Hyperthyroidism is a disease that affects all organs in the body one way or another. In cats, this disease comes on slowly and owners may not realize it right away. My cat Molly, exhibited vomiting,  constant hunger, weight loss and seizures. My current pet Atlantis only exhibited some weight loss, vomiting and diarrhea. Since we adopted him in July of last year, we really weren’t aware of any unusual symptoms right away. Now after being diagnosed and learning about all of the symptoms, we understand that Atlantis did exhibit some symptoms that we were unaware of. He has a big appetite and  always seems to want to eat. This is a symptom. He also made a howling sound in the night. We thought he was just lonely but I learned that cats with hyperthyroidism make strange sounds in the night. Since he’s on his medication, there have been no move “night howls.”

Animalwised.com has put together all of the symptoms to look for in Hyperthyroidism. Keep in mind that your cat probably will not exhibit all of these symptoms.

One of the most common red flags is that the cat’s food intake increases, but they do not appear to put on weight. In fact, they can often lose weight while still eating more than their normal amount of daily food. When the problem becomes alarming, you may observe the following symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats:

• Chronic diarrhea
• Depression
• Hyperactivity
• Nervous or strange behavior
• Frequent vomiting
• Inability to jump
• Loss of strength
• Neglected and knotted coat
• Arrhythmia
• Dyspnoea (labored breathing)
• Disorientation
• Aggressiveness
• Unusual nocturnal vocalizations

These symptoms do not appear suddenly or appear all together. Instead, rather they develop progressively. If we neglect our cat’s care, it is possible to overlook these symptoms. When the thyroid increases hormone production it can affect other organs in the body. Kidney function is particularly affected and, if not managed properly, can lead to fatal kidney failure.

Remember, your pets count!

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