Early ckd signs?

[louisstools]

some of the people here will recognize my name and recall the misadventures that I’ve had for the past couple of years with my cat who really has no interest in eating.

well, her eating has declined a little bit and she’s been losing weight now even on the appetite stimulant. In early April, she started drinking a lot more and was like guzzling water. Not like the normal lapping but like straight up guzzling it like getting water everywhere and getting it on her nose and being very violent about it. and when she drinks, she will drink for about three or four minutes straight and then sometimes if I can get her to eat, she’ll eat for about 30 seconds and then go back to drinking for about another minute or two straight. I would say she’s drinking about 10 liquid ounces of water a day.

Obviously drinking more she’s going to pee more and she went from peeing three times a day to five or six times a day. and perhaps because she’s drinking more she’s eating less which is triggering the weight loss. She’s also a bit older and she doesn’t quite maintain her luxurious appearance like she used to.

It’s just so happens that all of these things that I just listed seem to be the classic symptoms for CKD. but they also seem like they could be symptoms for just a normal cat who is more thirsty because it’s warmer out. I guess how would I know if this is worth going to the vet over for bloodwork or not? In a cat that does have CKD how aggressively different is the increase in thirst and decrease an appetite?

 

[Biomehanika]

How old is she and has she had bloodwork done before/when did she last have bloodwork? I think a checkup and labs are definitely in order to see if something is going on, and if her labs have changed anywhere significantly from the last time. That seems like an awful lot of water to be drinking, even in warmer weather, and eating less when she already has a low appetite is a concern. It could be a kidney issue but it could also be hyperthyroidism or a number of other things, best to get everything checked out so you can figure out how to help her best.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. It is not normal for a cat to drink like that. That is a huge red flag, as is the unkempt coat and the weight loss. She needs to see the vet and have bloodwork done. Make sure they check her thyroid as well.

 

[louisstools]

I’m replying to both of you because it’s too hard to do this on my phone, ha ha

She had a blood work done last September and everything’s been pretty good. She last saw the vet and February when she started this behavior, but the vet didn’t think anything of it because the cat hadn’t lost much weight.

and again, like you’d have to go through my post, but this cat has a 3+ year history of no hunger at all. Just no interest in food at all ever all types of food doesn’t matter she doesn’t like it. We’ve had all the blood work done in the past and she’s fine.

I’ll give Vet a call and see what she thinks. I just wanted to bounce against someone else before I just take the cat to the vet for what might be the 100th visit because the cats not not eating.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Sometimes you have to go through different vets before finding one that can help you. Unfortunately, some vets are more tuned in to dogs than cats. This is why I take my cats to a feline only vet.

One of my cats always has an elevated respiratory rate. I saw several vets, including a specialist who said she was fine. Finally went to a feline only vet where she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and asthma.

I had another cat who was overweight and vomited all the time. I took him to several vets, specialist included who stated that he liked fat cats and cats just vomit. Also, feline only vet diagnosed him with IBD, and put him on a canned only diet and he lost weight.

With my horse, SCC he saw 15 (no exaggeration) vets before one was able to diagnose PLE and colitis.

So, if you don’t get answers from one, sometimes you have to move on to another until you get results.

While it is normal for some cats to be less food motivated than others, weight loss in a cat is never normal unless you are switching from dry to canned.
.

 

[louisstools]

I hear ya. She goes to a feline specialist. In the past we've run all the tests and diagnostics possible. Even ones that might not have been necessary but we wanted to rule things out b/c this has been such a chronic issue. We thought it was IBD but ultrasound didn't show anything. She is just a healthy cat who has zero drive to eat. Like when I say zero, I mean it's like she is repulsed by it. She spends far more time (seconds/minutes) drinking than eating, far more.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. If I recall, this more or less all started when your Muggs died and Missy changed her behavior and became 'needier. Both cats were as you said 'no fuss', but that changed for Missy after Mugg's passing. From my interpretation, the two of you have been in a silent battle ever since over her wanting more attention than you feel you can give and you wanting her to go back to the way she used to be. Personally, I think you are seeing the results of this battle now taking a toll on Missy, so that health is now being affected. I know you somewhat changed course and realized that trying to make Missy behave the way she once did was probably not in her best interest, but I still wonder about the relationship between the two of you as a result of all that went on following Mugg's death.

Since the additional decline in eating, excessive drinking/peeing, and weight loss have occurred since her last bloodwork, I think it should be re-run. By the time a cat becomes a senior, (essentially after the age of 9-10) most vets would suggest semi-annual blood work as the new norm because it doesn't take much time for a health issue to crop up due to age. There are a number of possible causes besides CKD. The key is to see if anything has changed in her blood work first that might explain the additional issues you are having with her now. Testing her thyroid is often included in a senior blood pans, but check with the vet to make sure that is the case. I would also ask the vet about checking for pancreatitis, which is not normally included - it is called feline pancreatic lipase immunoreactive (fPLI) test, I mention this particular test because lack of appetite and dehydration can be pretty common symptoms. The vet may have more testing once she is made aware of the weight loss.

 

[louisstools]

That is correct FeebysOwner ...this all started just before Muggs passed. I've been hoping she would eventually get her head out of her ass, so to speak, and return to normal but after 2.5 years that hasn't happened and I've long given up hope she will return to that cat. I've been hopeful she might get better but she hasn't even done that. I have an awesome behavorist that we've been working with for over a year and she does remind me a cat's appetite will vary but as I point out to her it should vary both ways...with Missy it only varies down and never up. We never get her to a point where she isn't fighting against eating.

As far as attention goes, about every two-three hours she wakes up from nap and I give her attention (pettings, play) and try to feed her. In the morning she gets 2-3 hours of dedicated attention first thing every morning. In the evening she sits next to me while we watch tv. I don't know how much more attention she wants! I honestly don't know what she might want.

This battle has taken a toll on both of us and I don't know how to get out of it other than to put her to sleep. I've been doing my best to relax and "let her starve" as the vet and behavorist suggest. I'm paraphrasing...they just say to let her eat when she wants to but she never wants to eat so it's letting her starve. I'm really hopeful the vet will find something serious today that will explain things and she can fix my broken cat.

 

[louisstools]

so the vet visit went well. Expensive though. This time the vet observed the cat breathing unusually heavy and also heard congestion so a chest x-ray was ordered and she has bronchitis. i’ve suspected for a while she had some sort of respiratory thing, but could never get the symptoms to show up at the vet.

The bloodwork came back late this afternoon and everything was great for kidneys and pancreas and thyroid, and pretty much all the organs. However, the glucose was pretty high and she had quite a bit in her urine so the vet has diagnosed her with the diabetes.

we go back Friday to start the insulin treatment... she will get two shots a day. The bronchitis treatment will have to wait until the diabetes gets under control because the vet was mentioning that the steroids that would be administered to cause the blood sugar to spike and so we want to get the diabetes under control first.

neither of these issues have been around long so they’re not why we’ve had difficulties throughout these past three years. But they do explain why in February she started getting more difficult because that’s when the increase in drinking started and perhaps when the bronchitis started. So while I would prefer my cat to not have diabetes, I am actually very thankful to have an explanation as to why she’s drinking so much.

 

[silent meowlook]

Please talk to your vet about using an inhaler for the steroids.

 

[louisstools]

Please talk to your vet about using an inhaler for the steroids.

I’ll bring that up but she was saying that all the steroids that were options raised the blood sugar so we still have to wait.

 

[maggie101]

Hello! I remember your name but nothing else. She will get better now that they may have found the cause. Curious,what did they suggest she eat? My vet is also concerned that my cat is starting to show symptons though opposite from your cat.lost weight,major increase in appetite. I bought a pet scale

 

[louisstools]

Hello! I remember your name but nothing else. She will get better now that they may have found the cause. Curious,what did they suggest she eat? My vet is also concerned that my cat is starting to show symptons though opposite from your cat.lost weight,major increase in appetite. I bought a pet scale

we haven’t discussed any changes with diet. Other than the Vet and I are very hesitant to change anything with the diet with the cat because she is so picky. we’re hoping to just leave her on the UTI prescription food that she’s on. but we may have to change that and that’ll be a nightmare.

 

[maggie101]

That is correct FeebysOwner ...this all started just before Muggs passed. I've been hoping she would eventually get her head out of her ass, so to speak, and return to normal but after 2.5 years that hasn't happened and I've long given up hope she will return to that cat. I've been hopeful she might get better but she hasn't even done that. I have an awesome behavorist that we've been working with for over a year and she does remind me a cat's appetite will vary but as I point out to her it should vary both ways...with Missy it only varies down and never up. We never get her to a point where she isn't fighting against eating.

As far as attention goes, about every two-three hours she wakes up from nap and I give her attention (pettings, play) and try to feed her. In the morning she gets 2-3 hours of dedicated attention first thing every morning. In the evening she sits next to me while we watch tv. I don't know how much more attention she wants! I honestly don't know what she might want.

This battle has taken a toll on both of us and I don't know how to get out of it other than to put her to sleep. I've been doing my best to relax and "let her starve" as the vet and behavorist suggest. I'm paraphrasing...they just say to let her eat when she wants to but she never wants to eat so it's letting her starve. I'm really hopeful the vet will find something serious today that will explain things and she can fix my broken cat.

When my cat with ibd stopped eating and was dehydrated,she was kept over night with an IV for nutrition. Now I have found the only food she will eat and will not change it

 

[louisstools]

When my cat with ibd stopped eating and was dehydrated,she was kept over night with an IV for nutrition. Now I have found the only food she will eat and will not change it

that's how we are with my girl. even with the new diabetes diagnosis the vet is very hesitant to change the food in any way.