The serious and potentially fatal illness known as “shaken baby syndrome” strikes neonates.
Image Credit : HMrChuK
Although cats haven’t been studied specifically, it is safe to presume that violent shaking would probably result in a brain injury.
Shaking a Cat Can Be Dangerous
1. Brain injury
2. Bone fractures
3. Death
Fourth, neurological harm
5. Behavioural modifications
6. Loss of pregnancy
A word on shaken cat syndrome, also known as unsteady cat condition How to Respond if You Think a Cat Has Been Shaken
Shaking a Cat Can Be Dangerous
Shaking a cat is incredibly harmful and abusive; if you ever see this happening, call the RSPCA and take the cat to the vet right away.
An unshaken cat may:
1. Brain injury
The brain is an extremely intricate yet crucial organ in animals, and without it, none of the other organs or tissues can operate as they should.
kitten in ginger, young
A haematoma that puts pressure on the brain, a vessel that can burst inside the brain and create a brain hemorrhage, one lobe of the organ shutting down, as well as a number of other problems, are all examples of brain damage.
Because of this, any cat owner should make preventing any kind of trauma to the cat’s head a high priority, especially while the animal is young.
Any kind of brain injury can result from shaking a cat, and the worst part is that the symptoms may not appear for a few days.
Image Credit : Hanan Al-Souly
Depending on the severity of the injury and how long ago it occurred, treating brain damage in cats can be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
2. Bone fractures
Cats rarely get bone fractures when they are shaken, unless the shaking is exceptionally violent.
Image credit : EvilDilara
Another option is that the animal has a fragile body structure, possibly as a result of rickets or another illness that has made its bones rather brittle.
Cats may then experience many fractures throughout their bodies.
Cats with bone fractures may present with a variety of clinical signs, including altered gait, localized pain, breathing difficulties (if one of their ribs is broken), and others.
Treatment options include surgery or casting an affected limb, depending on the area of the body.
The best course of action is undoubtedly to avoid the lesions in the first place because recovery is drawn out and uncomfortable.
3. Death
In comparison to humans, cats are less likely to die if they are disturbed.
However, not all animals are subject to the same laws.
Every cat is unique, both in terms of general health and age, thus depending on these circumstances, they may manifest various symptoms.
dead lizard being handled by a cat
A cat’s life can be lost in a matter of hours if there is brain bleeding or intracranial hemorrhage (where the bleeding happens between the skull and the brain).
Cats can also pass away from heart failure and heart attacks, however this is less common.
The trauma of being shook can be so intense for some animals, especially those who are more likely than others to become startled easily, that they may experience a myocardial infarction either instantly or hours afterwards.
Fourth, neurological harm
When trauma happens, neurological damage typically results, meaning the cat has been shaken, hit, or at the very least has a significant vitamin B shortage and also endures trauma.
Unfortunately, treating neurological injuries is nearly challenging, especially when they involve massive nuclei that regulate a substantial body region.
For instance, a cat hit or rattled may lose the capacity to move or feel its limbs, but it may also suffer spinal cord damage and lose the ability to control its urination or defecation.
A cat can also become paralyzed from the neck down, depending on the severity of the damage that has been sustained, it goes without saying.
Other scenarios include coma or seizures.
There is typically no cure for such widespread injuries.
If the injury is minor and only affects a small portion of the body, physical therapy or laser treatment may eventually help the cat regain movement.
5. Behavioural modifications
It goes without saying that shaking a cat can cause them to acquire all kinds of behavioural changes, even though they do not pertain to any form of genuine physical injury.
One of them can be aggression, which is typically driven by fear.
A black cat that’s belligerent
A cat will make every effort to defend itself from any potential threats (even if people are genuinely trying to be pleasant to them) since they can easily lose trust in people or a specific individual if they are treated poorly.
Cats may also withdraw, hide out throughout the day, and only emerge at night if they anticipate being physically hurt or abused when people are around.
6. Loss of pregnancy
A miscarriage is never anything to take lightly, even when it does occur in adults rather than kittens. This is something that can happen to all animals.
Depending on her age, the mother cat may experience a multitude of issues that could cause serious bleeding.
a pregnant cat with closed eyes was sitting on the ground.
Feliciano Guimares, a Flickr user, provided the photo.
Another risk is that the placenta and other fetal coverings get stuck inside the mother’s body, eventually causing a severe infection.
A word on shaken cat syndrome, also known as unsteady cat condition Shaking pets by their owners does not usually result in shaken cat syndrome.
This condition, sometimes known as “wobbly cat syndrome,”this is a condition where the cat cannot maintain their balance properly.
