Bertie seems fine – thanks for asking.

The vet didn’t say exactly where the mass was. I asked where it was and their reply was in the stomach. I said did they mean in his stomach and they replied no, but attached to one of his internal organs. When I watched them palpate his abdomen (from ribcage backwards) they seemed to settle their hands not far below his ribcage.

Not sure if the toileting problems were linked to the mass or just coincidental. He’s certainly still toileting all over the house (like a behaviour problem) but he’s doing good poops of normal consistency. At the time of the last examination he was constipated (defined by me as several days without passing faeces and when he finally did they were hard, small pellets).

The last full blood panel was 16th November and all was good, nothing showing up on the bloods.

There is no vomiting; the last time he vomited was when he was introduced to the Vidalta. After stopping the Vidalta he hasn’t vomited since.

Yes, he lost a little weight between 16th November and 27th December. However, that may have been due to the 10 days or so of inappetance and vomiting whilst on the Vidalta.

I’ve not weighed him since 27th December, however he’s looking quite filled out (probably the steroids!), and certainly looks like the weight loss has been replaced. His coat is glossy and well groomed and he appears happy. Plenty of interaction with me, loving etc.

He’s like his old self pre Hyper T and pre this issue. He’s given up the frantic obsessive desire to be out of the house (in the neighbour’s garden) and has been content around the house and hasn’t stepped outside since Christmas Day. The only thing that continues is the inappropriate toileting and the slightly increased thirst (that might be because he’s eating more dry kibble as well as tinned so he’s more thirsty.)

The high temp. does perhaps imply there was infection present. As you know, Bertie was not happy at home so we were following the routine of letting him out (he went straight to the neighbours garden) for 2 – 3 hrs a day before I went and walked him home. He wouldn’t let me pick him up but came to me and followed alongside me as I walked home.

On the 25th Dec, the neighbours came out to greet me when I went into their garden to call Bertie. They said they were worried about him as they’d heard coughing/spluttering sounds from the cat house he was residing in. I brought him home and he didn’t cough/sneeze etc. I just kept an eye on him and he was OK, same as he had been, no sign he was unwell. However on Boxing Day I noticed a slight change in his eating habits so I took him to the vets on the 27th.

I asked the vet if we should do another T4 and blood work up but he said that not to bother with the T4 just yet. Simply because his behaviour was not typical hyper T and as his levels were only slightly elevated prior to treatment the low dose Felimazole was obviously working. He said he’d prefer to monitor his behaviour at the moment as a guide to if and when to test the T4.

I will take Bertie back to the vets in due course for another examination and full blood testing but as he appears so well (whether that was the fact there was an infection and the Convenia jab did its job or whether the steroids have shrunk the mass I don’t know).

As they said that at his age (& considering how frail he appeared at that time) they wouldn’t operate I feel there is nothing to be gained at this very moment in time by stressing Bertie out with a vet visit etc.). He is old, but as he appears so well at the moment I feel it’s appropriate to take a watch and wait approach as from what they said there is nothing to be gained by finding out exactly what we are dealing with. Naturally I will look after him, keep him happy and comfortable and see what pans out with a view to ensuring that if he appears at all unwell I shall be straight back to the vets.

Good to hear that he is happy and has stopped his desire to go nextdoor. Long may it continue.