Feline hyperthyroidism has four treatment options — radioiodine, medication, surgery, and dietary iodine restriction — each with different welfare profiles that should inform treatment choice for individual cats.
Treatment choice for feline hyperthyroidism has significant welfare implications. Radioiodine requires hospitalisation (typically 1-3 weeks) for radiation decay purposes, causing temporary welfare compromise from separation and confinement, but achieves permanent cure without ongoing medication. Daily medication avoids hospitalisation but requires lifelong twice-daily pilling that causes stress in some cats. Surgery offers cure without hospitalisation but requires general anaesthesia in often elderly, medically compromised cats. Dietary management avoids medication and hospitalisation but requires strict exclusive feeding that is impractical in multi-cat households. Individualised welfare assessment should guide treatment choice.