Kidney failure help!!

[CakesCats]

Let me first start by saying I know no one can tell me what to do. I’m just looking for people who have went through this.
Petey is 15-16 and was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year. Due to his age and the location we have just been doing pain management. In the last two weeks he has lost a lot of weight and yesterday he started having trouble with his back legs. Today they are worse. He is still coming to eat and attempting to get around. He’s currently cleaning himself. Our regular vet is closed today and tomorrow for the holiday. I suspect he is in kidney failure. I know I only have days left and I don’t want him to have worse symptoms but I also don’t want to take him too soon. Those who have went through this please tell me your story. They say you will know when it’s time but when he still comes to the door for me and rubs his cheeks on Me I don’t know if the times too soon.

 

[AbbysMom]

I’m so sorry. I did know it was time with my last cat. We had been running a ton of tests and waiting for results but when she kept trying to get up and walk and would just fall over, it was time. REALIZE THAT NO MATTER WHEN YOU DO IT YOU WILL QUESTION YOURSELF AFTER. I can’t stress this enough. You will beat yourself up. You know your cat best and will make the right decision when it is time.

I always like to suggest a quality of life scale. It will have you consider different things you may not have yet.

https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/defau...ionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

 

[FeebysOwner]

Was Petey diagnosed with kidney disease? And, if so, what have you been doing to help with that? Kidney disease, over time, is generally treated with sub-Q fluids and phosphorus binders in lieu of renal foods, which help to flush toxins out of a cat's system - and one of the signs of toxin build up can be weak hind legs. B-12 injections are often administered to help with weight loss. At first blush of what you are saying I don't think Petey's situation means immediate, imminent death. Eating, grooming are good signs that your cat might just not be ready yet, and there could be steps taken to help him for now.

My cat, Feeby (18+yo), has kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, high BP, and arthritis - all of which are being treated the best I know how. She also has lymphoma that was diagnosed about a year ago, which we are not treating. She has chosen to isolate herself to one room most of the time, so all of her amenities are in that room. She may not eat if I don't bring the food to her, but she does when I do; so I do it often, every 2-3 hours. She uses the litter box on her own and drinks water well. She also grooms, but maybe not as well as she used to. I am sure I am very biased, but I am not to the point of thinking she has given up her will to live.

I don't want to encourage you one way or the other, but some of your decision has to be based on why you think this is kidney failure, and what kind of care Petey is currently receiving for kidney disease, and if there are other steps you could take to minimize the associated impacts.

 

[CakesCats]

I’m so sorry. I did know it was time with my last cat. We had been running a ton of tests and waiting for results but when she kept trying to get up and walk and would just fall over, it was time. REALIZE THAT NO MATTER WHEN YOU DO IT YOU WILL QUESTION YOURSELF AFTER. I can’t stress this enough. You will beat yourself up. You know your cat best and will make the right decision when it is time.

I always like to suggest a quality of life scale. It will have you consider different things you may not have yet.

https://vet.osu.edu/vmc/sites/defau...ionAnimals/HonoringtheBond/HowDoIKnowWhen.pdf

I’m sorry about your kitty. It’s definitely a hard decision no matter what. Thank you so much for your response!!

 

[CakesCats]

Was Petey diagnosed with kidney disease? And, if so, what have you been doing to help with that? Kidney disease, over time, is generally treated with sub-Q fluids and phosphorus binders in lieu of renal foods, which help to flush toxins out of a cat's system - and one of the signs of toxin build up can be weak hind legs. B-12 injections are often administered to help with weight loss. At first blush of what you are saying I don't think Petey's situation means immediate, imminent death. Eating, grooming are good signs that your cat might just not be ready yet, and there could be steps taken to help him for now.

My cat, Feeby (18+yo), has kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, high BP, and arthritis - all of which are being treated the best I know how. She also has lymphoma that was diagnosed about a year ago, which we are not treating. She has chosen to isolate herself to one room most of the time, so all of her amenities are in that room. She may not eat if I don't bring the food to her, but she does when I do; so I do it often, every 2-3 hours. She uses the litter box on her own and drinks water well. She also grooms, but maybe not as well as she used to. I am sure I am very biased, but I am not to the point of thinking she has given up her will to live.

I don't want to encourage you one way or the other, but some of your decision has to be based on why you think this is kidney failure, and what kind of care Petey is currently receiving for kidney disease, and if there are other steps you could take to minimize the associated impacts.

When he was taken to the vet last year and diagnosed with stomach cancer we thought he had a few weeks left. He was throwing up blood and losing weight rapidly. He did show early stages of hyperthyroidism and kidney disease at that time. He has had a lot of issues with urinary crystals and blockage in his past so he has been on prescription food for that. Despite having months and months of terrible diarrhea he has always remained hydrated (much to the vets surprise). The vet actually believes that the combination of all 3 (kidneys, thyroid and cancer) have kept him alive this long. His theory is the side effects from each are kind of working together in a good way (til now). Whether he is accurate or not I don’t know. He hasn’t had blood work in a while since we were basically doing hospice care for the tumors so I don’t know his current numbers. The loss of weight and now struggling to walk on his hind legs is what leads me to think kidney failure. I’m going to try to get him in somewhere tomorrow! I am in a rural area so options are very limited especially with the holiday.
I’m glad to hear your girl is still around!! Hope you have her for much much longer!!

 

[Margot Lane]

Good luck with tomorrow. I definitely think you should seek diagnosis before deciding anything, if you feel there is time. I had a 19 year old cat w/ kidney failure. I don’t recall back leg weakness but yes weight loss. He lasted about a week, but we all got to surround him with love and say goodbye. I live in a rural area too so there wasn’t time to rush him to the vet or anything…when he went, he went quickly. Saying all this not to dishearten you but that was my experience w/ it). Let‘s hope it’s something else entirely and easy to cure.

 

[jmichaelp]

If he's CKD & maintaining hydrated, then probably drinking a lot. This could cause potassium loss & muscle weakness. I had a CKD cat who presented with muscle weakness in her back legs because of low potassium. Good luck.

 

[silent meowlook]

It’s always better a day to soon than a day to late. It’s a hard decision, trust me, I know. With the stomach cancer, I assume that you mean an actual tumor in his stomach and not GI lymphoma, right? Because GI lymphoma is manageable, where as a stomach tumor really isn’t for very long anyway.

Why do you think kidney disease? It would not be unheard of in a cat that age. Just wondering why you think that.

Difficulty walking can be caused by arthritis, muscle wasting, weakness, neuropathy, or a blood clot, although if it was a blood clot it would be very painful and he wouldn’t be eating or grooming. There can be other causes for the inability to, or difficulty walking.

Grooming himself and being friendly are all signs that he-doesn’t feel too bad. Although you have to decide if not feeling too bad is acceptable as a way of life.

Make a list of what he does or did for fun. What he enjoys and what makes him happy. When he no longer does those things or can do those things, then you have to decide if continuing is in his best interest.
With my cat Rusty, I knew that he liked to jump up in the window sill and watch the world outside. He liked to eat, he loved good catnip and sleeping with and grooming his sister, Cheetah. Rusty loved to lay on the couch with me and watch TV. Rusty loved sleeping on the bar stool, running in front of me so I would trip I. Hopes of a treat if I accidentally stepped on him or knocked him with my foot. Rusty loved to play with toys and a laxer dot. He would always be confused when he thought he had the dot and lifted his paw and it was gone. With wand toys, he would lay on his back and wait for the toys to come to him.

One by one over the course of a couple of years he stopped doing these things. When the final thing on the list was laying on the couch with me wasn’t something he could do, I knew. I waited to long with him and should have done it when he stopped eating. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’s hard when it’s your cat and you’re in the middle of everything, to know what you should do. It’s a difficult decision and painful to make.
I hope this helps.

 

[FeebysOwner]

The vet actually believes that the combination of all 3 (kidneys, thyroid and cancer) have kept him alive this long. His theory is the side effects from each are kind of working together in a good way (til now).

I don't know about the cancer, but there is some truth behind the offsetting effects from hyperthyroidism and kidney disease. A little higher thyroid level (key word - little) helps to keep a better blood flow to the kidneys. But there is a balancing act with that. Too high of a thyroid level can attribute to heart issues at the same time, most common being high BP.

It's all about whether you want to do a full-scale blood workup, including thyroid, and possibly a urinalysis to see if his values shine a light on any helpful meds. You might also consider a BP check too. That is another thing that could come across as back leg weakness.

Every cat is so different. So, what some deem as 'signs' are probably more than likely attributable to that cat in particular. That is what makes it so hard. Of course, eating is a big one, and your cat is still willing to eat - so, is mine. I put quite a bit of emphasis on this because it shows a desire to continue on. If Feeby were to stop eating, that would be an indicator for me, as I am sure it would be for most - as was also mentioned by the previous poster.

 

[CakesCats]

Good luck with tomorrow. I definitely think you should seek diagnosis before deciding anything, if you feel there is time. I had a 19 year old cat w/ kidney failure. I don’t recall back leg weakness but yes weight loss. He lasted about a week, but we all got to surround him with love and say goodbye. I live in a rural area too so there wasn’t time to rush him to the vet or anything…when he went, he went quickly. Saying all this not to dishearten you but that was my experience w/ it). Let‘s hope it’s something else entirely and easy to cure.

I will definitely be

Good luck with tomorrow. I definitely think you should seek diagnosis before deciding anything, if you feel there is time. I had a 19 year old cat w/ kidney failure. I don’t recall back leg weakness but yes weight loss. He lasted about a week, but we all got to surround him with love and say goodbye. I live in a rural area too so there wasn’t time to rush him to the vet or anything…when he went, he went quickly. Saying all this not to dishearten you but that was my experience w/ it). Let‘s hope it’s something else entirely and easy to cure.

I am definitely going to get a diagnosis before deciding. Hopeful that it is something treatable, but preparing for the worst.

 

[CakesCats]

If he's CKD & maintaining hydrated, then probably drinking a lot. This could cause potassium loss & muscle weakness. I had a CKD cat who presented with muscle weakness in her back legs because of low potassium. Good luck.

I am going to have them run tests tomorrow before deciding anything. Thank you!!

 

[CakesCats]

It’s always better a day to soon than a day to late. It’s a hard decision, trust me, I know. With the stomach cancer, I assume that you mean an actual tumor in his stomach and not GI lymphoma, right? Because GI lymphoma is manageable, where as a stomach tumor really isn’t for very long anyway.

Why do you think kidney disease? It would not be unheard of in a cat that age. Just wondering why you think that.

Difficulty walking can be caused by arthritis, muscle wasting, weakness, neuropathy, or a blood clot, although if it was a blood clot it would be very painful and he wouldn’t be eating or grooming. There can be other causes for the inability to, or difficulty walking.

Grooming himself and being friendly are all signs that he-doesn’t feel too bad. Although you have to decide if not feeling too bad is acceptable as a way of life.

Make a list of what he does or did for fun. What he enjoys and what makes him happy. When he no longer does those things or can do those things, then you have to decide if continuing is in his best interest.
With my cat Rusty, I knew that he liked to jump up in the window sill and watch the world outside. He liked to eat, he loved good catnip and sleeping with and grooming his sister, Cheetah. Rusty loved to lay on the couch with me and watch TV. Rusty loved sleeping on the bar stool, running in front of me so I would trip I. Hopes of a treat if I accidentally stepped on him or knocked him with my foot. Rusty loved to play with toys and a laxer dot. He would always be confused when he thought he had the dot and lifted his paw and it was gone. With wand toys, he would lay on his back and wait for the toys to come to him.

One by one over the course of a couple of years he stopped doing these things. When the final thing on the list was laying on the couch with me wasn’t something he could do, I knew. I waited to long with him and should have done it when he stopped eating. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’s hard when it’s your cat and you’re in the middle of everything, to know what you should do. It’s a difficult decision and painful to make.
I hope this helps.

I really don’t know if it’s kidney failure, he just has some of the symptoms so it is my first guess. He was able to do his favorite things up until today really when the leg weakness was really prevalent. I am going to have them run tests tomorrow to make sure of anything before making any decisions. Thank you for the information. I’m sorry for you, but I love that one of Rusty’s pastimes was making you trip. Gotta love cats (even when they are rotten!)

 

[CakesCats]

It’s always better a day to soon than a day to late. It’s a hard decision, trust me, I know. With the stomach cancer, I assume that you mean an actual tumor in his stomach and not GI lymphoma, right? Because GI lymphoma is manageable, where as a stomach tumor really isn’t for very long anyway.

Why do you think kidney disease? It would not be unheard of in a cat that age. Just wondering why you think that.

Difficulty walking can be caused by arthritis, muscle wasting, weakness, neuropathy, or a blood clot, although if it was a blood clot it would be very painful and he wouldn’t be eating or grooming. There can be other causes for the inability to, or difficulty walking.

Grooming himself and being friendly are all signs that he-doesn’t feel too bad. Although you have to decide if not feeling too bad is acceptable as a way of life.

Make a list of what he does or did for fun. What he enjoys and what makes him happy. When he no longer does those things or can do those things, then you have to decide if continuing is in his best interest.
With my cat Rusty, I knew that he liked to jump up in the window sill and watch the world outside. He liked to eat, he loved good catnip and sleeping with and grooming his sister, Cheetah. Rusty loved to lay on the couch with me and watch TV. Rusty loved sleeping on the bar stool, running in front of me so I would trip I. Hopes of a treat if I accidentally stepped on him or knocked him with my foot. Rusty loved to play with toys and a laxer dot. He would always be confused when he thought he had the dot and lifted his paw and it was gone. With wand toys, he would lay on his back and wait for the toys to come to him.

One by one over the course of a couple of years he stopped doing these things. When the final thing on the list was laying on the couch with me wasn’t something he could do, I knew. I waited to long with him and should have done it when he stopped eating. Hindsight is 20/20 and it’s hard when it’s your cat and you’re in the middle of everything, to know what you should do. It’s a difficult decision and painful to make.
I hope this helps.

Oh, and yes he has multiple tumors in his stomach. I guess this could also be a case of the tumors growing causing the legs to weaken or have less blood supply as well.

 

[CakesCats]

I don't know about the cancer, but there is some truth behind the offsetting effects from hyperthyroidism and kidney disease. A little higher thyroid level (key word - little) helps to keep a better blood flow to the kidneys. But there is a balancing act with that. Too high of a thyroid level can attribute to heart issues at the same time, most common being high BP.

It's all about whether you want to do a full-scale blood workup, including thyroid, and possibly a urinalysis to see if his values shine a light on any helpful meds. You might also consider a BP check too. That is another thing that could come across as back leg weakness.

Every cat is so different. So, what some deem as 'signs' are probably more than likely attributable to that cat in particular. That is what makes it so hard. Of course, eating is a big one, and your cat is still willing to eat - so, is mine. I put quite a bit of emphasis on this because it shows a desire to continue on. If Feeby were to stop eating, that would be an indicator for me, as I am sure it would be for most - as was also mentioned by the previous poster.

I’m definitely going to have full blood work done. Even if it’s futile I need to know what’s going on for sure before making any decision. I guess I’m just trying to prepare myself for the worst. He just ate again so hopefully you’re right and this is a good sign. We are going to take him in tomorrow even if we have to go to the emergency vet which is a ways away so I’ll update then. I feel like all my cats issues happen on weekends and holidays

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't know why it is, but cats do seem to wait until the weekends/holidays to give us grief. Or maybe it is in our sub-conscious to wait till then, thinking we could wait it out, and then reconsidering!

Please do keep us posted!

 

[CakesCats]

I will definitely be

I am definitely going to get a diagnosis before deciding. Hopeful that it is something treatable, but preparing for the worst.

I don't know why it is, but cats do seem to wait until the weekends/holidays to give us grief. Or maybe it is in our sub-conscious to wait till then, thinking we could wait it out, and then reconsidering!

Please do keep us posted!

That could definitely be it too!!

 

[CakesCats]

My heart is broken, but we had to put my precious Pete to rest yesterday. He unfortunately declined further and was pretty much unable to use his back legs at all and was falling over when attempting to use his front ones. We were able to get him in to our regular vet who was thankfully open. His kidneys were failing and he was becoming paralyzed in the spine. His colon was also not functioning properly. My husband and I have cried more than we ever have in our lives. His passing was peaceful, but heart-wrenching. I have went through the “what ifs” or “maybe we should have done this or tried that” 5,000 times. My husband made him a beautiful box and we laid his earthly body to rest between two trees in our yard. Today when we went out to his resting place I found a black feather(Petey was a black cat). I googled what finding a black feather signifies and the first website I found said this “You may feel alone or hopeless against your dire situation. The discovery of a black feather in the house or on the ground suggests you're not alone.
An angel watches over you, encouraging you to move forward - to hold on. In some cases, the feather could be a symbol that a lost loved one is still looking in on you, offering you protection to help you stay strong.”
My husband and I both cried again when we read this. We aren’t super religious or spiritual, but it can’t be a coincidence to find that feather on this day.

 

[silent meowlook]

I am so sorry for your loss.
The feather means something.

 

[AbbysMom]

I’m so sorry.

 

[fionasmom]

I am so sorry for your loss. You helped Petey deal with stomach cancer and provided quality of life for him for as long as you could.

When a cat passes, we close the thread out of respect. You are welcome to post a tribute to Petey in our Crossing the Bridge forum if you would like.

Crossing the Bridge