Young cat with kidney failure

[waitingwithhope]

We noticed our young, 4 year old indoor cat was losing weight and we took her to the vet only to discover after blood work that she is in kidney failure (she has not been exposed to any anti-freeze, is young and the vet could offer no reason for it). She has been still purring, trying to be her normal self (although she was a bit clingy and we thought something was wrong). We have gone ahead with fluids through IV, 2 days at the vet hospital and she is going to continue to be monitored with her blood work. All her other blood work values came back within the normal range (except for her red blood cell count) and they said it was not an infection (which sadly would have been easier to treat). What are the chances of recovery from this? We all love her very much, my two year old adores her and we thought we would try and save her. The vet said she has never seen kidney failure in a cat so young and could not give us a prognosis.

[zodiacqueen]

That is just devastating that such a young cat is in kidney failure.  That usually affects kitties over the age of 7.  I'm very sorry to hear that your kitty is going through this, and know how terrible you must be feeling.  

Since she is dealing w/ this at such a young age, I'm wondering if she got into some of the nasty food that was recalled a few yrs back.  I wish I could remember exactly which food it was, but I know it caused kidney problems in cats.

Maybe someone will be on shortly to jog my memory a bit to tell me which foods were affected by that old recall.  Do you remember which foods your cat was on during her life?  Or, what medicines she's been on(especially any human meds).

Please, check out the following sites.  They are very good and will help you get some control back, give you some hope, and give your baby a good, happy life.

felinecrf.com
felinecrf.org

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks so much! She hasn't been on any medication in her life (human or feline ones) and she had dry food (science diet) but we switched to purina (a couple of years ago). I have since read that dry food is the cause of many kidney problems so I feel very guilt ridden and awful about it.

[zodiacqueen]

Please don't feel like you caused your cat's kidneys to fail!  Yes, hard food is hard on the kidneys, but as young as your cat is, this shouldn't have happened at such a young age.  I would expect kidney problems on a lifetime of a hard food diet in cats that are over the age of 7.....not a young 4 yr old.  

Read those links that I sent you to and learn as much as you can.  Then you'll be able to help you and your kitty feel better!

Hugs
ZQ

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks, I just feel bad that it could have been my fault with her diet and all. At this point, I am really just feeling terrible too that I didn't see it prior to this before it apparently got so bad. Thanks for the extra info too.

[opus88]

waiting this isn't your fault NO, like ZQ said, dry food is a big contributor to crf but I doubt would ever cause the problem certainly not in 4 yrs....and sometimes its really hard to recognize the signs until in advanced stages, don't beat yourself up, you are a loving responsible kitty mommy and we all just do our best.
here is a further link to the site ZQ gave....with treatment options if possible..

http://www.felinecrf.org/symptoms_treatments_index.htm

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks both of you. She seems to be doing excellent at the hospital today- she is eating well, not throwing up, is taking the fluids well, is alert, purring, walking around. Her blood pressure is now completely normal. I realize this may not indicate that her kidneys are fine, but hopefully flushing them out will help. It is very perplexing that such a young cat is suffering from this. We are changing her to the very best food that the vet is recommending and she will get meds too. I don't want to prolong her life if it is not going to be happy for her though, so I guess we'll have to take it day by day.

[PikaPika88]

I experienced this like a storm hit on me.  I also switched purina - diet dry food to my Pika.  He was a fat cat.  One day, my daughter said, "mum, that diet food really works but I think you need to stop it.  Pika looks very very skinny now!"  

After that, I stopped that purina-diet dry food.  He didn't regain his weight so I took him to the vet.  The vet diagnosed Pika has a kidney failure.  Now Pika is on Fortekor 2.5mg per day.  The vet said, Pika kidney failure due to old age.  Pika is 12 now.  All in my mind, it was the PURINA-DIET dry food causing his kidney failure.  

[waitingwithhope]

Sadly, our cat, despite her ability to bounce back for a couple of week or so and her Urea numbers going down (which was great news!), she is now succumbing to her illness. Today she is throwing up white foam, pooping everywhere and is so lethargic. Tomorrow we'll have to make the most humane and most difficult decision-and take her to the vet as soon as it opens and allow her to be put down. We're all distraught, she was a great cat, very loving and sweet. We only had her for 3.5 short years....

[opus88]

I am as always so very sorry to read this....yes it is time to do this most difficult final act of love for your kitty..and I sympathize so very much with you right now..we have all been there.
Gentle journey sweet baby....you will always be alive in the hearts of the ones that cared for and loved you...
bless you both..♥

[PikaPika88]

Is your kitty on medication?  My vet said, it won't heal but it can make his life much more comfortable.  I let Pika go out as he enjoys outdoor enviroment so I don't have to clean his vomit.  He still can catch mouse, lizard etc.  I ask him to let go all those lives so next life he can be a kind human.  He seems understand, he let the lizard went.  He walked home and has his dinner.  My vet said, Pika is a sick cat but he didn't look "sick" to me.  Vet yelled "Sick cat can catch a mouse?"  

[zodiacqueen]

Maybe this is another illness and NOT the kidneys, especially since you said that the urea is going down.  

Please don't think the worst yet...see what the vet has to say first.

My fingers are crossed!!

Hugs
ZQ

[waitingwithhope]

I took her in this morning when they opened and they tested her and told me they had bad news- all her levels were so high they could not even be registered.She had also lost weight since last week's fluid. They offered me no hope, her kidneys were too far gone, so we said goodbye to her. It is an awful, awful day when a pet dies, especially one that was purring and trying to cuddle right up to the very end :(

[opus88]

Oh I amso very sorry for your loss, you did the right thing although its so very hard to hold them and say those final goodbyes.....you tried your best adn thats all you can do...her memory will be in your heart forever hon....RIP little girl till we all meet again.♥

http://www.petloss.com/poems/maingrp/rainbowb.htm

[Jade59]

I am deeply sorry for your loss.  I've been following as the events have unfolded and I must say, when kitty was at the vet, it sounded encouraging and I was so hopeful.  You did the kindest thing you could do for your kitty in her condition, but that sure doesn't make it any easier, I know.  Again, I am so sorry.

R.I.P. little one.  

[zodiacqueen]

I am deeply sorry for the loss of your baby.  I was truly hoping that it wasn't the kidneys and it was fixable.  I was hoping!  =(

This is truly a shame that she was so young w/ kidney failure and I know how heart broken you and your family must be.  My thoughts are with you!  

Hugs
ZQ

[waitingwithhope]

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I spent today crying and wishing that things could have ended differently for her. When I had first received the "good" news before Christmas that her numbers started looking great, we were so hopeful that with careful watching and treatment, she'd pull through. We really were willing to do whatever it took to keep her happy & healthy. It was so heartbreaking to see her suddenly stop eating this past weekend (it could have been the antibiotics she as on but it also could have just been her kidneys shutting down). I put bowls of water out everywhere and when I figured she was too weak to get them, I brought them right to her to sip. The hardest part, though, was watching her try and jump in my arms at the vet and purring like crazy- in her mind, she was being taken care of at the vet and would be coming home. It was AWFUL then having to leave her there, knowing within seconds she'd be gone. Sadly, too this cat was a gift from my husband when my last cat died (he died when he bit into a wire and got electrocuted and burnt his mouth-he was gone within days, despite our efforts to save him). I guess I just figured that losing a cat so young, twice in a row, was next to impossible (our older, big, fat cat still hangs in there-he's about 13 years old was always the one we expected sooner or later to die of old age!)
So sad, thanks everyone for the kind messages.

[bobolovedforever]

I am in the same boat as you waitingwithhope.

My little mate, Bobo has had a Urinary Tract Infection since he was born, however strict our diet was on little Bobo or how many times we took him to the vets for his injections and tablets it wasnt enough.

It pains me to think he was only 4 years old. He had another 10-15 years in him and to lose him so early is devestating to me.

He was the only survivor of a 12 kitten litter and was always expecting him to be weak but on Friday I saw him take a turn for the worse. He was couging up foam and went off his legs. Due to the weekend callout prices we continued to give him his tablets like normal. Monday night I lay with him for half hour and just told him how much I loved him and that I wont let him be in pain no more. Its the hardest thing ive ever had to do as he was my first pet.

We took him to the vets yesterday and they said his bladder had swollen and his kidneys had failed.

Im beating myself up to think if I had the call out vets over the weekend he would still be with us but at the same time the vets think he was on the decline long before then.

Im so lost and lonely without "my shadow". Everyday he would come upto me and headbutt me (that was his way of kissing me) he would also cry out when people in the house were shouting. He was so fat and so lazy but I wish I had my fatty man back with me ;( ;(

A part of me died with him today.

[cleoandshari]

My 6 year old Arabian Mau was just diagnosed with kidney failure.  I am extremely upset of course and naturally want to take it out on someone.  Cleo has been drinking an excessive amount of water for three years and each time that I brought it up to her doctor, it was...ohhh it is good that indoor cats drink so much water.  I told her that she pees like a drunken sailor...but no tests were done and I was told that she was fine.  In the last two weeks, she has lost .5 of a kilo.  Given that she only weighed 3.21 for almost six years, weighing in at 2.68 was a bit upsetting to say the least.  I even had her in for a check up in April and another vet saw her and said she was fine, but her teeth should be pulled.  The third vet caught the problem.  Like most people who have a kitty companion, I am pretty upset.  I know I shouldn't blame myself, but it is hard not too given that I felt something wasn't right.  Cleo got a little bit of tuna most days and chicken, beef, and other fish. Did I overdo the tuna or meat?

[opus88]

hi and welcome, I am so sorry to read abt your dear Cleo and I sure don't blame you for venting...for a Vet or many Vets to miss all these classic signs of CRF just makes me scream too, talk abt incompetent to say the least. I understand why you indeed should be very upset.
don't blame yourself you did try when you knew something just wasn't right, I do know that tuna shouldn't be fed to cats....b/c of the high degree of mercury, even people should eat only occasionally.
I will send you an excellent website dealing with CRF...with hopes that they can give you and Cleo some help. sending you some hugs and some prayers too..♥

http://www.felinecrf.org/

[bengallove]

I feel for all of you who have had to deal with young kittens with renal failure. Two months ago I had to euthanize my 4 year old male bengal cat due to renal failure.I had tried everything, pouring thousands of dollars into the expensive all natural brands of wet food/supplements/water fountains/specialists. A year prior to this my mothers 5 year old female cat had to be euthanized for renal failure as well. She had spent THOUSANDS of dollars on medications/foods/vet visits/specialists/supplements/fountains. In the end it didn't matter how many different specialists/vets we each had visited not ONE of them could explain why such young cats would die from renal failure. In fact the answers we received across the board was along the lines of; "It's common for older cats to die of renal failure, but I'm not aware of any epidemic of young cats dying from renal failure." It's become highly common as most of you are aware and unfortunately they are not aware; or more importantly they haven't found an explanation. Something is being missed, I don't know if its vaccinations, I don't know if its in the food, toys, cat nip, a new disease etc. BUT they are missing something. When I was a kid you were able to throw down cheap kibble and water and have cats that lived for 17+ years. I really hope that people, especially professionals become aware that this is a VERY common problem and I hope more than anything they find the missing link so no more young cats need to die before their time.

[opus88]

thx for your post, I am so sorry to hear of your loss...its devastating to loose a pet of any age, but when they are so young its doubly heart breaking. YOu did all you could.
I too am alarmed to read of CRF becoming so much more common, I wish I had an answer too....there are links to..food/litter/vaccinations theory's, I wonder sometimes if it has anything to do with the 'clumping' clay litter that is relatively new and the ingredient sodium bentonite, that is added to make it more absorbable... kitty's not only inhale this dust as they do their digging but also ingest some of it off their paws.

I will send you some info on that to read. hope we can learn more soon...((>^.^<))

http://thelighthouseonline.com/articles/moredata.html

[CatCopCombo]

Hi everyone,

It is with such a heavy heart that I have found myself on this forum. I hope all you people are still here and can help with the pain I am feeling right now. My 5 year old boy, Riggs, is currently in the vets with Renal Failure and my heart is just broken at the news. He has been on fluids for 4 days now and his last blood work shows that his levels are getting worse despite being bright, active, eating and drinking, and peeing (he wasn't peeing before fluids were started). He is my world and the level of guilt and responsibilty I feel is immense! The vets can't pinpoint exactly what the cause is but they suspect poisoning; either antifreeze (we had our first frost here in Scotland on the Saturday he started feeling unwell) or lilies (which I know to have been in certain households). Of all the things I imagined could/would take my tuxedo boy away from me, I never thought they'd happen at such a young point in his life.

I am clinging to a very thin thread of hope that he can make it given how bright he is and how "clinically well" the vets say he is but I feel my hopes dimishing reading all the heart breaking tales you guys have suffered. I really don't know what to do. I had taken him to out of hours on the Sunday when he started throwing up. He hasn't thrown up once since then which the vets again say is very encouraging. The biggest source of my guilt is knowing that poisoning had been mentioned by the OOH vet although clinical signs then didn't indicate it. But it was on the tip of my tongue to ask if bloods could be taken just in case instead of injections and monitoring for 24 hours. If his bloods had been taken sooner maybe his chances would be better. I don't know. I'm just full of ifs and buts I know don't make any difference now :-(

Any way, I don't know what I hope to gain from this but knowing others have shared my pain lets me know I'm not alone.

Emma

[opus88]

I too am very saddened for the reason that have brought you to our site...I wish I could give some enlightened words of wisdom to comfort you with other than to say I hope you take it easier on yourself with all the guilt you are feeling right now. How easy it is for us to beat ourselves up with all the 'what if's' or 'if only's'....I know I'm no different.

Our furbabies are very precious to us but they come into our lives for just a little while, we love and care for them to the best of our abilities....there was no neglect on your part..accidents happen, they happen despite the best of intentions to all of us and our pets too.

I am praying for your little Riggs, don't stop clinging to that little thread of HOPE....((>^.^<))

please keep us updated

[CatCopCombo]

Thanks opus :-( I need lots of prayers and a miracle. My husband and I went to see Riggs today and despite being a good bit doped up he was all purrs and attention. He just isn't acting like a cat in the advanced stages of kidney failure. Even the vets are amazed at how asymptomatic he is. Which only makes the concept of putting him to sleep harder. They're hoping that by adding prednisone to his treatment will reduce his kidney swelling, but this is really the last thing they can do for him. If his bloods don't start improving then it really will be the end :-(

My whole world is just going to be so much darker without him. His brother Murtaugh is already missing him. They have been together from the start. I hate the thought of them no longer playing together or finding the same box to sleep in. I'm trying not to blame myself but I really can't help but think there was more I could've done to protect my fur baby :'(

I really need a miracle xxx