Hyperthyroid cat - can't get him to eat (or take meds)

[Cattymonster]

Hi all,

I posted here a few weeks ago to ask for advice on how to tempt my cat's appetite. I'd recently switched him to wet food as he was leaving his dry food but his tummy was rumbling and he was clearly hungry.

Since then he's been diagnosed with a thyroid problem. His T4 was three times as high as it should have been.

They've prescribed a thyroid medication in liquid form (because there's no way he'll accept a pill from me) but I can't get him to take it. Over the last few days he's eaten virtually nothing. I've bought every kind of wet food I can find in Booths (local supermarket), from expensive little tins to Butchers. He'll sometimes eat a bit of one one day, but then he won't eat it again. Last night I had four plates of food down but he would eat none of them. They included Sheba salmon flakes in jelly, some good tuna in water from Booths, some poached chicken breast (cooked by me), a sardine and some of his dried food (Royal Canin).

I'm getting very worried. I'll ring the vet tomorrow but I'm not confident that they'll come up with a solution. When I was first told of the diagnosis I was given to understand that surgery was the most likely treatment, following a period of meds to try to get his levels down. When I spoke to the vet who would perform surgery, though, she was much more in favour of trying to get him onto long-term meds.

He's 14, and they've explained that thyroid problems can mask kidney problems, and can cause heart problems. Partly because he's 14 they're not keen on the surgical option (or at least that's how it sounded to me when I spoke to the more senior vet). They also explained that there could be a carcinoma, but were very vague about how that might be diagnosed.

Can anyone who has been though this (or maybe is a vet or nurse) tell me how this situation is normally managed? One of the vets said he'd be feeling sick, and that that might prevent him from feeling able to eat much, but he's still losing weight and I'm afraid he's going to starve.

Again, I'll speak to the vet tomorrow but I'd like to be armed with info from here if any of you can offer it. Would a scan not be a way forward? Could it show if he has a tumour? I'm on the verge of changing vets.

Please advise if you can. It's a real worry, and the cat clearly feels dreadful, and upset.

If not eating definitely go back to the vet. They can maybe give him an appetite tablet to see if that might get him eating again.

Unfortunately hyperthyroidism in cats is often linked with heart issues… if it’s a recent diagnosis and he’s not been eating, they’ll hopefully scan to check him over for this tomorrow. It’s an awful worry when they’re not themselves… is his breathing ok? I really hope you have a positive outcome. Lots of strokes and cuddles with him tonight.

@Patsy321 Thank you very much for your kind reply x His breathing seems fine, but he did have an episode of panting about three months ago. I took him in and they could find nothing, and I've not seen it happen again. I'm worrying that maybe this is more than 'just' a poorly-performing thyroid now that he won't/can't eat even though he's clearly hungry. I'll definitely try to get him back to the vet tomorrow. Thank you very much again for replying ❤️

Hi hope your cat is ok? I'm going through something similar with my boy at the moment. He was too stubborn for the blood test today so will be seduced tomorrow for the test for diagnosis. Our of my mind with worry. Hope your feline is OK.

Hi,

Is it Thyronorm you're using? Have you tried it in Lick-e-lix? My girl will happily take it mixed in with that.

My previous cat was also hyperthyroid and wouldn't entertain tablets or the liquid so we used a transdermal gel you pop in their ears - it was Methimazole. Much easier for the awkward ones though it is significantly more expensive.

We've managed with medication for both - we did do radiation treatment with my last girl but it didn't work for her and put us off trying again in fairness.

I hope you got on ok at the vets.

My cat has thyronorm and she comes running when she sees the syringe! Then licks the whole thing clean once she has had the drops.

Maybe see if you can change to that if it's not the one.

Thank you very much! That's the made, and I've not tried that will order Lick-e-lix now for delivery tomorrow and try that ❤️

Apologies for replying twice, buy I've just taken in what you've said about the Methimazole.

At vet on Monday they told me they really don't like to do surgery any more, and I don't think my cat would tolerate the radiation treatment (i.e. the separation from home and sense of abandonment), so really we need to find a way to get the meds into him. The vet did say, though, that if he really won't eat it then he can have it on his ear. What you're describing must be what she meant. It's very reassuring to hear that it worked for your cat. I'm really getting to the point of desperation!

I'll see how he goes with the Licky stuff tomorrow (thank goodness for Amazon Prime) and ring the vet on Monday to ask about the ear stuff, if the Licky doesn't work.

Thank you very much

Wow, that's amazing! That's the meds we have. I didn't think of offering it 'straight', though - mine has it on food. I'll try offering him a bit in a spoon. Thank you for the idea, and I definitely wish mine was as cooperative as yours seems to be 😁

Thanks Schnoodle, and I'm so sorry that you're going through this too.

Mine was very good for the blood test - he's often very good at the vet: I'm the only person he normally attacks :) However, when I took him to the vet last Monday evening so that she could examine and weigh him he was clearly not feeling good at all, and actually spat at her 😳

I'm sure there's a really good chance that yours will be fine. The vet told me on Monday that they rarely do surgery now, as they don't need to. She said the meds have improved over the years, so that most cats settle onto meds and their levels come down. It's unfortunate that mine is having a problem with the meds - Google and vet both confirm that it can upset some cats' tummies - but it doesn't mean that yours will have a problem.

Please let me know how he's doing now, and whether he's had his blood test yet

@Cattymonster I'm not sure my other cat would be as cooperative. I'm sure the vet said it's flavoured with something to make it tasty to them.

@IVFCatmomma I want to thank you for suggesting that he might take his meds in Lickylix. He is doing that - what a huge relief! He doesn't eat it immediately, but he generally scarfs it down within about 30 mins. I don't understand why none of the vets suggested this when I told them he just wouldn't take the meds 😳

We're not out of the woods yet as I'm still struggling to get him to eat normally, but this is a big advance. Thanks again ❤️

I'm so pleased - they are fussy sods aren't they? Hopefully you'll start seeing some improvements in him soon and he gets his appetite back!

Do feel free to shout if you have any questions and I'll do my best to help.

I've had two cats with this. You can get thyroid meds in gel form to rub on their ears instead of pills or liquid. Make sure you wear gloves. Once the thyroid is under control the cat will eat.
Once my two were reasonably controlled I took them off to have radioactive iodine injected which is a complete cure for this condition - humans can have it as well.
They have to stay in for about 2 weeks and then they are done, it costs in the region of £3000 and is covered by pet insurance.
They can die pretty quickly if the thyroid is left uncontrolled for too long.