Question About Making Homemade Catfood For My Hyperthyroid Cat

[baxtersmom]

I'm just starting to make my 15-year-old cat's food at home. I've found several recipes and a lot of good information through this forum and some other sites. I do have a question though. My cat has hyperthyroidism. He's on Methimazole (5mg every 12 hours) and I also give him Thyroid support supplement. Should I use the lite salt that is in the recipe? I know that's a source of iodine and I'm not sure if he should have it or not. Also, are there any of the other supplements that I should avoid due to his hyperthyroidism? The recipe calls for Salmon oil, taurine, vitamin B-50 complex, and vitamin D. It also calls for a raw glandular supplement, which from what I've read, comes from the thyroid of cows. Since he's hyperthyroid should he get the glandular supplement? Thanks for any help I can get in this new endeavor to get my kitty healthy. He's so skinny so I want to do whatever I can to put the weight back on him.

 

[mschauer]

All commercial processed (that is, not raw) contain iodine. It is required to meet AAFCO standards. Unless you were told to feed a specific food, your vet knows you will be feeding a food that contains iodine. I had a cat with hyperthyroidism and I was never told to feed a special diet.

The glandular supplement is not required for your food to be nutritionally complete. I have no idea if it would adversely affect a hyperthyroid cat but you can certainly omit it if you want to.

What recipe are you referring to? It shouldn't have two sources of iodine (lite salt and a glandular supplement with thyroid).

You can always ask your vet if you want to be sure.

 

[baxtersmom]

All commercial processed (that is, not raw) contain iodine. It is required to meet AAFCO standards. Unless you were told to feed a specific food, your vet knows you will be feeding a food that contains iodine. I had a cat with hyperthyroidism and I was never told to feed a special diet.

The glandular supplement is not required for your food to be nutritionally complete. I have no idea if it would adversely affect a hyperthyroid cat but you can certainly omit it if you want to.

What recipe are you referring to? It shouldn't have two sources of iodine (lite salt and a glandular supplement with thyroid).

You can always ask your vet if you want to be sure.

Thank you for your help. The recipe I'm going by is from catinfo.org, Dr. Pierson. That one doesn't call for the glandular supplement. I was also looking at a similar recipe on catnutrition.org. That one, however, does call for both lite salt and the glandular supplement. I'm a newbie at homemade catfood so I want to make sure I get it right. I guess it makes since that he would be getting iodine in store bought cat food but I definitely don't want to over do it. I'll leave out the glandular supplement.

 

[molly92]

I would double check with a vet, preferably one with some nutrition experience. I know Dr. Pierson does not recommend iodine-deficient prescription food for treating hyperthroidism, and that makes sense, but I'm not sure if cutting back the iodine by some degree could potentially be helpful.

 

[valentine319]

Here's a study
Journal Scan: Hyperthyroid cats: Is iodine restriction enough?

Ask your vet.