Hyperthyroid Cat Care: The Senior Eating More but Losing Weight

The classic picture is a cat over 8 eating more yet losing weight, with restlessness, night yowling, greasy unkempt coat, vomiting or diarrhea, fast heart rate, and often extra thirst. It hides as normal aging, so adding total T4 to senior panels catches it early; treatment choice among medication, radioiodine, surgery, or diet belongs to the vet.

Home support: give oral antithyroid drugs exactly on schedule, watching for side effects like facial excoriation or appetite loss and reporting them. On an iodine-restricted diet it must be the only food in the household, since any stolen treat breaks the effect. Keep intake generous during treatment and weigh weekly.

Recheck as prescribed, usually within weeks of starting therapy, including hormones and kidney values, since controlling hyperthyroidism can unmask hidden kidney disease. Goals are weight recovery, calmer behavior, and stable labs, with no self-directed dose changes.