# Do cats sleep walk? Seriously.



## sherylb (Oct 27, 2008)

OK all you cat lovers. My question stands…Do cats sleep walk?

I have a 14 year old cat at work that adopted us when she was about 3 months old. She is an indoor/outdoor cat that spends most days bugging me and sleeping on her bed that sits on a little two drawer cabinet by my desk so it is level with my desk. Nights she spends outdoors or in our employee room where she has a cat door and very plush sofas to sleep on as well as food and water.

Anyway, back to the point. This afternoon all was going well. I was doing a project at my desk and Aggie (the cat) was bugging me as usual. I put her back on her bed and petted her for a bit and she went to sleep. All of a sudden I see out of the corner of my eye Aggie getting up like she’s a puppet on a string. Like, almost levitating up. So I look over at her and holy hell, it’s zombie cat!!!
She’s just sitting there facing me and kind of swallowing. The inner eyelid on one eye is about a third closed and the other eye is kind of squinched up. I called her name, no response. She’s just kind of sitting there weaving slightly. My heart is hammering at this point. I take her head between my hands and lift her face slightly so I can get a look into her eyes and there is no one home. She’s not making any sounds except for that creepy swallowing.  I brush her head, which she loves, and she still isn’t making any sounds or moving around, just sitting zombie cat like.

I sleep walk so I know what it is like from that side of things. My daughter sleep walks and I know what she looks like when that happens. Aggie looked just like my daughter does when she’s asleep but has gotten up. Vacant stare with that weird swallowing thing going on.

So, since Aggie does not look like she is going to lay down any time soon, I pick her up and take her to the kitchen. My thinking is maybe some wet food will bring her out of her trance. She ate and drank fine and followed me back down the hallway to my office. I picked her up and put her back on her bed and she looked at me for a minute then just lay down. Now, she has arthritis so she’s a bit slow to lay down, but just then it was like she had never heard of arthritis. She went to sleep and by the time I was ready to go home, she was almost back to normal. Just a little sleepy looking but nothing obvious wrong.

All I know is she scared the bejezzus out of me and I’ll keep an eye on her tomorrow. What do you think?


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## sherylb (Oct 27, 2008)

Yeah, the seizure thing occured to me too. Or maybe a stroke. I guess I'll just have to watch her and see if anything like that happens again.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Can't say I've ever heard of a cat sleep-walking, but I know Noggin dreams: he'll be lying on his side when his legs start flailing in a running motion and then he'll often start vocalizing, sometimes outright barking, all while his eyes are closed (or half open with the nictitating half covering his eye -- yuck).

I must admit I also thought of a seizure right away from your description, but again, I'm far from being an expert and would likely want to check with a vet. (But not being an expert never seems to stop me from typing.  )


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## sherylb (Oct 27, 2008)

Thank you very much!
I'll get her in tomorrow. Wish me luck.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

I have a small herd of outdoor cats and I have seen them fall asleep while sitting or standing.....very deep sleep as nothing seems to wake them....then sluggish when they do wake.  But their eyes are always closed peacefully...

Hope Aggie get a clean bill of health.....let us know.


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Our cat did something like that when he was around that age and we believe it was a stroke. He was sleeping on a chair, suddenly got up and started lurching around like he couldn't figure out how to control his legs. He snapped right out of it a couple minutes later and went back to sleep. From what I remember researching online, the vets can't do too much about a stroke, but hopefully your little girl gets checked out ok!!

Oh something we noticed after that event was that he would tilt hit head slightly when he was sitting around and it would sometimes wobble a little. It didn't seem to affect him besides that, though. He was having a ton of other health problems, but he stuck around for another 6 months or so.


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## Amyshojai (May 3, 2010)

You've already gotten good advice to see the vet--a neurologist would be ideal. It could indeed be a brain tumor and (awful as that sounds!), it's better news in cats than it is in dogs. I've interviewed/profiled several owners of kitties who were treated and survived many more years after this. 

Of course, I'm putting my hand on a virtual "crystal ball" and guessing. Strokes also are much more common in kitties than once thought (but again, many times they survive and compensate).

hugs to you and your aging kitty!

amy


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## Bonbonlover (Oct 17, 2010)

I am glad that you are getting her checked out. Keep us posted. Good thoughts your way!!


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## VictoriaP (Mar 1, 2009)

I'd also think seizure.  Please do have her checked out.  Fingers crossed this was a one time thing and is nothing serious, but having her checked over is still the best idea.

As for the sleepwalking, our youngest cat, currently nine, does seem to fall asleep with her eyes open sometimes, usually while sitting upright.  She even snores.  You can wave your hand in front of her eyes and she won't see you--her vision is fine normally.  But she's also crazy and always has been; my husband maintains she's doing this just to mess with our heads.  LOL

So I wouldn't be entirely surprised to find that sleepwalking was possible in pets.


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## sherylb (Oct 27, 2008)

Thank you all for your replies! 
Aggie went to the Vet on Friday and was checked out and I should have the blood test results soon.
The Vet could not find anything abnormal (I always think of Young Frankenstein when I see that word!). She's eating, drinking, eliminating, pupils are same size, no apparent weakness, still talks all the time, no head tilts, respiratory system seems fine, no loss of motor skills, she's alert and still playing when prompted (ouch, she's still fast!). 
The Vet didn't want to speculate about what happened to her until the blood tests come back. So it's kind of a wait and see thing at this point.


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## caseyf6 (Mar 28, 2010)

Hope you'll let us know.  That does sound scary-- zombie cat would terrify me, too.

Our big-boy kitty, Jack, will often get up to come into the living room before he has fully woken up.  His eyes will be at half-mast, and he'll do his stretching as he walks.  When he fully wakes, he will look surprised to be in the living room.


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