What Can I Do to Prevent Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats?

When you adopt a cat, you’re taking on a commitment that will last the rest of their lives. It’s inevitable, however heartbreaking, that you will eventually have to bid them goodbye. Until that day comes, though, it’s your responsibility to ensure that they live as comfortable and full a life as you are able to provide.

This means that you have to be aware of certain common feline diseases – not in a morbid or hypochondriacal way, but enough to spot the symptoms if they should occur. More importantly, you should know what steps you can take today in order to keep your kitty healthier for longer.

Sadly, chronic kidney problems in cats are very common, especially later in life. Also called chronic renal failure, in cats over 15 years old it’s definitely something to watch out for as almost 80% of them suffer from this condition.

What Is Chronic Feline Kidney Failure? Your cat’s kidneys, just like yours, have the important job of filtering out waste products from the blood, expelling these as urine. Damage to the kidneys or simply growing older can cause them to

work less well. If this breakdown continues for long enough, those waste products start to build up in the body and can cause numerous other problems associated with chronic renal failure in cats.

What Causes Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats?

It’s very hard to predict which cats will eventually develop kidney problems. Even once they are diagnosed, it may be impossible to say exactly what caused it. When it does happen, of course, it always feels like rotten luck.

In general, though, there are some indications that you should be extra watchful:

• Age: While you can sometimes find chronic renal failure in cats younger than ten years, it’s mostly associated with elderly felines.

• Breed: Some kinds of cats, like Persians, Abyssinians, Burmese, and those beautiful Maine Coons are simply more prone to developing kidney problems. Responsible breeders do their best to avoid passing on hereditary diseases, but it’s difficult to detect this in cats at the age where they’re best able to bear kittens.

• Other Diseases: A cat with diabetes, hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, a tumor, or certain viral or bacterial infections is at higher risk of developing kidney trouble.

• Toxins: Your kidneys, as well as those of your cat, are in charge of pulling harmful substances out of the bloodstream. They’re easily overloaded: this is why you shouldn’t mix alcohol with antibiotics, and also why you should give your cat only those medications prescribed by your veterinarian. Even chewing on certain common houseplants can damage your cat’s kidneys.

Symptoms of Kidney Problems in Cats

Practicing veterinary medicine is notoriously difficult. Since the patients can’t tell you what’s wrong and will often try to hide any sign of weakness, you have to pay attention, look for little clues, and try to build up a story from these.

If your cat shows one or more of these signs, some kind of problem with their kidneys could be to blame:

• Lethargy: A buildup of metabolic waste products like urea causes a lack of energy, physical weakness, disinterest in their surroundings, and a general slowing down.

• Poor grooming: Lacking their usual energy, they may not always take the time to clean themselves and their fur may become matted, sparser, and less lustrous than before.

• Weight loss: Reduced appetite and listlessness can make them lose mass and muscle tone. Malfunctioning kidneys can lead to some nutrients they need to maintain their bodies being discarded in their urine.

• More frequent urination: As the kidneys become less efficient at filtering out waste products from the blood, the cat becomes thirstier, drinks more water, and needs to pee more often.

More serious signs that will probably send you to the animal clinic post haste include diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and exceptionally stinky breath. An arched back or stiff gait when walking can be the result of their kidneys causing them pain.

Though the average cat owner won’t be able to notice these, some other symptoms of a cat’s kidneys breaking down include hypertension (elevated blood pressure), acidosis (high levels of waste products in their blood), and anemia (a reduced quantity of oxygen-carrying red blood cells).

A veterinarian will use their observations of the cat’s physical condition, and blood and urine tests to make a diagnosis of chronic kidney failure. In most cases, they will require two blood samples, taken a week or two apart. They may also decide on X-rays, ultrasound imaging, or even a kidney biopsy in order to determine what’s troubling your kitty.

what to do if your Cat Has Been Diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Failure

The bad news is that there is no way to cure – permanently fix – renal failure in cats. Few vets are willing to perform feline kidney transplants or dialysis. Meanwhile, medication can only do so much. This isn’t any reason to give up totally, though; don’t let such a diagnosis get you down or make you put them down.

Your older kitty and her defective kidneys may no longer have the same interest in nocturnal adventures or vigorous games, but she can still lead a full life in the time that’s left to her. In fact, with only a few minor changes in her lifestyle, she’ll be able to keep you company for years to come.

How Long Do Cats with Chronic Feline Kidney Failure Live?

Kidney problems in cats are usually categorized into four successive stages. In Stage 1, there are no symptoms to speak of, though trouble is developing in the background. This means that most cats’

chronic kidney problems are only diagnosed when they’re in Stage 2. By this time, about two-thirds of the cat’s kidney tissue has ceased to function. As with so many maladies, their prognosis depends largely on how early the disease is detected. Even once they’ve been diagnosed with Stage 2 kidney failure, they can almost certainly live for at least another year, quite possibly for three, and often for as much as five, at least with proper care. Their quality of life only becomes seriously impacted when the disease has advanced to Stage 3, with Stage 4 being terminal.

How Do I Take Care of a Cat with Chronic Kidney Problems?

Ask not what your cat can do for you, ask what you can do for your cat… Most cat owners are eager to give their furry companion everything they could hope for. At times, though, and especially when the vet is involved, this may be slightly incompatible with the cat’s own desires. Nevertheless, if you care about them, you’ll make sure your sick cat receives the following:

A Special Diet

Cats are known to be picky eaters…well, in this case, Mittens will just have to suck it up and choose the lesser of two evils. You can find cat food specifically formulated for older cats at any veterinarian’s office or high-end pet shop. I’m a staunch fan of Royal Canin (maybe just because their bags are decorated with the cutest pictures?), but Acana, Hill’s, Science Diet, and Purina are all good options, too.

Any kind of kibble that’s intended to meet the needs of kitties that are going a little grey around the whiskers automatically addresses kidney problems. Specifically, they’re relatively low in protein and certain minerals that damaged kidneys have trouble disposing of, and high in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. A special diet, just by itself, already doubles the amount of time your cat will have left.

Medication

Unfortunately, there’s no medicine that can reverse chronic kidney failure in cats. There are, however, a number of drugs that can delay its progression and deal with the side effects, leaving your kitty more comfortable and active.

Your veterinarian may prescribe medication to lower your cat’s blood pressure, reduce the amount of protein lost in their urine, address nutrient imbalances, reduce nausea, prevent bladder infections, or improve their red blood cell count. These medicines typically come in pill form.

Hydration

It’s always essential that your cat has access to plenty of fresh, clean drinking water. This becomes even more important when their kidneys are in decline: cats with renal failure typically need to drink a great deal just to replace what they leave in the litter box.

In advanced cases, a veterinarian may counteract chronic dehydration due to kidney failure with weekly or biweekly injections of an electrolyte solution. Ideally, at least from your cat’s point of view, this won’t become necessary; there are some tricks you can try to get your cat to drink more water and stay hydrated.

Palliative Care

At the end of the day, there is only so much you can do once chronic kidney failure has reared its head in your cat. In their final weeks, you only want to keep them comfortable and supply them with a warm, soft, sheltered place to sleep. Place food, water, and a litterbox nearby, and make sure to give them lots of affection.

Eventually, you may reach a point where there seems to be no reason for prolonging their suffering. If so, say your goodbyes and call out your vet to put them down humanely, in their own home. The last thing you want is for their last moments to take place in a veterinarian’s clinic, a place that probably doesn’t feature in their fondest memories.

Prevention Is Better than Cure: Taking Care of Your Kitty’s Kidneys

Chronic kidney failure typically takes several years to show up, even in cats that are genetically predisposed to this disease. The better you take care of them while they’re still young, the better their chances are of living to a ripe old age. Here are a few steps you can take to keep your cat’s kidneys healthy:

• Make sure they always have access to fresh water. Cats are weird, though, and sometimes aren’t satisfied with an ordinary bowl – if you don’t actually see them drink regularly, something like a kitty water fountain may be needed to ensure proper hydration.

• Keep the litter box clean and accessible. Cats, dainty creatures that they are, will often hold in their pee rather than demean themselves by going for a wee if they don’t feel comfortable with the facilities. This can damage their kidneys.

• Switching from dry to wet food allows your cat to consume more moisture as they eat – in fact, fresh prey is the principal source of hydration for cats in the wild.

• Keep them slim. Putting your cat on a diet and exercise program isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, to put it mildly. Still, your little complainer has to maintain a healthy weight: this is one of the best defenses against a multitude of health concerns cropping up later in life, including kidney problems.

Final Thoughts – How To Prevent Kidney Disease In Cats

All cats that live long enough to enjoy their golden years are at risk of developing chronic renal failure. This is tragic, but all part of owning a kitty.

These kinds of kidney problems in cats are usually incurable, but they can certainly be managed. Don’t throw in the towel: even an older cat with a number of health issues can still enjoy a fulfilling life as long as they have a supportive owner.

You should also realize that lifestyle choices play a huge role in anyone’s chances of contracting a chronic disease as they get older. Hopefully, you don’t smoke like a chimney, drink like a fish, or eat nothing but sugar. If you make your cat avoid the feline equivalents of these bad habits while they’re still young, you’re well on your way to mitigating future kidney problems or even avoiding them entirely.