WHY IS MY CAT SHAKING?

Something which often concerns cat owners everywhere is seeing their cats uncontrollably shaking. This can make you worry about your cat’s health, and not knowing the source is even more worrying.

This shaking will either be isolated in a single area, most commonly; the head, tail, or the legs, or it can be the whole body trembling instead.

There can sometimes be a very simple explanation for why a cat is shaking, but there is also a chance that this shaking is actually a sign of an underlying issue which is something you will want to know as soon as possible.

No matter what the cause of the shaking is, it is something that you will want to sort out as soon as possible.

So, if your cat is shaking, and you want to know why so you can help out your cat, keep reading!

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REASONS WHY YOUR CAT COULD BE SHAKING

There are quite a few different reasons why your cat could be shaking which are all quite different from each other.

​For example, it could be a behavioral issue, but it could also be a reaction to the environment they are in, or it could even be a reaction to a medical issue which you will want to get sorted as soon as possible.

This section will go over how to identify what the reason is for your cat shaking and how to cope with this, so read carefully!

Hypoglycemia

One of the most common explanations for why your cat could be shaking is that they are suffering from hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia means that your cat has a deficiency in their glucose levels, this means that their blood sugar levels could be dangerously low which will result in the shaking or shivering which you have noticed. 

This shaking could either be a sign of the disease, or it could just be a milder version of this and your cat has simply not eaten in too long.

This is actually quite a common issue for kittens specifically. This is because the very small body of kittens are not always able to fully work out how to process the gluten in their system, leading to symptoms of hypoglycemia like shaking.

This is why it is so important for kittens to have a nutritious diet, as well as making sure they have a warm diet to stay in so they will not develop the symptoms of hypoglycemia.

If you are dealing with an older cat who is displaying symptoms of hypoglycemia like shaking, you can solve this by giving them some drops of either maple syrup or honey once every 6 hours.

This is a good way to calm down their shaking as it will help raise their blood sugar levels.

If you want to make the process more effective, you can put the maple syrup or honey directly onto the gums of your cat as this will help the sugar get to their bloodstream much quicker.

If after this you recognize that your cat is still shaking as well as still not eating as they should, this is when you will want to contact your vet. They will hopefully be able to do blood tests to work out the problem.

Fear Or Anxiety

Similarly to us humans, cats will feel anxiety and get scared and this will lead to them shaking just like it can for humans.

Cats are also capable of developing their own phobias which will then develop into anxiety which can affect cats severely.

There are some common fears and phobias which you will want to make more bearable for your cat, this can include thunder and fireworks which can be too loud for your cat to deal with.

This will be worse for cats because they have a higher sensitivity when it comes to vibrations than humans can do, and because of this and their powerful hearing, loud events like this can be very difficult for the cat.

There are other situations where your cat can get anxious and shake, for example, your cat may have experienced a traumatic event, or may suffer from separation anxiety.

There are signs of this anxiety outside of the shaking, these include the cat hiding quite often, or suffering from diarrhea.

If your cat seems to be anxious more often than not, this is an issue which you will want to get a vets consultation for.

Irregular Body Temperature

Another one of the most common reasons for a cat shaking is that they are not in their standard body temperature.

The normal temperature for a cat’s body is between 100.5 Fahrenheit and 102.5 Fahrenheit.

If the cat is going over this temperature, this is a sign that they could have a fever, and if it is under this range, they may be suffering from hypothermia. Both going over and under can lead to the cat shaking.

Hyperthermia will be when the cat’s body temperature is unnaturally high and this can happen in an environment having a high temperature like a hot car. 

A fever is often a symptom of having a higher body temperature and if you are not able to regulate the heat of your cat, they could suffer from heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

But just like a high temperature can affect the cat, so can a low temperature with hypothermia also being a serious issue. You can help this by giving your cat a regulated heat source, or blankets to raise the temperature.

If your cat has either too high or too low temperature to an extreme degree, you will want them to see a vet as soon as possible.
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HOW TO HELP YOUR CAT STOP SHAKING

All of the reasons we have mentioned can be the source of a cat shaking, and occasionally it is not these reasons, but usually it will be one of these.

​If you want to help the cat, use the advice we have provided in each section, but if you are not getting results you will want to closely look after your cat until they can get to a vet.