London - If you’ve been loudly rustling through the newspaper while munching on a packet of crisps, then it might be a good idea to check on any cat in the house.
Because vets have discovered that some pet cats are prone to seizures that can be triggered by everyday sounds – such as the crinkling of foil packets, paper being crumpled or the noise of a digital alarm clock.
The occurrence, which has been called Tom and Jerry syndrome because of its similarity to a scene from the cartoon, can also be set off by pills being popped out of a blister pack, the clicking of a computer mouse or the sound of a spoon being dropped into a ceramic bowl.
The familiar “trigger sounds” leave the animals jerking and foaming at the mouth, before they gradually recover consciousness and become responsive again.
In milder reactions cats can become jumpy or they suddenly freeze. The charity International Cat Care (ICC) started to research the phenomenon after it received reports from owners about the strange behaviour.
It has launched a study to investigate the issue with a specialist veterinary centre and a team from University College London.
Researchers believe the reaction could be similar to reflex epilepsy in humans, and hope the study will also lead to greater understanding of the human condition.
An ICC spokesperson said: “Witnessing your cat having a seizure is a very upsetting and distressing event.
“Although seizures commonly occur without any obvious trigger, we have found over the years that cats may have seizures in response to particular noises.
“This is not something that is unique to cats. In human patients, the condition where seizures occur in response to a trigger is known as reflex epilepsy.”
He added: “Little is known about the condition in people or cats. In doing this it is hoped we can understand the cause and see if we can find better ways of treating the condition.
“The aim is to use this to help cats and it may even become useful to help people who suffer from this difficult condition.” - Daily Mail