Who Was Al the Epileptic Cat?
Q. Who was Al and what is feline epilepsy?
A. Feline epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes cats to experience recurrent seizures—episodes that may involve unconsciousness or sudden, uncontrolled body movements.
Seizures in cats (as in humans) can occur for many reasons, including metabolic or brain abnormalities, liver or other internal organ disease, or exposure to certain toxins or medications. When seizures are linked to an identifiable cause, the condition is called secondary or acquired epilepsy. When no underlying cause can be found, it’s known as primary or idiopathic epilepsy. That’s the type of epilepsy Al the Epileptic Cat had.
Al was born in April 2021 in Cullman, Alabama, one of six kittens in his litter. From the start, his family embraced him just as he was and worked closely with the compassionate team at Northside Veterinary Clinic to manage his seizures. Despite the challenges, Al lived a joyful life and touched many hearts, earning a loyal following on Facebook. Sadly, his journey ended on August 18, 2023, at just two years old.
Managing Al’s seizures was never easy. He required three different medications, taken three times a day, but toward the end of his life, he was going nearly a month between major episodes—a remarkable improvement. Some cats respond even better to treatment, and a few are eventually able to stop medication altogether once their seizures are controlled.
Like people with epilepsy, cats with the condition—affectionately called EpiKitties or EpiCats—are incredibly strong. Living with epilepsy isn’t easy, but Al showed that it’s possible to face it with courage, love, and resilience.
Want to know more about feline epilepsy - including its symptoms and treatments? Find out on cats.com!
More about Al the Epileptic Cat at facebook.com/mycatal!
SHOP EPILEPTIC AL'S SHOP - your one-stop shop for cat-themed and epilepsy-awareness merchandise!
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Q. What does a feline epileptic seizure look like?
A. According to cats.com, feline seizures are divided into two types:
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Partial or focal seizures, where just a part of the brain is affected, leading to localized muscle twitching e.g face, eyelids, one limb, etc.
- Generalized seizures (also known as “grand mal” seizures) where the abnormal electrical activity affects most of the brain, causing generalized muscle twitching and contractions that usually symmetrically affect the whole body.
Generalized seizures typically occur as isolated events, but cluster seizures can occur when a series of seizures happen over a few hours or days. Cats usually experience seizures at random times of the day, walking normally beforehand, but some may seize while sleeping.
Possible causes of seizures in cats are wide-ranging. They include extracranial (coming from outside of the cranium and brain) causes, such as heat stroke, poisons, viruses, bacteria, parasites, and metabolic diseases (including liver disease and kidney disease).
Other causes stem from the brain, including congenital abnormalities or tumors. Some seizures are primary or “idiopathic” (of unknown cause).
Most affected cats will show most of these six signs during a seizure.
- Loss of consciousness (seizing cats may appear distressed but they are unconscious so have no awareness of what’s happening).
- Flailing movement of the limbs; i.e. extension and flexion, rapid paddling as if trying to run while lying down.
- Urination and defecation.
- Staring, with wide-open eyes and dilated pupils.
- Vocalization, which can sound distressing (even though seizing cats are unconscious so they are not aware that they are vocalizing)
- Autonomic activity i.e. salivation and drooling, rapid heart rate, and panting.
If your cat shows any or all of the signs listed above, then they are having a generalized seizure.
If they show less severe signs, such as twitching of part of their body (e.g. one side of the face) then they may be having a partial seizure.
A seizure has three stages:
- Prodrome. A cat may show behavioral changes before a seizure. During prodrome, an owner may notice their cat behaving in a way that’s different from normal, such as being more clingy, less playful, or just “different."
- Ictus. This is the seizure itself. When a cat has a seizure, they collapse, with their limbs flailing and thrashing, showing some or all of the signs listed above. This usually lasts no more than seconds or a few minutes, although rarely it may continue for longer.
- Post-ictal phase. This is the period of altered behavior immediately after a seizure, with disorientation and some confusion, while a cat gradually returns to normal.
After a seizure, during the post-ictal stage, a cat may seem disoriented, pacing around, vocalizing, perhaps seeming restless or dazed. This can last minutes or hours.
This information was provided by cats.com. Much more information on feline seizures - including diagnosis and treatment - can be found here.
More about Al the Epileptic Cat at facebook.com/mycatal!
SHOP EPILEPTIC AL'S SHOP - your one-stop shop for cat-themed and epilepsy-awareness merchandise!
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Q. Why does Epileptic Al have his own shop?
A. When Al passed away suddenly at just two years old, his mom wanted to find a way to keep his memory alive and turn her grief into something meaningful. She created EpilepticAl.com—a place to honor Al’s life, raise awareness about epilepsy, and share her love of cats through thoughtful, themed merchandise.
Before the shop existed, Al had already touched thousands of people who followed his journey with epilepsy on Facebook. Through that community, his mom discovered that many others also cared for “EpiKitties,” and that no two cases were the same—some manageable, others far more difficult.
EpilepticAl.com was built to celebrate Al’s spirit and to help spread understanding and hope. The store features cat-inspired and epilepsy-awareness products, with the goal of keeping attention on finding better treatments—and one day, a cure—for epilepsy.