Idiopathic hypercalcaemia is a common but poorly understood metabolic disorder in cats causing urinary tract disease, weakness and welfare impairment.
Hypercalcaemia causes welfare impacts from urinary obstruction with associated acute pain, progressive renal damage, weakness and nausea. Welfare priorities include investigating all cases to exclude treatable underlying causes such as lymphoma or primary hyperparathyroidism, dietary management with a reduced calcium and increased moisture diet, and medical treatment with prednisolone or bisphosphonates in refractory cases.