Why Do Siamese Cats Eyes Shake? [5 Valid reasons]

Siamese cats have one of the most outstanding eye features, the piercing nature of their blue eyes mainly.

However, these cats are susceptible to a wide range of health issues such as eye conditions. So, why do Siamese cats’ eyes shake?

Siamese cat’s eyes shake due to an eye condition known as Nystagmus. This causes the rhythmic and involuntary oscillation of the cat’s eyeballs, which indicates an unintentional eye movement or eye swaying back and forth.

Nystagmus can affect both Siamese cats and dogs, and it is an indication of a severe defect in the pet’s nervous system.

What is So Unique About the Siamese Cat Breed?

Certainly, Siamese cats are special friends, interested all day long, sense your moods, and endowed with ideal traits that match your lifestyle. These include;

Very playful and energetic throughout the day
Meows to communicate and draw your attention.
Very social with other pets and children.
It has an easy-to-care fur coat.
Highly intelligent and learns new tricks easily

In Siamese cats, some common eye conditions are progressive retinal atrophy, convergent strabismus, glaucoma, and Nystagmus.

Naturally, nystagmus and convergent strabismus do not result in a severe eye defect, but glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy can result in your Siamese cats losing their eyesight.

Nystagmus is an eye condition responsible for rhythmic and involuntary oscillation of the cat’s eyeball, which indicates the unintended movement of the eye back and forth.

Nystagmus types: the Pendular nystagmus and jerk Nystagmus.

Typically, Jerk nystagmus involves a slow eye movement, usually in one direction, followed by a prompt correction phase in the reverse direction.

On the other hand, Pendular nystagmus involves small eyeball oscillation, usually with no movement being faster or slower than the other.

Siamese cats are more prone to jerk Nystagmus than the Pendular nystagmus. There are several causes of Nystagmus, and most of them result from central vestibular or peripheral vestibular disease.

Common causes of peripheral vestibular disease include traumatic injuries, hypothyroidism, and neoplastic tumors.

Does Nystagmus cause Siamese Eyes to move side by side?

Yes, Nystagmus is responsible for rhythmic and involuntary oscillation of the cat’s eyeballs.

Such a movement indicates unintentional eye movement, a characteristic sign of a severe problem in the cat’s nervous system. Does Nystagmus get better over time?

Although there is no treatment for Nystagmus today, there are several things you can do to help manage this eye condition and help make use of most of your sight.

Is it normal for the Siamese cat’s eyes to move sideways?

Yes, if the Siamese cat has Nystagmus, a vision condition that causes the eyes to make repetitive and involuntary movements. These movements can significantly interfere with vision as well as depth perception.

Besides, if the disease progresses, it can improve coordination and balance. This involuntary eye movement can happen from up to down, side to side, or in a circular motion.

Do all Siamese cats suffer from nystagmus eye conditions?

While this eye condition is a congenital disability occurring in most cat breeds, in Siamese, the state is considered normal. Often, you can notice the flickering of the cat’s eyes from side to side, a condition known as Nystagmus.

This condition can be present at birth or develops during infancy. Acquired Nystagmus develops during adulthood, and it can be a symptom of an underlying disease or condition such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, or trauma.

Acquired Nystagmus, in most cases, can go away after the underlying condition is treated. It won’t go away until the disease is treated if it results from a severe medical condition such as inner ear disorder, cataracts, stroke, or head injury.

Does the Siamese cat move their eyes side to side?

Yes, of course, we all know that cats, just like humans, have unlimited peripheral vision, i.e., they can only roll their eyes to view anything located sideways.

So, it’s normal to see your Siamese cat’s eyes moving from side to side when looking for an object placed on either side.

Here are some of the common symptoms of Nystagmus

Your Siamese cat is susceptible to light
Serious vision problems
Challenge to see objects in the dark
It is always showing dizziness
Holding the head is tilted or in a turned position.
The feeling as if the world is slightly shaking.

How to tell if your Siamese cats are suffering from Nystagmus?

There are higher chances that your Siamese cat has Nystagmus if it has a seal point- a cream-colored body with dark brown or seals brown color points. The point spreads out from the originating area, say nose, paws, tail, or paws.

What you need to watch out for in your Siamese cat.

As stated earlier, Siamese cats are prone to various cat diseases, so it’s essential to keep monitoring your cat’s health. Any abnormal symptom in your

Siamese cats could be an indication of a severe infection or illness. Whether it is a minor temporary issue or a long-lasting issue, let your veterinarian help diagnose the exact underlying condition.

Many diseases have similar characteristic symptoms, which can be an indication that your cat needs medical help.

some symptoms that could be an indication of something wrong.

A change in average water consumption or appetite
Bad breath, tartar build-up, broken teeth, and red gums.
Sensitive or itchy skin is characterized by excessive licking, scratching, or chewing, areas of irregular fur growth, or hair loss.
Mental dullness, lethargy, and excessive sleeping
Aggression, fearfulness, or abrupt behavioral change.
Asthmatic wheezing.

When to call for emergency help.

When your Siamese car is endlessly shaking the head, scratching, ear discharge, and tender ears.

Redness, cloudiness, or abnormal eye condition such as watery eyes, eye discharge, and inability to see in the dark. Straining or inability to urinate and discolored urine.

Final thoughts

Nystagmus is responsible for rhythmic and involuntary oscillation of the cat’s eyeball, which indicates the unintended movement of the eye back and forth. This eye condition can be eased by calming and refreshing your cat’s brain quite often.

You can achieve this through Neurofeedback Brain Training. This training is scientifically proven to help improve brain functionality. You can let your vet examine your cat’s eye condition in advance.