A New Blog Look and a New Kitten

Well, spring has finally sprung and lots has happened since I last posted here. Bored with the old blog appearance, I opted for a new one. More importantly, however, is the news on the cat front: last fall, two of our three old cats, Black Bear (my favorite, ahem) and Little Girl, passed away within a week of each other.

Late in October, Bear started acting differently. A subtle change at first, but I noticed. I also had a feeling that it was not just a couple of "quiet days" that cats have now and then. Always a healthy eater, I knew he was in trouble when he began leaving some of his dinner on his plate. When he was six years old, he had been a "plugged" cat, suffering from Feline Urological Syndrome and had to be rushed to the animal hospital to be catheterized lest he die of uremia. Since that time, he had been on daily methionine to acidify his urine. Now, he was nearly 14 years old. I had a sinking feeling that the old problem had returned and morphed into kidney failure.

J. and I took him to our holistic veterinarian, who took blood for liver and kidney function tests. Two days later, I received the news: terminal kidney failure. The vet said his numbers were off the charts, and it was amazing that he had done as well as he had for so long. I attributed that fact to the homemade diet he had been on for the past few years. Once I calmed down, I called back and made an appointment to euthanize him. It was three days hence, and I was determined to spoil him like crazy before the end of his life.

He was still eating, so we gave him all the neat treats we could think of: canned cat food, canned fish snacks, etc. He was pampered more than ever (quite a feat, I assure you). When the time came to bundle him off to the vet, we were sad, but knew we had done all that we could to give him a great life. I had hoped he would live to 20 years, but the end came quickly and he was in fine fettle until almost the very end.

Little Girl, who had been having some recurrence of urinary tract problems herself during the previous summer, became despondent over his loss. The only female, she had "belonged" to Bear, the alpha male, and was despondent without him. She would wait for him, and cry when he didn't appear. She stopped eating. Soon, her kidneys failed, as well; we had her put to sleep less than a week after Bear. To those who claim that animals cannot love, I have this to say: You are dead wrong.

Poor J. buried two cats in one week, the second one on his birthday. As he trudged up the driveway after putting out Miss P.'s trash, looking lost and depressed, I said, "Let's go out to lunch and stop by the shelter to see what they have on hand for kittens." He looked surprised, but agreed. No way was I going to let him remember his birthday only as the day he buried Miss Thing! So, off we went--and found ourselves a cute little bargain.

Next time: A new playmate for Goldie.

Treatment and Prevention of Kidney Disease in Cats

Once your cat is diagnosed with kidney failure, you must change the diet. The remaining kidney tissue cannot be overworked by being forced to continually filter unnecessary toxins out of the blood. Stop feeding any dry food, and buy a premium canned food to mix with some chicken stew that you can make by chopping up chicken and cooking with mixed vegetables and some brown rice. Much of the nutrients will be in the stock, which will also add some extra fluid to the meal, something your cat really needs now.

Don't be fooled by "prescription" diets that claim to help reduce the load on the kidneys by containing lower percentages of protein. It is the quality of the protein, not the quantity, that is at issue here. Any commercial food, even prescription brands, contain lower-quality protein and many more toxins than any food you can cook for your cat. You are much better off supplementing a regular premium canned product with your own cooking (if you don't feel comfortable supplying a completely homemade diet) than buying these prescription brands.

Supplements are also in order. Buy a quality pet vitamin, or make up your own. Don't be afraid to give a little more than the label calls for, since your cat is not absorbing much of what he is ingesting at this point, and needs a little extra. Vitamins A, B and C are especially important. Also, make sure your cat gets a taurine supplement, as well as extra calcium. Dr. Pitcairn suggests calcium supplements that do not have too much phosphorus, as this element is difficult for the kidneys to handle in their weakened state.

Resist any prescription drugs your vet may press on you. Cortisone and acidifiers will not help the problem, and probably hasten decline. Instead, make an herbal tea for your cat, a teaspoon of which you add to his food twice a day: Steep about a quarter teaspoon of uva-ursi, cornsilk, horsetail and marsh mallow root in 4 oz. of boiling water. Let it set for several hours before straining. Keep any leftover in the refrigerator, and make a new batch every 4-5 days.

This regimen worked very well for Sweet Pea, extending her life by about 9 quality months. When she came out of remission, however, it was time to let her go. Remember that there is no cure, just palliative care until the kidneys give out entirely.

Prevention, as you may have guessed, rests entirely with nutrition. Stay away from commercial foods, or at least supplement with some homemade, as well. Give quality supplements, and add a bit of warm water to each meal to make sure your cats stay hydrated and flushed. Start this regimen from the day you bring them home, and your cats will very likely be some of those fortunate enough to escape this dreadful disease.
Chat later!

Kidney Failure in Cats

Kidney failure is a common problem in cats today, and getting more common. It is generally fatal, and incurable; the one bright spot is that it doesn't usually become lethal until the cat is older. This is because by then, the disease has progressed to the point where the remaining kidney tissue cannot keep up with the job of filtering the blood. So, while the kidneys are failing, you will probably not see any symptoms in your cat until it is almost too late. However, with a little knowledge and prevention, you may be able to prolong your pet's life for months, even years.

As we know, cats do not malinger, so it is sometimes difficult to know when they are not feeling well. It is important to know the symptoms of this disease, therefore, so that you can recognize them and take action. One thing to be cognizant of is that cats have very delicate urinary systems, and are prone to problems like cystitis, feline urological syndrome, kidney stones, and renal (kidney) failure. If your cat has a history of any of these urinary tract issues, the chances of kidney failure developing later on is greater. Richard Pitcairn, in his book, The Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats, notes that cats with bladder infections when they are young very often develop renal failure in middle age. Sweet Pea, who died of kidney failure, also had bouts of cystitis when she was younger. A weakness in the system will cause its premature failure, something you must realize early on.

Symptoms of kidney failure come on somewhat suddenly. The cat shows signs of increased thirst, drinks more water than he used to, and urinates more often. Soon, the animal starts to have other problems, such as recurrent bladder infections. Antibiotics will not work anymore, and the condition becomes chronic. The buildup of toxins in the animal's blood will cause general unthriftiness, such as rough coat, excessive shedding, lack of energy and lack of appetite. If, at this point, you have a kidney function test done at the veterinary hospital, it will come back positive for kidney failure. Even if the test denotes a "mild" case, know that the situation will degrade quickly if nothing is done.

Why is this such a problem, in this modern age? There's the reason: Commercial cat food diets, particularly dry food. Cats normally do not drink much water, desert creatures that they are. Dry cat food forces them to do so, and creates an imbalance in the cat's system. I read once that when a cat eats only dry food for a couple of days, such as when owners go away for the weekend, it takes several weeks for their internal water balance to get back to normal when normal feeding resumes. Essentially, dry food dehydrates your cat!

Tomorrow, we'll look at some treatments that can help preserve the remaining kidney function for a bit longer, making your cat more comfortable. We'll also look at the most important piece of the puzzle: Prevention!
Chat later!