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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →If your cat repeatedly presses its head against a wall, floor, or piece of furniture, call your veterinarian now and describe what you are seeing. Head pressing is a sign that something may be affecting the nervous system, and the cause can range from injury or poisoning to infection, liver disease, high blood pressure, or a tumor. Only a veterinary examination can tell which one, if any, is involved.
What head pressing looks like
Head pressing is the repeated, sustained pushing of the head against a hard, stationary surface for no apparent reason. PetMD describes it as “the compulsive act of pressing the head against a wall or other object for no apparent reason” (PetMD, “Head Pressing in Cats,” by Jennifer Grota, DVM, reviewed by Barri J. Morrison, DVM, updated September 8, 2025). Cats.com makes the same distinction between prolonged pressing and ordinary head butting or bunting (Cats.com, “Cat Head Pressing: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, & Treatment”).
The difference matters because normal feline head behavior is social or exploratory. A cat that rubs its cheeks against your leg, bumps its head against your hand, or briefly nudges a doorframe to leave its scent is not head pressing. A cat that stands with its forehead planted against a wall for minutes at a time, and does not seem to be trying to get anywhere, is.
Head pressing is a sign, not a diagnosis
Head pressing tells a veterinarian that the brain or nervous system may be involved. It does not name the problem. PetMD puts it directly: “Head pressing is not a disease in itself, but it’s a sign that something has damaged your cat’s nervous system.” The same behavior can come from very different conditions, which is why an owner or a web article cannot narrow the cause down from the behavior alone.
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Other signs to watch for
Head pressing rarely appears alone. Published veterinary guidance lists other changes that may accompany it:
- Pacing or walking in circles
- Changes in behavior, personality, or responsiveness
- Disorientation, such as wandering or appearing lost in familiar rooms
- Vision changes, including bumping into objects or apparent blindness
- Poor coordination, stumbling, or weakness in the legs
- Abnormal reflexes
- Seizures
These are possibilities, not a checklist. A cat may show only one of them, and the absence of the others does not make head pressing less important.
What causes head pressing
Veterinary references group the possible causes into categories. The list below comes from PetMD and Cats.com; it is a map of what a veterinarian considers, not a way to identify what your cat has.
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Injury and toxins
- Head trauma, such as a fall, a car strike, or a blow to the head
- Exposure to a toxin
Infection, inflammation, and tumors
- Brain or nervous-system infection or inflammation
- Tumors affecting the brain or the forebrain
Metabolic and systemic disease
- Liver-related disease, including portosystemic shunt
- Metabolic disturbances, such as abnormal sodium levels or diabetes-related problems
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Other neurologic disorders
- Forebrain disease and other disorders of the nervous system
Infection is a good example of why the category matters. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Cornell Feline Health Center notes that toxoplasmosis can affect the central nervous system and may cause head pressing, circling, incoordination, altered behavior, blindness, or seizures. Cornell also states that a positive fecal oocyst result alone is not reliable for diagnosis; the veterinarian relies on the cat’s history, clinical signs, and laboratory results together.
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What to do right now
Treat suspected head pressing as a reason to contact a veterinarian promptly. PetMD advises veterinary examination as soon as possible. The following steps help you act without delay:
- Call your veterinarian or nearest emergency clinic. Describe the behavior, when it started, how often it happens, and any other changes you have noticed.
- Go immediately if the cat has a seizure lasting more than five minutes, or repeated seizures in quick succession. VCA Animal Hospitals (“Emergencies in Cats”) states that these require immediate veterinary treatment.
- Go immediately if you suspect poisoning, collapse, sudden vision loss, or a head injury. These are also reasons for same-day veterinary care.
- Secure the cat for transport. Use a secure cat carrier. Do not delay urgent care to obtain one.
- Keep the packaging. If you suspect a toxin, bring the container or label so the veterinary team can identify it.
- Do not give human medication unless a veterinarian specifically directs you to do so.
Make a short video of the behavior if you can do so safely and without delaying care. It can show the veterinarian what you saw when you are not there. Cats.com recommends recording it where possible, and PetMD emphasizes a thorough history, including when the behavior started and any incidents that preceded it.
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How a veterinarian works up head pressing
The workup begins with the history and examination, then moves to more specific tests as needed. Not every cat needs every test; the veterinarian chooses based on the findings and the likely causes.
History and physical and neurologic examination
The veterinarian takes a detailed history, checks vital signs, and performs a neurologic exam to assess reflexes, coordination, mental status, and posture. These findings help determine whether the problem lies in the brain, spinal cord, or elsewhere.
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Eye examination
A fundic examination looks at the structures at the back of the eye, including the retina and optic nerve. Changes there can offer clues about brain involvement or raised pressure inside the skull.
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Blood pressure measurement
Measuring blood pressure checks for hypertension, which can cause neurologic signs and eye changes.
Blood and urine tests
Blood and urine testing can look for metabolic problems, liver disease, diabetes-related changes, electrolyte abnormalities, and some toxins.
CT or MRI imaging
Depending on the findings, the veterinarian may recommend CT or MRI to assess the brain and nervous system directly. Imaging is often the step that distinguishes a structural problem, such as a tumor or inflammation, from a metabolic or toxic one.
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Treatment and outlook
Treatment is directed at the underlying cause. Depending on the diagnosis and severity, a veterinarian may recommend hospitalization with supportive care, medication, or surgery. Follow-up neurologic examinations, laboratory tests, or blood pressure monitoring may also be part of care. PetMD notes that severe cases may need hospitalization. Because the cause determines the response, the outlook cannot be judged from the head pressing alone.
Example: toxoplasmosis
Cornell describes treatment for toxoplasmosis that usually involves clindamycin, sometimes combined with corticosteroids when eye or central nervous system inflammation is significant. Cornell adds that the prognosis depends on which organs are affected, how early treatment begins, and how the cat responds. This example shows how cause-specific treatment works; it is not a reason to give a cat any medication for head pressing without veterinary direction.
Bottom line for owners
Repeated head pressing is a reason to call a veterinarian promptly, and a reason to go the same day if seizures, collapse, sudden blindness, or a suspected toxin or head injury is involved. Your observations, especially the timing, frequency, and any other changes, are the most useful information you can give the veterinary team.
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