Like most veterinarians, I think it’s likely that cats get headaches, 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.
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 Bloodwork and imaging tests were normal, and physically, the cat seemed fine, aside from a slightly withdrawn demeanor.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.
It wasn’t until months later that the same cat became very unwell again, eventually developing neurological symptoms. An MRI scan showed that, to everyone’s 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?
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’t 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.
Since there is no test for a headache, we can only make assumptions based on our observations and what we know about biology.
What We Know About Headaches
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.
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.
Secondary headaches are caused by other problems, such as:
- Dehydration
- Middle ear infections
- Dental problems
- High blood pressure
- Sinusitis
- Brain tumors
- Viruses
- Concussions
- Encephalitis
- Toxoplasmosis
Cats can suffer from each condition listed above, so at least some of these issues may manifest as a headache for them. Rats and mice are used as models for studying migraine headaches. Pain receptors in the trigeminal nerve innervate the tissues surrounding the brain, and stimulation of these nerves has been used to induce migraine headaches in rodents.
The fact that animals have these same pathways suggests they can also experience migraines. In one study, the nerves were used in cats to test a migraine drug. A 2013 case study documented a possible case of naturally occurring migraines in a dog. The dog in question was a female Cocker Spaniel who was 5 years old.
She had unusual episodes that lasted up to 3 days and occurred every month or so. Extensive testing, including an MRI scan, showed no abnormalities. Various pain relief medications were not successful until topiramate, a human migraine medication, was tried.
This medication drastically improved her quality of life. This is an unusual presentation in animals but provides strong evidence for animals having migraines. Then again, the human brain is an incredible thing. 200,000- 800,000 years ago, there was a rapid increase in brain size among early humans.
While our increased intelligence gave us an evolutionary advantage, it has a price that we still pay today. Our brain is 2% of our body weight but uses 20% of our blood flow and oxygen. Human-accelerated regions of DNA are areas that evolved quickly, and some of them are involved in brain development.
They are thought to be associated with psychiatric diseases seen in humans; for example, genes associated with schizophrenia are associated with these DNA sequences. Do our unique brains cause us to experience headaches differently from animals or more frequently?
How Can You Tell If Your Cat Has a Headache?
One study investigated the role of neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in migraines and used it to induce pain responses in mice. The mice developed a “grimace,” which involved eye squinting. The feline grimace is a well-known sign of pain in cats, so it’s likely that cats with headaches display this grimace.
Other signs of a headache can include:
- Hiding
- Anxiety
- Panting
- Reduced activity
- Reluctance to socialize
- Vocalization
- Holding head low
- Holding tail low
- Drooling
- Lip licking
- Vomiting
How to Help a Cat With a Headache
If you suspect your cat has a headache, you could be right. However, it’s important to remember that your cat can’t communicate with you. While you or I might not always go to a doctor for a headache, it’s important to have your cat checked over by a vet.
Your vet can examine your cat, take their vitals, and assess the situation. This will ensure that nothing serious is causing your cat’s behavior. Remember that cats instinctively mask signs of illness, so if you notice a change, your cat needs help.
Your vet may recommend some further testing, which could include the following:
- Blood tests
- Imaging like X-rays, ultrasound, or even MRI
- Urine analysis
Finally, they will make a treatment plan for your cat. If your cat is dehydrated, they may be hospitalized and placed on a fluid drip. Medications could involve pain relief or anti-nausea drugs. You should follow your vet’s instructions carefully.
If your cat is given the all-clear to recover at home, you can set up a comfortable area for them to recover. Since headaches can cause sensitivity to light and sound, your cat may prefer a dark and quiet environment.
You should provide tasty, plain food like boiled chicken and encourage drinking. Offering the water the chicken was cooked in is an excellent way to increase their water intake. Keep a close eye on your kitty as they recover, and report any additional signs to your vet.
Final Thoughts
Headaches are not commonly diagnosed or thought about in animals, but that doesn’t mean they don’t happen. Lack of specific tests, masking tendencies, and an animal’s inability to describe signs could all contribute to headaches being underdiagnosed in animals.
There is a fair amount of evidence to back up cats experiencing headaches. If your cat is showing signs of being unwell, it’s important not to anthropomorphize them by projecting our experiences of headaches onto them. Although headaches are common in people and usually not dangerous, this may not be the case for cats. Cats showing signs of headaches could be experiencing other, even severe, illnesses and should be assessed by a vet for the best outcomes.
Featured Image Credit: art nick, Shutterstock