Answered by Dr. Jean Hofve
Hyperthyroid disease affects cats over seven years of age.
The most common symptom is increased thirst and along with it is increased urination. I call it “drink a lot, pee a lot” syndrome. Now, this set of symptoms is very common for many different diseases, including symptoms of kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes. So, it’s important to distinguish among them usually with a blood test.
The next most common symptom is increased appetite, but even though the cat is eating more, she may still lose weight. That’s because thyroid hormone controls the basic metabolic rate. This means that the cat’s body with too much thyroid hormone is basically running in overdrive. She needs a lot more food to keep up with the energy expenditure that she creates just sitting there. It’s often very hard for these cats to maintain weight even when they’re eating more.
Another common symptom is hyperactivity, restlessness, or anxiety. You’ll usually know this when your cat is zooming around the house around four in the morning. These guys also will typically howl, yell, and cry in the middle of the night. Sometimes it’s almost as if they walk into another room and get lost and need to call you to help them find their way back. I don’t know if that’s really what’s going on in their head, but I can only tell you it has disrupted many a good night’s sleep.
So if you see any of these symptoms in your older cat it’s definitely time to have your veterinarian check it out. I’m Dr. Jean Hofve, a licensed veterinarian with HolisticActions!, thanks very much.
Suggested Treatments:
- Conventional medicine
- homeopathy
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
Related Symptoms:
- Drinking/peeing more
- hungry
- weight loss
- crying
DISCLAIMER: Holistic Actions! does not provide advice on certified medical treatments. Content is intended for informational purposes only and to equip you with the tools needed for Holistic Medical Decision Making (HMDM). It is not a substitute for clinical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Never use content found on the Holistic Actions! website as the basis for ignoring advice from your veterinarian to seek treatment. If you think you may have a veterinary emergency, please call your vet or an animal hospital immediately.
Dr. Jean
Holistic veterinarian and author Dr. Jean Hofve has more than 20 years’ experience in integrative veterinary medicine. She has a passion for feline health and nutrition, and has intensively studied and researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s.
She has written books, dozens of articles and been interviewed for print, radio, and television around the world. She is an advisor to AAFCO, the organization that sets standards for pet food production, and founder of Spirit Essences (now owned and operated by Jackson Galaxy), which makes flower essence remedies for many animal health and behavior problems.