My cat went nuclear — for her health
Reality check: It's exactly how it sounds.
Shirley was radioactive following a radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism and had to spend two weeks away from home, left to be cared for by professionals who I picture wearing HazMat suits to avoid exposing me to radiation.
Why it matters: I write this not only to share one of the more ridiculous things that's happened to anyone lately, but also because this treatment probably saved my cat's life.
Let this serve as a reminder to take your cat to the vet if you notice sudden behavior changes.
Untreated hyperthyroidism, where the thyroid produces too much of a hormone, can lead to organ failure and eventually death.
Flashback: My husband, Trenton, and I became alarmed when Shirley started harassing our other cat, Bea, in April. Bea is a perfect angel of a cat, and Trenton woke up in the middle of the night to find Shirley growling at Bea Who Can Do No Wrong and backing her into a corner.
Shirley has not been needlessly aggressive in the nearly nine years I've known her, so this was a big change. Weight loss is also a common sign.
"She cannot treat Bea this way," Trenton told me the next day, urging me to take Shirley to the vet immediately. He has a no-bullying policy.
After visiting my local vet, my option around here was to treat — not cure — the problem by giving my cat medication twice a day for the rest of her life. No, thank you.
Radiation seemed the way forward, but I could not find a single veterinarian in Northwest Arkansas who does this treatment, the gold standard for a not-exactly-rare condition in an extremely common household pet.
The closest option I could find was Feline Specialties Veterinary Hospital in Tulsa, so Shirley and I took a little road trip. The actual procedure is just an injection, but then the patient has to hang out until their radiation levels drop to a safe level.
Zoom out: The U.S., and especially Arkansas, has a veterinary care shortage.
And apparently, the radioactive iodine treatment requires extensive certification and they have to (or should) keep the cat for up to two weeks. It's just a lot.
The bottom line: Shirley and her thyroid levels are just fine now, although I got an earful of meows on the two-hour drive home from Tulsa.
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