# 19 y.o Cat with Kidney Failure



## Pierce (Jun 17, 2010)

Yesterday my mom and I noticed that our cat Mac was holding his head down and wasn't able to raise it, as well as when he walked, walked wobbly and looked disoriented. For the past month or two he hasn't been eating or drinking much, and since October went from 9 ibs- 6 ibs. We brought him to the vet expecting him to have to be euthanized, (he wasn't looking good at all.) The vet said that he basically "Feels like Crap", but isn't dying. She injected him with this I.V Liquid under his skin, which he absorbed quickly, and we also got pills to increase his appetite. Needless to say I was just happy I would have at least one more day with him, but I was still worried about him because I didn't want him to be in any pain. 

Today I got a call from the vet, (they ran a blood test yesterday), it came back and sadly she told me that Mac was in Stage N (?) of Kidney Failure. She said he could have weeks or months left, and that we could inject him with the same IV liquid at home. Right now I just don't know what to do, I want to do everything and anything I can to keep him with me longer, but at the same time I want to make sure he isn't in any pain at all, and I want him to be comfortable. Since we got him home yesterday I've been able to get him to eat and drink some, and his appetite seems to be coming back, but I just don't know how much longer I can see him like this; he's still holding his head down and seems a bit disoriented. 

Please if you can help me out with what to do, I really need some advice. Thank you!


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I know how scary a diagnosis CRF (chronic renal failure) is. I've been down that road with several of my cats and know the disease very well. I can share a LOT of information with you to help you care for your cat, but it's late now and I still have a couple of hours of animal chores to take care of before I can call it a night. So I'll post again tomorrow.

In the meantime, here is a website that will be your best (and most overwhelming) resource. Bookmark it and read as much of it as your brain can stand. It'll answer virtually every question you may ever have about CRF:

http://www.felinecrf.org/

Also, please call your vet and get a copy of all of your cat's test results. I'll be able to provide you with a lot more specific suggestions if you will post your cat's test results here so that I can get an idea of exactly what he's dealing with right now.

More tomorrow,

Laurie


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## Pierce (Jun 17, 2010)

Thank you both of you for your help. My mom is going to talk with the vet on the phone tomorrow and ask what the next step for Mac is, we might go in on Friday and I can get a copy of his Blood Test then. I'm just worried about him now though. He doesn't seem to be in pain, but he lowers and tilts his head when walking, and when he lays down, has to support it with his paw. Is that part of CRF, or could it be something else? 

Whatever the case is though, we're going to do the best we can to make him comfortable, and hopefully we'll still have a few weeks/months with Mac. 

Also Is there any sort of special food I should be giving him? His favorite food seems to be Fancy Feast: Shrimp and Fish; and I was able to get him to eat a pretty good amount today. Thanks! 

~Pierce~


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Pierce said:


> He doesn't seem to be in pain, but he lowers and tilts his head when walking, and when he lays down, has to support it with his paw. Is that part of CRF, or could it be something else?


It could be something related to his CRF, like anemia or severe electrolyte imbalances, or it could be something completely unrelated like vestibular, ear infection, or something else. There's just no way to speculate without knowing exactly what the vet found in his physical exam and test results.



> Also Is there any sort of special food I should be giving him? His favorite food seems to be Fancy Feast: Shrimp and Fish; and I was able to get him to eat a pretty good amount today.


The best foods are the foods that he will eat. If his appetite is good and he will eat a variety of foods, then a prescription canned renal diet would be best, but lots of cats find the renal diets unappealing. If your boy won't eat a renal diet, then try to choose canned foods that are as low in phosphorus as possible. You can find a food comparison chart here:

http://webpages.charter.net/katkarma/canned.htm

But as I said, the best foods are the foods that he will eat, even if they aren't ideal foods for a renal patient. It is more important that he eats SOMETHING than that he eats the right thing.

Laurie


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

You should go asap to felinecrf.org and felinecrf.com. Both are excellent sites and will answer all your questions. Go to felinecrf.org first. Many cats live a long time with CRF as long as you treat the symptoms and make sure the cat eats and drinks. 

Kathy


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## Pierce (Jun 17, 2010)

I went to the websites you all suggested, and read for like 2 hours. Now I feel like I know more about CRF, and that Mac may in fact have a chance. Today is a mixed day, on one hand he ate a whole can of food, along with some rotisserie Chicken, and he drank more then he has in a while. But Mac has been very clingy towards me, and he still is a little wobbly when he walks, and his head is all tilted and he needs to rest it all the time. 

Even if I leave him for a second to go into my room he needs to get up and follow me, and all I want him to do is rest and conserve his energy. Hopefully my mom will be able to go to the vet tomorrow and pick up some of that SubQ-liquid, but I just don't know how much good it will do.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Pierce said:


> I went to the websites you all suggested, and read for like 2 hours.


Very good, Pierce! Knowledge is power, and the more you know about CRF, the more powerful you will be in managing its symptoms in your cat. Keep reading and researching!



> he still is a little wobbly when he walks, and his head is all tilted and he needs to rest it all the time.


What did your vet say about the head tilt? That's not a common symptom of CRF. It's more common in cats with vestibular, stroke, head or neck trauma, or brain tumor. Do his eyeballs shake back and forth at all?



> Hopefully my mom will be able to go to the vet tomorrow and pick up some of that SubQ-liquid, but I just don't know how much good it will do.


SubQ fluids can make a HUGE difference in a CRF cat's state of being. Good hydration makes them feel soooooo much better in lots of different ways. Those fluid administrations are the single most important thing you can do to keep your cat feeling as good as possible for as long as possible. They won't cure CRF, of course, but they can vastly improve his quality of life for as long as he'll be around. Make sure you read on the websites about proper fluid administration technique. The right technique, the right needles, and warming the fluids the right amount can all make fluid administration much more comfortable for your cat and easier for you and your mom.

Laurie


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## Pierce (Jun 17, 2010)

My mom just called me and said she talked to the vet. We're bringing him in tomorrow to give him some liquids, but the vet said that Mac's kidneys are working at 2% of what they used to be, and that it's not long now. She also said that the reason he's lowering his head, is because of the toxins the Kidneys are supposed to be blocking, I don't really know the whole situation. 

She also said that unless he's doing much better this weekend, and if he isn't seeming that happy or comfortable, that its probably best to bring him in on Tuesday to be put to sleep. 

Do you guys think this is the right thing to do if the liquids don't work? I don't know, he doesn't seem to be that happy and looks uncomfortable.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Pierce, it's very difficult to speculate about your cat's condition without having a look at his test results, but it sounds like he may be "crashing", which is when his condition worsens suddenly and dramatically and many things go haywire at once. CRF cats can sometimes recover from a crash and stabilize if they are hospitalized on IV fluids for at least several days. In this case, subQ fluids at home (or at the vet's) usually isn't enough to bring the cat back from the brink. In-hospital IV fluids may not work, either, but it's likely to be your cat's best chance of stabilizing.

This is, of course, just guesswork on my part. If your mom can pick up copies of all of his test results tomorrow, and if you can post them on this thread, perhaps I can offer more useful insights as to his current condition.

Laurie


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## razzle (May 20, 2010)

It's going to take more than a weekend to make him better. Please go back to those sites and read more. Treat the cat for at least 2 weeks before making a final decision. He needs fluids to flush out the toxins probably in the hospital right now then you can give them at home. Yes the weakness is due to toxins building up in his kidneys. Go to felinecrf.org and read How Bad is my cat's case. And post the lab results here asap. 
Kathy


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

If you and your Mom and your vet feel it's time, then go with your feelings. Some people try to keep their cats with them as long as possible because they can't say goodbye. Sometimes the kindest thing is to let them go. atback


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## Pierce (Jun 17, 2010)

*Re: 19 y.o Cat with Kidney Failure (R.I.P Mac)*

I apologize I haven't updated this in a few weeks, I've been pretty busy with trying to take care of Mac. Since the last time I posted, we put him on the Sub Q- fluids, which actually helped him and brought him to his almost normal self. For about a week. For the past two days now he began to fail, and I noticed that he wasn't eating, and wasn't able to walk normally. 

This morning my mom and I realized that it was his time; he couldn't use his back legs, he could barely breathe and was wheezing, and he just looked miserable. We spent the entire day loving him and making him as comfortable as we could, and then at 5:30 we took him to the vet. 

Mac passed at 6:00 P.M today, and went as peaceful as possible, my mom said he went right to sleep and didn't even flinch once. Thank you all for your help while Mac was still with us, and without some of your help I wouldn't have known how to care for him. I'm just glad he's not suffering any longer, and hopefully he's in a better place. 

R.I.P Mac. 

April 1st 1991-June 29th 2010


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm sorry for your loss. You guys did the right thing.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I'm very sorry for your loss. atback


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