[2] Clinical signs of FSE typically develop gradually in housecats, ranging from several weeks to months.
[3] Initial signs of the condition include behavioral changes such as aggression, timidity, hiding, hyperesthesia, loss of motor functions, and polydipsia.
[3] Other commonly observed motor signs include gait abnormalities and ataxia, which typically affect the hind legs first.
Some affected cats may exhibit an abnormal head tilt, tremors, a vacant stare, excessive salivation, decreased grooming behaviors, polyphagia, and dilated pupils.
[4] In most instances, infected felines die spontaneously within a few months to years, or are euthanized due to this condition.