Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with leg tremors only when standing
By de Gier, Marende M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Neurology, Netherlands·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Pseudo-orthostatic tremor in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
An 11-month-old male shorthaired cat was brought to the vet because he had a tremor in both back legs that only happened when he was standing or trying to extend his knees. Despite the tremors, he was still able to walk and play, but he had trouble jumping and often lay on his side. The vet diagnosed him with pseudo-orthostatic tremor, a condition where the tremors occur due to gravity. Unfortunately, treatment with gabapentin and clonazepam did not help improve his symptoms.
People also search for: cat tremors when standing · cat leg shaking treatment · why is my cat having tremors
Abstract
An 11-month-old male castrated shorthaired cat was presented with a tremor in both pelvic limbs, which only occurred when standing (ie, countering gravity) or during active extension of the stifle. General clinical and neurological examinations were normal aside from the tremor of the pelvic limbs, which disappeared on performing a weight-bearing lifting test. Needle electromyography of both pelvic limbs in the conscious state confirmed a low-frequency (6 Hz) tremor. The cat was diagnosed with pseudo-orthostatic tremor. The tremor amplitude waxed and waned over time. The cat remained ambulatory and playful, but often assumed lateral recumbency and seemed to have difficulty jumping. Treatment with gabapentin (10-20 mg/kg PO q8h) for 3 weeks followed by clonazepam (0.1 mg/kg PO q12h) for 1 day (with unacceptable adverse effects) did not result in improvement.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40186417/