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Thank you, I’m going to see if my vet suggests cerenia as I’ve gotten that suggested to me a few times. Thank you!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Thank you so much. I’ve ordered fortiflora and I’m in the process of rotating. He vomited today and won’t eat now, so I’m calling the vet again. Thank you!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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He ate the baby food a couple days ago. I checked all the broths in the grocery store but they either had salt or onion added to all of them, so I didn’t get them. I’m a vegetarian so I don’t normally buy chicken but at this point I will, so I can make my own broth. Thank you!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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In my cat’s case she wouldn’t eat as much when she had to poop. She would be constipated with hard poops and refuse food. The vet recommended miralax and it’s helped some.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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You can also buy fancy feast broths so you don't have to make them! My boy loved those though he picked around the meat haha
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My 21 year old little girl Fiona is in stage 2 for 2 years & she used to be 19 lbs & 2 years later she is down to between 7 & 8 lbs she also has great eating days & bad ones.... My vet has me doing weekly fluid treatment and she also taking appetite stimulation pills... They seem to be doing something because her levels have not gotten worse & remain the same.... She also drinks plenty of water that's to be expected considering the cercimstances... For food I've noticed that If I change it up she does a lot better... I give her Sheba bistro temptations has a wet cat food also plus so.me treats she still can't resist.... I'm praying for your little baby & family..,. Please keep us updated if possible..,
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Great idea, thank you!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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There are a lot of good suggestions on here that worked for me as well when I had my ckd kitty, but also wanted to ask, does he like attention when he’s eating? I would sometimes get her eating by petting her and singing songs/baby talking her while she ate- this sometimes encouraged her because she liked the attention.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Good luck!! I hope it works! 😊
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I’ve never tried talking to him or petting him while he’s eating, to be honest. This boy was a huge eater his whole life. As in jumping on the counter to steal whatever people food was there, begging for food like a dog, inhaling whatever cat food I gave him. This is brand new behavior so I’ll try everything at this point!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Please keep us updated, if you want to that is! 🍓❤️🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My cat sounds similar. She used to lick pans and even try to eat out of the sink (ew), but now that she has CKD she eats so slowly and has turned into an "affection eater." She doesn't like to be pet when eating, but she seems to eat more when I sit with her.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My 16 year old sniffed that Hills KD and tried to cover it up like it was 💩. I have been giving him his soft pate Friskies like he likes. And the liquid stuff you can get from the vet that they drink, but it is expensive and I don’t give it to him every day.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Cerenia helped mine with eating
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Im also new to the ckd eating and it has been a struggle.
I found a chicken bone broth by Nacho at Petsmart (or Petco, I can’t remember which) that when I mix with her food, she really likes it (sometimes). I’m not sure how good it is phosphorus-wise but I use a Phosphorus binder anyways.
I also bought a $15 Walmart bulletin blender thing that I use to blend her food. It’s made a HUGE difference since she only likes mousse textures.
[Bone Broth](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/made-by-nacho-hydrating-cage-free-chicken-premium-bone-broth-cat-food-11-oz-3896421?store_code=251&mr:device=m&mr:adType=pla_with_promotionlocal&cm_mmc=PSH%7CGGL%7CCCY%7CCCO%7CPM%7C0%7CaxsvnXfjRWFFwpetHmZu75%7C%7C%7C0%7C0%7C%7C%7C21467366052&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD97F17pW65ZisIt5E204qZUXZVSF&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn9y1BhC2ARIsAG5IY-48FA_hNMxoaxFFVhSdP157xVIRoT4fBja5jILYwwewBhFVfYY4Ce4aAkDgEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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These are fantastic suggestions. I elevate my 15 year old girl's food (though I have for many years because she also has IBD) and if she's feeling lazy I'll bring the food to her in bed. If it's a particularly rough day, I'll hold the dish for her.
Fortiflora is a great topper, and I've also started taking her favorite crunchy treats and grinding them into a dust that I use as a food topper to mask supplements or just to entice her more when she's having a bad day.
Her appetite fluctuates and despite being diagnosed with CKD for almost three years, it's such a stressful thing to deal with. Some days she's screaming for food and licking her plate clean and other days she picks at her food and doesn't finish every meal (or sometimes walks away entirely) and I always end up in a panic until she goes back to her normal food loving self.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Ask for a cerenia prescription and keep it on hand for days like this! CKD babies can get very nauseas and I've found it to be the biggest cause of my girl refusing food and the cerenia is a godsend.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Thank you for the link! I will definitely pick some up tomorrow.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I second all this. Plus lots of lickable treats. Tons. I have churu hairball nourish and tuna and chicken flavors.
Tiki has a silver seniors 25cal pack per 2oz its amazing to get extra calories in. My 17 y/o cat is tired of hills and is eating iam senior. You just have to keep rotating the food and seeing what theyre into im the moment. Theres also appetite stimulators like elura!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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You are quite welcome. Best of luck!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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I’m glad to hear me and my kitty aren’t alone with this, and sad we all have to go through it. Thank you all for asking questions and answering with knowledge and compassion. This sub has been such a help!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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My sweet-16-yr-old girl is like this with food, but WAY WAY more with Water! She often NEEDS me to blow on her head while drinking. It's a night and day difference, haha!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Clint had IBD too so yeah we were well versed in elevated bowls lol.
YES, the appetite fluctuating was probably the hardest thing for me when Clint was still with us. His situation was more acute turned chronic but it was so hard to differentiate if his appetite was a bad day or if he was crashing.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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I totally relate!! It’s so tough because for most animals it’s “when they stop eating that’s then telling you” but CKD makes that irrelevant. I wish there was a test similar to a finger prick like we have for diabetics but for kidney cats to check their creatinine.
Oooh Clint was on kidney support for 2+ years and didn’t mind it but post hospitalization NOTHING was going in/on his food other than fortiflora. At least you were able to figure it out!!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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It really is so tough. Nerine has been very stable for the whole two and a half years she's been diagnosed but as of the end of June, she's approaching stage 4 and it hurts my heart so much. She's my whole world.
I would love to be able to just easily test her creatinine at home like that. It would be so much easier to gauge how she's doing.
Nerine is pretty good about her supplements; I mix them all into one meal with fortiflora and crushed up treats as a topper and that helps mask the taste, but on bad days she sometimes leaves some of the food behind. I wish there was a cure for CKD.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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I've been going through the same thing. My cat is barely 5 lbs so every bite is crucial. The vet at this point said let her eat whatever she'll eat to maintain her weight as much as possible. They suggested Fancy Feast because of its very strong smell (I've always fed her grain free expensive food and feels very weird to be buying this now). Suggested put it in the microwave for 5 seconds to make it smell even stronger. She loves the Seafood classic pate and devours it and she's maintaining her weight. Good luck! We all will do anything for our fur babies!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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My poor kitty. I gave him his meds and gave him some syringes of water that he always has like a good boy.
But I think I gave it too fast and didn't know my father had already given him some water... So he ended up throwing up his meds and water on the bed :')
Poor guy.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Hey, everyone:
My senior kitty was diagnosed with stage 2 back in December. We’ve been in and out of the vet’s office struggling to find a food that agrees with her tummy. She’s lost 2 pounds since that visit in December… and she was only 8 pounds to begin with. It’s breaking my heart seeing her in this condition.
Her most recent visit showed that her levels were sadly not improving. *don’t cry, don’t cry*
First of all, before I get into my question, I want to thank this wonderful community. We put her on Weruva low-pho wet food and she LOVES it. For the most part, she’s able to keep it down and it’s helped her slightly put some weight on. However, the vet advised it lacked balanced nutrients. She wants to supplement her diet. I asked about Royal Canin renal support + hydrolyzed protein (dry) because I’ve seen a few folks talk about it in this community.
And here comes my question…. I can’t find it. Anywhere. Not at Petsmart, not online, not Chewy, not directly from Royal Canin’s site… it appears to be unavailable through the end of September.
Other Royal Canin users: Is this a common occurrence? A one-time thing? I’m located in the US… wondering if we need to look into another option.
(Cat tax)
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I’m buying it on zoohit since last october and is always available.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Thank you so much! That’s a new one for me - I will check it out. ♥️
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I’ve been able to find it whenever I’ve needed it but occasionally that meant calling around to different vet offices to locate it.
I use a VCA vet in Florida and they generally carry it in the office. I do have a subscription through the VCA that gets mailed to me and have been told at least twice it’s backordered. It is an issue.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Great tip! I did not think to call other offices. My vet is VCA and does not carry it so I did not even think of this option!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Does she need to be grain-free? The wet food Royal Canin is very easy to find, but there's not a hydrolized protein option.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Petsmarts with banfield usually have a bag. You have to order it through a vet. We use Vetsource through wheat ridge animal hospital we are in Colorado. However they are out of stock right now. I talked to Royal canin and they expect to have some in production in a few weeks. I suggest you buy a bunch when it comes back.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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And try calling all your local vet offices see if any have some. Just get a written script from your vet and you can buy it. You can’t buy this one from chewy.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I found it at an agriculture site in Arkansas that wouldn’t ship to DC, but sent it to a friend in MD. Can be tough to find but it’s out there in the depths of the Internet!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Would you mind sharing which site?
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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My vet at the SPCA prescribed it a few years ago for my CKD cat. I had it on a subscription delivery plan through a company called Covetrus. In fact, I need to cancel my prescription now, because I had to euthanize my 20-year-old cat yesterday. I donated three unopened bags of the Royal Canin Renal formula to my local SPCA.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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The standard for Topi-CLICK is 2 clicks for .1 ml. However my cat is on 8mg of Maropitant transdermal and she is 8 pounds. The last time I went into the vet she said it was a high dosage. Another vet had prescribed it. After looking up online it seems 4mg is more standard for my size cat.
All the topi click pens I have had are always 2 clicks. I didn’t know if there is a reason. Maybe 1 click doesn’t dispense an even amount. Thank you for the advice. I will also ask the vet next time we go in.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I found my senior kitty, Max, on the streets in 2021 and adopted him after no one came forward.
He’s about 13, has stomatitis and periodontal disease, IBD, and Stage two CKD. I also believe he has some form of anxiety or PTSD because he constantly growls and hisses at everyone. He looks pretty good for his age and despite all of this.
I know periodontal disease takes some years off of his life and that kidney disease is chronic, but what can I do to extend his life?
He gets high quality wet food (Wuerva Low Phos), HydraCare supplement, SubQs weekly, catio / stroller time (he’s indoor only apart from these supervised outings), a brother and sister to keep him company.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Sub qs are great! Also I added water to his food and let him eat when he wanted and enjoy the rest of his life! 😊You got this.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Thank you <3
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Of course, I'm sorry no one has responded but you'll get more tips from people here for sure!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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<3 Thank you so much
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Get him a dental cleaning ASAP!! This is by far one if the most important things we can do for our cats and dogs. You'd be amazed at how much happier a kitty is when their teeth are well cared for. Bad teeth lead to many other health problems.
Get kitty to a vet! Sounds like he needs some tests and maybe a special diet for the CKD.
My cat is stage 3 CKD and switching to a renal diet and getting a dental cleaning has made her like a whole new kitty.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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The weird thing, at his most recent checkup, the vet said he didn’t need his yearly dental cleaning…Do you think I should push for one anyway?
Wuerva Phos focused is a high quality renal diet :)
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thank you so much!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Yum, my cat loves the phos focused line from Weruva.
If the vet said he doesn't need a dental I wouldn't push for one. Just make sure to have kitties teeth checked every year or so. Apparently you can and should brush a cats teeth?! We don't do that, my kitty isn't cool like that, she'd scratch my eyes out. (I love her)
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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My kitty is semi-feral, there's no way I could brush his teeth! I do put a water additive in his water thats spoused to help his teeth though.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Look into a food for renal conditions. I would ask the vet about azodyl or azovast.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thank you
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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Thank you. I am lucky that he is a CKD cat who still has a GREAT appetite. I feel so blessed about that
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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Yes! You're perfectly right. My vets were afraid of this and avoided doing any unnecessary procedures on my senior fluff. Also watch for irregularities in behavior since they may be hiding symptoms that you can act on before it gets bad.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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My cat is 20 years old, almost 21. She was a neighbor's cat, moved in with us 6 years ago. She's been hovering around stage 2/stage 3 since getting diagnosed about 3 years ago, though I suspect she's had it for longer.
She goes through periods where she is a complete lunatic. Going all around the house yowling and screaming. Jumping on the bed and screaming, jumping on the windows and getting stuck behind the blinds and screaming. Climbing her scratching post and screaming. Sometime's she wants food or attention and she'll settle down for a while. Or she wants to go outside (supervised) and she'll sit in her chair and go to sleep.
Other periods she's a chill cat.
The vet thought maybe hyperthyroidism but her thyroid is normal. Blood pressure normal. This all got a lot worse when she lost her hearing, and I wonder if she has some dementia. Another vet suggested her CKD or arthritis could be making her feel poorly.
Do any of your CKD cats do this when they're not feeling good?
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My renal cat gets really vocal at times and howls for a while.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My boy got very vocal at night but that's it!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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My end-stage CKD cat had been having some issues with peeing outside the box, no UTI or anything else that would cause that present, and I read here about some CKD cats preferring fabric pee-pads. I got some and she immediately took to them, has not had any issues using them in almost a week. Thank you so much to the community, this small change has meant the world for her comfort.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Where did you find them?
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I got them on Amazon. I bought the brand that was recommended on here, Improvia.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Oh my goshhhhh I'm going to buy some! I hadn't heard that but cleaning up her pee this often is really stinky and messy.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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This has been such a life improvement for everyone in my house. Mine, while she goes to the litter box with all four paws inside, often aims outside the box. I got tired of washing a plastic mat every other day and now just pop the fabric pad in the washer. I got 4 for the two boxes and just rotate them out when they are wet.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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We use disposable dog pads for our boy. He will use them for peeing no matter what but will use the litter box for poop.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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I just started using these for my cat too! She was always very good at using the litter box and recently peed in a couple spots on the carpet. After cleaning everything up, I just put down pee pads in the place she’d been going. She now uses the pads almost exclusively and I change them out a few times a day. They do a good job of containing the smell, too, which I didn’t expect. I use the target brand.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Yeah, she was peeing everywhere except her box and we were really frustrated. Now we just put down a freshly washed mat in the morning with a cheap beach towel on top so she can still feel like she's digging.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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That is so sweet. What we don't do for our little kitties. 🥹🥰😻❤️
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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If you need wider protection for the carpet I found cheap shower curtain liners (~$2/each) taped together under towels and pads helped. And if you get washable pads it'll save money in the long run. Washable, waterproof mattress pads (often used for kids who are potty training or incontinent seniors) are great for covering larger areas.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thank you! I was about ready to buy granny plastic covers for all my furniture! My boy has big pees in the box but will also have big pees wherever he sits, which happens to be both of our sofas and sometimes my pillow. I hope he likes them!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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I used the dog pee pads for my boy. He used them instead of the box. Worked well except sometimes he peed near the edge of them and some pee leaked onto the floor but overall worked well
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-13-08
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That is fantastic!!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-13-08
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Hello,
Our orange tabby KC (female, about to turn 14) recently had a severe uremia episode. Her prognosis during her episode (\~3 weeks ago) was very bad, her blood levels were off the charts (her first stage IV reading) and the vet recommended euthanizing her on the spot. I decided not to, so instead we've made some major adjustments, including transitioning to a mobile vet so we don't need to stress her out with vet visits. We've also started administering subcutaneous fluids at home. The mobile vet came \~2 weeks ago to follow up, KC has improved enough with sub-q fluids that the mobile vet did not recommend euthanasia. Our new vet decided not to take another blood test, because she didn't expect her numbers to change significantly within 1 week, but just based on her symptoms it was clear that the treatment has been helping.
Since then, KC has had good and bad days, but overall she's reached a "new normal," is eating well, is able to get around ok, and still comes with us for car rides and wilderness adventures (her favorite activity).
[KC on an adventure with us 8 days after her uremia episode](https://preview.redd.it/zz2dxla07xhd1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=501d090b3345438942c79e00c877ac3954cd7ae4)
She was doing so bad after her vet office visit that we stayed up with her all night, cried, and said our goodbyes. Now that she's more stable, we're grateful for the chance to have more control over the situation, but we're not sure what to do.
My partner has communicated to me that she's not willing to help out with subcutaneous injections indefinitely, and in fact she wasn't in the room during the vet visit when I made the decision to try to fight, and she's not sure what she would have decided, but she feels the treatments are too invasive and interventionist. She grew up on a ranch so she has a different relationship with animal mortality than I do. She is helping us with the injections now, and I can't imagine doing it alone, but basically my partner is communicating that she'd like to choose a date to euthanize, maintain her treatment and quality of life until then, and then give KC a gentle goodbye at home.
I think there's a lot of merit to her proposal, it's pragmatic and helps us ensure KC can be comfortable in her final weeks of life. I'm also concerned about leaving KC at home alone during trips. We travel often and my partner is from a different country, so we sometimes leave KC in the care of a house caller. We can't ask the sitter to administer fluids, but we could have the mobile vet come some days to do it. It would be expensive but I would happily pay it. The biggest concern is just KC's mood, when she is alone she just gets so depressed, as reported from our sitter.
So there are some good reasons to euthanize, but I'm just not sure I can live with doing something like this, knowing KC could have many months left with us if we keep it up.
We haven't made a decision, and we're not going to make a decision very soon, but it's clear that we disagree about what to do.
I wanted to post here just to see if anybody in this community has advice for making this decision. I feel lost and I don't know who else to turn to, since my partner is usually the one I can confide in. Any advice is appreciated!!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Added fluid subc helps. She is almost end of life via kidney failure. Special kidney diets can lower her protein disposal load via kidneys, essentially zero protein or very low but are good for months at most
Kidney failure and the uremia has no pain and at some time she will enter into a coma = a terminal sleep and at some time this will suppress breathing and she will pass.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-10-08
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Keep doing what you are doing, to make your kitty as healthy as can be. I have had to put several cats to sleep with CKD. Some cats responded well to sub q. I have one now who will shred your arms if you try. Hydration, low phosphorus food, are important. My cat hated all renal food. She does well on Pro Plan, wet and dry, and Vet RX hydration liquid. I supplement with kidney support drops. My cat is 22, and at stage 3 CKD.
The best euthanasia experience, is having a vet come to your house. It is easier on your cat, and you.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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If you’re able to prolong her life, sub qs are the best option. If her numbers look like they’re going up (even with treatment) you might have to do emergency care.
We just put our baby into eternal rest. It was so hard, but watching her digress in health was worse. Keep trying if you can, but Lap of Love is an amazing company to look into. They even do hospice care and really give you reassurance that you’re making the right decision.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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A lot of this depends on how KC responds to and tolerates treatment such as subq, renal food, and medication. For my boy I had no problem administering fluids but renal food and medication were a no go, so he declined faster.
Quality of life is the most important factor when weighing a decision like this. Refusal to eat or drink, weight loss, lack of grooming, depression, weakness and incontinence are all signs I saw before I put my boy to sleep.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Have you tried HydraCare? It’s a liquid supplement that you can mix with wet food or just give it to them from the pouch. It has perked my girl up a lot. I am personally against SQ fluids in the end stages because it prolongs the inevitable. 😖😓
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thanks, it's good to know others share my partner's perspective that SQ fluids are too interventionist. I will look into HydraCare!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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For sure. We got a nice rubric from our mobile vet that tallies up points for all those dimensions of quality of life. She is generally floating around the score for considering euthanasia. We are tracking her score over time to help make the decision. For now, she is avoiding accidents, and eating plenty, so we won't do it urgently, at least!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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I'm sorry to hear about your kitty. Our mobile vet offers in-home euthanasia and the same services as Lap of Love, so we will likely go with them, although Lap of Love has come very highly recommended.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Administerig subQ fluids is not an invasive treatment, but it really helps CKD kitties' quality of life.
If your cat sitter cannot do it while you're away, you can check whether a vet tech could come to administer them; it'll be cheaper than the mobile vet.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thanks. Whatever we do, we will administer SQ fluids for the rest of her life. It's clear that it really helps, she has responded very well to it.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thank you! We have decided never to bring her to the vet again. Her new vet will do anything we need at our home, including euthanasia when the time comes.
She is a great patient. She eats the renal diet, she doesn't like getting fluids but she's gentle with us and responds well to lots of love during the procedure.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thanks. Are you suggesting that we don't proceed with euthanasia and instead wait for a natural death?
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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As long as comfort remains. If he starts to show pain or great distress, you can change the end game.
It is a sad time. My Milo died this way and I faded quietly into death one night. This was taken 3 days before he passed, he was skin and bones, but liked the warm sunshine.
[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/Fz7Xfli.jpg)
and my daughter scattered flowers around his grave before we buried him
[Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/4pRhuQo.jpg)
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Very sorry for your loss. My grandpa was named Milo and if I ever have a son, he will be named Milo. Not after your cat but he can have an honorable mention :3
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thanks, Milo was much loved and long lived and is well remembered.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Keep up the good work!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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I am heavily pro scheduled euthanasia. I didn't see it at the time with the cat we lost but he had lost the energy to keep fighting several weeks before I called it. SQ fluids are fine, but I wouldn't do the aggressive hospitalization, medications around the clock, and syringe feeding again. He was beyond docile, but my other current cats would not be willing to deal with the amount of treatment I did for him. I would not recommend a natural death, there's just no need for them to possibly suffer when it could be painless instead. I scheduled his euthanasia about 3 days in advance, took off work, and just made him comfortable. Much better than if we had waited for another decline, panicked, rushed him to the hospital, etc
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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We have given our cats fluids for several years an I don’t see it as invasive. They get used to it. One trick is to warm the fluids up by submerging in warm water. It decreases their anxiety as they don’t feel cold fluids permeating into them. We kept one of our cats in renal failure going for a year with fluids. He was happy till the end. If traveling just give fluids the day you leave. If your cat has anemia consider Varenzin. Our last old cat is 19 and it’s helping to keep her red blood cell count up.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Thank you ❤️
Our goal was to be with her and make her comfortable, but they blew our expectations out of the water. They offered cremation, a big fur clipping and paw print. All were pretty standard stuff, but our vet was supper patient with us and gave us some peace of mind. It was very therapeutic. She personally knew how difficult all this was, and didn’t want our last moments with her to be anything more than a peaceful reflection.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Managing end of life care for your companion animal is very hard. Remember that your first responsibility is to do what is best for them.
If the vet is recommending euthanasia, it’s *past* time. I’ve worked closely with vets as a foster carer for terminally ill cats, including renal failure. They always emphasised that a little early is better than a little late. Every cat tolerates a different level of treatment. Make sure that you’re not pushing treatment that the cat doesn’t want.
I’ve had a cat who tolerated 6 months of subcut fluids and she was fine, she got 6 months of decent life out of them. I had another cat who I knew long before he got sick that he could only cope with minimally invasive care. If the second cat needed sub cuts, surgery, extended stays in the vet, etc, then it was going to be time to euthanise him.
With my last cat, who wasn’t a foster he was my long term cat, the vet was about to launch into their description of the options available. I cut her off and said “I want to do what’s best for my cat, is it time?” She sounded very relieved and said yes it was unfortunately time to euthanise him.
Remember. *Do what is best for your cat, not your feelings*.
You’re into the end zone no matter what. Be brave, ask the vet straight, and when they tell you it’s time, listen next time. Don’t force your cat to live in pain because you are afraid of letting go
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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For the times when traveling, I would have your mobile vet come out to give a cerenia injection for anti-nausea and administer mirataz, a topical ointment that’s an appetite stimulant. CKD cats are notorious finicky eaters, which in our experience, was even worse when we travelled.
I personally don’t consider subQ fluids invasive and a lot of CKD cats have had their life extended for years on them (and good quality of life at that). If KC is tolerating them well I would strongly advocate to continue despite your partner’s opposition.
Cats are wonderful at not showing pain so it can be hard to tell when is the “right” time. CKD compounds this as the cats will have good days and bad days and then bounce back. It might seem tedious but making note of bad days may help you quantify once KC’s bad days out number the good ones.
Our boy was a snuggler up until the end but others have mentioned their once social cats will hide from them. If you’re administering subQ fluids and the cat is well hydrated but stops urinating that’s a key indicator of end stage renal failure. Not urinating is a an emergency as the potassium can build up and trigger a cardiac event so don’t delay in calling your mobile vet.
Best of luck during this time!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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I agree with others that giving sub qs while you can is a good option. However, pay attention to behaviors because letting her naturally can be painful and hard on her. When her behaviors show that it's time to go, helping her do so peacefully is the kindest thing you can do.
Also, have you tried giving sub qs by yourself? It is doable, once you get the hang of it.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-11-08
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Something I heard from a vet once was “if you could repeat the past 24 hours of your pets life everyday, forever, would you do it?”
That question really helped me open my eyes and see how my cat was doing. If I repeat her last 24 hours-would she have a good day? Would she be happy? Or would she be sad and in pain? Those are the questions I had to answer.
Additionally, natural deaths for animals especially kidney cats are not peaceful. They’re painful and very hard on the animal. There’s a reason euthanasia means “good death”. It’s peaceful and painless.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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For KC, I would absolutely repeat the last 24 hours. She's doing great. The issue is more around when we are visiting my partner's family and are away from home, her quality of life drops so much when she is home alone for long periods.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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I haven't tried to do it alone. KC doesn't resist, she will just settle in and then "springs" up very suddenly to escape. My partner needs to have her in a firm grip while I administer. Trying to juggle holding her and doing the other work just seems impossible.. I will try if I need to, though!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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Thanks for the practical advice. I am pushing to continue with sub-Q fluids at home indefinitely. I have hope she can go on for a while longer.. in the weeks since her episode, her fur is very soft again, her breath smells normal, she is eating again, maybe even enough to regain some of the weight she lost.
She is definitely urinating ALL of the fluids we put into her. Even when we had her on her emergency "flush" dose of 200 mL per day during her crisis, she would process and pee it all, and quickly. We will definitely be monitoring her potty behavior.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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Oh yes, I went through some similar things with my other boy. I really recommend the ez iv harness. You can just push the needle in and then she can walk around while the fluids flow right on in!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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I'm sorry about your kitties. Thank you for relaying your advice. I am clearly the one resisting euthanasia, not my partner, so I will make an extra effort to understand my partner and our vet when they are recommending euthanasia.
I think what's difficult about this situation is the fact that KC has responded very well to her new subQ fluids-at-home treatment, to the point where I see her quality of life has almost completely restored. She is clearly happy even on her bad days. We asked our vet (the mobile vet, who came to our house) if we should euthanize, and she was a little surprised by the question just because the cat in front of her was social, friendly, gregarious, jumping around on her gym, etc. It's crazy how much her situation changed in just one week, from the office-vet saying (in indirect language) we should consider euthanasia to the at-home-vet practically scoffing at the suggestion that we euthanize her.
It does sound like this roller coaster experience is normal, she will have good and bad days, and we need to consider her worst days when we are weighing the decision. We need to understand she won't get better, only worse. I would like to give her a noble death at home, I don't think I can bear a natural death, but I think it's too soon.
Instead of making a decision today, we put a date on the calendar to check in and re-evaluate. I think we're going to just keep putting future dates (roughly every month) on the calendar to revisit the topic and see how the three of us are doing, weighing all the factors: KC's quality of life, our quality of life as her caretakers, our travel schedule and logistics of her care.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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wow!! I've never heard of that.. sounds like it could be a game changer!!
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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This really sounds ideal. The decline, panic, hospital with stress and adrenaline right at the end, just seems like trauma that will pollute our memories of her forever.
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r/renalcats
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r/RenalCats
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2024-12-08
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