May 31, 2012
Posted in Pet Health, Pet Meds

Does your cat seem to be having trouble grooming itself lately? An unkempt appearance is unusual for cats, who are known for their impeccable self-grooming capabilities. If your cat goes a long period of time without smoothing and cleaning its coat, something might be wrong with its health. If this symptom is accompanied by hyperactivity and irritability, your cat may have hyperthyroidism.

When your cat lashes out irrationally

Hyperthyroidism is characterized by an excess of the thyroid hormone, thyroxin. Because this hormone is typically in charge of how fast your cat's body burns fuel and makes energy, having too much of it can cause almost every aspect of your cat's body to be hyperactive.

Their behavior may be hyperactive and they may also be irritable. They may lose weight even though they eat and drink constantly, and they may also experience vomiting, diarrhea, a rapid heartbeat and rapid breathing. The unkempt coat may respond to attempts at grooming with pet shampoo and a brush, but if your cat doesn't seem to groom itself, this is a sign of a problem.

Why does my cat have hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a common and serious disease of older cats, and recently scientists have theorized that it might be caused in part by the chemicals in the plastic that lines the cans of pet food. However, cats who have never eaten canned food can also get the disease.

How can I treat it?

If you have noticed any of these symptoms in your cat, you should bring it to the vet for a formal diagnosis. The vet can run blood tests and thyroid tests that will indicate the disease. Once your feline has been diagnosed, your vet will likely prescribe pet drugs like Methimazole or Tapazole. These pet products are more effective when given in tablet form, so it might be a good idea to stick the pill inside Greenies Pill Pockets to make medicine time easier for you and the cat.

Some vets may recommend surgery to cure hyperthyroidism – in this delicate procedure, the thyroid is entirely removed from the cat, but it can be tricky and cause a serious drop in calcium. Radiation is another treatment option that is usually effective but requires your cat to stay at the vet for about a week until all radioactive material is removed from its body. 

Related posts:

1. Hungry, mean cat – could it be a hyper thyroid?
2. How to tell if your dog has hypothyroidism
3. Hypothyroidism: How to get your pooch’s sparkle back
4. Does your pooch have a thyroid problem?
5. Treating hypothyroidism in dogs