Early Stage Kidney Failure in Monty??

[jennielynn1970]

I just received an email from a woman who adopted my love bug Monty and said she just took him to the vet because he was drinking a lot of water and peeing excessively, and after tests were run, the vet diagnosed him with early stage kidney failure.

I know others have gone through this. This isn't a death sentence, is it??? Monty is such a sweet heart!! I wonder what causes this?? he was a stray for a while, and was in the shelter in Huntingdon, but he was such a good boy here with me. I always said he was mellow, and the vet said it's LETHARGY. Boy do I feel like a bad foster mom :o :( I thought he was ok after the UTI. He was laid back and mellow when I picked him up originally. I wouldn't have said lethargic. I just thought he was older what we were told.

Is there anything that can be done?? The woman who adopted him said they plan to keep him at home and happy, but that sounds like a death sentence. I don't see where this has to be envisioning the cat dying in a few months.... is it??? I feel so helpless and like I've totally let this poor boy down, not to mention the new owners. Monty is such a good boy. So polite and so sweet. He so doesn't deserve this.

Please, any suggestions will be appreciated, and any thoughts and prayers for him would be too.

[Freedom]

In many cases, kidney disease is hereditary. That is what the vet suspected with my Mr. Amber Cat. I think it was the prednisone.

I think that was one of the problems with the food recalls, so it can be caused by foods too.

No telling how rapidly or slowly it will progress. Sometimes a change in food can slow the progress and the cat will live happily for YEARS.

At some point, the cat may need sub q fluids. Amber started once every other day. Got to the point of 4 times per day when I said no, that is enough.

It is not a death sentence; it is more likely that the cat will die of kidney issues than of something else, now that this has shown up.

[jenluckenbach]

Kidney failure is not something I have dealt with, but I wish Monty ALL the best.

[kb2yjx]

I am so sorry to read about Monty. In our cat family over the years and presently, we have kidney cats. Raven was rescued on 8/6/2000, at the age of four. That November, she was diagnosised with kidney disease(she is a Persian). She was put on k/d canned and had her Bun and creatinine(indicates how the kidneys are getting rid of waste products)checked every six months. Raven is now 11 years old, still eats the canned k/d and gets sub q fluids twice a week. After looking at her recent bloodwork, our vet said that if she did not know that Raven was a kidney cat, she would NOT know from her bloodwork, it is that good!! Molly is 14 and has been a kidney cat for a few years. Gets sub q fluids three times a week, and REFUSES to eat the k/d. She does eat Royal Canin Renal 23(dry food) and Nine Lives!!!! I figure at 14, she can eat what she wants and still has a good quality of life.
Perhaps, in Monty's case, he was diagnosised early enough to work with his diet for now. You did not mention how old Monty is. You did a good job as his foster Mom and sounds like he is in good hands now!!! Prayers for Monty!!

[jennielynn1970]

In many cases, kidney disease is hereditary. That is what the vet suspected with my Mr. Amber Cat. I think it was the prednisone.

No telling how rapidly or slowly it will progress. Sometimes a change in food can slow the progress and the cat will live happily for YEARS.

At some point, the cat may need sub q fluids. Amber started once every other day. Got to the point of 4 times per day when I said no, that is enough.

It is not a death sentence; it is more likely that the cat will die of kidney issues than of something else, now that this has shown up.

I want to also reassure this woman who adopted Monty, because he is such a wonderful cat, just so full of love. I'm wondering if when he was peeing all over his first adopter's furniture if it was because of a kidney problem??? She refused to take him to the vet, so I took him there, and his bladder was empty, but she said it felt tender. We put him on Baytril, and he seemed much better.

I know your Amber was a kidney cat, and so was Georgia's Mitzi. How long did they live after being diagnosed?? I know Mitzi was a young boy, which was so sad. I'm not sure about the progress of your Amber however. How long from diagnosis to becoming really ill was it?? I feel bad asking, but if this woman gets really upset, I'll take Monty back in a heart beat and take care of him myself. He was such a good boy, never was mean or rude to any other cat, sat and waited patiently for goodies. Just a gentleman. I'm getting all teary now because I feel so bad that he is sick. What if I could have caught it here and I didn't? We didn't do any tests after the UTI at the vet and I just let him go to PetSmart when he seemed better. What if that made it worse?!! I feel so terrible for him!

Look at this sweet face...
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t261/jenn_librarian/HPIM0637.jpg

[jennielynn1970]

Perhaps, in Monty's case, he was diagnosised early enough to work with his diet for now. You did not mention how old Monty is. You did a good job as his foster Mom and sounds like he is in good hands now!!! Prayers for Monty!!

The vet felt he was about 5yrs old. Too young. :(

I can email his new owner and mention the other food options as well. They said he didn't like what the vet gave them. Typical.

[kb2yjx]

Yes, 5 is too young, but Raven was only 4!!! Her kidney disease came about because of the HORRIBLE condition of her teeth!!!! She was rescued from a terrible home. You can read about her,Raven was COTD 12/9/04.

[Medusa]

If it's chronic renal failure, Monty could have lots of good, quality years left. Puddy has had CRF for over 5 years now and has even had one kidney removed and she doesn't even need subQ treatments any more. My RB Peeka had acute renal failure and that's totally different. It comes on fast and furious and usually by the time you see that something is wrong, it's too late. So...if it's chronic, then w/good vet care, proper diet (although Puddy has never eaten special food but then, that's Puddy) and maybe later down the line w/subQ treatments, there's no limit to how long Monty could live. Here's wishing Monty the best and lots of prayers going his way.

[jenluckenbach]

If it's chronic renal failure, Monty could have lots of good, quality years left. Puddy has had CRF for over 5 years now and has even had one kidney removed and she doesn't even need subQ treatments any more. My RB Peeka had acute renal failure and that's totally different. It comes on fast and furious and usually by the time you see that something is wrong, it's too late.
Does anyone know how they tell the difference??

[Medusa]

I noticed that Peeka had lost weight and she was always a chubbette. I watched her that night and noticed that she didn't move out of the spot where she had lain all day in the sun. So I called the vet, they took her right away and told me that they were almost positive it was renal failure. Peeka didn't respond to any treatment, none of it. She wouldn't eat, not even cooked chicken, her absolute favorite. She was on IV fluids and still could not get hydrated. Then her eyes and the inside of her ears turned yellow which meant jaundice and that meant her liver was shutting down, too. She stayed in the hospital for 5 straight days and didn't respond to any treatment whatsoever. When she cried every time I left after visiting and I asked if I brought her home, would it be painful for her to die naturally, I was told that it would be, so it broke my heart but I had her PTS. So I guess you can say that some of the signs are that a cat goes downhill rapidly and doesn't respond to treatment. I'm sure the vet tech who posts here (I think her screen ID is Catlady711 but I'm not sure) can give you more concrete things to look for.

[Freedom]

I purposely didn't mention that until someone else had posted with a good result. Thanks, Mary (Medusa).

Amber died 8 months after his initial diagnosis of kidney problems. It progressed VERY rapidly. He refused to eat ANY of the food the vet sent home. I could just hear him saying, "I KNOW you snuck meds in there somewhere and I'm NOT touching it!" :rolleyes:

He peed all over the place from about 6 months before the diagnosis, right through to the end.

I wish Monty a long life!

[Catty1]

Found this online:

Treatment: Cats with severe chronic kidney failure will require hospitalization so that they may be treated with intravenous fluids, nutritional support, and medications. Less severe manifestations of the disease may be managed at home with medications and dietary changes.

The veterinarian may recommend certain commercial cat foods, available only through prescription, that are reduced in protein, phosphorus and sodium -- and should therefore reduce the work load for the kidneys. Other medications are prescribed to control symptoms of kidney failure such as nausea, inappetence, mineral and electrolyte imbalances, hormone deficiencies, and high blood pressure. It is important that fresh water be available at all times to cats with the disease.

The veterinarian may instruct the owner how to administer supplemental fluids under the skin, called subcutaneous fluid therapy. This method usually is recommended for cats with moderate to severe forms of chronic kidney failure. Re-examinations to monitor the disease are recommended on a regular basis. The number of visits will depend on the severity of the cat's disease and its response to treatment.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Jenn, I'm so sorry to hear about Monty.:( I sure hope that he'll be able to be treated at home and remain comfortable and that he'll live a long happy life. Lots of prayers and positive thoughts are being sent his way.

[Medusa]

I don't see it as a death sentence at all since the vet said Monty is in the "early stages" of kidney failure. To me, that indicates chronic renal failure and as I mentioned in a previous post, he could live for years. Acute means that it comes on suddenly, already in full progress, and not much can be done. Your vet can set you on the path to a proper diet, medication and probably subQ fluids down the line. Don't panic; PT prayers work miracles every day.

[jennielynn1970]

Mary, thanks for the advice. He's not my cat, he was my foster, and I just feel so badly now that he finally has a home and he is sick!!! I feel badly for the adopters too, because they are so sad about this, as they've gotten very attached to Monty. I have assured them that if the time comes that they feel that they can't care for him any longer, I'd be more than willing to take him back with me. He's just such a sweetie.

[Catty1]

Tell her to follow the vet's advice, and he could have many many good years.

Change of diet is the most crucial. :)

[jennielynn1970]

I have no idea what he was being fed at Huntingdon Animal Shelter, but with me he was fed Nutro dry. He loved canned food as well, but was never fed any of the recalled stuff.

His first adoptive home, where he got the UTI (if that's what it was...), was feeding him crap (Friskies or Purina... sorry just don't think it's great stuff). Have no idea what he was being fed at the 2nd home.

What causes CRF?? Is it diet and stress??

[Medusa]

Found this on Dogpile:

CRF may have one or more causes. The common contributing factors are age, genetics, environment, and disease. In recent years, more attention has been directed towards high blood pressure, low potassium levels, acidified diets, and dental disease as possible contributors to the development of CRF. Research has indicated that some breeds have a higher rate of CRF than others. The Maine Coon, Abyssinian, Siamese, Russian Blue, Burmese, and Balinese appear to be more likely to develop CRF than other breeds. Although CRF can occur at any age, it is usually a disease of older cats. With dietary improvements in cat food, advances in feline medical care and more cats living indoors, cats are now living much longer and their bodies eventually wear out just as human bodies do.

Many renal diseases result in CRF. Usually the diagnosis in the vet’s office is simply CRF because the cause cannot be determined in most cases. Causes can, however, be divided into two groups – congenital and acquired. Congenital kidney disease may progress and turn into CRF in kittens and younger cats.

Renal failure may be either chronic or acute. Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) is a progressive, irreversible deterioration of kidney function. Because cats hide their illnesses and the very early signs of CRF are subtle, this disease may only be recognized when the patient reaches the 70% deterioration level and more dramatic symptoms are observable. The seemingly sudden onset may appear to be an acute condition but is most often a crisis point of CRF. By comparison, Acute Renal Failure (ARF) is characterized by an abrupt shutdown of kidney function, most often accompanied by oliguria (reduced urine production). The primary causes of ARF in cats are: urinary obstructions, infectious diseases, trauma, and the ingestion of toxins - the most common one being ethylene glycol which is contained in antifreeze. ARF is extremely serious and can quickly become fatal. Immediate veterinary treatment is imperative. Though the prognosis is usually poor, if damage has not been too severe and medical treatment is aggressive, it may be possible for normal kidney function to be restored.

Hope I didn't bombard you w/too much info but I wasn't doing too good of a job in explaining the difference between chronic and acute and what causes it. I sure hope Monty's new family listens to their vet. Monty could have lots of good years left.

[TopCat3]

My Cleo (Siamese) was diagnosed with kidney impairment in Oct 2005. (No such word as "failure" in our house... ;) ) We have managed it together by means of medication for her high blood pressure and hyperthyroidism and subcutaneous fluids. As time goes by she needs the fluids more often. It started off at once a week in Feb 06, then twice a week, then up to three-four times, now it's just about every day. She also has Chinese herbs and acupuncture. She didn't like the renal wet food at first but she liked the renal dry after her normal wet food. A little bout of constipation recently has meant that she now has very little or no dry food but she has started to eat the wet renal much to my delight. She is generally going on very well. She is now 18yrs 8mths. She is gradually losing more and more weight though. She loves her food and is still bright and reasonably agile.

I would say to you, please don't think there is anything you did to cause this. Cats are prone to kidney impairment by virtue of the fact they have less nephrons (the little filtration tubules) in their kidneys than other animal species including humans. Some cats are lucky and are never affected in this way, but many are. Some make it to 12, 15, or 17 before it shows up, others contract it earlier in life. Dear Monty just drew a short straw, and I would say there is nothing you could have done about it, particularly as the condition is almost always well under way before a cat shows any signs of having the condition.

We wish Monty well and that he and his purrents manage the condition well so he has a long and happy life. No reason at all why he shouldn't. :)

[jennielynn1970]

Thank you all for the words of moral support here. I'm just really worried about him and wondering if there was something I should have/could have done that we would have known this earlier. Like, was it a UTI? Should he have gone back in for a urinalysis? Or, maybe he had started this when he was at the shelter before we even picked him up and no one ever knew.

The funny thing is, I always thought he looked like an older cat. He reminded me of the diabetic kitty we had at the shelter who had passed away. Not THAT bad, but he just looked boney when I got him and his fur was bad, ya know?? I was shocked when the vet said he was only 5 years old. My youngest is 4 1/2 years and she looks 1/3 of his age.

I'm hoping to keep in close contact with his adopters, and hear how things are going. Hopefully he'll be a good boy and eat what he needs to! He has a good appetite and loves wet food, so that's a plus for him (unless the renal food is really yucky!).

[TopCat3]

Apparently the wet renal is not the tastiest feline gourmet experience :p

Best to introduce it by mixing it with current food in ever increasing percentages.

Or add some tuna or salmon juice from a tin of your own/their food.

Cleo wouldn't touch it a year ago, now she is happy to hoe into it with gusto :p I don't give it to her at every meal but I mix it 1/2 and 1/2 or give it to her as an additional meal in the day if she asks for food.

[Kirsten]

Jenn, I'm very sorry to hear these news on Monty, but like others have said, diagnosed at an early stage, Kidney Failure doesn't have to be a death sentence.

And please don't blame yourself! As we all know, cats hide their discomforts very well!

I hope his new humans will keep you updated, and I also hope that he will start eating his diet food (I'm just going through the same with Luna!) which is so important for him.

I once knew a cat that lived for many years with CRF. He was a good boy and ate his diet, and took his meds.

Best wishes to Monty!

Kirsten