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. 2025 Jul-Aug;39(4):e70174.
doi: 10.1111/jvim.70174.

Long-Term Clinical Response to Medical Treatment, Behavioral Therapy, or Their Combination in Cats With Hyperesthesia Syndrome

Claudia Pauciulo  1 , Stefania Uccheddu  2 , Andrea Corda  3 , Federica Biggio  4 , Daniele Sebastian Corlazzoli  1 , Marika Menchetti  5 , Antonella Gallucci  4
Affiliations

Long-Term Clinical Response to Medical Treatment, Behavioral Therapy, or Their Combination in Cats With Hyperesthesia Syndrome

Claudia Pauciulo et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2025 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Background: Hyperesthesia syndrome (HS) is a common yet poorly understood condition in cats, with hypothesized neurological and behavioral causes and limited data on outcomes and treatment.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the clinical outcomes and the treatment response of 28 cats with HS, managed through various therapeutic strategies.

Animals: Clinical records of 28 cats with HS and minimum of 1-year follow-up were reviewed.

Methods: Retrospective, observational, descriptive study conducted on a case series of cats affected by HS. Sixteen cats (57%) received fluoxetine alone (Fluoxetine-only), seven (25%) were managed with behavioral modification and gabapentin or fluoxetine (Fluoxetine/Gabapentin + Behavior) and five (18%) were treated with behavioral modification alone (Behavior-only).

Results: An episode-free period (EFP) ≥ 9 months was observed in 23 (82%) cats. Fifteen cats (94%) in the Fluoxetine-only group experienced an EFP of ≥ 9 months. Moreover, they had a shorter time to recovery (median [IQR] = 8 [3.5-18] days) compared to the Fluoxetine/Gabapentin + Behavior and Behavior-only groups (median [IQR] = 100 [90-210] and 60 [30-90] days, respectively). At the 1-year follow-up, 26 (93%) cats no longer had HS clinical signs and 14 (50%) were still under pharmacotherapy. Relapses were reported only in one case (4%).

Conclusions: Most of the cat's diagnosed with HS, and managed through various therapeutic strategies, experienced an EFP of more than 9 months and showed absence of clinical signs at 1 year follow-up.

Keywords: behavioral modification; behavioral therapy; cats; feline; feline behavior; feline neurology; fluoxetine; hyperesthesia syndrome; rolling skin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Flowchart of case selection for the study population.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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