Gadjo update

It seems that Gadjo has either an injury and/or FHS (Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome).

I'm really hoping it's not the latter, but unfortunately, all signs seem to be pointing to that. It's not a common or well-understood condition, and it happens more in male cats and in Oriental breeds. It seems to be a neurological problem in which some combination (a lot of "and/or") of things come together: nerves in the lower back/tail are deformed/too many and/or overly sensitive and/or don't convey impulses in a normal way; possible seizure activity in the brain; a form of feline OCD.

These are the symptoms: "dilated pupils; twitching of the tail; appearing to be annoyed with the tail; biting at the tail, sometimes to the point of mutilation; behavior change from loving to scared and depressed; staring into space; hiding and isolating self; persistent, loud meowing; dashing off madly and aimlessly around the house or yard; visibly rippling, twitching skin on the back just above the tail; finding being touched, especially along the back, sometimes unbearable; compulsive, excessive grooming, sometimes to the point of self-mutilation; sudden, random aggressive behavior; possible seizures and/or intermittent muscle spasms in the thoracolumbar epaxial muscles." It's like invisible monsters are biting him in the back and freaking him out.

I'm especially worried because if it occurs, it usually manifests in cats ages 1 - 4 years. Gadjo's only five months old, which makes me think he's going to have a very severe case of it. Cats can have from very mild to very severe cases. In the worst cases, cats have seizures and can die or become paralyzed from them, and/or they self-mutilate uncontrollably. Episodes can happen every few days, every day, or virtually constantly.

At the moment, the vet still wants to rule out the possibility of a simple injury, and/or an injury which may have set off otherwise normal nerves in his back. So he's on pain meds which, if he has FHS, are suppressing some of the symptoms. But I really have a sinking feeling that he has FHS. I've been doing a lot of reading about it and it sounds exactly like what we've been witnessing.

If he does have it, we'll be trying either antiseizure meds or antianxiety meds. Some cats benefit from one or the other. It's terribly scary and I am so afraid for him and so sad for us, because it seems that starting at one sudden moment a few days ago, his constantly sweet, loving, calm, gentle, bold personality disappeared. He won't even purr.

I want him back.