Cat Kidney Disease

Cat kidney disease is a very common health problem in older cats although it is not unheard of in younger cats.



In most cases, cat kidney problems are easily identified and diagnosed as the cat will being to drink far more water as compared to usual and will also urinate more frequently. If you feel that your cat is drinking more water than usual, you can take him/her to the vet for a checkup and a routine urine test. If necessary, the vet may also recommend a blood test to rule out the possibility of other conditions that have similar symptoms.



Make sure that you take your cat to the vet as soon as you observe any changes in your cat’s eating or drinking habits. In most cases, the symptoms may not be present or may go unnoticed until three fourths of the kidney tissue has been damaged and is non-functional. Kidney failure is considered to be one of the main causes of feline deaths.



Certain cat breeds like the Abyssinian, Maine Coon, Persian, and Siamese are more susceptible to kidney disease.
 
Cat kidney stone is another common problem caused by the precipitation of salts in the urine. These urinary tract stones generally form over time and can either be found in the kidneys or lower down in the urinary tract or the cat’s bladder. A cat’s urine is generally acidic in nature and if it becomes more alkaline in nature it can cause an increased amount of deposited salts. You can add a few spoons of fresh tomato juice to your cat’s food to increase the acidic level of his/her food. One of the main causes of kidney problems in cats is the prolonged consumption of dry packaged foods. This is because cats are accustomed to getting their fluids from their foods and drink only small amounts of water. This causes mild dehydration and over a prolonged period this increases their risk of kidney diseases. A dry cat food will also increase a cat’s risk of other urinary problems such as cystitis and urinary tract diseases. In order to prevent a high concentration of urine, it would be advisable to sprinkle a little water over your cat’s food before giving it to them as this will increase their fluid intake.

An appropriate cat kidney disease diet will go a long way in controlling this problem. Since the kidneys are responsible for flushing out the toxins from the body, it is important to reduce the workload for the kidneys. In order to do this, the cat will have to follow a low phosphate-low protein diet that preferably contains a large amount of fluids. Fish and chicken should be avoided as far as possible and if you decide to make your own meals, make sure that you consult your vet first. Cat kidney failure is a serious problem and so your cat may require an extensive course of antibiotics.