Senior diet or kidney diet? Stage 2 CRF.

Hi everyone. This will probably be long -- sorry. Forgive me if this has been covered over and over; my eyes are glazing over from days of surfing the web, giving myself a crash course in CRF.

My Phoebe will be 14 in April. The results from her annual checkup this past Friday said she had CRF, with 1/3 normal kidney function. Urine concentration was 1.025 and her bloodwork was normal, except her creatinine was 2.4.

I was told to put her on a special diet, so I'm giving her Royal Canin LP21. However, on Monday I took her to a different vet for a second opinion. Her urine concentration was 1.026, and that vet said all her test results were normal, so she was fine.

Her regular vet looked over those results today, took a second look at her results from last Friday, consulted with her boss, and with a vet at the lab they use. The final diagnosis: Stage 2 CRF. The vet's boss says it's a judgment call as to whether to keep Phoebe on the kidney diet or just feed her a senior cat diet.

(Meanwhile, at the suggestion of the vet at the lab, I'll be requesting a Free T-4 test from the second vet, whose lab still has Phoebe's blood sample, to see how her thyroid is doing. Could her thyroid be causing any of this?)

In the meantime, Phoebe's still eating the kidney diet. So, do I keep her on that, or can anyone recommend a good food? Unfortunately, she's eating dry food, which I know isn't the best; however, after spending a few months attempting to switch her (and my other three cats), I went back to their old dry food out of desperation.

You should see me now -- I'm literally slumped over my computer, exhausted. I think I just need someone to hold my hand and tell me what to do.

Thanks.

Ah, wait -- I think her creatinine might have been 1.9, not 2.4. Ugh. I'm in a daze here.

Do you know what the CREA level was at the 2nd vet?  Was her BUN normal on both tests?  Here is a great page that talks about diet in kidney catshttp://www.felinecrf.org/diet_and_nutrition.htm , I do know you want to feed low phosphorus.  I know that my dad (retired vet) had a kidney failure cat whom he only fed Fancy Feast and Friskies too and his cat lived 3 years post diagnoses.

This page tells you how to determine how 'bad' it is: http://www.felinecrf.org/how_bad_is_it.htm

cprcheetah said:

Do you know what the CREA level was at the 2nd vet?  Was her BUN normal on both tests?

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I didn't get the exact numbers -- just that they were normal.

Thanks for the website recommendation -- Phoebe's regular vet also mentioned that site to give me more info on the Stage 2 diagnosis. I've learned a lot from it.

Hard call, not knowing the lab results, and whether or not they are in the normal range.   I'm a little confused as to how they can say she is in Stage 2 if her results are in the normal range.  Very confusing to me.

I would say since the Vet said go either way, then go either way.  Most cats don't really like the kidney food for long (mine didn't), and it's expensive.  I wouldn't let the other cats eat it though, not as their regular diet at least.  Unless they have kidney disease, the phosphorus levels are probably too low in it for them.  Besides, the ingredients are really icky under normal circumstances.  Prescription foods have their place, but not unless the cats really need them.  (IMHO)

I have a kidney cat, and I try to feed her low phos CANNED foods or raw food, but frankly, I just feed her anything she will eat. 

Thanks. Phoebe's doing okay right now; I ordered some of the Hi Tor Neo kidney canned food to try to get her used to it now, while it's not that insanely urgent; in the meantime, I'm going to go hunting for a good senior diet to put her on and have her checked again in a few months.

It's been a roller coaster the last few days. Meanwhile, Phoebe's sitting there like she owns the place, wondering what the human's freakin' problem is. :lol3:

mrsgreenjeans, which low-phos canned food are you feeding your cat? I'm thinking that for now I want to give Phoebe something with low phosphorus and quality protein (rather than low protein); but now I have to educate myself on how much phos is considered "low" -- under 1.0? And who offers a senior diet with quality protein?

Each question leads to more questions. Poor Phoebe -- to be sick and stuck with a confused, uninformed human.

Here is a chart what might help you out:  Use the Dry Matter % columns, and it's in order with the lowest Phos. foods listed first.  Very helpful when searching for foods.  I looks for high protein, med to  high fat, low carb, low phos, high calorie .  There aren't too many that fall into that range.  Yes, you want to keep the Phos under 1.0% if possible.

http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPhosphorus9-22-12.pdf

My problem is, I want to keep the carbs under 8%, and my kitty is too picky and doesn't like those foods .  For instance, EVO 95% chicken and turkey is good, but mine hates turkey.  Wellness Core Venison, Beef and Lamb is also good, and mine USED to like it, but no more .  Same with Pinnacle. 

Last trip to the store I ended up buying Nutro Max Cat and Science Diet, which is WAY outside my carb parameters, but she has to eat something, so thought I'd give them a try, since their Phos are good.

Thanks!