Before and After My Cat Receives Radioactive Iodine (I-131) to Cure Hyperthyroidism

Hi, my cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in January 2021 when I brought her in for UTI. After her meds for UTI, we started her on transdermal Methimazole which we put on her ear. She was a big fat cat and is now skin and bones. She sleeps a lot. Very lethargic. She seems week until I try to force feed her because she will not eat. She throws up white foamy mucousy bile almost every morning. I feel like I am losing her and feel helpless and hopeless. I googled this and found out many cat owners going thru same exact thing. She turned 15 in February 2021. Do you think this procedure is appropriate for a cat her age? I just don’t know what to do and worried with how to afford this. Can you tell me how much it cost in total?

My 11 year old cat just got this treatment yesterday.

What food can cats eat after the 131 injection? Do they still have to eat prescription diet? I'm waiting for an appointment to be made for my cat to have the injection as we speak....diagnosed this week. Praying all will work out. Just really concerned about what he can eat after tx. Thank you.

Thank you for making this video! My cat, pigeon is going to get her treatment done next month and this makes me so happy! X

My Maggie needs that treatment, but she’s also battling IBD, so I’m not sure if she’s eligible.
Trying to get answers from my vet.

My kitty having this done on Monday 😊

My heart is breaking. I'm in the same boat you were. Going to have this done to my boy, but worried. Can't wait till it's over.

I was just wondering about the cost and did she still have to take medication after the injection. My kitty has the same problem.

How old is/was she at this stage? I have a hyperthyroid boy with co-morbidities but he's 13.

Hey im so happy to see your gorgeous cat healthy again,i have a 17 year old cat, and i think he has this condition too,in israel we do not have the one injection treatment,what should i do? What to tell the vet? What is the best treatment,?and which food do i feed him meanwhile until the vet appointment?😿❤️

My Lily is having her treatment done this month! Did you have to quarantine Tiger Lily when they got home?

Really hoping I can do this for my baby Magoo. Did your cat have any other medical problems? My boy has slight arrhythmias sometimes... just doing research on this treatment for his hyperthyroidism. How long was your kitty in isolation?

did you do meds first or i131 right away? my vet wants to try meds first but he wont eat

I'm so happy Tiger Lily is doing so well, lovely to see!

My cat is going in sometime around July (very long waiting list here in the UK due to a vet shortage). I'm not worried about the treatment or isolation at the centre, as I know he will be fine, but I'm concerned about when he comes back home and we have to not spend much time too close to him, be extra careful with litter etc for a couple of weeks. I'm worried he will be confused by being home but not having the normal affection from us, seeing his sister or having free roam (we're separating them so that we can easily clean out his litter safely). How did Tiger Lily get on with the first little bit at home?

Thanks so much for posting this video and for allowing comments! Your baby looks gorgeous! My 14yr old boy is having this treatment in about 18 hours and I am nervous about how long he will need to stay in as they only said about a couple of days (I live abroad and understand law and isolation requirements vary from state to state, country to country). I am very concerned about bio security of my cat, my dog’s, and mine, as well the community’s in regards waste disposal. Will be very interesting to know how you and others commenting the video managed those topics. Thank you!! ❤️

My kitty Luna, who will be 15 in September, is going for this treatment next month. I'm tired of using the topical stuff like we've been doing for the last year and change, it doesn't really seem to help, and it stresses her out, and me, too. And it doesn't seem to make her much better, to be honest. I want her around another 15 years. I think my two biggest worries are something going wrong, and her thinking I'm abandoning her. We're really codependent. But this is a cure the majority of the time, and that's what she deserves. No cat should suffer. No pet, in general.

My little one is recovering at the hospital as I type this. I hope she gets released tomorrow. Thanks for posting.

Just got a call that my baby has hyperthyroidism. Planning to get this treatment in the future. Medication for now 🥺

This is a beautiful video and it gives me some hope. My kitty was just diagnosed with hyperthyroidism yesterday and I have elected to do the Iodine therapy as well. Tiger Lily looks so happy and healthy in the after-video. I am hoping my Jewel can achieve the same.

Wow that coat! I had 2 lynx point siamese kitties with diabetes and they always had the roughest coat. I could never ger them properly regulated. Such a horrific disease in cats. I adopted a kitty 3 mos ago and just found out she's got hyperthyroidism. After caring for diabetic kitties, this will be easy.

Your kitty looks so fluffy and healthy now.

Lovely

thank you for posting! my cat is getting this treatment currently, 4 days in.. feels bad that he's not home, but glad he's getting help

Just had my cat get this shot and has still been struggling since she got home. Drinking a lot and pacing. What is the timeline for when you started to see improvements? I am trying to stay positive as it is still early I just hate seeing her struggle.

How is tiger lily now a few years after the treatment?

My baby girl Princess just had this procedure done last week. I already see changes in her appetite and grooming behavior. I very excited to see what the future holds.

Thank you for sharing your story

My cat is mild hyperthyroid. Is there any..."what they dont tell you about I-131" information? Did she have pain after the shot while she was by herself? Did you get to watch? Im so glad your baby is better.

Thank you for sharing your story with us. And thank you for being so dedicated by answering our questions after having posted this video a couple of years back. You’re right in saying it’s not a matter about the cost. My vet said it’s the gold standard and my feline friend is going to be treated with I-131 within a week to a month, depending on their scheduling. Unlike medication, this is a true cure for hyperthyroidism and it helps a cat from developing other life-threatening/shortening conditions.

GDenofa has an awesome video. An update on my hyperthyroid cat Macek (Tomcat in Slovene, although Macek was actually born in Germany): Last night while I snuggled with my Tomcat in bed, I gently felt around Macek's neck and indeed he had a sort of lump in his thyroid. Thank God we have an appointment in under three weeks. Soon, he shall join the ranks of Tiger Lily and regain his lost muscle mass. My vet has prescribed calming medication for the arduous journey, which includes a ferry trip to the mainland. Macek doesn't travel well and the Feline Thyroid Treatment Center is aware of the fact that he will have to be lightly sedated, because he dislikes vet visits.

Today, I drove my cat Macek to the Feline Hyperthyroid Treatment Center in Shoreline, Washington, USA. I felt so sorry for my buddy because it was an arduous journey and we also had to take a ferry to the mainland. His condition was confirmed and he was administered 3.25 millicurie of radioactive iodine. Once Macek's radiation levels are within Washington State legal requirements, I can pick him up and take him home. I can hardly wait to see Macek regain lost muscle mass and climb our trees in one go. I miss my pal so much.

Post-treatment update for my Tomcat Macek: He no longer throws up when he eats grass and he hasn’t been quite as vocal. Macek’s first follow up exam with our vet is a week from Monday. It must be said that it wasn’t easy to limit our close contact to just one hour a day, but we did for the most part. Macek seems to be putting on some weight and I hope his daily walks will help him to regain lost muscle.

What needs to happen after they get it? Is there certain things that need to be done with them? My car needs to get it

Amazing to see this. Not sure where you are based (I'm in UK) but our baby has just gone in and she has to be in for 15days, it is absolutely heart wrenching - but once home she can roam freely (within reason). So glad your cat had such a good recovery, and hopefully many years ahead! I am everything crossed praying that this has worked for my baby and that she has a positive recovery! Your video has given me hope!

Thanks for making this video! I have a 15 year old kitty just diagnosed and she gets her I131 in a couple weeks. I’ve been looking for what other pet parents have to say about this treatment and the results they received. Your kitty looks great afterwards! I have hope and feel good about my decision now. Thanks again! ❤

Wow I gasped seeing her weight gain! My girl looks so much like yours and she used to be so chubby and healthy. Now she’s skin and bones 😢😢 she was diagnosed 5 months ago and the whole time I’ve been just trying to get the money together to get treatment and I think I’ll finally be able to! I really hope it works and I can’t wait to see her strong and chubby again

Thank you

I'm about to do this, very excited. But worried about her iso

Pricy treatment, but we had her take the radioactive pill. She's fully cured, but they still need to check her kidneys, liver is fine.

Just got to get through this lengthy month without being near her 😭

How long was she in the hospital for? How long did you need to keep her isolated for? We have another cat in the home that is why we are isolating her. Did she have any side effects? My girl is going in at the end of the month. The hospital plans on keeping her for 48 hours and then releasing her to us, we have a 4 hour drive to the clinic hoping this works. Your video gives me hope. And your girl is so pretty :) Thank you so much for posting this. Have a beautiful day :)

I did not know they did thyroid ablation for cats!!! So cool

What a difference. My cat is 15 borderline HT, getting tested again now to know levels exactly. I am considering this, but i am so worried. I am in Canada and they keep the cat for testing for 3-4 days and then after the treatment for about 10. My cat has never stayed with anyone he doesn't know. He doesn't like change at all. I once took him to the cabin with me and he stoped eating or drinking and i had to go back home with him. What of that happens there. And 2 weeks is way too long. 😢 i dont know what to do. I am checking on US as i am close to the border, but so far no luck.

Just had my guy in for this, although he
Excited no symptoms so hard to tell how he’s doing haha

A question for you. Did your cat bounced back right away after i-131? My cat had i-131 a week ago. She ate while there and the first day home, but then she stopped. She licks a little then walks away. I will call the vet tomorrow, but would like to know if you experienced anything similar.

I hope Tiger Lily is still going strong. This morning, I walked my Tomcat Macek and will walk him after I return from work this afternoon. Macek recently went on a prescription diet to address his weight gain, which is an ironic but normal result of his successful hyperthroidism treatment back in early 2023.

Our 14 yr old male siberian underwent this about 5 weeks ago. Very happy with results and he has shown great improvement already. First set of after bloodwook results were just done and out vet is very happy with his numbers. I highly recommend this therapy. Yes its not cheap but neither is lifetime meds and constant bloodwork. Plus our pet insurance covered it 100%!

My 17 yo had this treatment about 2 months ago. She regained weight, but unfortunately there’s been no change in her severe thirst, and hence over frequent peeing. Now not sure what to do.

I'm hoping my kitty can get this treatment, but we are waiting to see if she responds to meds first. I would love to see my cat as healthy looking and plump like yours. Thanks for sharing.

Any negative comments or misinformation about treating this disease without advice from your cat’s vet will be removed and blocked if not let up. Yes, i-131 is a cure. No, it may not be for every cat. True, it is not perfect but it works 97 percent. And a second dose makes it 100 if need be.

And FALSE, there is no other cure for hyperthyroidism. Medication lowers T4 levels thus suppressing symptoms. And holistic meds are a placebo for owners.