Hyperthyroid 17 year old not doing well - the last of my senior cats.

Skye is 17, she is the last of my senior cats.  She was diagnosed with hyperthyroid and treated with medication via cream in her ear.  That helped but sent her in the other direction and she wouldn't eat.  So she is off the medication, has been for a while.  We tried the thyroid food and she didn't like it, I do give her subq fluids when she has a flare.

Her behavior has changed recently, she went from sleeping in my bed then to the back of the couch and the past two days she has been under the bed.  A couple of weeks ago she became glued to my side, slept in my lap, and this is not typical of her.  While very sweet, it made me worry because my last cat did that when he was getting ready to die, like he was saying goodbye.  I cuddled her Friday and she didn't purr, that NEVER happens.

I can get her to eat some wet food and she is drinking, but she is not well.  Of course they always get worse on the weekend.  She will eat Temptations treats most of the time, and while I know that isn't great, if she eats anything I am happy.  The worst part on her good days she is always hungry. 

To add insult to injury my boyfriend of 7 years has decided to end the relationship.  This is his house so I have to leave, my condo is rented so I am having to find a rental home.  As sick as she is I am thinking it may be kinder to let her go rather than go through the stress of a new home.  She is blind and deaf as well.

I can't imagine losing her, I am also going to lose 3 of my dogs and 3 of my cats when I leave.  (we raised all of them from babies)   One of my cats died in spring 2012, another in the fall of 2013, two within a month in 2014 and my boxer October 2015.  So much loss.

It's so much to think about, I want to do what is kind for her but I don't want to lose her.

Oh no, it sounds like you are having a terrible time! I'm so sorry to hear that. Does Skye also have kidney disease? Treating hyper-t can unmask kidney disease, which in turn can cause her to not eat.

I'm guessing the place you are renting is not allowing you to have pets? Can someone foster them at least until you get a better living situation?

I am so sorry about your losses, I hope better days find you soon. As to the decision about letting her go, only you can make that. My only comment is that we often feel that people or animals will not handle change well, but we never know, sometimes they do much better than anticipated. I wish you good luck in the move and hope things turn around for the better. 

The vet told me that as the thyroid cleared up that other things that were masked will appear.  Last blood test her kidneys looked okay, but that was in December. 

The house I am trying to rent will allow some pets but we have 4 dogs and 7 cats which we bought and raised together.  So it is truly like our children, that is why he wants to break up is he wants kids and I can't have them.

Anyway, he is keeping 3 of the dogs as this house has a full acre fenced in and a second acre that is open.  The cats we are basing on who they are bonded to and what cats fight.  It is going to kill me.

I have late stage lyme disease so I have no physical strength and very bad problems with my brain.  He is doing this at the absolutely lowest time in my life.  Trying to make a life and death decision about my cat is the last thing I need.

In my gut I knew this was coming, you can see your pet deteriorating.  She was 8.12 in Nov 8.4 in Dec and I just weighed her and she was 7.5.  I read that hyperthyroid cats actually starve to death, I am not sure if that is true.  The last thing I want is for her to suffer or to be suffering.  

I will make an appointment in the morning and get the vets opinion.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about your fur baby being sick. I too have an elderly cat who is similar in age with hyperthyroidism, IBD, dental disease, Kidney disease. He took a turn for the worse 2 summers ago after an episode of not eating, loose stools in which he had prednisone. Prednisone made things dramatically worse so we stopped that within a day or so. We called in a vet who does house calls when was doing really bad. She prescribed him an appetite stimulant and then I made a homeade chicken broth and mixed in some slippery elm bark with it. I fed him it with a syringe. He perked up almost immediately and wanted to eat. On the mobile vets suggestion we gave him raw food from a local raw food pet deli. We took him to a holistic vet who got him on a liquid chicken flavored methimazole for his hyperthyroid as well as Chinese Medicine herbs for Kidney disease (zhi bai di huang wan) He has had bouts of not eating but has been better after being given a small portion of appetite stimulant. He was in to the vet for loosing weight and not eating well again. We got him on an antibiotic which is supposed to help with his contractions in the colon (started twice a day but now down to once a day- Metronidazole). He seems to be doing well on the combo of the three medicines (in liquid form) and has gained back some of his weight after finding that he will eat Wellness brand kitten food  (not grain free) and the Wellness grain-free cans (blue,orange,and green). We mix  slippery elm bark with both dry and wet food as well digestive enzymes/probiotics powder on wet food. He wont eat the raw anymore these days. He also gets fluid injections to help with dehydration weekly or so, and now a B12 shot once a month (started with weekly B12 shot). If there's anything I can offer in support or advice I would gladly help. I have been a nervous wreck myself whenever he goes through these bouts of not eating. I hope your kitty feels better soon

Annie