FARS in cats – signs and when to see a vet

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your cat has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. It is a seizure syndrome in cats in which a sound can bring on a seizure.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Let your cat rest somewhere calm.
Keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Feline audiogenic reflex seizures, or FARS, are seizures brought on by a sound stimulus.^[1] Episodes can involve different seizure types, collapse, shaking or paddling, chomping or chewing, foaming at the mouth, and sometimes passing urine or faeces.^[1] In some situations, avoiding the triggering noise may mean a cat does not need medication.^[1]

Signs

Generalised tonic-clonic seizures
Myoclonic seizures
Absence seizures
Falling to the ground or collapse
Shaking or paddling of the legs
Chomping and chewing
Foaming at the mouth
Sometimes passing urine and faeces

Causes and risk factors

Crinkling tin foil
A metal spoon clanging in a ceramic feeding bowl
Chinking or tapping of glass
Crinkling paper or plastic bags
Tapping on a computer keyboard or clicking on a mouse
Clinking coins or keys
Hammering a nail
Clicking an owner’s tongue

How a vet finds out

Physical examination
Blood tests
CT scan
MRI

How vets treat it

Medication may be prescribed.
Phenobarbitone is the drug most used to treat different forms of epilepsy in cats and may help some cats with FARS.
Levetiracetam may be prescribed as an alternative medication.
A vet may advise avoiding the triggering noise where possible, and in some situations medication may not be needed.

What the experts say

“The name given to this syndrome is feline audiogenic reflex seizures (FARS), with ‘reflex’ referring to the fact that the seizures are brought on by a stimulus, and ‘audiogenic’ referring to the fact that this stimulus is a sound.”
— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

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Common questions

What does FARS mean?

FARS stands for feline audiogenic reflex seizures; “reflex” means the seizures are brought on by a stimulus, and “audiogenic” means that the stimulus is a sound.^[1]

What signs can FARS cause in cats?

Signs can include generalised tonic-clonic seizures, myoclonic seizures, absence seizures, collapse, shaking or paddling of the legs, chomping and chewing, foaming at the mouth, and sometimes passing urine and faeces.^[1]

How do vets treat FARS?

A vet may use medication; phenobarbitone may help some cats, and levetiracetam may be prescribed as an alternative, while avoiding the triggering noise may mean medication is not needed in some situations.^[1]

Sources

International Cat Care (iCatCare)

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages