"Feline audiogenic reflex seizure syndrome" affects older cats

British researchers have studied a new neurological condition in cats that makes them hypersensitive to high-pitched sounds and causes epileptiform seizures in some older cats. The study*, published on April 27, 2015, sought to identify the characteristics of this “feline audiogenic reflex seizure syndrome.”  Initially dubbed “Tom and Jerry syndrome” by owners of affected cats (the cartoon cat is often startled by sounds), the researchers later gave it the more medical name “feline audiogenic reflex seizure syndrome.” Between September 2013 and March 2014, they launched a large-scale survey to encourage cat owners to report this condition in their pets and reviewed medical records provided by treating veterinarians to better understand the type and duration of the seizures, as well as the sounds that trigger them. Of the 128 cases reported by British owners (via the press, the Internet, forums, etc.), only 96 cats were included in the study, including 45 European-type cats and 30 Sacred Burmese cats. All had reported a first seizure at a late age, between 10 and 19 years (average age 15 years). The seizures are triggered by high-pitched, relatively subtle sounds, such as the crinkling of aluminum foil, the clatter of a spoon against a plate, the clinking of a glass, or the tapping on a computer keyboard. The severity of the episodes ranges from simple absence to brief myoclonic seizures—sometimes of increasing intensity—to more severe disturbances such as loss of consciousness lasting a few minutes (less than five). Excessive drooling is observed in 86% of cats, and urination in 77% of cases. Seizures are limited to a maximum of one per 24-hour period, and the interval between two seizures can range from three to 18 months. Therapeutic trials conducted with levetiracetam, an anticonvulsant medication used to treat epilepsy, reduced the frequency of episodes in about 20 cats . It appears to be more effective than phenobarbital at controlling absence and myoclonic seizures. This new geriatric-onset epileptic syndrome warrants further study, particularly to identify any potential genetic predispositions. It should also be included in the differential diagnosis of age-related health disorders in cats.   * Audiogenic reflex seizures in cats, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, April 27, 2015, doi: 10.1177/1098612X15582080, http://jfm.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/04/27/1098612X15582080.full#sec-22