My old cat died suddenly. Was it a brain tumor or hyperthyroidism?

Question

My 18 yr. old cat was very thin, sometimes nauseated in the morning, and fixated on food and treats. Her behavior was a little extreme at times, wanting attention. One night, sitting beside me, she suddenly shook her head and fell off the sofa, reeling around as if dizzy. The next day she was ill and mainly lay around, becoming worse suddenly and then dying. Question: Is it likely she had a brain tumor? She didn't have classic stroke symptoms. Thanks for your time! Pet's info: Cat | Persian | Female | spayed | 18 years and 1 month old | 7 lbs

Rebeccah Wood · Accepted Answer

I am so sorry to hear about the loss of Crystal. 18 years old is a great age for any cat, so you must have been doing something right for her to be with you for that long! Without a complete necropsy, you probably won't ever know exactly what happened, but it certainly is possible that she had a brain tumor or stroke. The symptoms you described (weight loss, nausea, fixated on food, crazy for attention, dizziness, then sudden death) makes me think of hyperthyroidism. Overproduction of the thyroid hormone is common in older cats (especially Persians), and is characterized by all of the symptoms your mentioned. Untreated, hyperthyroidism eventually affects the heart, so sudden death from a heart attack or stroke could have occurred. There is also the possibility that she had cancer, or that she simply died of heart failure related to old age. Regardless of the cause, she lived a long, long life with you, and I know she was loved. My deepest condolences for your loss, and I hope that time eases your sorrow.

My old cat died suddenly. Was it a brain tumor or hyperthyroidism?

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