headaches have a spectrum of severity, with the more serious ones being extremely debilitating. The brain does not contain any sensory vessels, so headache pain arises from the nerves surrounding the brain.<\/p>\n

People can suffer from primary headaches, which can be triggered by stress, or secondary headaches. Migraines are severe headaches accompanied by light and sound sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting.<\/p>\n

\"sick
Image Credit: Zhuravlev Andrey, Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Secondary headaches are caused by other problems, such as:<\/div>
\n