What to feed cat with early kidney disease?

Lazy Orange House Cat

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Older cats and cats with kidney disease often become more finicky, so I'm not surprised she'd eat it one day, not for a week, and then go back to it. Years ago, I had a cat with kidney disease. He was diagnosed when he got "wobbly" as you described. Took him to the clinic and they took blood, etc, but he was dehydrated and sub-q fluids stopped the wobbles quickly.
I actually came on here to ask about diet for a cat with early kidney disease, too, so thank you for posting this.
Years ago we were told by our veterinarian that some kidney cats did well on a higher protein diet so long as the protein was of very high quality. Our Cleo did very well at the time on Wellness Core dry food and Weruva (which was brand new back then) Paw Lick'n Chicken.
I'm considering cooking for Morgenne. I have a book with a recipe for cat food for cats with kidney disease. I need to add taurine to it, which is not difficult. She already takes salmon oil because of her seasonal allergies and her arthritis. Her veterinarian wants her on the k/d. She won't eat the wet and will only eat the dry food first thing in the morning when she's starving. She has a hearty appetite, but she's a bit of a Fancy Feast junky.
I love your name, by the way. Gracie Allen is one of my favourite people.
 
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GracieAllen

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Raul - so Hill's and Royal Canin kidney food are BAD for the cat? As for the ingredients in c/d or r/d - we're not looking at feeding those. Are you saying the K/D and Royal Canin is NOT good for a cat with kidney issues?

We haven't found some of the less common foods mentioned earlier, though we did try Weruva a while back - I don't recall what flavor. I do remember she wouldn't eat it. Looked like I do when they tried to get me to eat tofu!

In any case, once we stopped giving her the gabapentin, and she wasn't woozy and had a few days of eating a little less, she's now gobbling up both the K/D and the Royal Canin Renal support D, E and T. Not only the regular meals but we're giving snacks between meals when her plate gets empty.

She's never been a big fan of the Blue Wilderness, but she DOES like the Sheba pate' (so her own kind of Fancy Feast junkie), which when I look at ingredients seems surprisingly similar to the K/D.

I'll have to check locally to see if anyone has the Forza10 renal actiwet, Koha LID chicken pouch variety, or Tiki cat so we can try a can - are these all recommended for cats with early kidney disease?
 
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maggie101

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Koha and tiki I have seen at small pet stores but forza is only online and very expensive. Find out the phosphorus dry matter before buying
 

Raul-7

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Raul - so Hill's and Royal Canin kidney food are BAD for the cat? As for the ingredients in c/d or r/d - we're not looking at feeding those. Are you saying the K/D and Royal Canin is NOT good for a cat with kidney issues?

We haven't found some of the less common foods mentioned earlier, though we did try Weruva a while back - I don't recall what flavor. I do remember she wouldn't eat it. Looked like I do when they tried to get me to eat tofu!

In any case, once we stopped giving her the gabapentin, and she wasn't woozy and had a few days of eating a little less, she's now gobbling up both the K/D and the Royal Canin Renal support D, E and T. Not only the regular meals but we're giving snacks between meals when her plate gets empty.

She's never been a big fan of the Blue Wilderness, but she DOES like the Sheba pate' (so her own kind of Fancy Feast junkie), which when I look at ingredients seems surprisingly similar to the K/D.

I'll have to check locally to see if anyone has the Forza10 renal actiwet, Koha LID chicken pouch variety, or Tiki cat so we can try a can - are these all recommended for cats with early kidney disease?
No they are not. Loaded with carbohydrates, soy, and corn. Read the ingredients and use common sense.

You have to realize these big companies like Royal Canin, Hill's, etc. pay the vets to promote these products. They don't really offer any kidney, diabetes, etc. support. They actually make the problem worse long-term.

Cats with kidney disease need a moisture-rich, high quality diet. Hence why I recommended Weruva and Tiki Cat.

They also need a phosphate binder like calcium carbonate and a potassium supplement like potassium gluconate.
 

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Koha and tiki I have seen at small pet stores but forza is only online and very expensive. Find out the phosphorus dry matter before buying
This is the key thing. I used to bring the charts to the store with me! I was also very lucky that when we had a kidney cat back in 2013 an employee at one store -- a local chain -- gave me a tour of nearly all the canned food they sold, telling me pluses and minuses of various brands. She was incredibly knowledgeable and what I learned from her that afternoon has helped guide in feeding our new cats, too! (Variety was a big part of it. As was patience.)

And G GracieAllen , I want to add about Weruva that, given the number of Weruva foods with lower phosphorus, it's worth trying other foods even if the first one didn't work for your cat. Sometimes cats need time to adjust to a new food, even when they're feeling well. Weruva has lots of different types of foods, pate and shreds, so there's a fair bit to choose from. It's best not to feed a lot with higher carbs (from either potato starch or tapioca) but even their foods with higher carbs may be lower-carb than lots of other brands' options.
 

maggie101

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Weruva is one of the very few that has low phosphorus. Make it tasty with churu tubes or foeriflora. Cats with ckd loose their appetite or too nauseous. My cat used to love tiki but not anymore. It doesn't have a strong scent. Prescription food for kd is made to be more palatable so you can mix it with something healthy. Give her whatever low phosphorus food she will eat even if you don't approve of the ingredients. It has been a debate for years and still will be about having high protein,low phosphorus. It is something that will be researched for a long time
 

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Weruva is one of the very few that has low phosphorus. Make it tasty with churu tubes or foeriflora. Cats with ckd loose their appetite or too nauseous. My cat used to love tiki but not anymore. It doesn't have a strong scent. Prescription food for kd is made to be more palatable so you can mix it with something healthy. Give her whatever low phosphorus food she will eat even if you don't approve of the ingredients. It has been a debate for years and still will be about having high protein,low phosphorus. It is something that will be researched for a long time
That's what I did for Brooksie. I preferred the low-carb foods but fed plenty with higher carbs, too, just because she'd eat them. The woman at the store mentioned Merrick... I fed lots of Merrick and she loved those, too. I swear that their Cowboy Cookout, Weruva's Lamb Burgini and Steak Frites, along with Wellness's Core's venison/lamb food must have extended her life by at least a week or two.
 

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That's what I did for Brooksie. I preferred the low-carb foods but fed plenty with higher carbs, too, just because she'd eat them. The woman at the store mentioned Merrick... I fed lots of Merrick and she loved those, too. I swear that their Cowboy Cookout, Weruva's Lamb Burgini and Steak Frites, along with Wellness's Core's venison/lamb food must have extended her life by at least a week or two.
Do you know what the phosphorus is. I can find out googling unless you know right off
 

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Do you know what the phosphorus is. I can find out googling unless you know right off
for inquiring; Here are the canned cat food flavors listed below that would have the requirement you requested. These percentages are Dry Matter Base

Cowboy Cookout Phosphorus 0.84% Carbs 6.14%

Grammy’s Pot Pie Phosphorus 0.97% Carbs 9.92%

Surf & Turf Phosphorus 0.95% Carbs 4.13%
The phosphorus is high so stick with weruva
 

lisahe

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for inquiring; Here are the canned cat food flavors listed below that would have the requirement you requested. These percentages are Dry Matter Base

Cowboy Cookout Phosphorus 0.84% Carbs 6.14%

Grammy’s Pot Pie Phosphorus 0.97% Carbs 9.92%

Surf & Turf Phosphorus 0.95% Carbs 4.13%
The phosphorus is high so stick with weruva
She ate a bunch of the pot pie one, too! I remember the woman in the store saying Merrick did well for palatability, which I took as a good sign and bought. This was in 2013; I think the recipes may have changed.
 

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Of course,that's for a whole can so splitting it would probably be ok. I wish Merrick was sold in stores so I can try one can. The company might if I ask
 

lisahe

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Of course,that's for a whole can so splitting it would probably be ok. I wish Merrick was sold in stores so I can try one can. The company might if I ask
Do you not have a Petco or Petsmart nearby, maggie101 maggie101 ? Some of the independent stores near me sell it, too. (But I know we're pretty lucky to have lots of them!)
 
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