If your cat has hyperthyroidism, it means that his thyroid gland’s activity is increased and secreting too many hormones. Abnormally high production of thyroid hormones can affect your cat’s health: weight loss, high blood pressure, or even hyperactivity are possible. there are several options to treat this disease, lifelong daily oral treatment is commonly prescribed. Surgery or treatment with radioactive iodine may also be considered as both of these methods allow complete recovery. However, they are expensive and invasive procedures that are seldom practiced. The first treatment option to try is managing your kitty’s diet!
So, to help you find the best cat food for hyperthyroidism, we’ve reviewed the commercially available dietary treatment options and picked 3 after radioactive iodine treatment high protein options that might suit your cat. These reviews will guide you through your purchase and hopefully help you understand the food treatment options and some factors to consider if your precious kitty has been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism.
IMPORTANT: Before changing the diet of your cat suffering from hyperthyroidism, the advice of your veterinarian is essential!
The Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d Thyroid Care is by far the best cat food for cats with hypothyroidism as it has been clinically proven to be effective. This dietary treatment promises to regulate your feline’s thyroid in just three weeks, thanks to its limited iodine formula. Keep in mind that for this dietary treatment to work your cat can only eat this diet and nothing else. In addition, this product promises to help maintain healthy kidneys, support heart function and keep your cat’s coat shiny and healthy. However, it is also at the high end of canned cat food and as such, it is pricy. Also, you will need your veterinarian’s authorization before purchasing the product online, which can be inconvenient at the time. However, this allows you to get the advice and approval of your vet before buying this premium product.
Pros
Formulated by veterinarians
Can restore thyroid health in 3 weeks
High-quality ingredients
Cons
Expensive
Veterinary authorization needed
2. Hill’s Prescription Thyroid Dry Cat Food – Best Value
Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d Thyroid Care Original dry food takes the best value dietary treatment. Just as in the case of wet food, this product promises to regulate your cat’s thyroid after 3 weeks of consuming only this food. If you can afford it we recommend sticking to the wet version, canned food is a better option because of its high water content, which helps counteract your cat’s tendency to overproduce urine due to its high levels of thyroid hormones. However, since it is the only food on the market that is formulated to regulate an overactive thyroid, we have chosen Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d Thyroid Care as the best dry cat food for hyperthyroidism.
Instinct Original Grain-Free Pate is a good food option for some cats after hyperthyroidism radioactive therapy. It’s high in natural meat protein, without soy, corn, artificial colors, or preservatives. Therefore, this is a great product that can help your cat gain weight and regain muscle mass. Whoever, you must keep in mind that it is not uncommon for cats with hyperthyroidism to be diagnosed with kidney disease after surgery or therapy. This happens because the hyperthyroid condition masks the markers of the renal disease in the blood and the disease goes unnoticed until the hyperthyroidism is resolved. If that is the case with your cat you will need a renal-specific diet and those are usually low in protein. If your cat is diagnosed with kidney disease, your veterinarian should be able to guide you to choose the right product for your cat depending on the stage of progress of the renal problem.
If your cat’s kidneys are well and you are looking for a great quality high protein product, this paté contains carefully balanced and healthy ingredients, including real chicken, fruits, and vegetables, as well as natural sources of omega fatty acids to help promote a shiny coat and healthy skin. It is also not too expensive for such a good product recommended by vets.
Although it has a slightly higher iodine content than the previous option, Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon is the best value for money. However, since wild-caught flaked Alaskan salmon is the first ingredient, it provides a lot of moisture. This helps keep your cat hydrated and supports their digestive and urinary health. Additionally, it is a veterinarian-recommended product for cats recovering from iodine radioactive therapy who are not diagnosed with kidney problems and need a good quality high protein diet to help them recover weight and muscle mass.
Pros
Budget-friendly
High protein for cats recovering from hyperthyroidism
Provides essential moisture to keep your cat hydrated
Feline Natural is another great choice for cats recovering from hyperthyroid radioactive treatment without a renal disease diagnosis due to its high good quality protein content that is easily digestible, its low carbohydrate content, which is ideal for insulin-resistant cats, and its all-natural ingredients.
Pros
High in protein
All-natural formula
Low in carbs
Cons
Some cats may not like its taste
Pricey
Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Food for Cats with Hyperthyroidism
Is There a Special Diet for Cats With Hyperthyroidism?
Yes, there is a diet designed especially for cats with hyperthyroidism. But, again, you must consult your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet. Let’s take a look at the qualities of a top-choice food for felines suffering from this illness and what to look for when shopping for your cat’s food.
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1. Reduce Iodine in Your Cat’s Diet
Recently, an iodine-depleted diet, available only by prescription, has been developed for cats with hyperthyroidism. Indeed, an iodine intake is necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. Therefore, by reducing the levels of iodine in food, you can limit the number of thyroid hormones produced by the animal.
Usually, a cat’s body begins to decrease its production of thyroid hormones as early as the third week of this diet. And that production may return to normal after a few months.
2. Feed Your Cat Exclusively Iodine-Free Foods
If you are starting to feed your hairball with food without iodine, it is essential that you give it just that. Indeed, if you were to feed it with traditional cat food, treats, or table scraps, the diet would be ineffective. And this even in small quantities!
3. Make Sure Your Cat Can’t Hunt
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Likewise, if your cat has access to the outdoors and hunts and eats prey, such a diet is not an option. Indeed, here too, your feline would increase its iodine level in its body. All the efforts made before would then be wasted.
4. Favor Canned Food
Since your cat produces too much thyroid hormone, she may tend to drink and urinate more often.
In this case, do not hesitate to favor canned moist foods (patés). Indeed, the latter has a higher water content than dry foods (kibble). This may make your feline produce less urine.
5. Choose Foods Rich in Protein
One of the most common symptoms of hyperthyroidism in cats is increased appetite accompanied by weight loss. This is because hyperthyroidism speeds up the metabolism; the animal then burns its calories even before its body has been able to absorb them and transform them into energy.
If your cat has lost a lot of weight as well as a large part of its muscle mass, then it is essential that it put on weight. To do this, consider choosing foods rich in protein. However, be careful to ensure that the proteins are of high quality!
Final Verdict
Having a cat with hyperthyroidism can be heartbreaking for any cat owner. However, these kitties can have happier and healthier lives when their caregivers know about the disease and its food management. This is why we have reviewed the best cat food to give to your feline so that you can avoid, as much as possible, the often lengthy and expensive drugs and treatments. Hill’s Prescription Diet y/d Thyroid Care Canned and Dry Food are the only options specially formulated to reduce the iodine content in your cat’s diet. However, since these options are rather expensive, you can opt for Instinct Original Grain-Free and Tiki Cat Hanalei Luau Wild Salmon, also recommended by vets.
Featured Image Credit: Benchamaporn Kanlapungha, Shutterstock
