Anecdote | Pet Ownership
5 Signs Your Older Feline Might be a Hypercat
How a diagnosis of feline hyperthyroidism explained my cat’s new and unusual behaviours
My cat Izzy may look like a kitten, but she’s actually 15 years old — officially “geriatric”. I rescued her as a three-month old stray and she’s lived a comfortable life, being very much loved and doted upon into her old age.
I recently noticed small changes in Izzy’s appearance and behaviour that I put down to age or new circumstances, but thanks to a diagnosis from an excellent vet I learned she has feline hyperthyroidism — a common condition in older cats that arises when tumours form on the thyroid glands, producing excessive thyroid hormones and causing hypertension and hyperactivity. As the vet put it, Izzy had become a hypercat!
The condition came on remarkably quickly and we were very lucky to get the diagnosis before it progressed, which could have led to kidney disease and eventual heart failure. As the vet explained, the signs of feline hyperthyroidism are often confused with symptoms of old age, meaning hypercats don’t get the treatment they desperately need.
The five signs of feline hyperthyroidism can easily be missed — unless you know what you’re looking for.
