Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi, our girl cat had blood tests last week due to her losing weight, off her food and drinking more. Shes 11.

The tests have shown that she has stage 4 kidney disease and the vet would like to give her I’ve fluids and then repeat blood as well as an ultrasound as she’s concerned that one kidney might be larger than the other.

I was just wondering if anyone had similar experience and what the prognosis might be? I know kidney disease can be well managed, I’m just worried as to why it’s come on so quickly? She seems happy and purry apart from drinking lots and off her food?
Thanks!

That is quite early and sudden, though some cats can successfully hide ckd into quite advanced stages. Hydration is key to accurate tests though, so you may find an adjusted diagnosis once the tests have been done properly. Also some of the results can be affected by other factors, even something simple like when they last ate.

Stage 1-2 is usually very easily managed by diet which slows the progression of the disease. Drugs like Fortekor if it's suitable can improve kidney function though you have to remember it is a progressive disease and all we can do is slow it down and help them to feel better, there is no magic cure.

Do ask for the full results of the bloods, not just IRIS stage. I foolishly listened to that from a different vet and we spent miserable and expensive months trying to persuade my girl to eat renal food that she didn't need. This website is an excellent comprehensive guide to ckd from start to finish http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm

Thank you so much for the link, I’ll have a good read.

Think I’m a bit stunned by it as she doesn’t act like a poorly cat, it’s just the reduced diet and increased thirst.

We also lost her brother to cancer in July and they were not hugely old cats, so I’m wondering about some underlying genetic predisposition.

Not just domestic cats, all feline species have some level of kidney weakness, which can never be eliminated as it doesn't show up until after their breeding prime is over and their babies with the same genetic flaw have gone on to pop hundreds more genetically flawed kidneys into the world. A cat's wild natural lifespan is probably not much more than 12 years, certainly less than 15, so a weakness that manifests so near to the end of a natural lifespan will persist. Personally I like my cats to get a full health check and dental around 12 years of age even without any sign of issues and I almost expect some level of kidney function reduction by then.

I do hope for you that the enlarged kidney isn't bad news and that kidney function is at a manageable level. We always fear the worst but some kind of infection can cause enlargement as well as reduced function, so the more detailed tests and scan will give you a much clearer picture.