Hyperthyroidism in cats - looking for some reassurance

Hi everyone, My cat has hyperthyroidism. We started her on Hill’s dry and wet food and it was going great at first, she was eating fine, but for the past week she’s hardly touched her bowl! She’s 14 and only weighs about 6 lbs. She’s getting bored of it... and she’s a fussy eater anyway. I’ve started alternating it with chicken Sheba because she’s hungry... does anyone have any advice or food ideas? I’m really worried. I’m going back to the vet in a fortnight for a check-up... Thanks.

Hi, I’m so sorry to bother you. I know this is an old thread. I’m desperately looking for recipes for my 16-year-old cat who has hyperthyroidism, but I’ve had no luck... then I stumbled across this forum. I really like the look of your recipe with chicken, green beans, carrots, brewer’s yeast, turmeric, and rapeseed oil. Would you be able to share the quantities you use? Thank you so much in advance. > Hi, my cat Barnaby was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about eighteen months ago. He’d lost a lot of weight (down to about 8.8 lbs, and he's a big lad) and his T4 levels were sky-high. He started on medication morning and night, and I give him the special dry food for thyroid issues. I also make him homemade wet food with chicken breast, green beans, and carrots, plus brewer’s yeast, turmeric, and rapeseed oil. I make a big batch every three months and freeze it in small tubs; it’s actually quite quick, much cheaper, and at least I know exactly what he’s eating. Every morning I crush his meds into it and he absolutely wolfs it down. You should know that the meds from the vet cost an arm and a leg, whereas the human version with the same ingredients costs about £1.70... a month. When it’s mashed into his food, he’s none the wiser. Nowadays, my cat is nearly 15 and he’s full of beans; his T4 levels have dropped significantly and he’s put back on about 8.8 lbs. He’s only on one pill a day for his thyroid now. His latest tests haven’t shown anything worrying yet regarding potential kidney issues. I make sure he drinks plenty of water; he has a glass bowl in the kitchen and a porcelain water fountain in the living room. There’s also plenty of water in his homemade food. I’m convinced that diet plays a huge part in our cats' health. When the vet first suggested making his food myself, I thought, "What a faff, I’ll never be able to do that!" But it’s actually quite fast – a pressure cooker, a blender, ten or so small tubs, and you’re sorted. It takes 15 minutes every three months and it’s so worth it: my cat isn't being sick anymore, his coat is lovely, and at his age, he still has no signs of arthritis or cataracts. My only regret is that I didn't start sooner! Don't lose heart; a well-managed cat won't necessarily succumb to this. Hi, thanks for the advice. My 11-year-old girl was diagnosed a few months ago; she has to take her treatment morning and night and it’s a nightmare trying to get her to take it!!! She’s so thin and she's losing her fur... I don’t know what to do. I’m worried because I’m wondering if it’s JUST her thyroid. Could you give me your recipe so I can give it a try? It might help her put on some weight and make taking her meds easier. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone, my girl was diagnosed last November. She had been poorly for a while. She’s about 12 or 13 (I’m not 100% sure as she was an adult when I adopted her). As she couldn’t tolerate Apelka, the only treatment offered, and refused the y/d dry and wet food, I make sure to cut out all iodine-rich foods. I boil chicken for her and give her seven Sheba chicken and turkey pouches a day to keep her weight at just under 10 lbs. I also open a hawthorn capsule into her food (a quarter of a capsule, just the powder) to help settle her heart rate. She’s sleeping much better now, she’s stopped yowling, and she’s even started playing again now that she’s getting her muscle tone back. She loves going outside when it’s cold and always having plenty of fresh, clean water available. She’s got a new lease of life!

Hi everyone. My girl Kelly has that thyroid condition and she’s on Thiafeline twice a day plus medication for her high blood pressure. She hasn’t lost any weight because she eats loads day and night and we don’t restrict her... however, sometimes she starts shouting really loudly, she yowls with a raspy voice and I was wondering if you could give me any info on this, or if your cats have that same meow? It honestly terrifies me. She’s 16 and it’s been a good 2 years since she was diagnosed, so you see, there’s still plenty of hope.

Hi everyone. My girl Kelly has thyroid disease and she’s on Thiafeline as well as medication for her high blood pressure. She hasn’t lost any weight because she eats loads day and night and we don’t hold back at all... however, she sometimes starts shouting really loudly; she howls with a raspy voice and I was wondering if any of you have any info on this. Do your cats make that same meow? It absolutely terrifies me. She’s 16 now and was diagnosed a good 2 years ago, so you see, it’s not the end of the road.

Hi everyone, my cat Barnabé was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism about eighteen months ago. He had become very thin (down to about 8 lbs 13 oz, though he’s quite a big-framed cat) and his T4 levels were very high. He started on treatment twice a day, and I give him specific thyroid dry food. I also make him homemade wet food with chicken breast, green beans and carrots, along with some brewer’s yeast, turmeric and rapeseed oil. I make a big batch every 3 months and freeze it in small Tupperware tubs; it’s fairly quick, more budget-friendly, and at least I know exactly what he’s eating. Every morning I crush his meds into it and he absolutely loves it. You should know that vet-prescribed meds cost an arm and a leg, whereas the human version with the same ingredients costs about £1.70... a month. Crushed into his wet food, he’s none the wiser. Today, my cat is nearly 15 and he’s full of beans; his T4 levels have dropped significantly and he’s put back on about 9 lbs. He’s down to just one tablet a day for his thyroid now. His latest blood tests haven’t shown anything worrying for the time being regarding potential kidney issues. I make sure he drinks plenty of water, with a glass bowl in the kitchen and a ceramic water fountain in the living room. There’s also lots of water in his homemade wet food. I’m convinced that diet plays a huge part in our cats' health. When the vet suggested I make his wet food myself, I thought "what a nightmare, I'll never manage that!" But it’s actually quite quick – a pressure cooker, a blender, a dozen small Tupperware pots and you’re sorted. It takes 15 minutes every 3 months and it’s so worth it: my cat doesn't vomit anymore, he has a lovely coat, and still no sign of arthritis or cataracts at his age. My only regret is not starting sooner! Don’t lose hope; if a cat is well-managed, it doesn't have to be the end.

Hi, I haven’t seen anyone mention radioactive iodine treatment yet. It’s a permanent fix that only takes a single week, though they do have to be hospitalised for it. It’s a simple treatment given via an IV and the cat is cured afterwards. The only thing is that not all vets offer it and it’s quite pricey—it costs about £700 here. We had to go to another city to get the treatment, but I did what I thought was best for my cat. It basically ‘burns’ the thyroid gland and then it’s all sorted. You can read more about it online and see which vet hospitals offer the service; maybe the price is a bit lower in the UK.

If it’s any comfort, my cat did the same thing, but after a week of treatment, her appetite started getting back to normal and she was doing much better. It takes quite a while. Her system really went through the wars. I gave her some cat milk so she’d drink and get a bit of nourishment, and it worked... she's absolutely mad about the stuff!!! Thanks for your reply, but unfortunately I had to have her put down... I went to the out-of-hours vet as an emergency on Wednesday night because I could see she really wasn't right. Like I mentioned, the tilted neck which to me looked like a stroke, still no appetite, etc... the vet told me she was fine (a total lie – I’m not a vet but I know my cat) but he wouldn't keep her in... When I got home her condition deteriorated even more; she couldn't walk at all, was struggling to breathe, no reaction when I stroked her, and her head was even more tilted... so the next day I went back again to tell them I’m stopping, she's suffering too much, and the vet then tells me that she had indeed had a stroke... -__- Now, I'm not saying it's because of the tablet, I don't know, but I maybe regret starting her on that treatment because I saw her go downhill at a terrifying speed in the space of just one day. Then again, was it the medication that caused the stroke or would it have happened anyway? I don't know... but it happened at exactly that moment, anyway. I wasn't really prepared to lose my cat like that, even though I knew she was old, but I don't think you're ever ready for this sort of thing and it really hurts... Sorry for the long essay..

If it’s any comfort, my cat went through the same thing, but after a week of treatment and her appetite starting to get back to normal, she was doing much better. It’s quite a slow process; her system has really been put through the wars. I gave her some cat milk to make sure she was drinking and getting a bit of nourishment, and it worked... she’s absolutely mad for it!!!