Introduction

Meningitis is not a disease but rather is the condition of inflammation of the meninges – the three membranes that intimately surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is very serious; if your cat is exhibiting any of the clinical signs of this disorder, it is important that you visit with your veterinarian immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the chances of a positive result, depending upon why the meningitis occurred.

Symptoms of Feline Meningitis

Symptoms of meningitis include fever, neck and limb stiffness, painful spasms of the back muscles and extreme sensitivity to touch. A high fever can contribute to inappetence and lethargy. Affected cats’ gait often becomes awkward, and their legs seem to refuse to bend normally. The neck stiffness in cats with meningitis can be so extreme that the head tilts to the side and the chin is turned towards the back. When someone touches the cat, its skin may twitch, the cat may become aggressive or it may yelp in pain. Cats with advanced meningitis usually become severely depressed, blind and progressively paralyzed. Seizures, confusion, agitation and aggression are not uncommon. Advanced meningitis can also cause a condition called ataxia, in which the cat cannot coordinate its muscle movements. The cat may begin to circle, stumble or walk with its legs spread abnormally far apart.

The clinical signs of meningitis in cats can mimic those of other conditions and require astute veterinary diagnostic protocols to be definitively confirmed.