If untreated, an overproductive thyroid gland can cause a cat to waste away and die.

By Tom Ewing

It’s always a pleasure to see your cat come running to you at mealtime and dig enthusiastically into its chow. Apparently you’re feeding it the right stuff. But there’s a limit.

Hyperthyroidism is a dysfunction of the thyroid gland that is most frequently seen in older cats.

A cat that never stops looking around for food and that never fails to eat everything that’s put in front of it (and whatever else it can sink its sharp little teeth into) may be in serious trouble. Such an insatiable appetite — especially if accompanied by noticeable weight loss — is one sign of a glandular disease called hyperthyroidism. If the condition persists and remains untreated, a cat can eventually waste away and die, no matter how much…

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