My cat was just diagnosed with the beginning stages of renal failure due to her old age. The doctor gave her special food which she will not eat. I have tried mixing it with regular food and she still doesn't eat it so I gave her some regular food and she gobbled it up. Does anyone know of some over the counter renal cat food that she might eat? Also, she has severe arthritis so the doctor put her on Gabapentin. She has not been acting the same since. She seems to be walking better but she is quite wobbly. Does this med drug animals up? It is just a tough choice with everything. She was so happy when she was just eating regular food and was not on any meds for pain. How bad would it be if she was not on the special food? She is 18. Any info would be helpful.
Unfortunately, this is an issue of quality of life, over quantity. You've gotten your cat through 18 years, which is amazing , and I personally don't think you would be a terrible person if you just let her enjoy the food she likes, and tried different medication for pain. Canned food is best for cats with kidney disease, because of the moisture content.
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That being said, I think an online group for people with cats suffering from kidney failure would be helpful. Surely, others have had issues with their cats not eating prescription food. Here's one such group:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Felin ... Also, cats with renal disease often benefit a great deal from subcutaneous fluids, which are easy to give at home. So there are still things you can do for your cat, don't be discouraged yet!
Wishing you and your cat the best of luck!
My cat is 14yrs old and i had to change his food as well he has kidney failure ..
I found this food to be healthier for them 100% Natural my vet ok the change .. 95% real meat. 5% veggie .. it will help your cat it is full of Vitamins he will need .. I swear your cat will eat this food ..
http://search.onlynaturalpet.com/search. ...
Consider a high quality canned food. The moisture and protein will help. Read the ingredients and look for one with no wheat or by- products. There are many options that fit this bill. Hit the pet store or a feed store. There usually isn't much to be had at the grocery store that fits these criteria. Good luck!
I have a cat who is 16 and has decreased renal function. He eats Petguard canned food - not that it's a food specifically for renal failure but because it doesn't have a lot of by-products that the kidneys don't have to filter. He was on a prescrition diet but then stopped eating it. I hate to say it, but I think the Gabapentin that the vet put her on would do more damage to your kitty than food. Not to say specifically that it going to harm her - the vet probably weighed quality of life vs damage. Have you asked at a health food store to see if they can recommend any food?
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Below is a link to an article I found on Gabapentin
http://www.wedgewoodpetrx.com/learning -c ...
