Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tremors in cats with liver shunts or post-surgery brain syndrome
By Liatis, Theofanis et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2025·Department of Clinical Science and Services, United Kingdom·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Tremors in cats with hepatic encephalopathy-congenital portosystemic shunts or postattenuation neurological syndrome.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats with tremors was examined, and many of them were found to have hepatic encephalopathy due to congenital portosystemic shunts. Most of the affected cats showed tremors that were either general or focused on the head or limbs, often occurring when they were resting. After treatment, which included surgery or medication, many of the cats saw their tremors go away within a month. This suggests that if your cat has tremors, it could be linked to liver issues that might be treatable.
People also search for: cat tremors treatment · cat liver disease symptoms · congenital portosystemic shunt in cats
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tremors have been reported as a neurological sign in cats with hepatic encephalopathy due to congenital portosystemic shunts (HE-CPSS) or postattenuation neurological syndrome (PANS). METHODS: The clinical records of cats diagnosed with HE-CPSS and manifesting tremors between 2003 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed to characterise the clinical features of the tremors. RESULTS: Nineteen cats with HE-CPSS were included, of which 17 manifested tremors at admission and two had PANS. Domestic shorthair was the most common breed (12/19). Tremors were the only neurological sign in six of the 19 cats. Tremor localisation was generalised (10/19) or focal to the head (8/19) or a limb (1/19). Most tremors were episodic and non-intentional (15/19), occurring usually at rest with occasional intentional features (4/19). Of the 14 cats for which 1-month follow-up was available, tremors discontinued in nine after surgical or medical management. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study included its retrospective nature and the lack of video recordings, brain magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiological evaluation of tremors in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnosis of HE-CPSS or PANS should be considered in cats with generalised or focal tremors.
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/39539156/