Radioactive iodine therapy cures feline hyperthyroidism in over 95% of cases. Understanding the welfare aspects of hospitalisation and post-treatment care helps owners make informed decisions for their cats.
Radioactive iodine therapy presents a welfare trade-off between hospitalisation stress and the long-term welfare benefit of cure versus ongoing medical management. Cats hospitalised in unfamiliar isolation environments experience acute stress — many cats that are food and attention deprived in hospital lose significant body weight. However, the welfare benefit of permanent cure is substantial: cats freed from lifelong twice-daily medication administration, from the cardiovascular damage of uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, and from the monitoring cycle that lifelong medication requires, may have genuinely better long-term welfare. Individual cat temperament matters enormously — very stress-sensitive cats may be better served by long-term medical management, while cats that adapt well may benefit most from the curative approach. Facilities that provide enrichment and human contact during isolation improve hospitalisation welfare significantly.