Feline audiogenic reflex seizures triggered by high-pitched sounds affect older cats, often from specific trigger sounds that owners can identify and eliminate.
Audiogenic seizures are particularly insidious because the triggers may be common household sounds that owners never associate with seizures. Cats may have dozens of seizures before the trigger is identified. Each seizure episode causes disorientation, fear, and physical exertion. The potential to dramatically reduce seizure frequency by identifying and eliminating specific trigger sounds makes FARS unusual among epilepsy syndromes - environmental modification can be as effective as medication. Older cats with unexplained seizures should have sound triggers systematically evaluated.