My kitty cat is in chronic renal failure

woodstock

woodstock

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It was just positively confirmed Thursday with an ultrasound. Pretty bummed about it all. I have two cats, they are littermates. Only one is affected.

Other than the weight loss (and the excessive drinking and peeing) she is still acting quite normal. Interested in food, running, jumping, purring, playing. Her numbers are elevated but still low-elevated and so far, stable. It's also possible this has been on a simmer for some time. With cats I guess you don't know things are going on for a long time - they don't "act sick" until they are pretty far along.

It's bad news but now that we know what it is, all the treatment can start and hopefully we will be the ones that beat the odds as long as possible.

She's only 5 years old. I'm learning more about kidneys than I ever thought I would.
 
:frown3:

I think my cousin's cat had a similar condition at about the same age. She ended up living a few more years but needed to be given a IV of saline solution every day (?!) or so.
 
Hi Mari

Yes, I think ultimately that will be the case. :(

Right now she's hydrated just fine and eating and all - but from what I'm learning there may come a point where you have to do all that for them. Luck plays a big part in this - all the careful treatment helps but luck factors into it.
 
Youch! Condolences, but it might be its time. I would not treat and animal with an IV, they don't understand.
 
ugh - we lost one cat to kidney failure, but it was 20yrs old and its time was up.

We used Science Diet KD ( a kidney function formula ) for most of its lifetime. Plus, it won't hurt the healthy cats to be on that diet, either. We started it on KD when our other cat ( who lived 17yrs ) started showing reduced kidney functions, so they both ended up with the same diet.

Good luck.
 
steingar said:
I would not treat and animal with an IV, they don't understand.
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This cat apparently didn't mind and wouldn't fight it. Actually my cousin said the cat would tolerate the IV much better than when she had to try to give it medicine orally.
 
Elizabeth, I had the same problem with my 3 year old cat. Genetic problem, nothing to be done about it. My vet gave us the bad prognosis and possible expenses, and we made the decision to put him down when he started to suffer. We just couldn't see giving him intensive care which would be painful and long for a very small chance of improvement.

Not trying to influence your decision at all - just hoping that the viewpoint might be helpful. Enjoy him while he's still happy!
 
Hi

Thanks everyone for the kind words.

She really isn't "acting" sick. It's possible she had it for a long time, they aren't really sure. I'm learning a lot about the therapies. I figure as long as she keeps eating and drinking and is happy, that's the best I can hope for. Apparently it's not painful although the stomach acid that can result can cause nausea. She is now on tiny slivers of Pepcid AC every other day for that. I'm betting that now that it's confirmed and being treated she will be more comfortable/in better shape than she has been in, in a while.

Yup, special kidney diet and all that!

Tim, so far in two months I've spent 2600 bucks for treatment and now diagnosis. I'm half expecting the expenses to stabilize now that we know what it is and the treatment is predictable. (again, with luck it's predictable).

They were throwing out kidney transplants and all that - I think that sounds almost cruel, especially to both cats (donor and donee). Medicine for her whole life to avoid rejecting the transplant, and so on. I'd like to think that decision is years off.

It's stunning because you really wouldn't think she was a sick cat. For gosh sakes she jumps up on my high boy dresser every night when I come home! And tearasses around the house...
 
That is awful Elizabeth. They are family members. I hope she does better. Cats are very good at disguising their illnesses. Its a survival instinct.

:(
 
Anthony said:
That is awful Elizabeth. They are family members. I hope she does better. Cats are very good at disguising their illnesses. Its a survival instinct.

:(
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Thanks Anthony. Indeed they are family members. Well, while she is responding so well there is hope. I did hear that too, about disguising their illness.
 
Elizabeth;
Sorry to hear about your cat. To some, our pets are better than family. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. I hope she responds to treatment and has a long life.
Though not my cats, I've lived through two incidents of similar nature. Both cats continued to vacation with us for years.
Good luck.
 
Giving sub-cutaneous (not IV) fluids is cheap, easy, and very effective. I've known cats who've lived years and years with it. You don't necessarily have to do it every day. Diet can help a LOT and you might only have to give fluids once or twice a week. Most cats don't mind the procedure much.

The transplant option is pricy. Because you use a donor cat from the shelter you are actually saving it's life since you have to adopt it for life. So it's not all that gruesome.

Matt
 
Elizabeth - sorry to hear about kitty's condition, but it's great to hear that she's responding to treatment. Somehow, after they've been ill, you don't mind as much when the 'kids' are tearing up the house :)

Leslie
 
Hi John and Matt

Thanks for the advice - I've been reading so much (those online support groups/information) which I guess has a lot of folks with kitties that aren't responding well. Very scary. It is good to know there is a chance for a longer life.

Leardriver - thanks for the thoughts. This was an ultrasound/internal medicine specialist who was confirming what my regular vet thought. I'm thinking it is what it is. In fact a year or so ago my regular vet thought she may have IBD because she lost weight - I am wondering now if it was the start of all this but didn't show on the tests yet (kidney values then were high normal, but, normal. I guess since the kidney diet won't hurt them anyway this is a good path to follow now.

Leslie, so true (not that I minded anyway). My cats are pretty spoiled! Other than shredding furniture they've been good kids. ;)
 
Elizabeth, let me throw my hat in the ring--I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. Sometimes when they aren't showing signs of hurting, it's even harder--because you know they are sick and you're always wondering 'when'.

They truly are part of the family. I don't want to steal any from your thread, but I know what you're going through. Our dog has been favoring one of her hind legs for the past week or so, not wanting to put weight on it. Doesn't appear to be her paw--I think it's her hip (arthritis); she's 14 now, a beautiful springer spaniel. I've got her on meds, I massage her hip muscles, and take her for short walks, but it doesn't seem to be helping her (yet), and it's hard to watch her hurt, she's so good tempered. It'd do her good to swim, but oddly enough she hates the water.
 
Hey Troy - Ophelia is one of the black kitties in the photo you showed your kids.

What does your vet say? It really is hard to watch and the fact that they don't live even remotely as long as your own lifespan is even harder. Could you put her in a whirlpool do you think, or would that really bother her?
 
woodstock said:
Hey Troy - Ophelia is one of the black kitties in the photo you showed your kids.
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NO! :nonod: She's such a cutie!!

woodstock said:
What does your vet say? It really is hard to watch and the fact that they don't live even remotely as long as your own lifespan is even harder. Could you put her in a whirlpool do you think, or would that really bother her?
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I need to take her in... she's been so healthy her entire life, she doesn't have a normal vet. She gets her shots at the discount clinic when he sets up shop in the parking lot of the feed store once/year.

Last time I took her to the vet, it was EXPENSIVE. (sigh) Need to just bite the bullet and do it anyway. I wish Dr. Dave had his office near me, I'd take her there. I trust him. Though I like to think that most vets are doing this because they love animals, I still worry about stumbling upon a bad apple who will take advantage of me and my baby.
 
Elizabeth, I'm so sorry to hear about your kitty. I've always had cats, and have lost a couple to old age, etc. Kiidneys are the Achilles heel for cats. My sincerest condolences.
 
SkyHog said:
:( I'm sorry Liz.
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Me too. Having been through this with an older cat I can tell you that it's most likely that she'll just fade away when the time comes. IOW she won't hurt but you will.
 
Elizabeth, sorry to here about your kitty. I am kind of in a same situation as you. I had to put my cat Tommy down the Saturday after Christmas because it turned out he was in advanced stages of Leukemia. Leukemia in cats is extremely contagious and I had to get my other cat Shamus tested. He tested positive. This is one of those illnesses that a cat can live with for quite a while or take it down fast. Shamus might live for only 2 more months or he can live a long life. The only thing I can do, is just love him and cherish him, knowing that he won't be around some day.
 
TangoWhiskey said:
NO! :nonod: She's such a cutie!!



I need to take her in... she's been so healthy her entire life, she doesn't have a normal vet. She gets her shots at the discount clinic when he sets up shop in the parking lot of the feed store once/year.

Last time I took her to the vet, it was EXPENSIVE. (sigh) Need to just bite the bullet and do it anyway. I wish Dr. Dave had his office near me, I'd take her there. I trust him. Though I like to think that most vets are doing this because they love animals, I still worry about stumbling upon a bad apple who will take advantage of me and my baby.
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I'd start asking around for a good vet? When I adopted them, the foster family had been doing this for years and knew a good vet hospital and I've been going ever since so I was lucky. Any vet I've ever met is a real softie for animals. You're right, it's spendy though! I wish I had gotten insurance a long time ago, now it's too late.
 
Pookies, I'm so sorry. That's really sad. I am getting the sense with cats that it all happens pretty fast - they don't show illness until it's too late.

Lance, I'm sorry. :( I guess we are all going to live long enough to have pet stories like this.

Sky, thanks.
 
woodstock said:
It was just positively confirmed Thursday with an ultrasound. Pretty bummed about it all. I have two cats, they are littermates. Only one is affected.

Other than the weight loss (and the excessive drinking and peeing) she is still acting quite normal. Interested in food, running, jumping, purring, playing. Her numbers are elevated but still low-elevated and so far, stable. It's also possible this has been on a simmer for some time. With cats I guess you don't know things are going on for a long time - they don't "act sick" until they are pretty far along.

It's bad news but now that we know what it is, all the treatment can start and hopefully we will be the ones that beat the odds as long as possible.

She's only 5 years old. I'm learning more about kidneys than I ever thought I would.
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So sorry to hear this. I have had two cats go through this. Give me a call and I can answer a bunch of questions and share what I went through caring for them. I have to say that the both cats did pretty well with the treatment and one was amazing with how she dealt with it. It was also the closest I have ever become to an animal.
 
smigaldi said:
So sorry to hear this. I have had two cats go through this. Give me a call and I can answer a bunch of questions and share what I went through caring for them. I have to say that the both cats did pretty well with the treatment and one was amazing with how she dealt with it. It was also the closest I have ever become to an animal.
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Thanks Scott. I'll try to call tonight, if not, I'll give you a holler early next week.

She just ate a bunch of her food this morning - I think the Pepcid is really helping.
 
woodstock said:
Thanks Scott. I'll try to call tonight, if not, I'll give you a holler early next week.

She just ate a bunch of her food this morning - I think the Pepcid is really helping.
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It does help, you will most likely get real good at giving pills. The next one will be Slow FE as they will need iron when they become anemic. Really watch their food and keep them on low protein stuff. No more treats of tuna!!! But if they will not eat then you HAVE to give them the good stuff. When you call I will tell you all about the "room of torture" with the IV bags and needles. More scary for us than for them.
 
Bummer... but you are wise to consider diet, etc. You might want to cover all angles by looking into homeopathy for cats- remarkable things have been done for cats and dogs with herbals, nosodes, etc.

I haven't delved much into it with my dog, except for stuff like brewer's yeast in her food to keep parasites off her, and occasional raw meat and bones (not pork or game, of course)... but there is a lot worth looking into. Everyday diet, not surprisingly, is critical.

I do feed her a lot of kibble, but she often gets canned fish, raw meat, rice, and fresh veggies (she loves bell peppers). Canines and felines in the wild get grains, seeds, and other plant matter from the bellies of their prey, so dogs and cats do well with stuff like that, and the fresher the better.

There may be no connection, but Peg's 13-ish now and still basically healthy. Never had worms, and only a couple of minor infections in recent years.

As for any treatment with needles: not necessarily torture, for a cat that doesn't mind it- some do, and some don't, same as dogs. My Peg's been through a lot (mange, amputation, pneumonia, bladder infection), and has been stuck, stitched, poked, prodded and dosed many times, but never got uptight about it. "Giant needle? Whatever. Stiches? Okey-doke. Pills? You'll have to force me, but I won't fight much." Except the one time she cut a paw and they had to staple it- she did not like that at all. She made her special growly sound. Brave vet and assistants... :D
But of course when I used to trim her nails with clippers, she acted like I was killing her... :rolleyes:

All that said, I hope your kitty feels better soon! :smile:
 
Aw, Beth, sorry to hear that. :frown2:

At least she's still active so you've got some time left.
 
Hey Rottydaddy, thanks for the advice. She's a really gentle cat - easy to pill, easy to give meds to in general (so far). The vets love her for that.

Seeing her run around it's easy to forget she's ill. I think she has even gained a tiny bit of weight since Thursday - the meds are working then.

Thanks Bill. I'm going to stay positive about this!
 
Sub cu' fluid therapy doesn't cure renal failure but it does cancel it out. It's like dialysis. There is no reason she can't be very healthy and active. Do you know what her BUN and Creatinine values are?
 
Good luck with your kitty cat. It's tough when one of your closest friends, even kitties, get sick.
 
woodstock said:
Hey Rottydaddy, thanks for the advice. She's a really gentle cat - easy to pill, easy to give meds to in general (so far). The vets love her for that.

Seeing her run around it's easy to forget she's ill. I think she has even gained a tiny bit of weight since Thursday - the meds are working then.

Thanks Bill. I'm going to stay positive about this!
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There will be highs and lows. As the treatment continues expect your emotional state to also fluctuate with the cat's. The first cat I had that went through somehow knew that the subQ fluids helped. She would walk with me to the basement where the set up was located at and would stand until she got all her fluids. This left a big cold lump on her back. I would set her down pet her and she would walk upstairs to the bathroom where I would take a nice warm shower and she could warm up again.

She lasted about 2 years.

In the end she basically told me she had enough. She had gotten thinner and would not groom. I cleaned her claws for her one time towards the end. She was fastidious about her claws. When I did that I had never heard her purr so loud. It was her way of saying thanks. She was remarkable in many ways even before she was ill.
 
woodstock said:
Hey Rottydaddy, thanks for the advice. She's a really gentle cat - easy to pill, easy to give meds to in general (so far). The vets love her for that.

Seeing her run around it's easy to forget she's ill. I think she has even gained a tiny bit of weight since Thursday - the meds are working then.

Thanks Bill. I'm going to stay positive about this!
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I think I can speak for most of us in saying that we hope it works for the best.
 
Matt - in December she was 2.6, BUN 44. After 6 wks of abx, she was 2.4, BUN 42. Thursday she was 2.7 with BUN of 39. So, it's elevated but lower-elevated. The rest of her results came in today and she's got normal protein levels, normal cobalamin levels, and negative on a culture so she's trucking along.

Thanks Tristar. She's eating really well, the Pepcid is helping. She ate a whole bunch tonight.

Scott, I'm sorry. :(. She sounded like a great cat. Mine are very attached to me as well.

Lance, thanks. I feel better when I'm home with her because she seems to be feeling well. I'm just going to keep doing what the vet says and hope for the best as long as possible.
 
woodstock said:
Matt - in December she was 2.6, BUN 44. After 6 wks of abx, she was 2.4, BUN 42. Thursday she was 2.7 with BUN of 39. So, it's elevated but lower-elevated. The rest of her results came in today and she's got normal protein levels, normal cobalamin levels, and negative on a culture so she's trucking along.


Those values aren't too bad. She may have been like that for a while without any diet or meds, or fluids to help out. I bet she will continue to improve for a while yet and last a good long time.

Have a look at this food company. When science diet KD formula would no longer interest my old dog and her digestive system shut down this stuff brought her back up wonderfully. Worth every penny and we now feed it exclusively to all 3 dogs

http://www.sojos.com/

I dont know about you but when my dog and cat pals are sick I'm nausiated and cant sleep the entire time
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Hey Matt

Thanks for the tips. Right now she's eating but she's a fickle eater. I'm sorry about your pup.

Yes, this hasn't been an easy few months. In a way, KNOWING what it is helps a little even though it is bad news because now I can actually react to it and help her. I am pretty sure she's already gained a little weight, she feels heftier in just a week. I was thinking the same thing about her numbers - those are without treatment.

I was hoping it was just an infection and it would be over, but it's not, so we go with what we know and work for the best outcome we can.
 
Elizabeth,

Sorry to hear of your cat.

We had 2 littermates that we got when our kids were in elementary school. Jeffery and Turbo were with us for 18 and 19 years - longer than our kids - and both had kidney failure late in life. We eventually had to put them to sleep as we could do nothing more for them. It was very painful.

Best wishes.
 
Thanks Tyler. I'm sorry about your boys. :(

I'm in London right now, crashing severely (exactly one hour of sleep since I woke up Wednesday morning, so that means 32 hours??) and had dinner and am heading to SLEEP. My petsitter will take good care of them...
 
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