Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello All,

I lost my two beloved Siamese babies last year to renal failure. They both primarily ate the dry MAX CAT for most of their lives. Bear, the blue point male, lived to be 14 and Mitzi, the chocolate point female, 16. In a couple of months I am getting two Siamese kittens, and I want to give them the best diet available.

I have been reading extensively, and it seems as if Nutro Kitten Food is a good product to begin with. What about wet food? Is it important for good health? I have read that it gets more moisture into their diets.

Does anyone have suggestions about other brands? Is Science Diet better? Flint River Ranch? Iambs? Old Mother Hubbard? There are so many to choose from, and I would appreciate any advice!

I want to ensure against FLUDT and CRF to the extent that I can. At what point is it important to cut back on their phosporus intake?

Thanks

Hi There,

I am so sorry for your losses. CRF is a tough disease to deal with in cats. I have lost 3 kitties to it myself.

There is really nothing you can feed that would give your future kittens less of a chance of developing CRF. Even a lifetime of feeding low protein food wouldn't help, nor would it be healthy. Most cats get CRF as they age and their bodies start wearing out.

On the other hand, canned food is best for cats because it's more natural for them. A diet high in protein and low in carbs is much closer to what cats would eat in the wild. Cats aren't even made to digest carbs, as they don't have the enzymes needed to digest them properly. Canned food contains a lot of moisture, which is good, as cats normally do not drink much water.

As far as avoiding urinary tract problems, dry food can be a factor in helping to cause it in some cats. It depends on whether or not a particular cat is susceptible to forming crystals and/or stones. And don't believe the packaging that says something about a dry food being formulated for urinary tract health. A cat can still have problems on those foods.

Before deciding on what brands to feed, I recommend you read a lot of labels before making your decision. You want some kind of meat as the first ingredient, and it's not a bad idea to avoid corn. It's a cheap filler that tends to put a lot of weight on cats.

Regards,
PHKitkat

My 15 year old, Stanley, was diagnosed with CRF when he was 14 1/2. My vet explained that Kidney Failure is one of the most common diseases in older cats. That and thyroid problems. Cancer is always up there, as well... She explained that something has to give eventually when they get older and usually it is kidneys. That said, he's been on Science Diet KD (for kidney disease) for several months and is doing well. Very slow progress in his numbers increasing. She explained that he can do well for a couple years at this rate with his kidneys before intervention would be needed (Sub-Q fluids, etc.)

His brother from the same litter has great looking kidney values and is benefiting from eating the KD, as well... It struck one brother at this age, but not the other. I am sure, with time, Pookey will have Kidney or other problems as he ages.

I have had wonderful luck with the Nutro Max and Natural Choice foods up until I switched totally to KD six months ago.

I think Stanley's kidneys will probably outlast him. He has a brain swelling problem that is in remission for now, but will flare at some point. However, I am keeping a close eye on his kidney values as you never know... The Science Diet KD is working wonderfully at slowing progress.

I just don't think it is a food you want to feed all their life. Cats need protein when they are younger -- they slow protein intake when they become Seniors.
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey