INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The sooner the cat sees a veterinarian, the better care the animal will receive, meaning a better chance for recovery. Strokes in cats are not always as devastating to the animal as strokes tend to be in humans; however, the event is still serious and requires immediate attention.  You may want to call ahead as you place the cat in its carrier to tell the veterinarian the symptoms you’ve seen as well. If it is at night, you may need to take him to the emergency veterinary hospital. Your vet will ask you some questions to help determine a course of action. They will ask questions about many things involving your cat's behavior, so make sure you pay close attention to your cat. They will ask if your cat could have ingested anything like a plant, a medication, or a poison to cause the symptoms. They might also ask if there was any known trauma like a fall prior to the symptoms. They will ask about any changes in his water or food intake. They will also likely ask if there has been any vomiting, diarrhea, or general lethargy. You will need to know if your cat has had his rabies vaccination recently as well. Your veterinarian may order a blood panel, urinalysis, x-rays, or an ultrasound. These tests can help determining stroke or the underlying conditions that often accompany a stroke in cats (discussed in Part 1). If your vet thinks there might be a serious neurological problem, a veterinarian specializing in neurology may be needed for a consult. The specialist may ask for additional tests, such as an MRI or CT scan, which can identify a blood clot or area of damage to the brain. These test are done for animals in a similar way to how they are done for humans. In many cases, your cat’s symptoms may resolve after a few days of TLC at home. In some cases, the cat may require hospitalization with the veterinarian. Neurological outcomes can be very difficult to determine. You and your veterinarian will need time to tell exactly what the long lasting effects or conditions might be.  If your cat has motion sickness as a symptom, a medication such as Cerenia is available to manage that. If your cat’s appetite is down, there may be options that increase the appetite such as Mirtazapine. If your cat is having seizures, your veterinarian will likely discuss medical management with anti-seizure medications such as phenobarbital. If the symptoms were actually vestibular disease, the cat may spontaneously recover in a few days. In other situations, the cat may have a sustained head tilt. That may be the only lasting effect while he is otherwise fine. Other cats may continue to have some balance problems. Since the brain is complicated, the full outcome of a neurological event cannot be completely predicted. It may be tough to watch your pet stumble around. Don't worry because they are likely not in pain. Any cat that has had neurological problems should be kept indoors for its safety. You may need to confine the cat to one room for a while after the cat comes home. This is for the cat’s safety, especially if you have other pets in the household that may attack the cat for behaving abnormally. While recovering, you may need to help the cat eat, drink, or go to the litter box. This will depend on the severity of the condition. You may need to pick them up and carry him to the food bowl, to the water dish, or to the litter box. Watch for signs that he is hungry or needs to go to the litter box, such as meowing or general discontent. It will take time to know if if this will be a temporary or a permanent necessity for your cat. While monitoring the cat and noting symptoms, be careful with any children around the cat. If your cat is confused, disoriented, or seizing, then the cat may bite or scratch unintentionally. Keeping children away is the best way to avoid potential injury. With proper nursing and care, some cats recover very well. Even in these situations, the recovery can take anywhere from 2-4 months. Stay patient with the process and remember how much your cat needs you while recovering.

SUMMARY: Take the cat to the veterinarian immediately. Cooperate with the veterinarian. Get tests. Care for your cat. Research possible outcomes. Protect your cat. Help the cat with eating and other functions if necessary. Take caution with children around the cat. Stay patient.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: First of all, you must stop whatever are you doing in that moment and sit down; after a few minutes of rest, the cramps should decrease in intensity or even disappear.  If the pain lasts longer or they are really intense,  call your doctor and tell him or her about  your symptoms because it might be a more serious problem. Sometimes it helps to lean a little bit to the side that hurts; this way, you can relax the muscles in that area and reduce the pain you feel. To relieve a cramp in your leg, lie on your back momentarily and then extend the affected leg while keeping the knee straight. Try to position yourself so that the foot is bent backwards until the pain is gone.  Another means of stretching the legs is by riding a stationary bike for 30 minutes daily. Brisk walking is also a way of improving circulation in the lower extremities. You might be tempted to use some medication for treating the pain; it is very important to know that many of the drugs used today, unfortunately, may have severe adverse or teratogenic effects (they can lead to congenital malformations or other abnormalities).  Because of this, it is important to check with your doctor before using any over-the-counter medications.  Consider taking acetaminophen (the brand name is Tylenol) because it is considered a safe drug to take during pregnancy. The recommended dosage is 325 to 650 mg every 4 to 6 hours (unless stated otherwise by your physician).  Another frequently used drug for pain relief is ibuprofen (Nurofen and other trademarks); this must be avoided during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester because it promotes premature closure of a fetal structure called ductus arteriosus (DA). You might try to reduce the pain by applying a warm compress to the area where you are experiencing cramps. However, be careful not to keep it against your skin for too long as it may cause nerve damage to your skin. Once you begin to feel relief, remove the warm compress.  You can apply the warm compress to the area again if the cramps come back. You can also consider taking a warm bath rather than using a warm compress. The heat will have a soothing effect on your muscles, which can help to calm cramps that you have.

SUMMARY:
Sit down and rest for a moment. Stretch the affected area. Take pain medications that are safe for use during pregnancy. Apply a warm compress to the area with the cramps.