Fafeena's renal failure

Got the bad news I expected today, Fafeena, my 17 - 18 y/o farm kitty (she either turns 17 or 18 this month) is in renal failure.

Normal kidney values I think are in the 10 - 30 range, her values were 46 today.

She's on canned k/d now instead of just whatever canned food - and I'll give her fluids a few times a week. Overall her weight is good, she's in pretty good shape - just at her age I expect this. It still stinks, it's like it's the beginning of the end.

My old girl

What a pretty girl! Sorry to hear you got this diagnosis, but so glad she has you to care for her.

Very sorry to hear about your kitty. I had a 15 year old named Sly. He was my baby and I had him since he was 6 weeks old. Last year I also found out he was in Renal Failure. He had gotten bad enough that he had lots of blood in his urine and half the time he just wouldnt go. My vet said I could prolong his life maybe a year if I gave him IV fluids every day. I just couldnt see putting him through the misery and making the last of his life just horrible. I opted to go ahead and put him down. I cried for weeks afterward. I miss him so much.
It was a combination of his age and weight he was 24lbs (a big one).
I hope you kitty does well and stays happy.

The white one is Sly.

Oh sweet old lady Fafeena One of my favorite names on the forum. I hope she will be with you for a while longer

Fafeena! Oh Nat, I'm so sorry. I know it's not a great surprise... but it's still heart wrenching. She's a beautiful tough old gal, and she's had a truly wonderful life with your care. I hope she enjoys a few more wonderful years!

Bad news is still bad news, even if you know it's coming.
Hopefully you and Fafeena still have a good while to go together. I love how your old girl just exudes attitude.

Ugh, I hate CRF.

Here's hoping that with fluids and a diet change, you'll have a lot of time left with your old friend.

Hope she will be comfortable and around for long time... what a neat cat...

hope you make it through it.

I am sorry to hear this, i know how it feels to have that diagnosis - even though we know they can't live forever. Fingers crossed the diet and fluids help. I know it isn't always recommended but Zi's no's came down on a mainly dry kidney diet so if She does enjoy dry it might be worth letting her have some - they have to enjoy their food

I'm so sorry to hear about your furbaby, but wanted to tell you that my Sven, who is 16, was diagnosed in March 2010, and his BUN was 53, and he is still not even eating any kidney diet (as a matter of fact, he eating quite the opposite - high protein, low carb food -- long story, but whatever), and Sven only gets fluids once a week, and he's still with us, and his numbers haven't gotten any worse!

So...there's hope that Fafeena can still be around for quite some time. You just never know . And she looks like a tough old gal .

So, if she will eat the K/D, so much the better! for many more years for your dear Fafeena

She's lovely Nothing changes the diagnosis, but the bun is not as significant (in my understanding and experience with more than 1 crf kitty) in terms of how she feels as her creatinine level. Find out what that is, and her urine dilution (how well her kidneys are concentrating urine) and you'll have a more complete snapshot of what stage she is in.

I have one sweetie pie with this right now, here is to both our girls have good quality time left with us.

Her creatinine was 1.9 normal range 0.3-2.1. We didn't do a UA - partly due to an empty bladder. So far she's quite enjoying the k/d - cleaning her plate each meal!

Is there a non-Rx dry food that I could look into that would be better for her kidneys? I ask b/c kd dry isn't that plausible due to the fact that I'd have to feed all 5 farm kitties the food. That's a bit pricey to be feeding to them all....and the occasional raccoon, possum, squirrels, & birds.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

Her creatinine was 1.9 normal range 0.3-2.1. We didn't do a UA - partly due to an empty bladder. So far she's quite enjoying the k/d - cleaning her plate each meal!

Is there a non-Rx dry food that I could look into that would be better for her kidneys? I ask b/c kd dry isn't that plausible due to the fact that I'd have to feed all 5 farm kitties the food. That's a bit pricey to be feeding to them all....and the occasional raccoon, possum, squirrels, & birds.

Click to expand...

Take a look at what I chose - might not be close enough for you re the stats (protein levels etc.) - but I'm using Royal Caninn Indoor Mature 27. It's also pricey, but not, I think as much as the K/D probably is.

ps..that is a great creatinine...that is GOOD news.

I'm sorry to hear about Fafeena's diagnosis. Like the others here, I've been where you and Fafeena find yourself today.

Ootay lived another 3 years with CRF, three happy years. It wasn't CRF for her end, either, it was stroke, I think her kidneys would have lasted a good while longer.

Ootay did not eat kidney prescription food. She liked the Innova cats and kittens dry food, but I tried to keep her on mostly canned.

Vibes for Fafeena that she enjoys a long long time still to come.

Fafeena

PS don't forget to warm the fluids!

A senior dry would be fine although there are cheaper rx foods than hills, Zi liked Purina

Originally Posted by Pat

Take a look at what I chose - might not be close enough for you re the stats (protein levels etc.) - but I'm using Royal Caninn Indoor Mature 27. It's also pricey, but not, I think as much as the K/D probably is.

ps..that is a great creatinine...that is GOOD news.

Click to expand...

We checked into the Royal Canin Mature 27 too. I agree that it's a pretty good food for kidney cats! And the good thing about Royal Canin is that every once in awhile you can find coupons (or used to could )

And GREAT news on the creatinine! She's not doing too bad, from the sounds of things...not bad at all

Beautiful girl, beautiful name.

I have lost kitties to kidney failure also. It is what I fear most. But she looks like she has lived the good life. Such a nice picture of her. And for a barn cat to have the years she has had, it's remarkable.

God bless you and your girl on this journey. She is luckier than many to have someone caring for her so well.

RC is still out of my budget for the outside kitties. They're getting Purina ONE/Premium Edge right now, which is about $22 for a large bag.

I picked up a case of kd canned from the vet today & they had a $5 off coupon. That's that much less I just spent on her food. I considered getting 4 or 5 cases.

Nat, I just hope that because her creatinine levels are good that means she's got lots of adventures left with your wonderful care.