Quote Originally Posted by Barbara View Post
I've heard about kidney transplants in cats before but I have my doubts. You know that my Filou survived renal disease for 5 years- and he was only 14 when he left for Rainbow Bridge but I would have never considered to put him through a kidney transplant surgery. Plus there is another thing: in humans you talk about "donating" because the person donating a kidney can decide whether he or she wants to do that- it is a risk even for the donator but he can willingly take the risk to help another person.
A cat does not have that decision and I feel it would not be ok if I decided that this cat has to "donate".
We cannot fix everything that will lead to death finally and we have to live with it. It is sad but it is life.
[size]I agree. Celebrity Robin Quivers of Howard Stern radio fame in New York had a kidney transplant (cost was around fifteen grand!) performed on one of her cats, and it was part of the deal that she adopt the donor cat. Both cats are doing well. My Schuyler is going through CRF (chronic renal failure) and if I had the means to afford such a surgery I would not put him (and a donor cat) through it, partly because cancer is also suspected in Schuyler.

My brother-in-law donated a kidney to his sister several years ago and they both doing fine.[/SIZE]