We appreciate that talking about the illness and/or loss of a loved pet can be distressing, and encourage owners to prioritise their wellbeing and seek support if needed. Pet bereavement support is available for free via the Blue Cross.

** This web-page has been made available thanks to the generosity of zeroxzero ventures (Austin, Texas).

Owner testimonial 1:

Kiki started having odd episodes in December 2024, initially they were sound triggered, but they began to increase in frequency until she was having up to 10 small episodes a day. We realised she was having orofacial seizures. She was referred for an MRI scan which was normal and started treatment for idiopathic epilepsy. Despite starting medication her episodes increased in frequency and duration. Further tests were run looking for answers, everything was negative.

After weeks of research, I came across the Feline Autoimmune Neurology Group website, as soon as I read the description of the condition everything clicked into place. Her blood was screened for LGI1 antibodies, which returned a positive result. She was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis and started and immunosuppressive steroid therapy alongside her anti epilepsy medication. The change in her was dramatic, within a few days she was livelier, more alert and actively engaging with us again.

This condition is complex, and treatment can be challenging, Kiki currently has multiple medications 3 times a day. Most days she is an angel; other days she is a typical 2-year-old tortoiseshell!  These medications have made a significant improvement to her quality of life.  I am eternally grateful to the amazing work and dedication of Sophie and the FANG. Without them we would still be in the dark regarding Kiki’s condition, and she would not be the happy little oddball that she is today.

Owner testimonial 2:

We had no idea that cats, in fact any animals, could have seizures when our cat, Leia first presented with it. And that’s why we missed it. This first sign was a slight tick on one side of her face, and excessive salivation. It just didn’t seem something that we needed to be too concerned about, so when it went away, I cancelled the vet appointment. Then it came back so I remade the appointment. However before we were able to get to the vet, Leia had a grand mal seizure. It was one of the scariest things I have ever seen. Her body went rigid, she reared up on her hind legs, then madly skuttled across the room before collapsing on her side with all legs moving. It maybe lasted for less than a minute in total but felt much longer. I called the vets at that point and we were able to take Leia in straight away. They quickly diagnosed a seizure and sent us on to the Small Animal Hospital, Glasgow where she has had the best treatment. Leia now takes phenobarbital to suppress the seizures and apart from one episode when I think she missed her meds, has been seizure free for several years.

Owner testimonial 3:

Slim started having seizures every three hours in the Summer of 2022 when he was 4 years old. After a few visits to our local vets Slim was referred to a neurology specialist and, after a series of tests, was diagnosed with limbic encephalitis.

Slim’s seizures were quite severe but luckily he responded very well to treatment. By virtue of his gentle demeanour, Slim patiently obliged to our (initially inept) efforts to administer his medication. Over this time we were able to contribute towards the Feline Autoimmune Neurology Group research project. We would like to offer up our appreciation to Dr Binks and her team for the chance to take part in such an important study.

The Owners’ Day on the 27th March 2025 was a fantastic opportunity to connect with other owners and to learn more about Slim’s condition. We were overjoyed to hear how the research is helping felines and humans alike. What began as a very stressful chapter in Slim and his caregivers’ lives turned into a truly positive and worthwhile experience.

Under a very watchful eye, it was possible to wean Slim off his medication by December 2023, and at present he has been symptom free for 3 years. He spends his days seeking out comfortable sunbeams, undertaking biscuit making duties and supervising his humans.

We are grateful for every moment we get to spend with Slim, but we are acutely aware that we are one of the lucky ones. We would urge anyone to contribute to this research project in whatever way they can so that more families get to have more quality time with their loved ones (furry or otherwise!).