TL;DR: Head pressing is a high-priority neurological emergency where a cat compulsively pushes its head against hard surfaces. This behavior often indicates serious underlying conditions like brain tumors or toxicity and requires immediate veterinary evaluation.
What are the signs of head pressing in cats and how does it differ from normal behavior?
Head pressing is a clinical sign where a cat compulsively pushes the top of their head against a wall, corner, or other hard surface for an extended period. It is important to distinguish this from 'bunting,' which is the affectionate rubbing or head-butting cats do to show love. True head pressing is a non-social, persistent behavior that indicates something is wrong with the cat's neurological system.
Is head pressing considered a medical emergency for my cat?
- Urgency Level: High. This behavior is almost always a sign of a serious underlying condition affecting the brain or central nervous system.
- Potential Causes: These include toxicities (such as lead poisoning), brain tumors, metabolic disorders like liver shunt or hepatic encephalopathy, or severe infections like meningitis.
- Immediate Action: You should contact an emergency veterinarian or your primary vet immediately if you observe this behavior.
How can a photo or video of my cat help the veterinarian with diagnosis?
- Capture Evidence: If you can safely record a 10-second video or take a photo of the behavior, it can be life-saving.
- Overcome Masking: Cats often experience a 'masking' effect at the clinic where adrenaline temporarily hides neurological symptoms.
- Differentiate Behaviors: Providing visual evidence allows your vet to observe the exact nature of the head pressing, helping to differentiate it from other behaviors.
- Faster Diagnosis: Visual aids lead to a faster and more accurate diagnosis during the triage process.
Clinical Context (Merck Veterinary Manual)
During triage, altered mental status such as stupor (arousable only with painful stimuli) or coma (unarousable with any stimuli), seizures (usually associated with whole body convulsions, salivation, facial tremors, possibly involuntary urination and defecation), and changes in behavior (avoidance, aggression), warrant immediate attention. It is critical to sequentially evaluate airway, breathing, and circulation, followed by examination for sources of hemorrhage, and determination of the level of consciousness and pain.
Chapter: Emergency, General Principles, Cardiopulmonary
Source: The Merck Veterinary Manual, 11th Edition (Page 1659)