Did you know that 1 in 3 cats over age 7 have hyperthyroid disease? Fortunately, not only does this info-graphic tell what the symptoms are, it also tells you which blood test can confirm the diagnosis.
Author: foguth
Though Jeanne began her career technical writing, her love of romantic-suspense, whether it be present, future or in an unknown galaxy inspired her to write the novels she wanted to find in bookstores. Since marrying, Jeanne and her husband have lived from the arctic to the tropics, as well as from yacht to off-grid mountain home. She loves using vivid colors and flowing shapes in her oil paintings as well as creating edible landscapes. At present, she is finishing writing the Chatterre Trilogy and working on a new episode for The Sea Purrtector Files. You can always find out what she is working on and/or contact her at: www.jeannefoguth.com.
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Undiagnosed hyperthyroidism can also lead to other diseases in cats, such as congestive heart failure. This is one easy blood test that should be done every year after the age of ten!
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Thank you so much for this advice! I suspect my dear Mr. M could be over 10 (He was a feral cat in the neighborhood when we moved there and I have no idea how old he is.) I shall add this to his annual ‘trauma’.
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Hehe, with cats, it’s best to do all that “trauma” at once! The vet visit is so stressful that taking them back and forth multiple times when they get older is scary for them. My oldest is 11, and I’m super nervous about him all the time.
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I’m not sure how old Mr. M might be, but my beloved Rom (inspiration for Xander de Hunter in my Sea Purrtector Series) was 16.5 when he passed. I still miss him, which is probably why I love writing that series.
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Awww, that’s about the age for kitties. My very first cat (I adopted her when I was 8) died when she was 17. That’s about when their kidneys start to go. I miss her to this day as well.
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Totally understand why you sill miss her. Kitties seem to sneak into so many parts of our life that when they’re gone, we miss them in most aspects of our lives.
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Yes they do! They have great personalities, and make great cuddle-bugs. I almost love my cats more than my hubby!
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I know exactly what you mean. Rom was one of the great loves of my life – the other loves being my husband and two children… I don’t know if I could rank them other than all being #1 … Mr. M has high rank and I’m sure that if/when Purrseidon settles into being a cat instead of a rowdy kitten, I will realize she has high rank, too… right now, there is an issue with cat tree repair. Thank goodness we had some of Catabliss calming Milo’s Meow Mix blend is amazing.
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Haha! Yes, kittens tend to be rambunctious! Get her moving with toys! Best way to exhaust a young cat.
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Yep, that was our first line of defense.
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I first discovered this with my (dear departed) Lili when she would eat an entire bowl of food and then race around the house for about 15-20 minutes and then sleep for hours. She was a totally indoor cat but developed a sever flea infestation….depressed immune system seemed to make her more susceptible. So off to the vet we went and besides excellent flea meds she also went on prescription food which kept the hyperthyroidism at bay for about a year. She succumbed with accompanying kidney failure in June 2014. I still miss her.
Diavolo (who may be around 12..(he was a community cat for many years before moving in with me) gets checked every year for any possible problems. I know they say twice a year for senior cats but the budget will not allow that. So far so good. And yes, it is his annual “trauma”. He sings the song of his people the entire way there and back. I’m so glad it’s only a ten minute drive.
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How sad to hear about Lili… Does Diavolo dislike car rides in general or just the trips to the torturer – er, veterinarian? Purrseidon and Saphera both love going on outings – Mr. M sulks (he is the silent type, so some days, the M stands for ‘mute’.)
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Ophelia will be 10 in March and is a definite candidate for this. I plan to get her into the vet ASAP!
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You’ve said she has lost weight – hope that is just a reaction to the new food, not a medical issue, but it is certainly wise to get her tested.
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