cat seizure/hairball?

Question
Hello, our 5 yr old cat, Tallulah, has recently been acting strangely. It has been happening for about 3-4 weeks now - usually when she is eating her dry food (which we are about to change to wet after finding about the problems it can cause) - she will stop eating suddenly, stand up and hold her mouth slightly open, maybe stagger a little then standing on three legs she will raise one of her front paws (claws fully extended/spread out) slowly to her face. The episode seems to last about 10 - 15 seconds.

My wife seems to think it is a hairball being aggravated by the dry food but i find the behaviour quite alarming - it is more like she cannot breathe. When suffering from hairballs before this hasn't happened - just the usual gagging/vomitting until it appears.

Your help would be greatly appreciated as we are starting to get very concerned.

Answer
Craig,

It sounds like she has a dental problem. She may have an abscessed tooth, a loose tooth, or she may have Stomitis, which is ulcers of the mouth and throat. Any of the above are very painful

I would take her to a vet very ASAP to have her checked. Because if it is a mouth problem, it will only get worse.

If it were a hairball, she would vomit the food or gag. Lifting the paw, she is trying to swipe at the pain. One of my cats did that big time, but it was because he was stung in the mouth by a wasp!

I would not completely stop dry food. They need it to help clean their teeth and to have available to nibble on when they are hungry.

I have ALWAYS fed dry food, with wet food as a treat (or to a sick or pregnant/nursing cat) and I have NEVER had any problems because of it. My cats are all healthy and happy. BUT I feed a better quality dry, like Iams.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi