Head shaking in cats

Other symptoms to look out for
Tell your vet if you have noticed any other symptoms such as itchy ears, smelly ears, face rubbing or loss of balance. If you take a careful look inside your cat's ears you may even see that one (or both) of them look red, swollen or gunky.
Head tremors
It’s important to know the difference between a head shake and a head tremor. A head shake is when your cat shakes their head on purpose, a head tremor is when they develop a shake that they can’t control. If your cat suddenly develops a head tremor (a shake they cannot control), contact your vet for an emergency appointment.
Published: January 2021
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Written by vets and vet nurses. This advice is for UK pets only.
Illustrations by Samantha Elmhurst