Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My cat, Rocky, is going to be 18 in a couple of months. I very recently had him at the vet for his six month checkup that included blood panels. His BUN and creatinine are elevated with the creatinine being just outside of normal limits. The vet suggested a renal support diet and provided a script for Hills K/D. Rocky would barely eat the Hill's - kibble or canned, it didn't matter.
The vet then wrote scripts for Royal Canin, Purina and Blue Buffalo so that I could try them all with the hopes that he would like one of those brands. He doesn't care for the Purina so I tried Royal Canin. I have been trying to transition him by giving him 1/4 of the prescription food and 3/4 traditional food. No go. He's not eating it all. He'll nibble and graze but he's leaving a lot of food in the bowl and again, I'm giving him kibble and canned.
Last night, I found a store that carries Forza renal support (non prescription) and he wouldn't even touch it.
I'm very stressed out at this point and don't know what to do. My vet will be calling me tomorrow and I'll be discussing my concerns. For those of you with cats that need renal support food - how do you get your little friends to eat the food?
Firstly, ensuring that he is still eating is most important. So, keep feeding him his non-renal diet until you find a renal diet/formula that he will eat.
Cats are notorious for not eating renal diets and/or not eating one particular formula. Suffice to say, the CKD cat is very finicky.
I put Nulo toppers on top of the renal support food, which sometimes works. Sometimes, I just feed the toppers, which are lower in protein. You can also mix the food with water and/or heat it in the microwave. I also offer renal support kibble and, even, renal kibble mixed with regular kibble and I let my cat eat whatever he likes (he’s end stage at 20 years old).
If that doesn’t work, then I would look for a non-renal food that has a lower percentage of protein and/or phosphorus. Weruva is known for being low in phosphorous; it also has food sold in pouches that has 8% protein as opposed to the standard 10% (most renal formulas are 5-6%).
Again, the most important thing at this point is to keep him eating and drinking. If you don’t already have a pet fountain, I would buy one. You can also try Cerenia for nausea in case he’s not eating due to that.
18 is pretty old to be just now showing signs of CKD. Mine was 14, and that was old to be showing signs of it.
I hope you understand that your cat is considered very senior (equivalent of a 90 year old human), so it's not really reasonable to expect that he will have 'perfect' lab results or tests. At this age, its more about 'the best you can do'. I hope you also want your cat to be comfortable and happy in his twilight years.
See if there are 'treats' that are high in nutrients (such as kitty paste) that could supplement his regular diet. As said above, get a fountain if you don't have one. Make sure he has many litter boxes he can access.
Realize that even if your cat accepts a CKD diet, it may not be enough to slow the disease. Or you could continue with a normal diet and his disease will never progress (as was the case for my cat--after the initial finding, his lab work never showed any progression of the disease. He ate a normal diet until the end; he eventually died of cancer, at age 21).
Talk to your vet about quality of life, not just lab scores.
I think there comes a time when it should be more about making them happy than trying to squeeze a few more months or another year or do out of them. We don't wnt to lose pets we love, but it shouldn't be about us. It should be about the contentment of the creature.
Here is my opinion: Skip the renal diet and just give him wet food. It doesn't sound like his labs are that terrible. You could add a bit more water to the food, and discuss with your vet about giving him sub-cutaneous fluids to support his kidneys.
If his labs worsen (and sadly, they will in time), you can ask your vet about adding a phosophorus binder to his food. This is a powder you mix in with every dose of wet food, and it will help him feel a little better.
FWIW, our Benny lived to age 20 and I never gave him prescription food, just canned and eventually the binder.
Please give him a pet for me. Senior kitties are special.
So sorry for your cat's diagnosis. I know what's it like. My cat was on sub-q liquids, and I administered it every day.
It took some experimenting, but my cat loved the Royal Canin renal support "E" wet food. She also ate the Science Diet Prescription dry food for kidney care. Toward the end, she was barely eating the dry food. Eventually, she passed away with in year of diagnosis. Her kidneys were still ok, but her potassium levels dropped way too low, even with a potassium supplement.
Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I'm STILL experimenting with different food. This has been a challenge but my little buddy is worth the work and I don't mind doing it for him. I've tried every renal support food that I could buy. That includes Hill's K/D, Royal Canine (all letter designations), Purina NF and even Forza10, which is non-prescription but still renal support food. The only brand I have yet to try is Blue Buffalo.
Rocky has gone through cycles where I think he likes a particular brand, and then he stops eating it. He's lost at least one pound because he's not eating kibble anymore - only wet food - which is probably better for him given the water content.
I've been mixing his normal, non renal support food in with the renal support food. He started off eating it all but now is leaving a lot of it leftover in his bowl and as you know, cats cannot be "starved" into eating food. If they don't like it, they simply won't eat it.
StarlaJane: He still has his usual appetite and I've even given him some of his non-renal food so that he keeps eating. Thanks for the info on Nulo toppers. I didn't know of that and I will look for them. He's definitely still drinking plenty of water. He always so it's hard to tell if he's drinking more but I could definitely tell if he was drinking less.
Marian: Yes, I definitely don't expect perfect labs but I certainly was hoping that he would avoid having CKD. His quality of life is still good. I hope that lasts!
E-Twist: My philosophy is that I will take care of my cats to the best of my ability and I'll get them the care that need. I make it about them and I never make it about me so I get what you're saying. Quality of life what matters. And that's what I'll always gauge.
Rene: I'm at that point where I'll have to get back on the normal canned food. He's lost one pound and that may not sound like a lot but I notice a big difference with him. I asked about the phosphorus binders and my vet said not at this point - not yet. How long did Benny live with CKD? I most certainly will give him a pet for you. I'm sorry that you lost Benny. I also feel that senior cats are special. Very special.
TallyDude: Thank you. I have to get Rocky on the subcutaneous fluids. I got my lesson on how to do so so now I'll give it to him every day. I'm sorry to hear you lost your little friend. I tried E with Rocky and he didn't really care for it. Keep in mind, I mixed it with his normal food in an effort to transition to the renal support food exclusively. He seems to eat the T a bit but again, he's just not digging any of the food fully.
There's a FB page/group called "Feline Chronic Kidney Disease." If you join, you'll find lots of information, and if you ask questions, you'll get knowledgeable answers.
I went through it for two years, and mine wouldn't eat the renal food either.
My best lil buddy Pye had kidney disease and I was told he might last another 30 days, if he was lucky! Like you, OP, I had an impossible time with prescription food. He preferred to starve rather than eat the prescribed food and I also tried them all. I noticed that when I was cooking our regular family dinners he was interested in eating (probably due to the smells in the kitchen) but when I set down his food, he would sniff and walk away. I couldn't give him table scraps, too unhealthy for him regardless of how much he wanted them, so I purchased some baby food, the meats (chicken, turkey and beef) and success! Pye ate every bit. After that, he regained his appetite and began to act like he was feeling better. I continued to carefully monitor his every bite, his drinking and activity level and tailored his care to his comfort level.
Long story short, after that 30 day diagnosis, Pye lived another year and nine months without any further treatments or prescription diets. His comfort and quality of life was the most important thing, he deserved all the love and dignity for being my companion for so many years. I simply took his cues and acted accordingly. When he finally did pass, he went downhill rather quickly and we both knew it was "time". He was 21.
My advice to you is, listen to your Vet but also listen to Rocky. If he wants to stay, make him happy and comfortable in his final days but if he's ready to go you will know.
T Rene: I'm at that point where I'll have to get back on the normal canned food. He's lost one pound and that may not sound like a lot but I notice a big difference with him. I asked about the phosphorus binders and my vet said not at this point - not yet. How long did Benny live with CKD? I most certainly will give him a pet for you. I'm sorry that you lost Benny. I also feel that senior cats are special. Very special.
Benny lived several years with CKD, living to age 20, when his kidneys finally started to shut down and we had to make "that" decision. Unfortunately, he was not a candidate for sub-q fluids, given that he also had a heart issue, but this could help your cat feel better and you can give them at home yourself.
Your kitty doesn't sound ready for the phosphorus binder yet but he may benefits from fluids, even 1-2 times per week.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
