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Pookey had his 6-month vet visit today. All went well except his BUN is elevated (39). CREAT is still in normal range, and he's still well hydrated on his own. He's starting early stages of Kidney Disease/Renal Failure.

I expected it to show up before too long as it is so common in older cats and he is 17 now. He held out longer than most cats before it showed up as he has been on a special kidney diet since I started Stanley on it 3 years ago (kept Pookey on it this past year after Stanley passed away).

Pookey should have a couple years, hopefully, before serious signs show up, as Stanley did after he was first diagnosed. He's still keeping himself well hydrated, so he is a while from needing SUB-Q fluids periodically. She wants to see him in 6 months unless I see him getting dehydrated.

I knew it was going to happen, I've dreaded his vet visits for the past couple years anticipating this showing up... I am not overly upset as I know he has a couple years (hopefully), but it sits very heavy knowing it is beginning...
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

It sounds like Pookey's overall visit went OK. Even though you kind of expected early renal disease, it is still difficult to hear. Pookey should have several good years left, so the only thing you could do is take each day at a time. GLOWS to sweet Pookey.
BTW, has he ever gotten used to his new cat bed?

Ellen

No go on the "cat box". Loves his normal round cat beds, but there has to be a Doberman inside the cat box, he is sure of it...
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

GLOWS for Pookey to stay well as long as possible. Hope you have time for many more good times and memories and shared love.

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Tessa Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo,Salem, Wicca, Marmalade, Amelia, Rocket and Turbo (we iz NOT fosters) and the 5 porch kits, Mocha, Tigger, Cali, Torti and Smudge also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Onyx,Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts & together again//Fly free Penny 12/12/07
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

Hi Tammy,

Even though Pookey is doing very well for a cat of his age, I totally understand the heaviness you are feeling. I have had several cats with CRF and it's never an easy thing to deal with.

One of my cats who was diagnosed with kidney disease at 17 lived to be 19 and never realy got sick from her kidney issues. I lost her to a stroke, which just happened to be a week after she had very decent lab results. You just never know........

One of my present cats has very high numbers (BUN of 138, creatinine of 12) and has been doing very well. Even with the major stress of surviving a house fire 6 weeks ago and having to relocate. So, even very high numbers does not necessarily mean that the cat will be gone in a short time.

So many things can happen with kidney disease.

As always, I send GLOW and good wishes to you and Pookey.

Regards,
PHKitkat

KitKat -- The only thing I am really scared of is Anemia caused by the renal failure. That is what showed up in Stanley about two months before the end and is what I believe affected him the most at the end. We just could not control it, even with meds (Epogen). If he hadn't had such bad anemia, I belive he could have had a quality life for a good while longer with SUB-Q fluids.

She handed me a copy of Pookey's blood work and his RBC is normal and his WBC is 6.77 (towards the low end of normal). Is the WBC the indicator of Anemia, or some other reading?
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Even with the major stress of surviving a house fire 6 weeks ago and having to relocate.

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I am so very sorry to hear of the house fire! I hope everyone survived!
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Regarding the house fire, yes, we all survived and it was nothing short of a miracle!

My 10 furkids and I are presently living with my wonderful boss and her fur family. We are welcome here as long as we need a place to stay and we are very grateful

Take care,

PHKitkat

What a blessing everyone survived and you have a safe and welcoming place for all of you to stay!
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Hi Tammy,

Anemia is fairly common in cats with CRF, although many cats don't get it at all and some will have only low-grade anemia requiring no treatment. For some reason, none of my CRF cats have had anything but very mild anemia.

Epogen does seem to work well in most cats, but occasionally it may not have any effect, or can even make the anemia worse. Rarely epogen can cause cats to have seizures.

To monitor anemia, it's easiest to keep track of the PCV, otherwise known as hematocrit. This should be checked often in an anemic cat so treatment can be started right away if it is needed.

Regards,
PHKitkat

Thank you for the explanation. Unfortunately, Stanley was one of the few cats that had bad anemia and Epogen had no affect on it at all. It is good to know his experience is not common.
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Hi! I was just curious, what do you feed your CRF cats personally? What have you had success with?

I use dry Science Diet KD and it worked well with Stanley and held his values low for two years after early diagnosis and then he had a bad final 3-4 months where everything went out of whack on the charts (anemia, CRF, Thyroid kicked in). I've kept Pookey on it for three years since I started both on it at age 14 (he's now 17) and think it helped hold off his CRF. He seems to like the dry KD well enough, I do give him some treats and mix a very small amount of a Friskies lower protein flavor he'll eat every other day he is not on the Cyproheptadine to shake it up a bit and keep him eating on his own. He doesn't have medical problems, he just isn't a heavy eater. The 1/4 Cypro tablet every other day had helped him stay locked steady on a good weight for months now.

Since you've cared for several Senior cats, what have you found works best? What combination of foods do you use? At a point, we feed them whatever they'll eat to keep them eating, but is there something you found works well after one of your babies has an early CRF diagnosis?
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Hi Tammy,

I think what I have to say will surprise you.

Often, other than giving subcutaneous fluids, I have not done anything special for my CRF babies. None of them have really liked the special diets, so I have fed all kinds of foods, whatever they will eat. I never worry about the protein content because, at least in my babies, the % of protein in their foods doesn't seem to affect their numbers. Plus many vets now believe that it is the quality of the protein, not the amount, that is most important.

Since dehydration is a problem in cats with kidney disease, I'm not sure if dry food is good for them at all. At least, I don't think it is ideal. Canned food contains a lot of water, which is a good thing for CRF cats. Still, many do well on a dry food diet.

I used to think that giving fluids was the key, but my present CRF cat, Fiona, hates fluids so i don't give them to her often. She is finiky so she eats whatever she wants and she isn't on any suppliments since she is so hard to do anything to.

I think that it comes down to this......each case is very different and so is the way cats respond to treatments. Whatever works well with one cat may not help the next one at all. We see cats with fairly low numbers that are near death and others with very high numbers that are doing well.

My latest thought is that some cats with kidney failure are able to keep themselves more hydrated than others, even if they are taking in the same foods and amount of water. I also feel that genetics play a role. Perhaps some cats are better able to handle having CRF because of their genes....who knows. It really is a mystery.

I'm so glad that your baby continues to do well

Regards,
PHKitkat

Thanks for the reply. Actually, I am not too shocked by your response. I know if my cats had not liked the KD, I'd feed them non-prescription foods and not push it. Keeping a Senior cat eating can oftentimes be difficult, as I've learned with Pookey since the loss of Stanley (thank goodness for Cyproheptadine).

Unfortunately, both cats HATE wet food. They wouldn't go near it and Pookey has been known to yowel at it and run from it like it is a live Doberman. So, dry food has always been the only route (I've tried MANY wet foods thru the years).

I appreciate your taking time to give such well thought out answers and was curious as to your feeding experiences as you've cared for so many Senior cats.
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Tammy and Pookey
(Stanley 8/91 - 8/07)

Hi Tammy,
Sending glows for many more years with Pookey.

Jaime
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Jaime owned by
Mya and Quinn the dogs
and the cats: Gabby and Moxie
Crashie 08/98 to 09/29/08