I am the proud momma to an 18 year old tabby cat named Skunk. He has FIV, diabetes, and was recently diagnosed with advanced chronic kidney disease. The disease can be managed, and some cats can live for years with it. I've been trying everything I can. I give him 60 mlsubcutaneous fluids twice a day, and am giving him a B12 and iron supplement, maralax for the constipation and a phosphorous binder since he refuses to eat a kidney healthy diet. He is super picky so I can't add anything to his food or he won't eat it, so I've been mixing his powdered medicines with water or chicken broth and syringing them in his mouth. He will only eat Friskies canned food, but even then, he only eats a tablespoon or two at a time, if at all. His latest labs show he is pretty anemic and it doesn't appear his body is even trying to make new red blood cells. My vet recommends a blood transfusion and ESAs, but he doesn't do it. He referred me to a specialist, but the costs are at minimum $700 to $800. No matter how creative I am with it, my budget just doesn't have it. Skunk is pretty unhappy with the fluids and medicines. He only gets up to drink water or go to the bathroom, and pretty much stays in one spot 24/7, except when I put him on my lap. He used to be a chin snuggler but refuses to do that now. He will very quietly purr sometimes when I'm petting him. His current qualify of life is not good, but I keep thinking there's hope if I can just find the right combination of medicines. The kidneys do so much that there are so many things to always be watching for (potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorous, anemia, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, dehydration, BUN, creatanine, etc.) But there's also the part of me that says it's time to let go, that all I'm doing is torturing my poor sweet cat. I don't know what to do so really, I'm just asking for thoughts from others. What would you do?