Cat Head Pressing: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, & Treatment

Cats display quirky and amusing behaviors that leave us puzzled. A feline may head press or bump against us to communicate reassurance, friendliness and to deposit their scent. Yet it is abnormal when your cat presses their head against walls or inanimate objects for no apparent reason.

This article discusses possible causes of cat head pressing and how you should respond when your feline compulsively pushes their head on objects.

What Is Cat Head Pressing?

Head pressing is distinctively different from “head butting or bunting.” When a cat head butts you with short head bumps, they are displaying affection. As they rub their heads on people or objects, they deposit pheromones.

A cat who presses the top of their head into a wall or furniture or pushes their face into a corner for an extended period is exhibiting head pressing. The cat is trying to relieve head pain or pressure.

You may also observe your cat move and head press along the entire wall until they get stuck in the corner with their head compressed against the surface. It’s unpleasant and distressing for your cat since they can’t help but perform this compulsive behavior.

Symptoms of Cat Head Pressing

Sudden blunt head pressing is the first sign of a severe problem in your pet’s central nervous system.

Additional symptoms can accompany head pressing, such as:

• Obsessive pacing and circling
• Unusual vocalization
• Drooling
• Ataxia (loss of balance and coordination)
• Seizures
• Visual impairment
• Damaged reflexes
• Behavioral changes

Possible Causes of Cat Head Pressing

Several medical conditions including head injury, toxicity, infection or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), or even a brain tumor may cause head pressing in cats.

Prosencephalon Disease

The prosencephalon, also called the forebrain, is the front part of the brain and consists of the thalamus, cerebrum, and hypothalamus. The prosencephalon regulates normal functions like eating, sleeping, and stimuli response.

Any disease of the prosencephalon causes abnormalities in brain function. It can manifest as head pressing, circling, seizures, and other neurological signs.

Liver Disorders

The liver is the largest internal organ in the body. Its function is to aid digestion, eliminate toxins, regulate hormones, and more. When the liver isn’t functioning or filtering waste products from the blood correctly, these waste products can build up in the blood stream and lead to signs of toxicity that affect the nervous system.

Although uncommon in cats, a structure called a portosystemic shunt (PSS) may be present. A portosystemic shunt is an abnormal blood vessel that allows blood from the digestive tract (which the liver usually filters and detoxifies) to bypass the liver and enter the body’s circulation. A cat with a PSS is born with it in a majority of cases. Siamese, Himalayan, and Persian breeds may be more at risk.

Hepatic encephalopathy describes the neurological disorder that results from liver dysfunction, whether due to a PSS or another cause. Affected felines usually display drooling, tremors, pacing, and head pressing along walls.

Poisoning

Due to a cat’s curious nature and grooming habits, poisoning isn’t uncommon. Felines can ingest contaminants by eating poisoned prey or toxic plants. They may also consume harmful substances like bleach, chocolate, or antifreeze, causing major health issues.

Although lead poisoning is rare in cats, consumption of lead paint, grease, or car batteries can cause neurological impairment.

Many contagions produce gastrointestinal symptoms, while others produce neurological signs. Head pressing, incoordination, and tremors are the most common neurologic indicators of toxicity.

Viral and Infectious Diseases

Viral diseases like Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), or rabies can cause head pressing in cats. Meningitis (inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord) and encephalitis (brain inflammation) can produce head pressing, loss of balance, seizures, and circling behavior. Fungal, parasitic, or bacterial infections can also trigger cat head pressing.

Nervous System Diseases and Injuries

Several neurological disorders can cause head pressing in cats. Although feline brain tumors are rare, they can impact your pet’s life. A growth within the brain can either be cancerous or benign. The most evident sign of brain cancer includes changes in learned behaviors, touch sensitivity on the neck, head pressing, seizures, and stumbling into objects due to vision problems.

A spinal cord or head injury from a road traffic accident can also affect cats. As a result, cats can display head pressing, develop ataxia, and become paralyzed.

While strokes caused by blocked arteries or high blood pressure are uncommon in pets compared to people, cats can still develop stroke-like events caused by a blood clot.

Heart disease is the most common cause for stroke-like events in a cat, with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) being the most common type. Abnormal blood flow from HCM can lead to clot formation. It’s more common for blood clots in cats to lodge where the aorta branches off, a condition called feline aortic thromboembolism (FATE) or saddle thrombus.

While saddle thrombus is more common, a blood clot may lodge anywhere. If one lodges in the brain, it may cause your cat to head press against a wall and lose essential balance and sight function.

When To Take Your Cat to the Vet?

Head pressing is atypical and requires prompt veterinary attention. If you believe your cat is head pressing, bring them to a veterinarian as soon as you can. If possible, record a video of this unusual behavior to show them.

Diagnoses of Cat Head Pressing

There are many potential underlying causes of a cat head pressing, so diagnosing it can be challenging.

Your veterinarian will obtain a complete medical and behavioral history and perform various tests and procedures. They will conduct an extensive eye examination of the retina (the back part of the eye) to check for abnormalities, inflammation, or evidence for an infectious disease that may be affecting the brain.

Your vet will also conduct a blood pressure test to check for elevation (hypertension). They may also recommend bloodwork and urinalysis to determine whether the cause is due to toxicity or a metabolic disorder.

Tests, such as a Computed Tomography Scan (CT) or Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may uncover brain illnesses.

Treatment of Cat Head Pressing

Treatment of cat head pressing will vary depending on the precise diagnosis of the underlying cause for each feline patient.

Some underlying conditions involve medical management. Liver disease for example, may be addressed through a variety of medications, supplements, or special diets.

Others may need surgery. Portosystemic shunts may be managed medically but most often require surgery to close them off and allow blood to flow properly through the liver. If a brain tumor is an underlying cause, removing it can relieve the pressure inside a cat’s head.

Hospitalization may be needed in other cases, like toxicities. Inducing vomiting (which is very difficult to achieve in a cat outside of a veterinary setting) may help in early stages of some toxin ingestions. Toxicity caused by a metabolic disorder (like kidney failure) will require intensive intravenous fluid to treat and stabilize an affected cat.

Your vet may also recommend seeing a specialist in some cases that have more complex causes. An internal medicine specialist can help diagnose and medically manage more complicated metabolic or endocrine (hormone) disorders. A veterinary neurologist can help diagnose and treat neurologic disorders. It is more common to refer to a veterinary surgical specialist to surgically address portosystemic shunts.

The most crucial thing to remember is that cat head pressing is atypical and requires prompt therapy. If this behavior comes on gradually, do not hesitate to get in to see your cat’s primary care veterinarian. In emergency situations, it’s best to get to the closest available veterinary office or emergency center.