My Cat's Seizures Led to Suspected "Idiopathic Vestibular Disease"—A Vet Explains What to Prepare for a Clinic Visit and Key Observation Points

In mid-January 2026, my beloved cat, Leon, suddenly had a seizure while my husband and I were eating dinner as usual. The seizure lasted only a few minutes, but it was the first time we had ever seen one, and our family panicked.

This time, I will recount the details of what happened and share what our family vet told us about "how to deal with cat seizures."

My normally energetic cat suddenly had a seizure...

That day, Leon, as usual, went to sit on the floor chair where my husband was. We were having a heartwarming exchange, like "Don't chew on my hair~," when he jumped off the chair, and my husband said, "Huh? Leon, isn't something wrong with your hind legs?"

At that moment, Leon was right behind me. I anxiously thought, "Is his walking strange?" and turned to check on him, but Leon had already passed me and was trying to climb onto the table.

Leon, being very athletic, usually jumps onto the table with ease. But this time, he failed his first jump. While my husband was saying, "See! Something is definitely wrong!" Leon made a second jump. He managed to get onto the table, but immediately after, something abnormal happened.

For some reason, his right paw wasn't extended but clenched tight. Then his face began to tilt, and he fell off the table. Fortunately, he landed on the futon cover of the kotatsu, but I blamed myself for not reacting immediately.

After falling, Leon tried to crawl and walk on his own, but his limbs wouldn't obey. He lay on his back with his paws clenched tight. Was he going to die? We panicked, shouting, "Leo! Are you okay? What's wrong?!"

If it were poisoning, there would be vomiting and loss of appetite. If it were a seizure due to a heart abnormality like a blood clot, his paw pads would be pale and cold. As various possibilities and symptoms flashed through my mind, I first checked Leon's paw pads. Because if it's a heart-related seizure, there's a high risk to his life.

Fortunately, Leon's paw pads were their usual pink and warm. And within five minutes, he started walking as usual, so I was relieved that it didn't seem to be heart-related.

However, even though he could walk, Leon seemed somewhat dazed. I considered going to an emergency veterinary hospital but decided that since he had an appetite and was jumping and playing pranks normally, the urgency was low. We decided to visit the vet first thing the next morning.

However, to prevent him from having another seizure and falling again, we had him sleep in a pet playpen that night.

Suspecting "Idiopathic Vestibular Disease," I consulted the vet.

Leon's seizure wasn't characterized by flailing limbs like an epileptic seizure, but rather by his limbs clenching tightly or becoming stiff.

I wondered if any other cats had similar symptoms. As I searched various seizures on social media and YouTube, I learned about "Idiopathic Vestibular Disease," a sudden onset seizure of unknown cause.

Feeling that this might be the seizure he had, the next day, when explaining the symptoms at the animal hospital, along with the specific symptoms I observed, I also mentioned, "I watched some videos online, and the symptoms of idiopathic vestibular disease seemed similar."

Then, the veterinarian checked Leon's eyes by moving his hand closer. Apparently, with idiopathic vestibular disease, it becomes difficult to gauge distances. I was told, "In his case, he can recognize my hand when it's moved closer, so the possibility of idiopathic vestibular disease is low."

When a seizure occurs, as an owner, it's easy to suspect the cause to be in the brain or heart (such as blood clots), but according to the veterinarian, seizures can also be seen when the cause is in organs like the liver.

So, I had a blood test done to check for any abnormalities in his levels.

The test results showed that Leon was healthy. We also had a cardiac biomarker (NT-proBNP) test done, which can detect early-stage heart disease not discoverable by echocardiography, but there were no abnormalities there either, putting us in the most difficult situation of not knowing the cause of the seizure.

What the vet taught me about coping with cat seizures

Should I have an MRI or CT scan done now? Having experienced the long illness of my late beloved cat, I deeply understood the importance of early detection of diseases, and I was troubled.

The veterinarian patiently explained how to deal with seizures. According to the vet, some cats have a seizure once and never have another, living their full lives without recurrence.

"If we start medication to stop seizures, he'll need to take it for the rest of his life. In his case, he only had one mild seizure, so I think it's too early to start medication," the veterinarian said, explaining that for mild seizures, unlike epileptic seizures, there's an option to wait and see, as was the case with our cat.

According to the veterinarian, if seizures occur about twice every six months, it's generally common to consider tests like CT or MRI, or medication. Since MRI, CT, and EEG tests are expensive, owners typically have two choices: "thoroughly investigate the cause" or "manage the illness well with anti-seizure medication."

Fortunately, Leon has not had any seizures since then. However, since the cause is unknown, I spend my days worried about a recurrence.

Experiencing my cat's seizure, I realized the importance of "preparation."

Experiencing my cat's seizure for the first time taught me a lot. First, I deeply realized the importance of video recording the symptoms. Explaining symptoms only verbally is difficult to convey accurately.

During a seizure, concern tends to override everything, but I realized it's important to consciously suppress that and prepare to record a video.

For those who are not confident in being able to record a video in an emergency, installing a pet camera with recording capabilities is a good idea. I learned this tip on social media, and indeed, it makes sense!

I think many households, especially those like mine where I work from home, don't have pet cameras, but I thought it would be a good idea to install one as a safeguard in case of an emergency.

Also, it's important to decide on the desired treatment in advance, anticipating that seizures might happen again. The costs will differ depending on whether you choose to "thoroughly examine to identify the cause" or "use medication to stop seizures and manage the illness well."

If you want to "identify the cause," it's crucial to consider pet insurance or increase your cat savings before symptoms appear. For docile cats, CT without anesthesia may be an option, but CT with anesthesia generally provides more detailed results.

There are many choices to make if a recurrence happens, such as how extensive the examinations should be, and when to consult the veterinarian about starting medication. That's why I felt it was important to set a treatment policy for myself in advance, considering my cat's age and health status, to be able to take appropriate action.

Also, during this recent seizure, I deeply appreciated having a pet playpen. Even if cages have removable steps, cats can sometimes use the mesh to climb and fall, so I think having a pet playpen in every home provides peace of mind.

However, if space constraints mean only a cage can be prepared, it might be a good idea to lay it on its side with the steps removed to prevent falls.

For now, even if no seizures occur in the next six months, I want to regularly check if he has any difficulty moving his limbs. Every day, I am once again reminded of the preciousness of my cat's good health.

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