Question:
Do you reccommend a total meat diet for an older cat that has been
diagnosed as “going into kidney failure”?
Thanks, Cecelia
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Question:
Do you reccommend a total meat diet for an older cat that has been
diagnosed as “going into kidney failure”?
Thanks, Cecelia
No
Philip McHugh, DVM
Park Veterinary Hospital
Durham, NC 27713
An all-meat diet is not a good idea for kidney failure. The abundance of protein will increase the BUN , Creatinine and Phosphorous, which will all make your pet feel worse. They need high quality, low quantity proteins, such as are found in Hills K/d or Purina NF.
Good Luck.
Mack Barney, DVM
Fairfield, CA
I have been using raw foods in cats with chronic renal failure for over 15 years and have been very happy with the results. Of course, a well balanced raw foods diet is mostly meat but not “total”. There are many recipes and commercial products available that are excellent.
Good Luck.
Russell Swift, DVM, HMC
Holistic Practitioner
Tamarac, FL
I’m sorry for your cat’s diagnosis of kidney disease. This problem is not curable but is very manageable. I’ve seen cats live for several years (5-7) when diagnosed early in the disease. Ideally we like to start a diet that is lower in protein and higher in fat. The protein should be high quality, though, to be better digested and less stressful to the remaining functional kidney tissue. We also recommend a canned or wet diet to increase the water intake, as this is better to flush the toxins from the system. I also find that a fountain system is helpful in encouraging cats that have kidney problems to drink more. There are many fountains available, including the Drink well pet fountain, and can be found at pet stores and online.
There are several prescription diets available for kidney problems, including k/d from Hill’s, multistage renal from Eukanuba, renal lp from Waltham, as well as modified from Royal Canin/Waltham, and nf from Purina too. These all come in a canned/wet version, and most come in a dry version too (just not the renal lp). There are also recipes for homemade diets but ideally the diet should be checked by a veterinary nutritionist, especially for a cat with kidney problems. There are also a variety of supplements, including phosphorus binders and potassium that are used as the renal disease progresses (their use is usually determined by changing lab values, which should be checked every 3-4 months).
I hope this helps. I know it may be more that you were expecting, but sometimes cats don’t get as much attention by their vets and kidney disease is a very manageable condition when caught early. If you talk to your vet and ask a lot of questions they will know how much you care and help you more.
Good luck, and I hope you have many years together.
Dr. Lori Coughlin
Arlington Heights, IL