Anyones cat have this?

[greeneyedchic75]

I took my 11 year old cat to the vet yesterday to get a checkup and to get bloodwork taken. I talked to the vet today and she told me his bloodwork showed early renal failure. She said there was no cure , but that he would need to be on a kidney diet .I am beside myself because he was my baby before I had my baby u know.I am hoping that this wont mean that he will pass away soon. I asked the Dr if she thought he would pass soon and she said she hoped not. I am just wondering if anyone else has had this happen to their cat and what to expect. Thanks in advance

 

[Pop Daddy]

she "hopes not" , well tell her you "hope" the check you wrote her doesnt bounce.

 

[sweet angel]

My cat died from renal failure. We could've tried dialysis on him, but he was pretty far gone by the time he showed symptoms, plus it would have only delayed the inevitable.

Hopefully, this isn't the case with your cat.

 

[greeneyedchic75]

My cat died from renal failure. We could've tried dialysis on him, but he was pretty far gone by the time he showed symptoms, plus it would have only delayed the inevitable.

Hopefully, this isn't the case with your cat.

I'm so sorry to hear that. Do u mind telling me his symptoms? I am hoping that since she called it early renal failure that its in the beginning. I also have to take him back in to get his back xrayed because he is chewing the hair off his lower back and sensitive when u touch there. While he is sedated she is going to take a urine sample to be able tell more about the renal failure part. I am just so worried about him..

 

[sweet angel]

I honestly don't remember too much...it was a few years ago. I remember we didn't see a lot him and he wasn't eating/drinking as much. I attributed it to my new puppy who sort of terrorized him (chasing him, pinning him, looking for his "squeaker").

One day he was sitting under my computer desk and I thought he was just hiding from the dog. When I went to try to pull him out, he had pee'd right where he was sitting. He did that a few more times and then it dawned on us that he hadn't been "right" for awhile. I called the vet, brought him in, they did bloodwork, told me my options, and we ended up putting him to sleep that night. It was very sad.

I hope you caught it in time and you'll still have time with your baby. I don't know if renal failure can be stopped though...maybe just slowed.

Sending you my best wishes!

 

[escape]

I've had a couple of cats pass away from renal failure. One lived to be 21 and the other 14. The 14 yr old was showing signs of early kidney failure about five years before she passed.

Keep your cat on the diet food and keep plenty of water out for him. If caught early, I think a cat can lead a fairly normal life for a few years. It really depends on how far along the kidney failure is. Also, my vet told me how important it was to have my cat's teeth cleened on a regular basis - once a year or more. Bad teeth can lead to kidney problems.

Sending lots of and good thoughts for you and your precious kitty.

 

[Beca]

We lose every cat we have to kidney failure...it is an epidemic in cats...I am not sure why..something in the food probably.

We just lost one of our kitties a few months ago, and we have two more currently in kidney failure. Sometimes, they can live a REALLY long time with kidney failure, and other times not so long. I have one kitty who is doing REALLY well...she has only had 30% of her kidneys since 1997...that's 10 years and going strong!!

There is a wonderful food for kidney failure kitties...it really helps them to stay healthy, and tastes much better (at least, mine will actually eat it) than Science Diet K/D. It is by a company called IVD (or, Royal Canin). My cats eat "Modified", but there is also "Renal Failure". I am not sure of the difference, but my one renal failure kitty has been eating it for 10 years. If your vet does not have it, ask him/her about getting some for you. Here's a link: http://animalhousemagazine.com/royal_canin_diets_for_cats.htm

Also, learn what you can about subcutaneous fluids. We administered these for one of our cats, and I promised myself I would NEVER do it with another cat. Vets all recommend it. However, my cat hated it...so, we have refused it with our other renal failure kitties. You may have to decide that for yourself.

Good luck, and don't panic....I know it is hard....just do the best you can for your baby.

 

[tonilea]

I had a dog with renal failure (I had to euthanize her for another reason - inoperable tumor in the muscle that closes the stomach). She did fine for years on Science Diet K/D.

I also had a cat w/ renal failure. He, also, did well for several years. Though I did eventually choose to euthanize him because of his kidney disease.

Not all do that well, but catching it early should help.

 

[jumoo044]

My kitty Cleo went through renal failure last year at the age of 9. He was missing for a few days, and then I found him lying out beside the wood shed. I carried him into the house, he wouldn't eat or drink, and he kept trying to go back out. He was at the vet's for a week and a half. Today, over a year later, he is doing fine! He eats the k/d formula cat food, and that's it. I have a friend who is a veterinarian assistant, and she told me that some cats can go for years.
I hope your baby recovers. Don't give up!

 

["Got Disney"]

Also, learn what you can about subcutaneous fluids. We administered these for one of our cats, and I promised myself I would NEVER do it with another cat. Vets all recommend it. However, my cat hated it...so, we have refused it with our other renal failure kitties. You may have to decide that for yourself.

I pet sit for a cat that was in renal failure and she was old and they gave her IV 2 times a day near the end...it started out once every 3 days for about 2 years. Cat was okay till the everyday IV. I gave it as I would pet sit.

They also gave there cat other meds from a holistic vet. The IV they got from there reg. vet.

sorry about your kitty but at least so far she has had 11 years and a couple more hopefully

 

[pppiglet]

If you feed dry cat food, gradually take off and use wet food. Something like Fancy Feast which has healthier ingredients. It has been proven that cats get kidney failure, diabetes, and other health problems because of dry cat food. Cats naturally don't have a thirst for water, and they don't drink enough to keep their kidneys working when on dry food. Wet food is like 90 percent water. Sure it's more expensive for wet food. My 5 cats go through 15 cans a day! But they've never had to go to the vet for any problems, none are overweight, and they are so shiny and soft.

My last two previous cats died from diabetes and kidney failure. They were dry food cats. Never again will I feed dry.

You can read this information yourself in a book called Your Cat by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM. She specializes only in cats.

 

[lisaviolet]

I'm so sorry OP.

I just wanted to add that there are two different types of kidney failure in cats. They are completely different. That's important because the steps to take are also different. I believe the terms are chronic and acute. I'm pretty sure your cat, being older, has chronic. It can be managed but not cured. And not uncommon, especially in older cats. Here is a website link on that. Not familiar with the site but it seems to have a lot of concise information. http://www.felinecrf.com/

Our cat, and maybe others on this thread, had acute. If acute is not immediately reversed it's fatal. It's usually from digesting something. We had no idea what happened to our cat. He was young. Six. It was very ugly. He died within two weeks.

I just wanted to add about subcontaneous fluids. Our cat was on IV at the vets for days. And then I tried the fluids at home for over a week. The vet felt he didn't have a chance without it.
However, I also read, after he died, that needles can stress the cat more which can stress the kidneys. As can checking kidney levels too many times. And that these decisions are difficult b/c of the fact that they need the fluid but extra stress might stress the kidney. But once again, many vets and websites, promote it.

I'm sorry OP. It must have been shocking to get the news. But as others have said, the good news is that it can be managed.

All the best,

Lisa

 

[lisaviolet]

My kitty Cleo went through renal failure last year at the age of 9. He was missing for a few days, and then I found him lying out beside the wood shed. I carried him into the house, he wouldn't eat or drink, and he kept trying to go back out. He was at the vet's for a week and a half. Today, over a year later, he is doing fine! He eats the k/d formula cat food, and that's it. I have a friend who is a veterinarian assistant, and she told me that some cats can go for years.
I hope your baby recovers. Don't give up!

I wonder if he had acute failure. I suspect that he did since it is immediately fatal if not reversed but potentially curable unlike chronic. So happy for you. What a relief.

But I also thought about our situation as I was smiling about your cat's health. And had a moment of "what if" reading your post. Our cat had acute. Did so well staying at the vets for a couple of days. It was like a miracle. And then went quickly after returning home. We really wanted him to stay longer on the IV and in their care. (Just like your cat) But the vet felt that "he can't stay on IV forever". After researching, I would suggest to anyone whose cat has acute, and you have/can find the money somehow, to aggressively keep your cat on IV for an extended period whether that is at the vets or in a vet hospital. I really think it gives the cat a fighting chance. And I regret not fighting the vet on that matter.

I realized how little they knew after Billie died. One, they checked his levels many times in a short time period. Like I said some think needles can cause tremendous stress in acute cases at critical times. And two, the worst, they called two weeks later to tell me to bring his brother in because "siblings can have the same condition and he must be checked. Hinting that I should do so immediately". I phoned back and said, "Billie had acute failure. I thought there is nothing hereditary about that. What are you talking about?". No response from my message.

Sorry OP for hijacking. Just brought up a lot.

 

[greeneyedchic75]

Wow I am sorry to see that so many of you have expierenced this. The vet didnt say Acute so I think its the chronic type. She said early renal failure and said it wasnt curable so that sounds more like the chronic type. I have to take him in and when he is sedated for his xrays she is going to do a urine sample and she said that will give her a better idea on his condition. She did say he will have to go on Kidney Diet, but she said the kidney diet will not be good for my two year old cat to eat. SO feeding them two different foods is going to be a challenge.
Thank you all for the links and I am going to read them all . I hope and pray that with treatment I will still have many more years to snuggle and love on my baby. I do not want him to suffer so when it gets to that point I will have to go through with the inevitable. I will know more when I take him in , hopefully maybe the vet can give me more of an idea on things when we know what stage he is at.
Heres a pic of my peedee.

 

[greeneyedchic75]

If you feed dry cat food, gradually take off and use wet food. Something like Fancy Feast which has healthier ingredients. It has been proven that cats get kidney failure, diabetes, and other health problems because of dry cat food. Cats naturally don't have a thirst for water, and they don't drink enough to keep their kidneys working when on dry food. Wet food is like 90 percent water. Sure it's more expensive for wet food. My 5 cats go through 15 cans a day! But they've never had to go to the vet for any problems, none are overweight, and they are so shiny and soft.

My last two previous cats died from diabetes and kidney failure. They were dry food cats. Never again will I feed dry.

You can read this information yourself in a book called Your Cat by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM. She specializes only in cats.

wow I have never heard this. I do feed them dry. They are on Iams hairball care formula. I am def going to check into this. I dont mind switching them , especially if it will keep them healthier.
your cats eat 15 cans a day? how many cats do u have? lol they must be hungry lil things lol

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

I hate to hear about your sweet kitty. I had one who had kidney failure - by the time we found out he was down to 5% function so there was no hope for him.

The vet said he would have good days and bad days and that I would know when it was time to have him euthanized. It was very difficult for me. This was my baby, I had had him for 10 years. Since the time he was little he would put his little paws around my neck and nuzzle under my chin and just purr. It has been 10 years and I still miss him.

I hope they can help him. Hugs to you!!

 

[rcraw45425]

I nursed a Himalayan through renal failure for three years thanks for the most part to the Science Diet prescription KD dry food. Before using something like Fancy Feast I would definitely talk to your vet, mine tells me that the grocery store brands like that are not good for animals, too many by products and stuff. Maybe a KD canned or something if the cat has already been diagnosed. Lacey lived three productive years and died when she was twelve.

 

[greeneyedchic75]

I hate to hear about your sweet kitty. I had one who had kidney failure - by the time we found out he was down to 5% function so there was no hope for him.

The vet said he would have good days and bad days and that I would know when it was time to have him euthanized. It was very difficult for me. This was my baby, I had had him for 10 years. Since the time he was little he would put his little paws around my neck and nuzzle under my chin and just purr. It has been 10 years and I still miss him.

I hope they can help him. Hugs to you!!

Aww I am so sorry . People who arent petlovers dont understand sometimes the attachment people have for their pets. When the day comes I will miss my Peedee that way too and the way he always sleeps with only me and follows only me around the house We got him when we first got married at our first duty station, he has always been there for him when dh is gone. He always cuddles with me...

 

[greeneyedchic75]

I nursed a Himalayan through renal failure for three years thanks for the most part to the Science Diet prescription KD dry food. Before using something like Fancy Feast I would definitely talk to your vet, mine tells me that the grocery store brands like that are not good for animals, too many by products and stuff. Maybe a KD canned or something if the cat has already been diagnosed. Lacey lived three productive years and died when she was twelve.

I am so glad to hear that yours lived an additional three years. I am hoping and praying for that as well. Next week when he goes back to the vet I will find out what kidney diet the Dr wants him on. I forgot to ask her yesterday. I was so caught up on hearing about the renal failure I didnt ask her about what exactly a kidney diet is.
By the way I see you live in Columbus Ga, we have been there quite a few times to Ft Benning when Dh was in basic training and some other schools there. He is actually trying to get stationed there when he gets back home to be an Airborne Instructor.

 

[Sherri]

Wow I am sorry to see that so many of you have expierenced this. The vet didnt say Acute so I think its the chronic type. She said early renal failure and said it wasnt curable so that sounds more like the chronic type. I have to take him in and when he is sedated for his xrays she is going to do a urine sample and she said that will give her a better idea on his condition. She did say he will have to go on Kidney Diet, but she said the kidney diet will not be good for my two year old cat to eat. SO feeding them two different foods is going to be a challenge.
Thank you all for the links and I am going to read them all . I hope and pray that with treatment I will still have many more years to snuggle and love on my baby. I do not want him to suffer so when it gets to that point I will have to go through with the inevitable. I will know more when I take him in , hopefully maybe the vet can give me more of an idea on things when we know what stage he is at.
Heres a pic of my peedee.

What a beautiful cat. I sure hope he improves. I'm saying prayers for you and Peedee. Keep us updated. Get as much info. Knowledge is power.