Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

First full day back with princess today.
She has not been too bad really, last night she was a little bit unsettled, getting on and off our bed most of the night.
That is to be expected I guess while she gets used to her surroundings again.
It is annoying her not being allowed to go out, but its for the best for now.
My main concern is her not eating that much still, although she is eating a little bit and drinking ok.
On googling this condition, antifreeze is one of the poisions mentioned, although I cannot think where access to that would have been possible?
Antifreze does taste sweet to cats, so be aware of that.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by mr_frisky »

Glad she's back and feeling better.

I suppose it could have been antifreeze. Do you have any lillies in your garden?
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

So pleased she's well enough to come home with you. The vet must trust your caring skills to let her home at this stage, and it sounds like she's in good hands with you. I hope she continues to improve daily. A lot of cat don't like the renal foods, so do persevere. So long as she's drinking well, the renal dried foods are very good, so don't discount them if she doesn't like the wet food.
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Lyn from Australia
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by Lyn from Australia »

This is one of the threads I've managed to miss. I'm so pleased she seems to be improving, poor girl - I was just going to ask what cats would consume that would cause such severe kidney problems - hopefully that is a problem that doesn't occur in my part of Australia. How awful.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by booktigger »

Thee are other brands of renal wet, hills seems to be the most unpopular. I always find dry more palatable
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Well over the weekend Princess has not been to bad, but still concerned how little she is eating.
The tins are about the same size as a tuna tin, she has eaten approx half a tin and a little of the dried.
I guess that is a start, I will be calling the vet tommorrow to report on how she has eaten etc.
She has done two solids and two urines in the litter, which has got to be good.
If this is going to be a long drawn out process, I have the patience.
I have noticed that if I get her near her food and I start petting her, that encourages her to eat for some reason.
I must stick with the hills prescription that the vet gave us.
As for what exactly she could have eaten, the list is very long, antifreeze and lillies are just the common poisons for cats as far as I can gather, and she has not been near either.
Report back soon friends.
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

I have been able to administer the semintra daily pretty accurately with a syringe into her mouth, with help of my son.
Heading for some sleep folks ready for an early start in the morning :(
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by booktigger »

As long as it is renal food, the make doesn't matter. I would ask to morrow if they stock royal Canin renal, it is chunks so much more palatable. I've had a few cats over the years on renal food and none have liked the tinned hills, although my friend was given hills pouches which seemed better
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Thankyou, I will ask for the royals then. I did notice that she was eating a chunks food while she was staying in the vets.
A variety will be good I guess?
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

Lily preferred the Royal Canin as well. It comes in several flavours - she preferred the chicken or tuna. I ended up hand feeding her for a long while, mashing up the food with a little warm water. You could try heating it in the microwave for 10 or 20 seconds - the smell gets their appetite going.

She's probably still feeling poorly, which may be affecting her appetite, or it might just be she's not keen on the food. In some cases we tend to say "anything is better than nothing", (she needs to eat something just to help her build herself up again to keep up the fight). However, given that her kidneys are still in recovery, try to persevere as best you can with the renal food. If it's getting desperate, you could try a little senior food, which is better for kidney sufferers than normal adult food, but try to get as much renal food into her as you can to avoid overstressing her kidneys.
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Well good news, I called at the vets and picked up the Hills Prescription diet K/D Feline Renal Health chicken chunks in the pouches for her and she has lapped it up.
I gave a small amount first mashed up and she cleaned the plate, then the same again and she has eaten that.
I wam going to give her the rest of the pouch when we go to bed.
I do hope this continues :)
Its the best I have seen her eat since she she started poorly.
She is booked in for bloods to be taken on thurs.
Report back soon :)
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by booktigger »

I'm really pleased she has taken to that better, good luck first her next lot of bloods
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by Gillian »

I do hope that Princess makes a full recovery. lots of TLC, cuddles and kisses. Please do keep us all posted. Best wishes Gillian
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Thats two pouches gone in less than 24 hours.
Just finished the second this morning :)
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by SarahT1 [PLLE] »

So pleased that the lovely Princess is on the road to recovery!
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

Brilliant news that she's got her appetite back and you've found a renal food that she likes. It will make the world of a difference to her recovery. Keep us posted!
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Just opened the fourth pouch about ten minutes ago :)
I dont really have any thing un toward to say about her at present, she has even started chasing me up the stairs like she always did and she has visited the scratch pole a few times too.
Lets hope we carry on like this.
Bloods tomorrow night.
She in my opinion is definately recovering am sure :)
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by booktigger »

I'm really pleased she is eating well and acting like normal, sounding good
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Sixth pouch opened this morning.
Heading to the vets at 4.30pm for blood tests.
All fingers crossed for her, she really does seem to be recovering and eating well though now :)
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

This all sounds really positive, well done getting her through such an awful crisis! Hope the vet visit goes ok - let us know how you get on.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by Scatty »

So glad she seems to be much better. Hope the results are good.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Well folks I have the results, and they are not great to be honest but they are pleased with how she is and that she is eating much better.
The results have raised slightly to: Urea 20 Creatonine 727 and Phosphorous to 2.8.
I have been told that this more than likely where princesses levels will stay now, meaning she will bo on the daily dose of Semintra for the rest of her life.
Not good news but at least she is with us and she does seem better in herself now.
The reason for the levels raising slightly is that the flushing through with the drips really does flush out the kidneys, but being connected to a drip is obviously not an option.
This is the damage that has been done to her kidneys, I got told that the kidneys are not a very forgiving organ after damaging them.
But as I say, she does seem much better in herself and if I can get a bit more weight on her she will be better for that.
Another blood test will be performed in months time.
I guess there are many of us humans out there on daily medication, thankfully she is with us and I will more than look after her needs.
I will still keep you posted with any updates of course.
Many thanks for your best wishes, they are so appreciated.
Are there any of you out there who have to give your cats daily medication?
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

I'm sorry to hear the kidney damage is permanent, it is one of those organs that doesn't heal well. But as you say, she's with you, she's feeling well, and she's eating again, so that's all positive. Lily's been on daily medication for years, and I just hide them in a bit of Webbox (meaty treats from most supermarkets and pet shops) - cut a length about 0.5-1 inch long, cut a little slot in it and push the pill in. Lily's got no idea she's been on pills for years, she's just happy to be getting treats every day. Others use bits of ham, or cream cheese, or tuna, whatever your cat prefers.
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gouryella101
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Thanks for that.
Does Lilly have kidney problems?
I will ask the vet if I can mix with food, I was under the impression it was to be administered only how they instructed, with needle less syringe into the mouth.
Have just googled it and can see it mention about mixing with a little food so that would be much easier for us both.
Thankyou again and hope Lilly is well, is that the pic of her? :)
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by lilynmitz »

Yes, that is Lily in my avatar. It makes her look huge, but actually she's a tiny scrap of a thing, and very frail, but she's happy as she demands very little from life, just somewhere safe and warm and a lap to sit on.

Lily has loads of medical conditions, hyperthyroidism, dodgy kidneys, high blood pressure, arthritis, and she's just had an op to remove a lump (benign, thankfully), She's been on meds for the last 4 years or more, but she'd be a nightmare to pill, and it would really freak her out, so luckily I can give all of them either in her food or in webbox treats. I don't think we'd have coped any other way, so it's been a godsend.

For her kidneys Lily's on fortekor in webbox for her kidneys, plus ipakitine (powder) added to her food as a phosphate binder, plus a diet of renal dried food and senior food. I tried her on the wet renal food for ages, but it was such a job getting her to eat it and she was getting so skinny, as her kidneys aren't at critical stage and her various blood levels aren't too bad at the moment, this diet seems to work for her. But in Princess's case, her kidneys obviously need a lot more help at the moment, so if you can keep her mainly (or entirely) on renal food, that will help. It's great that she's got a good appetite now, it will make all the difference. I hope she continues to improve over the weekend.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Ahh she looks a big cat in the picture.
Its a good job she has you to look after her then with those conditions, you are doing a great job.
I had been feeling a bit bad really thinking that she be on medication for life, but the more I think about it and speak to others, so long as I carry on the way we are we will be fine.
I asked the vet if the Semintra can be mixed into the food to make it easier and he said fine so long as she eats every bit.
So now that is what I am doing, feeding her in the morning with Semintra mixed in with the food so she then has all the day to eat it :)
She is still clearing her bowl, so its fine.
keep you posted with things.
I have joined the catchat and cats protection league today on twitter, are you on it?
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by cathyday »

Hello. I've been following this post and am so pleased that Princess is improving, even though the blood levels aren't the best.
Our lad Boris is on daily meds for his thyroid. To ensure he gets it all we put down a little food first with the meds on & then the rest of the pouch once that has gone. This seems to work well & saves the worry of not knowing if he's had all his meds if he doesn't finish the pouch.
Boris has been on renal food for a couple of years. He really likes the Royal Canin food. We intersperse with Felix Senior so he doesn't get bored. This has definitely protected his kidneys as his values haven't changed in all that time.
Good luck with Princess. I hope she continues to improve.
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Re: Can anyone help me with my cats sickness

Post by gouryella101 »

Thankyou for your comments.
I have started giving princess her sementra that exact way now.
Much less stressful for her and also if we are away it's the only way any one else could give it.
Although we will be taking her with us holidaying as we have plenty of other times.
I have just bought her a handmade mynwood jacket that will allow us to let her out on campsites with a lead.
When we holiday cottage we can let her out and she does not stray far.
All the best with your cats, I am getting from this forum some real caring owners and nice comments.
Thankyou
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