Hypercalcaemia in Cats: Welfare Management

Key Welfare Considerations

• Idiopathic hypercalcaemia is the most common cause in cats — the mechanism remains incompletely understood.
• Clinical welfare signs include lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, constipation, and polyuria/polydipsia.
• Hypercalcaemia causes nephrocalcinosis and progressive renal welfare damage without management.
• Serum ionised calcium measurement is the most welfare-accurate assessment of true hypercalcaemia.
• Lymphoma causing hypercalcaemia requires welfare-appropriate chemotherapy and staging.
• Primary hyperparathyroidism from parathyroid adenoma requires surgical welfare removal for cure.
• Vitamin D toxicosis from over-supplementation or rodenticide ingestion causes severe welfare hypercalcaemia.
• Dietary management with low-calcium, high-moisture acidifying diets addresses idiopathic hypercalcaemia welfare.
• High-fibre diets may reduce intestinal calcium welfare absorption in idiopathic hypercalcaemia.
• Prednisolone reduces intestinal calcium absorption — welfare benefit in idiopathic and lymphoma-associated cases.
• Alendronate bisphosphonate reduces bone resorption — welfare benefit in refractory idiopathic hypercalcaemia.
• IV saline diuresis provides acute welfare correction of severe symptomatic hypercalcaemia.
• Furosemide promotes calciuresis but requires careful welfare fluid balance monitoring.
• Regular welfare monitoring of serum calcium, renal parameters, and urine specific gravity guides management.
• Prognosis for idiopathic feline hypercalcaemia with appropriate management is generally good for welfare.