Treats for cat with kidney disease

For all your feline miscellany - any interesting stories, news or subjects that do not fit in the other sections.
Post Reply
LindaKat
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat May 25, 2019 10:44 am
No. of cats in household: 1

Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by LindaKat »

Hi
Can anyone recommend any treats that are suitable for a cat with kidney disease. I have bought the Beapher kidney support, they seem expensive for a small packet and of course you have to buy them online.
Any suggestions...
Thank you
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by Mollycat »

What stage kidney disease?

My vet gave me the best ever advice for my first CKD cat and I asked about real meat titbits - don't make her life a misery.
LindaKat
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat May 25, 2019 10:44 am
No. of cats in household: 1

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by LindaKat »

The vets have never mentioned anything about stages, though I have seen it mentioned on various sites.
Maybe I should ask?
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by Mollycat »

Ok so did the vet say early, mild, slight, or any words like that? Did they recommend a special food or was there any other medication, supplements, treatment etc? Was it picked up on a check-up or what symptoms did you present with - just seems to be drinking and peeing more, or at the other end of the scale thin, lost interest in life, grumpy, not eating ...

I'm on my third CKD cat and I take a very relaxed attitude to it, along the lines that in the early stages they feel ok so there's not need to make them miserable and treats won't hurt - as it progresses just getting them to eat is more important than what they eat, and in the later stages it comes to a time when we're just delaying the inevitable for our own benefit more than theirs. Molly is just about to go onto k/d dry but so far I can't find a renal wet food she and I will both be happy with, but even when I do it will be rotated with other non-renal foods and a little fresh meat and Webbox sticks, and don't tell anyone but she loves a little cheese, yoghurt, ice cream and mashed potato ... none of those will stop and she showed her first sign of renal changes two years ago.

Don't know if that's any help but this http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm is the most sensible and comprehensive guide to living with a CKD cat you will find anywhere on the www.
booktigger
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2664
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:36 pm
No. of cats in household: 3

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by booktigger »

That is a big help Mollycat, Lucy's CKD must be progressing as she is now refusing renal wet (and she has 4 different ones!), but fortunately still happy with renal dry, adult and senior wet. Funnily enough I've always been strict with her cat treats (she's also always been on a diet, so they are hairball and arthritis treats!), but one thing I've never done is restrict her 'crumbs' - she's had a bit of carrot and cream this evening (mainly because her food aggression was so bad that without relenting and letting her have a little bit left on the plate, she would draw blood, now she is happy to wait as she knows - in fact, last week, I was late eating my rice pudding, so she sat at the side of me gazing at it!!). I just find it hard to let go of letting her eat what will make her happy rather than what is best for her (although that clearly only applies with cat food and not human food!) - I did contemplate asking the vets about binders, but then realised that I have a cat who hates things being added to her food.
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by Mollycat »

In all honesty Booktigger that simple sentence "Don't make her life a misery" is one I have come back to in so many different situations for so many living things and it's so familiar to me now that it feels just like a sigh of relief whenever it pops into my mind. A quarter of a century later it has lost none of its power for me, and often my first question now when getting a new diagnosis of anything is, "what happens if we do nothing?" on the basis that doing something always brings some degree of discomfort or stress. Obviously sometimes nothing is not an option, but I find it helpful to get a clear picture of both extremes to see where we want to be in between. I err on the side of patient comfort and ease, I think, more so than most people would agree with.

So I guess my question for Lucy would be, why let go if it doesn't sit well with you? but really it's just, don't feel bad for doing what you feel is right, at the end of the day it's between you and Lucy what's right for her life and for you during and after. I'd much rather feel guilty for letting my cat lick mash and ice cream off my finger and dropping bits of raw chicken on the floor, than for buying her one more day by saying no.
LindaKat
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat May 25, 2019 10:44 am
No. of cats in household: 1

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by LindaKat »

It all started around 17 months ago. He started weeing in the house and I noticed some weight loss. Scan showed shrunken left kidney and right one marginally better, both lumpy I think in appearance. Was on Hills kd but swapped him to purina renal which I blend as the fussy little man won't eat it otherwise, just the gravy.
We had blood tests done again on Tuesday to see how things are going. Everything much the same apart from creatanin level which had gone up a bit. Also his bp taken and that was fine.
He has famotidine daily and potassium supplement. Occasional mirtazapine to help with appetite, which fingers crossed seems to be okay at present.
He's only aged about 8 now (rescue so not definite)
Hopefully be able to test his urine on next visit, when he goes for his booster in July. Oh and has heart murmur, grade 3, no treatment for this, think the kidney disease trumps that.
He seems happy enough in himself, very chatty little cat. My little Ginger Whinger aka Harry. 🐱
LindaKat
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 23
Joined: Sat May 25, 2019 10:44 am
No. of cats in household: 1

Re: Treats for cat with kidney disease

Post by LindaKat »

Sorry meant to add thanks for the advice.
Post Reply