A 7-year-old FN Himalayan presented with a 5-month history of episodes of scratching and paroxysmal seizure-like events - see video below. The owner mentioned that the cat had never walked normally, persistently exhibiting mild generalized ataxia.

MRI (see below) showed several abnormalities including a reduction in the skull length, a large supracollicular fluid accumulation with compression of the occipital lobes and cerebellum, cerebellar vermal herniation, severe syringomyelia, enlargement of vertebral canal diameter at C2 and suspected atlantooccipital overlap.

These findings represent a form of craniosynostosis (abnormal growth of the skull) and have been reported in Peke-face Persian phenotype who suffer from high-grade brachycephaly, which is associated with a higher prevalence of hydrocephalus. For more information on this condition, click on the link below.

Courtesy of Dr. Dieter Mallacze at Blue Oasis Veterinary Clinic in Dubai.