Although the signs are typically the same as those associated with other types of peripheral vestibular disease, they are transitory, arising abruptly and then gradually improving over the course of several days. Most cats will be completely recovered within two or three weeks.

An inner ear infection can cause a cat to experience vertigo. But a cat that stumbles, walks with stiff legs or shakes its head repeatedly may have a brain disease known as cerebellar hypoplasia, which affects muscle control and movement. Cats contract this disease in utero—or if they are malnourished or poisoned.

What causes ataxia?

• Loss of spinal cord tissue (called degenerative myelopathy)
• A “stroke” to the spinal cord (called fibrocartilaginous embolus or FCE)
• Structural/developmental abnormality of the spine or spinal cord.
• Tumors in the spine or spinal cord.
• Infection in the vertebrae or intervertebral discs.

An inner ear infection can cause a cat to experience vertigo. But a cat that stumbles, walks with stiff legs or shakes its head repeatedly may have a brain disease known as cerebellar hypoplasia, which affects muscle control and movement. A disease with similar symptoms, ataxia, causes a loss of balance, too.

These kittens may have cerebellar hypoplasia. Often referred to as ‘wobbly kittens’ or ‘wobbly cats’, cerebellar hypoplasia is an unusual neurological disorder as a result of interrupted development of the brain, leading to uncoordinated movement or ataxia.

The most common sign of ataxia, regardless of the cause, is an abnormal gait in which the cat is very unsteady on her feet. With a spinal cord lesion, the toes may drag on the ground as the cat walks, traumatizing the tissues of the toes.

A loss of balance commonly occurs when a cat is suffering from vestibular disease. Your cat may experience issues with standing on all four legs, and you may even notice your cat leaning or falling over at times, which can be a frightening sight.

A falling down cat may be plagued by an inner ear infection or a genetic, neurological or nerve disorder, according to Animal Planet. Cats with these conditions may move with a stiff-legged gait, wobble when they walk or bob their heads constantly.

Staggering can also be caused by vision problems or the fact that the cat’s balance was messed up by the brain injury. Siouxsie : The third possibility is that your cat has a vestibular disease–also known as an inner ear infection.

Please try again later. Cat balance is a technique used to move along the tops of narrow obstacles such as rails, walls, or I-beams. By keeping the center of gravity low and having more points of contact with the obstacle, cat balancing can be safer, faster, and more stable than moving on two feet.