Overactive thyroid in elderly cat

I think some cats respond well to oral treatment.

I have never been sure whether the cat we had with thyroid problems died of it, as he had a temperature at the time that the vet could find no explanation for. He may too, just have willed himself to die rather than been on medication for the rest of his life.

You never know with cats, do you?

Sorry to be a Job's comforter here, but whatever you do, a fifteen year old cat may just decide that enough is enough.

Is he still enjoying life?

Thanks for all your replies. We have now been told that some of his symptoms (dreadful diahorrea), may be caused by pancreatic insufficiency, so we're still up in the air regarding a treatment plan ?

The radioactive iodine is the best treatment as it cures the condition. The cat will have to stay there for about 4 days.

My cat had hyperthyroidism diagnosed 3 years ago. We tried the medication which worked to a degree but I made the decision to have her treated at the Hyperthyroid cat clinic with radio idodine treatment. At the time she had to be away 2 weeks and as she is a very difficult cat to handle (impossible) I wasn't sure how she'd cope but the staff were/are amazing and the treatment cured her. She's just had her bloods done again last week during major surgery for mammory lumps (which are thankfully benign) and they are still normal. Cats now don't have to be away from home as long.

It's not a cheap treatment but weighing up the cost of the medication month on month, bills for blood tests and vet fees I thought it was worth it.

I did have another cat years ago with the same condition and we had to force pills down her - the treatment caused her to have nose bleeds which was pretty distressing but this is going back about 25 years and I know that unlikely to happen now. If your cat is insured I would definitely recommend the iodine route - he could have another few years left in him still.

My male cat is 14 years old. He was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last spring. He used to weigh 16 pounds. He now weighs 8 pounds. He isvery vocal, especially at night and is constantly eating.
The worst part is that he can't tolerate the thyroid medication. He was constantly vomiting and refusing to eat.
He is such a lover boy that it is breaking our hearts to have to have him euthanized next week.

Helena, I hope that your kitty responds well to the medication, and that you will have many more years with him.

Blimey cats with thyroid issues get better treatment than humans in this country. Not that I grudge them, poor animals. Humans with these issues have a constant battle on their hands to even get a decent diagnosis. Sorry, I will shut up now.

PS. How to give a cat a pill

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTFfsRtHgCE

My last cat had hyperthyroidism and had a daily pill which took massive ingenuity on may part to get it into him and make it stay there. He was also completely blind but managed to find his way around the house and garden by memory.

My last cat, Stella, developed Hyperthyroidism, at about that age. She used to have a liquid that I syringed into her mouth (she had a tooth missing, so I squirted it in the gap). She also has kidney failure and was prescribed a cream stuff that was rubbed into the skin of her ear each day. She used to have blood tests done every 3 months. She lived to be 18. Good luck with your cat.

Hi Helena, yes my cat was diagnosed at around the same age. He too lost weight and became quite vocal, but his appetite remained the same, and he did not have diarrhoea. We gave him oral thyroid medication twice a day using a syringe, which seemed to stabilise him for a while. Sadly, he also got arthritis and his lower back and hips became very painful to him, so we eventually had to have him put to sleep, but his thyroid stayed under control for a couple of years. Good luck with your cat, our boy was wonderful, we still miss him.