How to Care for a Cat with Kidney Failure
Consider a prescription diet., Discuss the best protein and nutrient sources with your veterinarian if you plan to use a home-prepared diet., Provide foods that your cat likes., Give your cat phosphate binders., Make sure your cat drinks plenty of...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Consider a prescription diet.
If your cat has kidney failure, talk to your veterinarian.
He or she may prescribe a special renal diet that contains restricted amounts of high-quality protein and minimal amounts of phosphate and certain minerals.
Protein, phosphate, and minerals are very difficult for the kidney to filter, so prescription diets that restrict these substances place less strain on the organ.
Studies show that phosphate can also cause scar tissue to build up on the kidney, so it is doubly important to restrict phosphate in your cat’s diet. -
Step 2: Discuss the best protein and nutrient sources with your veterinarian if you plan to use a home-prepared diet.
Veterinarians used to suggest relying primarily on white meats – chicken, turkey, and white fish – because they are easier to digest and place less strain on the kidney than other foods.
However, a cat with kidney failure still needs to consume a balanced diet, including good sources of vitamins and certain minerals – especially calcium, which is essential for the heart, bones, and eyes.
Your veterinarian may therefore recommend a more balanced mix of foods.
Over time, a diet made up only of white meat may cause your cat to develop swollen joints, fragile bones, failing vision, or heart failure. , The most important thing, for a cat with kidney failure, is to make sure it eats something.
Some cats will starve themselves if they don’t like the food they are offered; there’s no point, then, in providing a prescription or home-prepared renal diet that remains uneaten.
It’s better to compromise and give your cat something appealing to eat.
If your cat won't eat, it may develop a form of liver failure called hepatic lipidosis, which is just as dangerous as kidney failure.
Talk to your veterinarian if you think this may be a concern.
If your cat has a poor appetite (a common symptom of kidney failure), try hand feeding – many cats will start eating if offered food straight from their owners’ fingertips.
Alternatively, try dabbing a spot of food on your cat’s whiskers, so that it grooms the food off and gets the flavor in its mouth.
Doing so can sometimes encourage a cat to eat.
You can also try warming the food in the microwave so that it has a slightly stronger aroma and a more appealing temperature.
Some cats will refuse cold food but eat if you warm it up. , Phosphate binders cling to the phosphate in food, so that it remains in the digestive tract rather than crossing into the blood.
Feeding your cat a phosphate binder will therefore lower its blood phosphate levels and slow the rate of scar tissue formation in the kidney.
Talk to your veterinarian about the best phosphate binder for you cat.
One of the most common, Renalzin, comes in a paste; you simply mix it with your cat’s food, and it starts working with the first mouthful.
For most cats, one pump of Renalzin, twice a day, is the optimal dose.
If you have a larger cat and serve it bigger portions, your veterinarian may recommend two pumps of Renalzin, twice a day. , A diseased kidney loses its ability to retain water and begins to produce weak urine.
This loss of fluid must be replaced, so make sure your cat drinks lots of water.
If your cat likes to drink from running water, consider purchasing a cat drinking fountain.
Otherwise, try serving water in a very wide bowl; some cats seem not to like their whiskers to touch the edge of a dish. -
Step 3: Provide foods that your cat likes.
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Step 4: Give your cat phosphate binders.
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Step 5: Make sure your cat drinks plenty of water.
Detailed Guide
If your cat has kidney failure, talk to your veterinarian.
He or she may prescribe a special renal diet that contains restricted amounts of high-quality protein and minimal amounts of phosphate and certain minerals.
Protein, phosphate, and minerals are very difficult for the kidney to filter, so prescription diets that restrict these substances place less strain on the organ.
Studies show that phosphate can also cause scar tissue to build up on the kidney, so it is doubly important to restrict phosphate in your cat’s diet.
Veterinarians used to suggest relying primarily on white meats – chicken, turkey, and white fish – because they are easier to digest and place less strain on the kidney than other foods.
However, a cat with kidney failure still needs to consume a balanced diet, including good sources of vitamins and certain minerals – especially calcium, which is essential for the heart, bones, and eyes.
Your veterinarian may therefore recommend a more balanced mix of foods.
Over time, a diet made up only of white meat may cause your cat to develop swollen joints, fragile bones, failing vision, or heart failure. , The most important thing, for a cat with kidney failure, is to make sure it eats something.
Some cats will starve themselves if they don’t like the food they are offered; there’s no point, then, in providing a prescription or home-prepared renal diet that remains uneaten.
It’s better to compromise and give your cat something appealing to eat.
If your cat won't eat, it may develop a form of liver failure called hepatic lipidosis, which is just as dangerous as kidney failure.
Talk to your veterinarian if you think this may be a concern.
If your cat has a poor appetite (a common symptom of kidney failure), try hand feeding – many cats will start eating if offered food straight from their owners’ fingertips.
Alternatively, try dabbing a spot of food on your cat’s whiskers, so that it grooms the food off and gets the flavor in its mouth.
Doing so can sometimes encourage a cat to eat.
You can also try warming the food in the microwave so that it has a slightly stronger aroma and a more appealing temperature.
Some cats will refuse cold food but eat if you warm it up. , Phosphate binders cling to the phosphate in food, so that it remains in the digestive tract rather than crossing into the blood.
Feeding your cat a phosphate binder will therefore lower its blood phosphate levels and slow the rate of scar tissue formation in the kidney.
Talk to your veterinarian about the best phosphate binder for you cat.
One of the most common, Renalzin, comes in a paste; you simply mix it with your cat’s food, and it starts working with the first mouthful.
For most cats, one pump of Renalzin, twice a day, is the optimal dose.
If you have a larger cat and serve it bigger portions, your veterinarian may recommend two pumps of Renalzin, twice a day. , A diseased kidney loses its ability to retain water and begins to produce weak urine.
This loss of fluid must be replaced, so make sure your cat drinks lots of water.
If your cat likes to drink from running water, consider purchasing a cat drinking fountain.
Otherwise, try serving water in a very wide bowl; some cats seem not to like their whiskers to touch the edge of a dish.
About the Author
James Cook
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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