Anyone know anything about cats with kidney problems?

@mick Thank you. I have an apt at 4:30 Tuesday to euthanize him. I am sorry you lost 3 in 8 months. Last year @lisaviolet lost a handful close together like that too. When he perked up Monday he was on the cat tree for a while ears forward watching the birds at the bird feeder. That is what makes it so hard - moments of acting like he doesn’t feel well and then moments like that. And until mid- Sunday he was mostly like that but lying on the pet heating pad on the chair when not in one of his other haunts. That is why I am struggling with is this time or not or does he just need nursed through this illness.

HIs name is Max. Of all my cats is my cuddle cat. He follows me around, sleeps with me nestled at my shoulder, has to be on my lap at any chance he gets… I am really, really going to miss him. His sister Paige was nearly as affectionate and sometimes I’d be sandwiched between two cats at night, one on either side of me or both trying to settle on/beside me on the couch, although her bond with her littermate was such that she was just as happy cuddled up with him. She did die in the middle of the night, on my bed with me (I had been planning to take her in the next morning to put her to sleep).

None of my other cats are quite that way. My remaining 17 year old, whom I bottle fed, is a sit near me not on me, comes for the 5 minute petting session and then is off to her cat bed, the cat tree or “my” chair near me kind of cat. My 7 year old (a stray I found on the median strip of the highway in the pouring rain) is a sleep with Max cat (but not when he is on my bed, rather when he is anywhere else). She is going to have a tough time when he dies. The 3 year old I rescued from campus last year when a student dumped her, doesn’t want to be held but does sleep at the foot of my bed some of the time and comes for a lot of pets. The 6 mo old feral kitten I had been feeding with her feral mama I stole 2 mo ago when I moved and she is an affectionate but is a busy little girl and I don’t know how she will turn out when she gets past the crazed kitten stage.

@Kidsandliz @lisaviolet @mick So, so sorry you’re going through this. I’ve been there many times with my dogs, it’s a hard decision indeed. But we’re the only ones who can give the ultimate gift of letting go when the "sparkle " is gone. But it still sucks. Just. Fucking. Sucks.

@Kidsandliz @llangley @mick We lost five last year. So far, two this year, one last Wednesday.

@lisaviolet I don’t think I could handle having that many die so close together. It would tear me apart. I realize you have a lot of older cats and so this is inevitable, but so heart breaking. I made a decision that I wouldn’t have any more cats the same age so hopefully it will spread out the pain. I have/had who are 17.5 and 3 mo apart - the baby I bottle fed who is losing weight (hyperthyroid) and my littermates (Paige who died 9/15 and Max). I had another cat die at 3 with no warning. Was cuddling her at bed time and other than coughing once, she seemed fine. I was going to take her to the vet in the morning. Instead she died that night.

@llangley Yes I know what I need to do (and will), I am just struggling - too close to when his sister died.

@Kidsandliz we’re all here, holding your virtual hand

@Kidsandliz Well, it’s not really that bad when they’re older or have been sick for a while. We kind of get ready for the inevitable, making things as comfortable for the cat as possible. But when it’s quick, like Potter last year (kidneys) and Skippy (cancer) or Monica this year (cancer), it’s rough.

Opie’s had a problem for a good six months with his breathing, the nose thing started a three or so months ago. Nothing we did helped. I syringe fed him three times a day for three weeks, started when I noticed he was having a hard time eating. I figured if I could get him over whatever was going on, we’d be okay. Then, I didn’t feed him one day to see if he would eat on his own. He ate a little, not enough to survive on. And within forty-eight hours his breathing got really bad. Noisy, not open mouth (yet), not gasping (yet), but it wouldn’t be long. We took him in, he’d lost a pound in a month, the vet didn’t even question our decision.

@lisaviolet Yeah the sudden deaths are hard. I had a 3 year old who came for cuddles one night, coughed once, but otherwise acted normal, I was going to take her to the vet in the morning, but she died in the middle of the night. I do think though that those we have had for years before they die are also hard in a different way as they have been so entwined in our lives for so long… Any way you look at it it is hard. So hard.

@moonhat So hard to know what to do when cats have cancer. Surgery often isn’t a cure, but chemo makes them so miserable for so many months. I wish you and your husband strength dealing with this and making the decision. If she starts to have panting like breathing they usually do that due to pain.

I had a kitty die of cancer many years ago - from the vaccinations. Did surgery once which got her 2 good years, did it again and the wound didn’t heal well, they couldn’t get it all, so had to put her down. She was 13. My other cat of that time had died 2 years previously of complications of diabetes. He was 11. That was so painful I swore I’d never get another cat and another PhD student dropped off a 10 day old squalling kitten and said, “Take her. I can’t deal with this and you just lost a cat so need another one”. That was between written and oral comps. The last thing I needed to do was feed a baby every couple of hours. That was 17 years ago - my soon to be remaining 17 year old.

@moonhat My only advice is to take pictures. I know it sounds sick, but when the second guessing starts, you’ll have something to refer to.

They go a long way to addressing the eventual guilt that hits.

@moonhat PS keep us posted about your poor little girl.

@Kidsandliz

I know how hard this was for you.
you and max have been in my thoughts for days.
we love them so.

i always say and feel… “until we meet again”. i hope it’s true.

my condolences Liz for the loss of your Max.

https://imgur.com/a/R0OP6LY

@mick Thank you. And last night was hard. There was no warm, little purring body snuggled against my side up by my shoulder. And yes I hope it is true too.

@Kidsandliz I’m so sorry. I wish I could give you a hug.

I never know how to comfort someone in this situation, because I know that I can’t be comforted. But I know he loves you, and he’ll be waiting for you.

@Hiz Thank you.

@Kidsandliz If you need to talk, I’m here.

@Hiz Thank you. I’m surviving but I sure miss him (and his sister).

@lisaviolet And I am sorry you lost yet another kitty. I know you aren’t planning to have any more after all of yours die, I hope the rest of them last a long time.

If you have any more with kidney issues, I have a nearly full bag of Science Diet Rx dry kidney food, 6 large cans and 18 small cans of rx kidney wet food. I think it might fit in a large priority mail box that you can have for the postage.

@Kidsandliz Thank you for the offer. Our problem cats right now have thyroid problems (on meds) and a fungal infection, cryptococcus and he won’t take his meds. We’ve tried for a year and a half, spent hundreds on different ways of getting them into him (compounding isn’t cheap) and he won’t take them. So, we know that this will end up killing him (this is the guy who had the huge granuloma on a back paw removed earlier this year).

Maybe call a shelter or ask your vet if they have clients who could use it? I know our vet will do that, take back meds and give them to people who can’t afford them otherwise.

@lisaviolet I asked the vet yesterday and he claims he has no kitties right now with kidney issues. I find that hard to believe since that is so common in older cats but then around here people prefer dogs.

@Kidsandliz How about a shelter? Or rescues?

@lisaviolet Did any of your kidney issue cats have anemia? If yes what did the vet do about it?

@Kidsandliz Not that I recall.

If you haven’t seen it yet, this link might help. Sounds like kidney disease is a common cause of anemia.

https://www.petmd.com/cat/signs-causes-and-treatment-anemia-cats

@lisaviolet Thanks. I talked with the vet and she wants to wait 2 weeks to treat the anemia to see if the things we are doing right now help or not first. Not sure I agree since that is what is causing him to feel so lethargic but she says even though it is severe in him that length of wait won’t make a difference.

@lseeber Thank you. And I know…just taking me time to emotionally adjust to that.

@Kidsandliz Understandably.

@LeviOhPlz I know what you mean… I still think of my two kitties I had to put down in 1998 and 2000, my one that died 4 years ago… I hate this part of their life, yet I am so glad I have had them.

@Kidsandliz A reason to be optimistic for sure!

@lisaviolet The thing that worries me is looking over the 4 meds I paid for, none treats the anemia and his is so bad it is listed as very serious and he could die from that faster than from the kidney stuff. I am calling in the morning to find out what we need to do about that. Like this week, not next when I am to bring him back.

@Kidsandliz I’m so glad you found a better vet . Second opinions are so important and this one sounds like he knows what he’s doing. Hugs to you and Max (and your other furbabies), enjoy the day . You are loved!

@Kidsandliz see if your local CVS (or Walgreens, or Walmart, or Costco, or anything with a pharmacy) can order a case of fluids. My last order was 12 bags for about fifty bucks. The GoodRX card really helps with the price too. I did have to shop around and nag all the pharmacists, but it’s so, SO worth it.

@llangley This new vet said that based on the fact he is responding to sub Q fluids it isn’t time to give up yet, we need to re-evaaulate him in a week, and that I need to remember that because he is old things could go south quickly. All that being said, at least he is getting the chance to see if we can improve his situation (the anemia, caused by the kidney issues, is the biggest threat at the moment as he can die from that faster than the kidney issues so hopefully we can get that under control). We may not be able to, but for many cats you can. He at least deserves that chance and if, for him, it isn’t working well then it will be time. But at least then it won’t be done potentially prematurely.

@Hiz Thanks for that suggestion. I didn’t even think about doing that. Do you need an Rx to do that?

@Kidsandliz Yes. I’d ask your vet for one. Make sure they know it’s for a whole case of twelve.

I also buy needles off Amazon (which you DON’T need a prescription for, for some weird reason.) I tried the fancy Terumo ones, but they’re hard to find anymore. I like the needles with a bigger hole inside since it goes quicker, but some people prefer thinner needles, since it’s easier to stick in the skin. Basically it depends on you and your kitty. If you soak the bag in warm/hot water for a bit beforehand, it can be more comfortable, especially in cold weather. Some bags have chemicals that can leak into the fluids at higher temps, but again, it’s a trade off. (You probably know all this, but I’ll say it anyway, haha.)

Also, depending on where and how you give it, the length of fluid line can make a huge difference too. I like the extra long ones, personally. I think they’re like 100 inches? Not a lot of vets carry them though. I don’t know if you have a VCA in your area, but that’s where I get mine. Prescription from my primary vet, fluid line from VCA, needles from Amazon. Whew.

@Hiz @Kidsandliz I was thinking about this in bed last night, the cost of fluids.

A thousand years ago, when I started doing fluids, I was charged $15, then it went up to $28 and when I was giving fluids every day, it was pretty expensive. I did a search, found them online for less than $3 a bag. I asked the vet for a prescription and instead of doing that, they’ve only charged me $2.50 a bag ever since. Probably fifteen or twenty years.

It doesn’t hurt to ask.

@Hiz @lisaviolet I just discovered today that there are AT LEAST 3 different attachment setups for IV bags. No one has the one I have (tubing is expensive). I finally had to not only buy a bag for $16 but tubing for $12 and the bag is only going to last 5 days. I hesitate to buy a box of 12 which works out at $9/each until I know for sure he is going to live past waiting 2 weeks to before she will treat his anemia.

@Hiz @Kidsandliz I’ve always done the fluids with a 60cc syringe and a 20 gauge needle, so I’m not familiar with the tube setup.

@Kidsandliz Do you have a VCA in your area? That’s where I get my lines from, for about 5 bucks each. I use the 1000ml bags of lactated ringer’s from Hospira, and the lines work.

I didn’t realize there were so many attachments. It’s so weird that there wouldn’t be a standardized size. But I guess they can make more money this way.

@Hiz I looked online and their site doesn’t even list this state. I was looking for Hospira as that has the ends in the bag that fits the tubing I have, but I couldn’t find anyone who sells it. I am now using a different tubing but it sucks - leaks even with everything closed off. I have to be careful to store it with the bag on the bottom and the needle end up high. Do you buy it online or in person?

The vets here use saline vs lactated ringers. Do you know if that makes much difference?

@Kidsandliz I buy the fluids in person from CVS. I buy the lines in person from VCA.

It took me about a week to find a pharmacy that actually carried lactated ringers, unfortunately. Normal saline isn’t usually recommended, at least according to that site. http://www.felinecrf.org/subcutaneous_fluids_tips.htm

Have you tried this site?

https://www.discountdrugnetwork.com/drug-pricing/

It isn’t always accurate in terms of whether or not a pharmacy WILL order it, but it might help you somewhat.

I’ll keep looking for a solution (no pun intended).

@Kidsandliz Another suggestion. You might go to one of your local pet stores (like Petsmart or Petco) on Saturday, and talk to the cat rescue groups there. They usually deal with veterinary supplies firsthand, and might be able to point you in the right direction.

@Hiz I’ll have to call the CVS pharmacy here. Did you need an Rx? Looking at the link I am not sure why they just gave me saline. Sigh. I will ask about using Lactated ringers. Unfortunately he has had a number of saline bags. My poor kitty. I sure hope iffy vet care doesn’t kill him. He still isn’t eating or drinking (but at least now is yowling by water supplies) and is still constipated, but he is looking better and acting a bit better.

@Hiz I have asked two groups and they get their supplies from the vets they use. I’ll have to hunt down the third group we have in town.

@Kidsandliz Yeah, CVS requires a prescription. I don’t know why, but there you go.

Will your vet not even give you a prescription for ringers solution? If not, I would see if there’s a vet in the area that has a “free first checkup” policy, take Max in, let them transfer all the stats from the other vet, then explain that you need a prescription, and that the other vets wouldn’t provide it. See if you can find a place that will cooperate.

I’m so sorry about this. What a pain.

@Hiz I just got an Rx today. And more meds to try to get rid of his nausea (he is hanging over the water dish a lot). On the one hand he seems somewhat better, on the other hand… well too much longer and it will be time.

@Hiz @Kidsandliz I’m sorry. I hope you see some noticeable improvement soon.

@Kidsandliz I wouldn’t give up. The ringers has a buffer that makes it easier on the stomach too. Also, you can try slippery elm bark. My vet recommended it, it’s safe, and it coats the stomach and esophagus for a short time, which makes a world of difference with acid reflux. Health food stores carry it. Some cats don’t even mind if you add it to their food.

Get rid of the acid and the dehydration, and most times the nausea will go down too.

Good luck. <33

@lisaviolet @Hiz I will hunt for slippery elm bark tomorrow. How much do you give? Does it taste nasty to them? All my time toady was sucked into the wrecked car, the plagiarizing students, picking one more new med for Max. I came home to find him lying on the kitchen floor by the water dish. I was afraid he had died. He was just asleep. He got some better at first and seems to plateaued. He is still jumping up on the chair and crawling into my lap, sleeping in my bed with me… but it is also clear he is still nauseated. From chemo I know just how nasty that can be. Cerenia is preventing the vomiting, but not doing much about the nausea for him.

@Kidsandliz It’s not got a bad taste at all, although for a cat with nausea it might not be exactly pleasant. It’s kind of got a mild, slightly sweet, woody taste to it. I’ve had very good luck with it.

I usually give about an eighth to a fourth teaspoon (or a 350-400 mg capsule, if you can’t find the loose powder). It doesn’t matter which way they take it, either sprinkled on their food, mixed into a slurry with a bit of Gerber baby food chicken, or in capsule form, but if you get capsules make sure they don’t have magnesium in them. The Solaray brand on Amazon doesn’t seem to have any, and it’s fairly cheap, so if you can’t find any locally, you could try there.

Good luck.

@Hiz Thanks.

@Hiz I just learned something the hard way with Max. If your cat becomes constipated - something common in a mildly (or more so) dehydrated cat, which of course is common in cats with kidney issues - do something about it sooner rather than later. I had 2 vets not do enough and so he now has a prolapsed colon which requires surgery to fix. And of course with the anemia he has from the kidney function he can’t have (and due to his age, etc.). Fortunately it hasn’t had the circulation cut off to the part sticking out (which often happens)but I am having to put him down tomorrow, in part because of that. He was finally eating on his own a bit, his numbers (except the anemia which is kidney caused) were good due to the subq fluids, although he still needed his anemia treated and that is getting worse (which is why I was thinking he was on the decline)… and then this.

@Kidsandliz I’m so sorry. Feline veterinary care seems to lag behind that of dogs, and some vets seem to literally not care. A vet that is both knowledgeable and willing to listen is worth their weight in gold. Unfortunately you have to dig through a lot to find them.

I am so deeply sorry. I can’t even put my feelings into words. I just wish I could hug you right now.

@Hiz Thank you. I am watching the clokc with 45 minutes left to go before we have to leave, my kitty cuddled against me.

Yeah good vet care is hard to find.

I think not only is LA, MS and AR in a race to the bottom with respect to human medical care, but it is with pet care too. I had a university kidney specialist (human) tell me that my kidney function at 52% is normal because I am buff and in shape. Really? You can tell that how? While I am of normal weight I am definitely not in shape. The kidney issues are due to CT scan contrast fluid injury due to repeated CT scans due to follicular non-hodkin’s lymphoma.

I will continue to hunt for good vet care for my remaining kitties. I had 2 in arkansas (the total choices in town) and am on my 5th here locally (from before I moved and then when I moved back; 2 in the last 3 months).

And I know you will be facing this with your cat. If you want my remaining kidney cat food for postage only let me know. I have 18 small cans of wet food and a nearly full big bag of dry food.

@Hiz @Kidsandliz My vet of thirty years retired this year. He was a wizard at diagnosing.

I’ll go to my grave believing if he’d still been working, we wouldn’t have said goodbye to Opie last month.

@narfcake Thank you

@Kidsandliz Oh my gosh, I just checked this thread. I’m so incredibly sorry. I know nothing I say will help, but if you need to talk, I’m here.

(Ugh, I’m actually crying. I’m so, so sorry.)

@Kidsandliz tears

Saying goodbye always reminds me of this story.

You Have Chosen Tears

(((((Kidsandliz)))))

@Kidsandliz I’m so sorry. Hoping you find strength to get through this and comfort in knowing you are doing the right thing.

@Hiz @lisaviolet @pitamuffin I am trying not to cry so as not to upset Max as he is cuddled up against me. My baby has a little over an hour left to live. And he is looking at me with his trusting little face, looking at me, just happy to be next to me, warm and cosy.

@Kidsandliz Sorry to hear it. He had a good run!

@Hiz @Kidsandliz @lisaviolet @pitamuffin Just think what his life may or may not have been had he not found you.

@Hiz @lisaviolet @lseeber @pitamuffin That is true. One vet kept saying he was surprised he was still alive. Umm I take care of my cats perhaps? So the odds of Max having had an even shorter life would have been possible.

@Hiz @Kidsandliz @lisaviolet @pitamuffin Yup. Like the cat I have now (and she’s not even very lovable most of the time), she was 1 of a litter of barn cats, gotten rid of too young. I’m the only one that made one of them a housecat/pet … she’s the only one still living. She’s 3 now but none of her litter mates made it to 1 yr. So she’s already ahead of the game. Where I used to live, in the forest, people dumped animals on us all the time or in the vicinity. When we found them they were usually starving and couple of them probably within a few days of death. All were allowed in, hubby spoiled them (cats & dogs) with steak, take-out, etc and they had good long lives. Had they not happened upon us, they most likely would have been long gone one way or another as we were the only humans in the area. The vet always said we were the best thing that ever happened to those critters.

@Kidsandliz It sure is so hard to know what to do. I completely understand you wanting to be absolutely sure. Sucks that the vet wouldn’t help, he’s definitely not the vet for you. Hang in there and hope you and Max have a good night

@llangley I just didn’t understand why he wouldn’t consider that there might be alternative reasons. He seemed so fixated on that he was 17.5yo with kidney issues. Cats can live for several years with kidney issues and “old” is not enough reason to kill my cat. What is wrong could be something simple like parasites. It won’t solve the kidney issues but if they haven’t changed then it makes sense to treat the parasites and go from there.

@Hiz I am so sorry you are dealing with this with your cat too.

If I have to put Max down I can send you everything I have left (I have a nearly full bag of Science Diet Rx dry kidney food, 6 large cans and 18 small cans of rx kidney wet food). I think it might fit in a large priority mail box. You can have this stuff for the postage. I may or may not have one more bag of fluid left (might get partly used).

IO groups has a group for this https://tanyackd.groups.io/g/support
Be careful with their some of their advice as some is “alternative” and “natural” never science tested stuff (of course if it was scientifically tested and found to be useful it would become mainstream cat medicine), but there are some vets on there and some knowledgable people on there who seem to have good science based knowledge which they freely contribute.

Some posts get ignored (more or less) and some get a flood of answers of which some answers are very useful. My initial post on this topic didn’t get much useful information although wasn’t ignored. One post sent me to the listowner’s website ( http://www.felinecrf.org ) which is useful (but again some “natural” stuff on there that has no science behind it), so I posted here knowing that there are some folks who have owned a lot of cats and likely have dealt with this in one or more cats.

Also make sure your cat is tested for hyperthyroid as causes weight loss, nausea… and, untreated can kill them, also can make their creatinine register as lower than it actually otherwise would be once the hyperthyroid is under control so can mask the true kidney function.

@Kidsandliz Oh gosh. Thank you. But don’t worry about that right now. Just focus on your own self care. hug

I will absolutely get his thyroid checked out. I’ve visited Tanya’s site, and gotten some good ideas for cat food from it. I’ll definitely check out the group too.

Thanks for the suggestions, and I’m so, so sorry.

@Hiz Sug Q fluids (200ml/day total, 100 each time) has brought Max’s kidney numbers down to the top end of normal!!! (well presuming his thyroid is under control enough that the creatinine isn’t artificially low, but that the BUN is the top end of normal is BIG). So make sure your kitty is getting enough if his numbers get out of control. So the verdict from my vet that needs killed now was dead wrong. My cat’s biggest problem right now is anemia which is also kidney disease caused. And possibly the nausea is from the hyperthyroid meds or from it not being in the normal range yet (which also causes vomiting) although kidney issues can cause that as well.

Good luck with your kitty.

@Kidsandliz oh my god I’m so glad for you! Ahhhhhhh! Give him a big ol’ kiss for me! I swear, sub-q fluids are a godsend.

I actually have two kitties with kidney problems. My first one pulled a miracle like Max. The first vet I went to actually recommended euthanasia immediately. It was a sucker punch, because I had no idea he was that ill. I refused, mainly because of the shock (and I’m so glad I did.)

I went to another vet (my current vet) for a second opinion, and they put him on daily sub-qs for several months. And somehow his kidneys recovered most of their function. It’s been about three or four years since I last gave him fluids. Even the vet was shocked.

I have an appointment with my vet next week for kitty #2. Hopefully we can sort it out. I’m just so incredibly happy for your fuzzball.

@Hiz I hope our Kitty #2 will be OK. That is amazing with Kitty #1. You are so lucky with that!! I don’t think mine will have a kidney recovery because the serious anemia is another signal of significant kidney damage, and because his thyroid isn’t totally under control yet and when that is the case it can artificially decrease the creatinine, but anyway you look at it, like with your kitty a second opinion was/is critical. I am still struggling with telling the first vet he was so wrong about putting him down now due to age, being skinny and having kidney issues since his numbers aren’t anywhere near as bad as they could be; because sug Q fluids are still working (and yes I realize at some point they won’t, but at least right now they are) and that the listlessness is the anemia.

@Kidsandliz Well, at the end of the day, quality of life is the most important thing. I know kitty #2 will have to be on fluids for the rest of his life, and that sometime down the road I’ll probably have to make that awful decision. But he has fun, he eats well, and he loves having a treat now and then (he lives for chickpeas, hence his name Alonzo Garbonzo). I’m always appreciative of what time we have left. I’m sure it’s the same with your Max.

If you want to tell the first vet, just tell them. A good vet is open to learning from their clients. But I definitely think some vets are waaaaay too quick to recommend euthanasia.

@Hiz I guess this will be a test of whether or not he is good with respect to listening to clients rather than deciding it is his way or the highway when it comes to ending a cat’s life. Sigh. The delays that have happened in Max’s care though are inexcusable. His anemia is his biggest problem at the moment and the second opinion vet doesn’t want to address that directly for 2 weeks saying she wants to see if what we are doing now does any good (which sort of makes sense in that it takes about a week for new red blood cells to happen if they are going to happen, but it seems horrible to leave it directly untreated for that long has he is severely anemic.

@lisaviolet Thank you.

@SoftAsFur Yes, sadly I know. The fact that he is that anemic says that his kidneys are in trouble even though subq fluids are working now to help flush the waste out of his system.

@medz I have one that he has used. He also likes bathtubs (I don’t have one in hud), sinks, shower heads that can be set down due to the length of the hose…

@SoftAsFur thank you for telling us about the coagulants used in clumping as the current one we have used for a long time works well. i tried the swheatscoop long time ago. will try again

@SoftAsFur I will have to look into that.

@SoftAsFur We had one cat (he was feral… not stray) that became the best cat we ever owned even tho the getting to know him process was sloooow and tedious. But, because he had the most beautiful coat I’d ever seen on a cat and great teeth, I kept him on a raw food diet since I figured that’s what he lived on in the wild. I studied how to do it correctly and it was great for him. Until a huge, ill, cat came out of the woods and fought with him and gave him contagious feline peritonitis. There’s no way around that one.
I wanted to do that with the cat I have now but had things happen at the same time we got the kitten and never adopted the raw food diet for her. I had no idea they sold packages of the complete mix in a chub roll. It has all the essentials in it? liver? taurine? Where do you find it?
I also found it very telling that that cat would NOT eat any ground beef other than grass fed. He loved it but wouldn’t touch the other processed stuff.

@lseeber Bravo Balance chicken is what we use. Your local petco/smart/supplies+ can order it for you. We let it thaw just enough to cut 1" wide medallions that we put in ziplock bags in the freezer. Keep one in the fridge thawing. Put in some lukewarm water to bring up to room temp, throw another one from freezer into fridge for next feeding. We will crush up some of the nature valley instinct freeze dried chicken treats and sprinkle on there for some of the kitties that need encouragement (that we are weening off the kibble crack)
We have been fortunate to have several natural pet food stores close to us that have like 10-12 freezers in the back with various raw brands… Bravo, Stella & Chewy, etc etc

@SoftAsFur Great! Thanks for the info. I generally did the same with chicken parts and livers… indiv pkgs in freezer, 1 in standby in fridge. I’m gonna see if I can convert the cat I have now. She’s the pickiest eater I’ve ever ever had. Frequently have to medicate her just to get her to eat anything at all.

@SoftAsFur Well, I went to Petco to get some yesterday to try and apparently the one near me only carries the stuff for dogs, no cats. Have to check Pet smart I reckon.

@lseeber Both places would have to special order it for you, but they should be accommodating.

@SoftAsFur Ok… thanks. I just realized I did go to Pet Depot yest… they simply dismissed me. I’ll try the others.

@MGNONNA You should be doing sub Q before she stops drinking - but this depends on her BUN, creatinine, etc. levels. It isn’t just for dehydration, it is also to help keep hydration high enough that the wastes are flushed out of their system. Mine was drinking well even with with bad numbers. As their kidneys get worse they drink more and more and finally they can’t drink enough (even though they keep trying) and so sub Q fluids come in even if they still are drinking,

If you can’t handle taking her to the vet get someone else to do it for you so you can see where she is and if you need to start sub Q fluids with her.

@Yoda_Daenerys Yes it is hard. And if it is clear that his quality of life is poor after we have addressed the immediate issues then I will have to make that decision to let him go, because, of course, in the long run likely his kidney issues will kill him - but right now sub Q fluids keep his numbers in the normal range. When that fails or he has other issues that reduce his quality of life then it will be time.

@OnionSoup Yeah I have tried several of those. The ones with the long silicone thing to hold the pill seems to work best for me, although I haven’t really used it on Max as he is pretty cooperative. His sister, on the other hand, there were several years where she fought me every inch of the way and then for some reason became easy to pill.

@OnionSoup Yeah… I have a few of those. The only way to give the current cat a pill.

@Kidsandliz Cherish the moments you have.

We’re all here holding your hand…

@Kidsandliz I hate this part. The saying goodbye.

Godspeed, Max.

@lisaviolet I know. So do I. Been crying all day.

@llangley Thank you.

@llangley Thank you. And I hope so too. This little guy, and to some degree his sister, filled a hole in my heart in a special way.

@ArmandoGarza_12 You are in luck. I didn’t see it.