Is this feline dementia?

[NeededANameChangeAnyway]

We have a male neutered cat (moggy) aged about 11/12 who we got from a rescue when he was about 6 months old. He's always been vocal and very food driven, we think he was possibly from a feral or farm litter and was hungry as a very young cat. Now though he is driving us mad, we feed him, he wolfs it down and if we walk out to where his food is he races after us miaowing his head off for more food. This is constant. As soon as a human appears he runs about frantic yelling for food no matter when he was last fed. He cannot sit and relax with us now, just paces about miaowing.

He gets 3 pouches a day and is up to date with wormer. No weight loss and he doesn't drink much (has water but doesn't drink it).

Is this feline dementia? No other obvious symptoms.

I'd say it was more likely to be hyperthyroidism.

We had a very loud, food obsessed cat and didn't really notice that she got louder and louder and hungrier and hungrier.

Felt completely ashamed when she was back to normal once her thyroid was treated as the difference was huge.

I agree about hyperthyroidism - he needs to see a vet.

Thanks both. I'll get an appointment

My late cat got a bit of dementia towards the end, but he sang at 3am in the morning generally and for no apparent reason. Was always super happy though but became a lot more needy for attention, also over groomed himself until he was bald in places. He had various tests but vet said in the end it was dementia. He was 20 though, so I agree with previous posts, it could be his thyroid or something. Good luck at the vets.

I've googled the symptoms, he's not losing weight, no neck lump, his fur is normal and he really doesn't drink hardly at all.

I'm not so sure it is this tbh.

Anything else it could be?

It is kidneys or thyroid. Get the vet to do bloods.

Not all cats show all symptoms - sudden increase in appetite and vocalisation both point to issues with the thyroid.

Thanks all. I'll see if I can get an appointment today, probably next week though and will update once I get results.

I'm going to feel awful if it's a genuine illness and we've just been thinking he's annoying......

I agree with @catslovehairties not all cats show obvious symptoms of thyroid problems. We took our old boy up to the vets and dementia was only diagnosed when other things were checked & discounted. Plus the fact he was 20 pointed that way, but your cat seems quite young for dementia imo. All my cats (many) have generally made it to plus 18 years old if they’ve not had a life limiting illness.

Our old cat had diabetes & was always hungry.

One tip re water is that cats don't like their water near their food so keep the bowls away from each other

A cat's thyroid would need to be humungous for you to feel it. Plus it doesn't need to enlarge for a cat to her hyperthyroid.

And it took with hindsight years for our cat to be actually losing weight rather than just yelling and pacing.

Your cat needs a vet assessment and bloods.

Been to the vet. £70 later and the diagnosis is......he is just annoying. Nothing wrong with the little bugger!

The vet suggested giving him dry food which he has never eaten (dog is very happy to discover a little bowl of cat biscuits every time she passes though).

Back to the idea of feline dementia or just increased volume levels for unknown reasons.