Kidney Disease In An Old Kitty

[BluenIsaacBoys]

Hi All,

I joined this forum out of somewhat desperation for advice for what to do for my old cat, Blue, with kidney disease. I adopted him just this year to save him from a situation where his owner couldn't keep him, and he turned 18 yesterday.

He gets fluids every other day and has been eating k/d food. Up until just 3 days ago, he was perfectly fine and had an great appetite. However, Tuesday morning I noticed he was not as interested in eating, and he threw up his food. He gradually started eating less and less.

Blue has been at the vet for the past 2.5 days receiving subQ fluids, appetite stimulants, and anti nausea meds. The vet recommended doing this to try to get him back to his normal, eating self. However, he has still not eaten. I realize his age is a real factor here, however, his bloodwork does not show that his kidneys are failing or even near failing (although the levels are SLIGHTLY higher than before).

Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? Can cats start eating again after days of fluids? My vet seems to think it is a possibility. I want to try to help him at all costs but want to be respectful of his needs and don't want to make him miserable.

Thanks for reading and any comments would be helpful.

 

[catsknowme]

Yes, it is always worth a try. I would try letting him try a small taster of Gerber stage 2 chicken or beef baby food (at first, I would blend in some unflavored Pedialyte to thin out the food as well as give electrolyte support). Is constipation an issue? You might consider asking the vet to do an ulstrasound and x-rays to make sure there are no issues like constipation or tumors.
Bless for taking on an older cat whose little world went crashing down when her owner died - she has been blessed to be in your devoted, loving care. If only there were more people like you!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hi All,

I joined this forum out of somewhat desperation for advice for what to do for my old cat, Blue, with kidney disease. ... He gradually started eating less and less.

Blue has been at the vet for the past 2.5 days receiving subQ fluids, appetite stimulants, and anti nausea meds. The vet recommended doing this to try to get him back to his normal, eating self. However, he has still not eaten. I realize his age is a real factor here, however, his bloodwork does not show that his kidneys are failing or even near failing (although the levels are SLIGHTLY higher than before).

Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? Can cats start eating again after days of fluids? My vet seems to think it is a possibility. I want to try to help him at all costs but want to be respectful of his needs and don't want to make him miserable.

Thanks for reading and any comments would be helpful.

Is he still at the vet? I'm hoping so, because if he hasn't eaten for over two days, he's definitely at risk of fatty liver disease and moving into very risky territory health-wise. The vet should know what course to take to feed him at this point, and right away.

Many cats get too stressed out at the vet's, though, to even want to eat on their own. Even if you've brought them home and are trying again to feed them, they can continue to remain stressed and still not eat. If it's already been several days of not eating, you simply don't want that to continue! They need to eat. My last cat had a 5-day hospitalization once and it really stressed her out. When we brought her home, she still wouldn't eat. What worked for her then was to take her back to the vet and do a short-term approach of a valium shot, which relaxed her brain, relaxed her muscles too... and set a bowl of "stinky alley cat food" in front of her -- a very smelly, fishy, meaty combination of tuna and various stinky canned foods all slopped together. Luckily, in our case, she ate like a champ at the vet, and we felt confident enough to bring her back home again. I think the vet gave us one or two more doses of the valium to use, but we didn't need it. From that point forward, at home we were able to nurse her back to health after her hospital ordeal.

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

Thanks to you both for your helpful responses. Catsknowme, I appreciate your kind words at this difficult time. Just what I needed to hear. I will try all these methods!

Blue is still at the vet. I spoke with my vet this afternoon who said he is going to try a last effort of giving him a steroid shot to see if that helps him eat. He believes that he is borderline kidney failure but is hoping this might jump start him to eat more. I am hoping and praying to just get even a little more time with him, feeling good.

When I adopted him in March, I knew I would love him but had no idea how much. Words can't describe how I feel about him and I just want to do what's right. Feel blessed to have crossed paths with this wonderful cat in his golden years.

 

[Tabithan]

Hi- yes, I've been through what you're now experiencing. Barney was diagnosed stage 3 kidney failure at about
15 years. He'd exhibited no symptoms. I gave him intravenous fluids for another 6 months. That was trying for both of
us. It only prolonged the inevitable- he had those few months, but even with the fluid, lost weight, got weaker and
passed quickly and painlessly of a heart attack over night. Was it worth it to add those six months, with the stress
of home intravenous and the same end result only postponed? Our second cat now has the same thing- I am
considering just letting her pass on when this time arrives. Perhaps it is best to allow them to go to their rest
without extending the inevitable. When your cat begins to present with symptoms which indicate either start the fluid and
add a few months, or let her pass now, then it's time for the decision. I love my animals like children, but in this
case there is nothing which can be done to stop the condition. Only to extend it and watch them slowly succumb.
Earlier passing may be a mercy. Be well.

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

Thanks everyone. He did quite well with the fluids for a while and had great quality of life, this week was just a turn for the worse.

Here is a picture of Blue (he's an Australian Mist). Such a sweet boy.

 

[catsknowme]

What a beautiful boy! Such a unique coat - like looking at a piece of art.
It is so difficult to know which direction to go. Just as an anecdote, my transient friend was able to bring her cat back from the brink of kidney failure by using herbs that I happened to use for myself - she lives in an RV with her cats on public- use-federal lands and was enroute from WA to AZ, in the backcountry of the Eastern Sierra, so a quick trip to a vet was not possible. I showed up on a Sunday drive to visit her and I always keep my "medical kit" on hand. Anyway, my point is that you can consider consulting a holistic vet about using herbs and glandular support formulas.
You have done an amazing job with your boy. In the picture, he looks at you with that confident affection that shows how glad he is to be with you. I have seen the surviving pets who remained heartbroken and I have seen cats 2-3 years his junior who have the scrawny, sunken "geriatric" look and he is none of those! So thanks to you, the 3rd chapter in his life has been a good one.

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

What a beautiful boy! Such a unique coat - like looking at a piece of art.
It is so difficult to know which direction to go. Just as an anecdote, my transient friend was able to bring her cat back from the brink of kidney failure by using herbs that I happened to use for myself - she lives in an RV with her cats on public- use-federal lands and was enroute from WA to AZ, in the backcountry of the Eastern Sierra, so a quick trip to a vet was not possible. I showed up on a Sunday drive to visit her and I always keep my "medical kit" on hand. Anyway, my point is that you can consider consulting a holistic vet about using herbs and glandular support formulas.
You have done an amazing job with your boy. In the picture, he looks at you with that confident affection that shows how glad he is to be with you. I have seen the surviving pets who remained heartbroken and I have seen cats 2-3 years his junior who have the scrawny, sunken "geriatric" look and he is none of those! So thanks to you, the 3rd chapter in his life has been a good one.

Thank you so much for all of your kind words! I am happy to report that Blue returned home from the vet Friday night, and after a couple of days of getting a lot of rest and getting back into the routine of eating, he is waking me up for food again, hanging out with his brother Isaac, and is almost back to his old self! I am so grateful and feel as if my prayers have been answered. So happy to have him feeling well and to get some more time with him.

 

[catsknowme]

Welcome home, Blue! Hallelujah for answered prayers
Thank you for the update ~ please keep us updated on how things are going

 

[lavishsqualor]

Yay Blue!

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

Thanks everyone! He woke me up 3 times last night for food Has to be a good sign!

I will let you know how things are going

 

[betsygee]

I'm happy to hear this. We had a very similar situation, taking in a 17 year old kitty after a friend died. I got so attached to him so quickly. He went through the same thing, starting to having kidney issues. I did the sub-q route, and started giving him whatever he wanted to eat, just to keep him going. He did have a few more months with us, until he succumbed a month short of 19 years old. I think it was worth it for all of us.

On the other hand, another cat went through the same thing. He was at the vet's for 2 days like your boy, seemed to rally, but then crashed after another week or so at home. It's impossible to know which way they'll go but for my own peace of mind I have no regrets doing what we could.

T Tabithan I'm sorry your cat is going through the same thing. I'm glad you started a thread to talk about this. I wish you the best with your decisions.

BluenIsaacBoys Please do keep us updated. Best of luck to you and Blue.

 

[SnugglesAnn]

First, let me thank you personally for the kind words on my post about my baby Snuggles. Second, that is awesome news about Blue! It is nerve-wracking when they won't eat. I will tell you, through this whole journey with my baby, that there were several times where she would not eat or stop eating for days and I thought this is it....only to have her bounce back yet again. I would offer buffets to her in an attempt to get her to eat and ended up spoon-feeding her for a little over a month as that was the only thing that worked. Obviously, we all worry about the fatty liver disease stuff, but she never seemed to have any ill-effects from it. My vet even said that sometimes his own cats will skip a day or two. I kept hoping this last time with Snuggles was just one of those times, but in a weird way, it was almost as if she was saying I'm not hungry, even though she had to have been. She seemed so content even after several days of not eating. But when all she could get was a few licks, I knew it was time for her. Am so happy though that it wasn't for Blue! Love him, love him, and love him some more (and I know you will)!

 

[BluenIsaacBoys]

First, let me thank you personally for the kind words on my post about my baby Snuggles. Second, that is awesome news about Blue! It is nerve-wracking when they won't eat. I will tell you, through this whole journey with my baby, that there were several times where she would not eat or stop eating for days and I thought this is it....only to have her bounce back yet again. I would offer buffets to her in an attempt to get her to eat and ended up spoon-feeding her for a little over a month as that was the only thing that worked. Obviously, we all worry about the fatty liver disease stuff, but she never seemed to have any ill-effects from it. My vet even said that sometimes his own cats will skip a day or two. I kept hoping this last time with Snuggles was just one of those times, but in a weird way, it was almost as if she was saying I'm not hungry, even though she had to have been. She seemed so content even after several days of not eating. But when all she could get was a few licks, I knew it was time for her. Am so happy though that it wasn't for Blue! Love him, love him, and love him some more (and I know you will)!

Thank you so much! I am so grateful to have him back to his old self and am cherishing every day!

I hope you are doing ok and are recalling wonderful memories about your sweet kitty Snuggles. You both were so lucky to have crossed paths and been a positive force in each other's lives! I'm sure she's enjoying all her favorite meals in a place where she never has to worry about being sick again!