Our 15-year-old cat has had a long struggle with thyroid disease. At its worst, his thyroid hormone levels were about 9 times normal. We were able to somewhat control these through medication, but not quite. As a result he was frequently hungry, demanding, and anxious. Finally, this past spring we allowed the vet to treat him with radioactive iodine. The result was striking. He now sleeps 20 hours a day, walks with some stiffness, and eats considerably less. He seems an almost normal elderly cat. We now know that his most irritating character traits and behaviors were driven by physical illness. Continue reading →