Cat With Kidney Problems

[FakeGourmet]

Boban, first, I'm so sorry to read about your sick kitty. You should know that kidney failure in a younger cat is often very bad and often fatal because there is severe injury or sickness to the kidney. It's very different from older cats who develop kidney disease due to age. I've lost kitties to both.

 

[happilyretired]

I would like to second this point about younger cats because both of my CKD cats were diagnosed at age 6, and that's a different situation than with an older cat.

Also, this comment is not quite accurate:

"A well managed CKD can give your cat many years of life."

How a cat with CKD responds depends entirely on the individual cat.

My first guy was diagnosed in Stage 2 at age 6, but he remained stable for the next 7 years with no change in his lab values. Then he 'crashed' suddenly and his kidneys failed totally within a week.

My second guy was diagnosed also at age 6, but it was shortly after I'd adopted him, and I suspect he was already CKD when I brought him home. Despite my 'experience' with CKD [foods,fluids, etc.] he failed quickly, and I only had him for 24 months.

My view is that with CKD, it's important to respond to the cat rather than any 'standard of care.' Neither of my cats would touch prescription food, and my vets assured me that eating was most important, so I just made every effort to reduce phosphorus as much as possible. Tanya's website was my 'Bible,' and the information there is invaluable.

 

[Antonio65]

My experience with CKD is with my cat, diagnosed at the age of 6 and treated for it until she died at the age of nearly 17. She died from a cancer. In her last days, Crea and BUN were still fine, within the range.
I gave her subQs, diet food, probiotics, vit B, Fortekor, and had her tested 3 times a year for all her 11 years of disease.

Probably I was lucky, but I didn't take the least chance with her, and did all and above what I should.

 

[cat princesses]

I have to chime in here as well - when my girl was diagnosed she was 16 years old. I joined Tanya's group pretty quickly and was able to enjoy time with her until she passed at age 23! It's funny, the CKD never killed her, it was mammary cancer and old age. I would say the 1 thing that I credit for keeping her kidneys in a good range was a supplement by Standard Process Brand called Renal Support. I was getting this at my vets office and eventually found it on ebay so I was ordering it there. I would crush up 1 tablet in the AM and mix into her wet food and same in the PM. I swore that this supplement helped to keep her at the high end of normal for many many years. I also eventually ended up having to do sub q fluids at home mixed with the Vitamin B Complex and also give her b12 shots. if you can get the supplement and a small morter/pestel that is what I used to crush up the tablet to mix into her food. My vet would often say whatever you are doing, keep doing it....she was learning from ME about CKD! Go figure!

 

[Antonio65]

My vet would often say whatever you are doing, keep doing it....she was learning from ME about CKD! Go figure!

Same here. Whatever was that I was doing, I kept doing it, because it was working.
With the difference that I didn't join Tanya's group, I didn't even know it existed.

 

[Naman]

My cat has got some urinary infection twice. Dr has told me not any dry food but only canned foods and boiled meat. If possible to walk out, as where we are living there is a big backyard and my cat loves to plays out. Now, some years after the infection I can said we have not any problems. I also know if the cat eats dry food needs to drink lots of water. Also a big problem is the low-grade food, creates many kind of kidney diseases. So I hope with good food and cares your cat will gets well soon.

 

[happilyretired]

I am glad that so many of you have had positive experiences in extending the life of your CKD cats, but I really want to stress how unpredictable renal failure can be. You can do everything 'right' and still lose the cat in just a few months--OR the disease can go into remission for years. My point is that NO ONE should assume blame in their cat doesn't respond well to treatment. CKD cats can be markedly different in how this terminal illness progresses.

 

[cat princesses]

H happilyretired absolutely agree it can go either way.