Feline Renal Failure

oh my dear. i'm so sorry.
when i'm NOT in the throes of watching one of my beloved critters leaving me it's very easy to be clear about what i'd do. i want them to go gently, with my arms around them, before they're in pain, and suffering, and confused about why everything hurts and nothing is good any more.
but when it's happening, i'm in total terror that i might send them off before they're ready, and want to do everything i can to keep them around longer.
hopefully you've got a vet you can trust. rely on them to let you know. i've got a bit of a problem with my horse vet, because she wants to fight to the absolute end of all possibilities, which i totally understand, but don't totally agree with. sometimes when you're forcing medicine, food and painful procedures on a dying animal it's more like torture than love. but so hard to judge when it's you.
if you're having to force him more than not, i'm afraid you're getting close to the tough decision.
love, strength and wisdom to you.
khairete
S.

D., do not let it get to the point that you are watching your cat starve to death. The most humane thing to do for him would be to have him euthanized. Even if he doesn't seem sick, he is not feeling well. You are prolonging his life for your sake, not his. You have to do what's right for the animal.

We went through this almost two years ago with our cat. She was only 9, and we noticed a major decline in her eating. We took her to the vet and the diagnosed beginning stage renal failure. They gave us the option to have these really expensive dialysis treatments done, or to have her euthanized. We couldn't afford the treatments which weren't even guaranteed to work so we brought her home for the weekend so the kids could spend a couple of days with her and say goodbye. It was heartbreaking, but we had to do right by her.

I think you need to start thinking about euthanizing him, I'm sorry to say. Your kitties health is not going to improve, only get worse. It is a humaine thing to do. They will give him an overdose of anestesia. He will go to sleep and not feel a thing. It's quite humaine. I'm so sorry. We just went through this with our kitty a few months ago.

I dread the day when my cat starts to fail, it will make me sad.
They dont have an appetite because their kidneys arent working right and it causes them pain to eat and drink, their natural instinct is to stop.
Selfishly we like to prolong life, if she's not in pain, and not destroying the house with pee accidents that's a good thing.
A good vet may help pull her out of this, it could be temporary. Time will tell.
I had a pug that got parvo once, we thought we were going to lose her, we gave her water with a turkey baster, it was the only way we could get her to swallow it. She pulled out and was fine, only to get killed by the neighbors dalmatian (I dont like dalmatians now).

I'm very sorry this is happening to your cat. Please be aware that there is going to come a point where the kindest thing you can do is euthanize him. Renal failure is not a good diagnosis (especially in kitties) and if you are going to end up force feeding him and maintaining fluids, this isn't for him it is for you. I know how awful it it is when it is one of our beloved pets so please do not let him get to that bad point. You can be there with your little guy at the end and he will feel more secure and you will see that it is truly not a bad way to go.

So sorry, best of luck.

I have a kitty with renal failure. I have found that the fluids treatment (Sub Q) works very well for her. When she first became ill - about 6 months ago - we did the 100-150 ccs daily - she is now down to 100 to 150 ccs every 4 to 5 days. I had the vet teach me how to do the treatment and I do them at home. Easier on her and much easier on my wallet. Tho' my kitchen looks like a triage with the fluid bag hanging over the table.

Don't force feed kitty. I know you want to help, but if they are nauseous from the renal failure they really don't want to eat. Do start the fluid treatments as soon as possible and talk to your vet about doing them daily. The influx of fluid into their body helps "kick" start the kidneys and flushes out the toxins that have built up. It is the toxins that make them nauseous.

In the past, I had a sick kitty that they gave Valium to, to perk his appetite - see if your vet will explore other medications - there seem to be just as many for pets as for humans and sometimes you have to experiment to get the right combination.

My current kitty eats only Science Diet KD right now - it is for cats with renal issues. Once we got her nausea under control with treatments she has returned to eating fairly normally. Be careful with what you feed your cat - once renal failure starts it means it is harder for the kidneys to process waste and the wrong food(s) put a greater strain on the kidneys.

Be patient - talk to your vet again - check out this web site - http://www.felinecrf.com/index.htm - it has some good information about renal failure.

Hugs to you

I'm sorry you are going through this.....

Has the vet talked about sub-q? (Subcutaneous fluids)..... this is where a saline solution is injected under the skin. That can help keep dehydration from becoming as much an issue.

One of my last cats ended up in kidney failure..... we also had a hard time getting her to eat... the vet put her on the kidney diet foods, which, unfortunately, don't taste as good as other foods.

We were able to sustain her for about 3 months, but at that point, she was 18 years old. She had already lost most of her kidney function, though. Hopefully yours will do better. If you can get past this hump, with diligence, you may be able to maintain him for a while.

It is so sad, though, when we see our pets suffer. One morning, I came out, and I could just see that she had given up..... it is hard to explain the look/attitude, but I could tell. I took her to the vet, and they called me later, saying that it was just time, and I agreed...... and yes, I bawled..... she had been my baby! (She was also older than my kids.....)

The fluids might help a lot. Renal failure is common in older cats, and sometimes younger ones.

I have had many cats and dogs over the years, and one of the questions I commonly use to my vet is: "If this were your pet, what would you do?" I need that sort of help and support. My vet knows I want to let my pets live and be happy as long as possible, and I depend on him/her to help me do it. Sometimes there isn't anything to do, though, and I have to know I've done my best.

That said, the fluids may help considerably. One of my grandcats gets fluids on a regular basis for her renal problems, and she's been doing well much longer than we ever anticipated.

The key is to keep him hydrated more than anything. When any living thing is going into renal failure, their body just can't process food and nutrients like it used to, making food, especially solids of any kind (even canned foods) very difficult to eat. They can go a long time on very little food, but they NEED water and lots of it.

If he can't drink on his own, get an eye dropper or syringe (the kind used for administering children's meds is a perfect size) and slowly drop water into his mouth throughout the day. He may do better with small amounts of canned cat food on the end of a wooden coffee stirring stick that he can lick off if he can't eat from a bowl like he used to. A can of food administered throughout the day in this way will go a long way. Don't bother with dry food anymore. I'm sure the vet told you this is too hard on the system when the body is shutting down and just difficult for them to physically eat as well.

You will probably have to create some sort of schedule, and administer water and food in small amounts throughout the day and night (at least that is what happend with a pet of mine) to ensure they are hydrated well. You'll find at some point, they just can't drink significant amounts or eat significant amounts in one sitting, so you'll have to go about it in a very slow drawn out manner. Near the end with one cat, I was stretching an 8oz cup of water and 1 small can of food throughout a 12 hour period, because that is all the cat could or would take. It was sufficient. She had vet checks regularly at that time, and the vet was satisfied she was getting enough and comfortable.

Not to upset you, but when a pet is unable to feed itself, they really don't have much time left. So you have to resolve to feed and water them on a schedule to ensure they are comfortable and hydrated. It is alot of work and stressful too.

They do get to a point where even if they "look" okay, they're not. They really do need you to do the work for them. As long as he's still taking food in this way, he will be fine. It's when you can't get them to eat and drink with a dropper etc. that you may have to start making some decisions for the well being of the pet. I have found most vets won't make that decision for you unless your pet seems to be in serious distress or is imminently at their end.

I'm sorry you are going through this. It is very difficult. As difficult as caring and doing hospice care for a dying human. Hang in there.

It is really distressing, I know. But your cat may be telling you that it is time for him to go. Cats generally show no sign of illness until really late in the game. It is good that he otherwise doesn't seem distressed. I would sit back, take a deep breath, and ask, what is my pet telling me about his life? Sometimes the best and kindest thing is just to let them go quietly, before their life turns into one big misery. So sorry you are going through this.

I am sorry to hear about your cat and I can totally relate to your concern. I went through this with my cat Savannah about 2 years. Same issues. She did not want to eat either and she was in renal failure with an elevated thyroid level. I recommend that you do not force your cat to eat even though that is our instinct. Cats do not like to eat when they are ill and sometimes eating makes them feel worse (I have had several vets tell me this and I have observed it myself). He may also sense your anxiety. As long as you leave fresh food and water out, he will eat when he is ready. His appetite may not return until the vet gets him stabilized. Please keep in mind that renal failure is not reversible. The thyroid condition may have caused it just like it did with my cat. A 12 year old cat is like a 85 year old person so prepare yourself for a bumpy ride. Be kind, follow the vet's recommendations, and let your cat know you are there for him but don't overwhelm him. Cats are very good at taking care of themselves when they are not feeling well (they like to hide and sleep). I wish I could help you more but it sounds like you are doing everything you can. Please keep us updated. Hugs from someone who has been there.

P.S. Savannah got to the point where she was suffering in pain from the renal failure. I made the decision to euthanize my 16 year old girl. I had her since she was a baby. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I realized it was the kindest and most compassionate thing I could do for her. She is over the rainbow bridge flying with the angels. Monitor your boy's suffering. Don't keep him here if he is ready to go.

I highly agree with Lesley B. I worked as a vet tech for over a decade before becoming a SAHM. Sub Q fluids can really help with quality of life and give you a little more time. Ask your vet to show you how to do it at home. It's definitely worth a shot.

Good luck to you and your kitty.