Feline hyperaesthesia syndrome

Feline hyperesthesia is a poorly-understood condition that has also been referred to as rippling skin syndrome, rolling skin syndrome, or twitchy skin syndrome. Whether or not it has resulted because of a previous back injury or an underlying skin disease, the resultant effect is that the cat is constantly itching. Anthropomorphically, it would feel as if there was something crawling over its skin.

It may not be a true compulsive disorder. Hyperesthesia syndrome, sometimes referred to as self-mutilation syndrome, rolling skin syndrome, twitchy cat disease or atypical neurodermatitis, is a problem in cats that can cause twitching of the skin, vocalizing, excessive grooming, sudden jerking, running around as if being chased, a dislike of being touched and tail swishing. Affected cats can also self mutilate, which can cause hair loss or severe skin irritation or injury, as part of this disorder.

One theory is that this activity is a manifestation of a focal seizure. Another that it is an obsessive-compulsive disorder similar to Tourette's syndrome in humans, which is the result of dopaminergic hyperinnervation.

Symptoms

The normal response of many cats to having their back scratched can include rippling of the skin, an arched back and varying degrees of vocalization. In hyperesthesia, the affected cat may have a more exaggerated response to touching, rubbing or scratching of the back. This behaviour may then become a compulsive disorder as the frequency increases, the response becomes more intense and the signs begin to appear with little or no apparent stimuli. In addition to rolling skin, muscle spasms and vocalization, the cat may have dilated pupils, and may seem to startle, hallucinate and dash away. Some cats will defecate as they run away. There may also be some grooming or biting at the flank, tail, or back displayed along with the above behaviours. Siamese, Burmese, Himalayans and Abyssinians are the most commonly affected breeds. Hyperesthesia syndrome should be distinguished from the normal, playfully "crazy" behaviour displayed by most domestic cats. Hyperesthetic cats will appear to be in distress; normal cats will not.

Treatment

Behavioural management requires the identification and control of the types of handling that lead to the behaviour. Avoiding or minimizing these types of handling, or desensitising and counter-conditioning techniques so that the cat learns to "tolerate" these stimuli, may be successful at reducing the cat’s level of arousal. For some cats who appear to be having a seizure disorder, anti-epileptic therapy may be effective although these drugs may act by reducing the cat’s level of arousal. Treatment with anti-anxiety drugs, anti-depressants, and progestins may also be occasionally successful.