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My old cat is up all night, vocal, hungry, and throwing up. Why?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My 18 year old cat, who we believe is deaf, sleeps all day and is up all night. He eats both dry and wet food but during the night he "screams" at me every hour on the hour to get up and feed him another TBS of wet food. He has also started throwing up more.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on October 22nd, 2019

Sounds like he probably has an overactive thyroid - very common in older cats. I suggest you have him to your vet for an exam. This is not something you can correct at home.

( https://www.petcoach.co/article/hyperthyroidism-in-cats/ )

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on October 15th, 2017
These signs are quite commonly found in hyperthyroid cats.
If levels are elevated (with mild elevation) they could be falsely decreased by an extra- thyroidal disease. This is a quite common finding and ideally free T4 (T4 is the fraction of thyroid hormone that usually is evaluated) levels together with total T4 should be measured.
If you have any chance to do it, I would recommend to upload blood results as a picture on this platform so we can give you more specific answer; otherwise discuss with your veterinarian possibility to measure free T4.

Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My old cat is suddenly vocal and drinking too much. Is she sick?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. She will need to see her veterinarian for laboratory work. Increased vocalizations and increased thirst are common signs of hyperthyroidism. This is a disease where the body makes too much thyroid hormone thereby increasing metabolism. Other signs can include weight loss, hyperactivity, increased urination as well as vomiting and/or diarrhea. If this is her diagnosis, the disease is typically managed with medication. I hope this information helps!

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Why is my 13-year-old cat screaming, losing weight, and always hungry?

The main suspicion would be hyperthyroidism, he is showing all the symptoms, you need to take him to the vet ASAP in order to have a blood test done that should confirm this, then your vet can start him on a treatment for this condition (fully treatable).

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Why is my old cat moaning, hissing, and throwing up food/hairballs?

Vague behavior changes like you are describing can be the first sign of illness in an older cat, so if you feel something is wrong I would encourage you to see your veterinarian again. Blood work might be recommended to rule out kidney or liver disease. The vomiting could be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or even an intestinal mass and if the blood work is normal an abdominal ultrasound might be recommended. Finally, the vocalizing and hissing could be a sign of pain from something like arthritis and there are some supplements and now pain medications that can be used in cats.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My cat is meowing at night, sleeping more, and won't play. Is he sick?

hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Charlie! There are a lot of things that can change metabolically as cats age. One thing that can cause increased night time vocalization in cats is an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism). I think due to Charlie sleeping more and his other changes in behavior having him checked by your Vet and getting senior blood work done would be a good idea. Sometimes cats vocalize more if they lose their hearing. I would also suggest getting him dewormed due to his hunting. I hope this helps and good luck!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My old cat eats fast, vomits, is aggressive. Is it hyperthyroidism?

That is definitely a top thought with what you are describing. A simple blood test can confirm this. Other options do include gastroenteritis or an inflammatory bowel disease also so an ultrasound would be another useful test. Each have different treatments and they can be managed

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

Why is my 11-year-old cat always hungry, meowing, and pulling fur?

As he is already 11 i would suspect a condition called hyperthyroidism, the main symptoms is constant hunger. you will need to take him to the vet to get it tested, a medical treatment is available for this condition.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Why is my senior cat meowing loudly? Is it illness or new dog?

That’s a tough one! I don’t think the vet would think you are wasting their time as it’s always beneficial to have a physical exam and I think in Stinky Pete’s case, it would be beneficial. Hyperthyroidism can cause increased activity and increased vocalizing and is common in older cats. Older cats can also get dementia which presents the same way. Lastly, older pets can be more prone to anxiety, just like older humans. The vet may test the thyroid and go from there based upon the results. Many of these cats will get sedatives at night if anxiety is suspected. You could also try a pheromone diffuser called Feliway. There is also a prescription diet called Calm which some cats respond well to. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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