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She is 14 and she eats every few hours, even thru the night. She isn't skinny but she isn't fat either. She is freaky. Meows and meows at me day and night and she is LOUD. Am wondering if she might have thyroid disease and if so, if there are any natural remedies I can try with her? I just spent 1100 dollars at the vet trying to save my other cat's life, and I can't go back just yet. (He died from Squamous Cell Carcinoma) Any suggestions?
You would need to have the correct diagnosis. Symptoms for Hyperthrodism ( and it is common in senior cats) are: restlessness and being irritable, pacing up and down, exhibit excessive hunger and food consumption. Weight loss, vomiting and increased volume of feces are common. Major problem with the elderly cat are the effects of the thyroxin(sp?) on the heart. The work of the heart is increased and can lead to congestive heart failure for the senior cat.
Treatment would be to return the thyroid to normal status, which there are a # of drugs ( all prescription as far as I know) that will help. There is also surgery to remove the gland or radioactive iodine treatments.
My 14-year-old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroid several months ago, and it was only about 6 months or so after we lost our other cat. You would likely notice a weight loss, along with anything else. Amber was clearly getting lighter at this stage. Now she's taking twice-daily pills, or actually half a pill twice a day. The pills are prescription but cheap (you can get them from typical large chain under their $4/30-day $10/90-day supply plans). Greenies Pill Pockets are not as cheap but necessary. ;-) Instead of a pill it's a treat every time. Several months and the novelty of the treat has not worn off; she loves them! I read up on the radioactive iodine treatment, which sounded intriguing, but the cost (around $1000 from what I could find) is a lot for what is really convenience in most cases it seems. I don't know.
She seems fine but is due to go back for a recheck. Need to make an appointment, but I hate to take her in the car. Last 3 times to vet = poops in carrier on way, even though way made the drive much shorter by switching from her old vet, even though the gap between the first time she did that and the second was about 2 years. I got a new carrier in hopes that it helps, and have been trying to acclimate her to it and somewhat associate it with treats. Not sure it will work though. I've only taken her downstairs closed in it, not even out to the car yet.
Anyway, I think you would notice weight loss, maybe increased appetite, maybe increased thirst, and a few other things. You can look these up, but the weight loss if it's been going on a bit will be noticeable. Amber lost at least a pound from her typical weight. A blood test will confirm if it's the thyroid, and if so the medication will improve things right away. If you suspect this I really think it means a trip to the vet but the good part is that it's a common problem in older cats. It's treatable as long as it's caught in a reasonable time frame and they can live for years. Hope this helps.
My 14-year-old cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroid several months ago, and it was only about 6 months or so after we lost our other cat. You would likely notice a weight loss, along with anything else. Amber was clearly getting lighter at this stage. Now she's taking twice-daily pills, or actually half a pill twice a day. The pills are prescription but cheap (you can get them from typical large chain under their $4/30-day $10/90-day supply plans). Greenies Pill Pockets are not as cheap but necessary. ;-) Instead of a pill it's a treat every time. Several months and the novelty of the treat has not worn off; she loves them! I read up on the radioactive iodine treatment, which sounded intriguing, but the cost (around $1000 from what I could find) is a lot for what is really convenience in most cases it seems. I don't know.
She seems fine but is due to go back for a recheck. Need to make an appointment, but I hate to take her in the car. Last 3 times to vet = poops in carrier on way, even though way made the drive much shorter by switching from her old vet, even though the gap between the first time she did that and the second was about 2 years. I got a new carrier in hopes that it helps, and have been trying to acclimate her to it and somewhat associate it with treats. Not sure it will work though. I've only taken her downstairs closed in it, not even out to the car yet.
Anyway, I think you would notice weight loss, maybe increased appetite, maybe increased thirst, and a few other things. You can look these up, but the weight loss if it's been going on a bit will be noticeable. Amber lost at least a pound from her typical weight. A blood test will confirm if it's the thyroid, and if so the medication will improve things right away. If you suspect this I really think it means a trip to the vet but the good part is that it's a common problem in older cats. It's treatable as long as it's caught in a reasonable time frame and they can live for years. Hope this helps.
Untreated hyperthyroid can lead to stroke. As has been said your kitty needs a trip to the vet and a proper diagnosis, which means blood work.
The symptoms you describe do sound like hyperthyroid, but there are other things that could be wrong, such as kidney disease, and high blood pressure, to name two.
Please do take your senior kitty to the vet for blood work and proper diagnosis.
My cat is on methamizole and it's a transdermal gel just put on her ear twice/day. They ran a few different thyroid levels before. Her weight has stabilized, but she hasn't gained. I read that with endocrine disorders cats can become more verbal/howl as a symtom, too. They put them on enough to help the thyroid, but not too much to effect the kidneys. With hyperthyroidism, the metabolism/circ. is up a lot and kidneys get a lot of blood, but as you decrease that, the kidneys have less circulation going to them, along with compensation that kidneys do anyway. So, vets might do a BUN/creatinine once in a while to check. The blood tests for thyroid weren't that expensive and they weren't repeated that often. The med, I get, at Women's International--Pet Pharmacy (Youngtown) compounded. It's not expensive.
Last edited by Nanny Goat; 07-08-2010 at 09:01 AM..
We did the radioactive iodine treatment on our cat, who was 14 at the time. It was expensive, he had to be quarantined for two weeks. It was stressful for him, I think. Once he came home, we had the option to take him back to make sure his kidneys were ok, but we didn't because it was another expense and an hour + drive. About 4 months later, he died, kidney failure. In hindsight, we should have done the pills. I think he could have lived a little longer with better food and a different treatment.
I'm sorry you have to go through this and make so many decisions. Good luck to you and your kitty.
My 13yr.old female cat ate my other cats thyroid medication before I could take it away, it was half a pill I had crushed in a small amount of her soft canned food.. I am wondering what will happen to her. I called the emergency number for the vet and they said it would cost me $ 60.00 just to get an answer from the poison control. I can't afford that. Can anyone help me as to what to do and if this is bad for her..??
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but the good part is that it's a common problem in older cats. It's treatable as long as it's caught in a reasonable time frame and they can live for years. 
Hope this helps.
