That's right 4-feline-house that excessive thirst, etc. means it is advanced kidney problems- I had a cat (Liza, blk. & white tuxedo) die about a year and 1/2 ago from it. By the time I noticed that something was REALLY wrong with her, it was too late. It can advance very quickly as it did in her case. I know I felt so awful for not having done something sooner. She had been drinking a lot of water and kind of lethargic (spellcheck) for awhile, but she was getting up in years and I did not know which of my cats was drinking all the water at first. Now it is something I watch for closely.