Feline autoimmune encephalitis: the owners' perspectives

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a rare neurological condition in which the immune system attacks the brain, causing characteristic frequent seizures, cognitive decline and behavioural changes. One of the most common autoantibodies associated with human AE targets the LGI1-Ab-E protein. Domestic cats also develop LGI1-Ab-E antibodies, and feline LGI1 AE has a fairly similar phenotype to the human form of the disease.

Little is known about AE in veterinary species, so BSAVA PetSavers funded two projects at the University of Oxford to find out more. The first explored better ways of diagnosing this disease using feline-specific cell-based assays, while the second enrolled UK cats with feline LGI1 AE to gather data on behavioural outcomes, seizure information and quality of life.

Lead researcher Dr Sophie Binks arranged an open day for owners to hear from experts about the condition and the research that their cats had contributed to.

We spoke to three owners whose cats had been involved in the study:

Slim was diagnosed in July 2022 when he was 4 years old. His owner, Jess Nicholls, said:

“We are delighted to be part of the research study, we have learned so much and are very proud to be able to contribute to research that will go on to help both feline and human sufferers of limbic encephalitis. Meeting other owners of affected cats and being able to learn from the experts first hand was invaluable and I am so grateful to all of those involved for arranging such a fantastic owners day. We can’t wait to see what happens next!”

Trixie was diagnosed with LGI1-positive autoimmune encephalitis in November 2022, aged just one-and-a-half years. Her owner, Bernie Watkins, said:

“Taking part in the project has been enormously rewarding, as well as being highly informative and educational.

The Feline Encephalitis Owners’ Day provided a valuable opportunity for pet owners to connect with each other and to share experiences. This was especially important to me, as one of the main issues that I had felt…was a sense of isolation, and a feeling that nobody else really understood what it was like managing a cat suffering from seizures.

It feels good to know that this ongoing research is not only helping to improve treatment outcomes in autoimmune encephalitis for our affected cats, but importantly it is also advancing the body of medical understanding and treatment in the human field.”

Mary Daly’s cat Nutmeg, a six year old Bengal, was diagnosed with encephalitis a few years ago. She said:

“The initial stages of the disease were very stressful for the whole family, and the fact that there is still little known about the condition meant that we didn’t find it easy to learn more about the prognosis, or even management of the condition…This day gave me really valuable insights into the condition from a scientific perspective, but also created a really unique opportunity to bond with other ‘feline care givers’ who are going through or have been through the situation themselves. Thank you so much to everyone who made the day possible.”