Cat Kidney Failure: Symptoms, Types, and Urgent Care Guide

Cat kidney failure is one of the scariest things that a cat owner can face. When talking of kidney failure it is important that owners know what to be looking for. One of the most common symptom kidney disease is your cat drinking more water and increased urination. When you notice something out of the ordinary with your cat go to the vet and get a blood test to find out what the problem is.

There are two types of kidney failure, Acute and Chronic. When you are facing a diagnosis of kidney failure it is important to know which one you are facing. Cats that are suffering from acute kidney failure have a sudden onset of symptoms. There is usually an outside cause, exposure to poison, reaction to medicines, trauma to the kidney, or something of that nature. When a vet treats acute kidney failure they will be first treating what caused the failure. They will most likely set your cat up on an IV to try to flush the toxins out of the system. If caught in time there might not be lasting damage to the kidneys.

If your cat is suffering from chronic kidney failure there is really no way to correct the damage to the kidneys, however there are ways to make your cat more comfortable and slow down the damage. One thing the vet will talk to you about is switching your cat to a food specially designed for kidney disease. There are many kidney friendly cat food resources available on the web. A great resource for different sort of cat foods is a site that lists the different varieties of canned cat food and their various amounts of Protein, Phosphorus, Sodium and Fat.

The most important factor in treating kidney disease in cats is to help take some of the workload off of the failing kidneys. This can be done with the change in food and increased water intake. It can also be assisted with replacing some of the vitamins and minerals that your cat is losing. You can also give your cat Sub Q fluids to help the kidneys flush the toxins and get the proper nourishment that they need. In extreme cases there is an option of a kidney transplant or dialysis. Unfortunately both of those can be very costly.

Usually cat kidney failure is associated with weakness and anemia . There is sometimes little pain, other than a dull ache. You will not think it is true or you will already begin grieving your companion. There are many pet owners who are going though this with you. You might want to join a support group, like the Yahoo! Group entitled, Renal Failure in Cats. There you can find others that have walked in your shoes or are just beginning their journey with a cat with kidney disease.

Here is a great article on Two Innocent Mistakes That Could Set the Stage for Kidney Disease.

And this article does a great job at explaining the disease and other options: Why Do So Many Domestic Cats Have Chronic Kidney Failure?

Please contact Floppycats.com with additional information you have regarding cat kidney failure.

Additional Cat Kidney Information on Floppycats.com:

• Cat Kidney Failure
• Cat Kidney Stone
• Cat Enema
• Cat Not Drinking Water
• Cat Drinking Too Much Water
• Cat Food
• Kidney Disease Cat Food
• Administering Fluids
• Anemia in Cats