9 yr old cat increasngly food obsessed

[thecatislying]

She's always enjoyed her food, but has recently become obsessed.

She's screaming and howling to be fed a good 90 minutes before it's time.
She never used to jump on the kitchen sides or tables, but now has started stealing people food - especially bread - she opened a new loaf overnight. We have to lock everything down before leaving the room, and even then she's licking the frying pan. Today she actually jumped up and took a bite of a bagel my 14 yr old was eating. She has also started opening the bin, and today I had to chase her to get a cupcake wrapper. This is so out of character. Should I take her to the vet? Feed her more? I tried feeding her more and she threw up.

Have not changed cat food. Recipe not changed.

Can't think of anything else relevant - except I suppose one change is that my eldest has moved out. She was cat's favourite human and it has been quite sad to see how much she misses her. She goes looking for her. I don't think that could be the reason though, could it?

Vet. It could be thyroid issues.

Yeah get her checked for hyperthyroidism

Agree with hyperthyroidism.
She may also lose a lot of weight, drink more, have zoomies more, have a high heart rate and wee in unusual places in my experience.
We have 5 cats and 2 are hyperthyroid. We suspect another is just starting with it.

Agree with hyperthyroidism, to the point I would pit money in it. My cat has toned down the desperation with medication.

Oh dear. My cat sounds like this.

Again thyroid. I will say that while my cat had this, i started feeding her raw meat dog food at the same time I fed the dog because she was always hungry. Her fur soon went from dry and scrappy to thick and luxurious. She was a very old cat who had given up grooming but she was definitely getting some vital minerals and vitamins from the raw meat. Because she was so old they gave me medication to help bring her thyroid down but they couldn’t completely get it under control due to the impact on other organs.

Thanks all.
Vet appointment booked. Will get her checked out.
If it is hyperthyroidism, can anyone give me an outline of what that might mean? Is it treatable? Will she be okay? Can she still go outside? Is it expensive?

I can try help! Our cat has just been diagnosed with an over active thyroid. He eats loads but still looses weight so he had a blood test to confirm. We have just started him off on Thyronorm twice a day so yet to see results and he will be on it for life but the vet said he can still go outside etc

Mines been on it for 14 months, ywice daily, lost weight but constantly hungrey sometimes sick and dhioreah.
Shes much better now, put on some weight, but levels a little high or low, so not 100% stable still.

Has blood tests every 6 to 8 weeks to determine levels and dosage is suitable.

Insurance pays for our meds (and prescrption from vet ) if you purchase it online which is much much cheaper. I use Animed

If you havent insurance then get a prescription from vet and order it online.

Example is 100ml bottle online approx £48 from vet.
a much smaller bottle something like £60 odd.

I pay about £24 for prescription from vet and ask them for 3x100ml bottles at a time which last ages.

Yes can go out as normal.

I was considering radio active iodine therapy but she also has a heart murmur so whilst she's doing quiet well do not want to put her under sedation to have heart scan.

My cat was hyperthyroid, had a partial thyroidectomy and lived to 20.

@thecatislying how have they gone at the vets? Usually it's just a change of diet or prescription that’s needed

Don't feel bad. We thought our cat was the 'loud and annoying one' for years.

Turned out she was the 'very chill one' when she had her thyroid treated

It can be cured with radioactive treatment but not many places do it, the cat needs to stay away until radioactivity levels come down and then has to be kept separate and poo bagged separately until radioactive levels safe.

my cat would have found all that way too much. even the staying away would have stressed her out. She’s 17 years old. So she has Vidalta medication once a day. It’s taken away the absolute food obsession. She’s still skinny but seems happy. Kidneys are packing in but no sign of discomfort and is happy lying around the house and sitting on laps.