Hyperthyroidism in Cats

What to look for..

Domestic cats can develop all kinds of health problems, as you probably know, but Hyperthyroidism isn’t one that is easily noticed by pet owners.

Greta, above, is now 15 years old, an age which I don’t regard as old for a feline as I have had cats reach 21 and 22 years old. So, Greta is still a teenager!

She is a rescue with a highly strung temperament, has always been on the slender side and doesn’t stay still for long. Always on the move. When she was 3 years old, she lost her mate to Feline Infectious Peritonitis, a terrible disease that often strikes 2 year old cats after a flu-type illness. From then on, Greta had no interest in feline company — Greta Garbo of the cat world.

Last year, I noticed that she walked oddly. Her back legs were in a crouched position while the rest of her body stayed in normal posture. As she is a flighty cat, small changes in her temperament went unnoticed.

As a hyper-active cat, Greta’s behaviour didn’t seem that different as she has always been a runner and meowed a lot. Although fond of her food, she has never put on weight. In summer, she tends to lose weight so I didn’t think she was ill when her weight dropped but the crouchy-walk was another matter.