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

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