Is This Cruelty & Abuse?

[GranolaLouise]

O. I've written about it before. THE UNIVERSAL PROBLEM. Renal cats won;t eat renal foods.
I am at my whit's end and don;t know what to do after trying everything under the sun.
Today..another order from Chewy which she refused, but I thank God, got a refund. Chewy is good.
it seems the only food I can get her to eat is Hill's prescription kd dry, soaked in hot water , and blended in the bullet with tuna to make a mash. Then I sprinkle a little tuna and juice on top. She will eat it till she pukes,can't get enough. BUT tuna is horrible for cats and I can't her to eat it with anything else.

but,, I read this on Quora and am pasting it here and asking if you think it is abuse and if it will make my cat sick if I try it with renal wet I have in the house that she walks away from.?
What say You?
"
How to get her to eat? Simple. Offer the cat food. After 2 hours, pick it up. No kibble stays out for grazing. 3 hours later, try again. If she still refuses, remove the food.

If this is happening at night, she has until bedtime. Then she is S.O.L. until morning.

In the morning, offer the same food. Make sure it's warm. She has until you go to work. When it's time to go, bowl comes up and she goes without until supper. Try a different flavour. Same deal.

I guarantee she will eat before the week ends. She will cry and tell you how cruel you are. She is lying."

 

[Furballsmom]

BUT tuna is horrible for cats and I can't her to eat it with anything else.

I dunno, I think I'd stick with the Safe Catch tuna and help her along with that.

The thing is, a cat that's not healthy has an entire system that's vulnerable. Calories, nutrition, hydration, all needs to be provided to a kitty with a compromised system on a regular basis. You've found a process that works for her

 

[iPappy]

I'd use this method on a healthy dog that had learned being picky got them extra toppers from my plate, but NOT on a cat. Especially a renal cat! Does this poster on quora know about hepatic lipodosis? I feel tough-loving a cat with compromised renal function is very unwise. I'd stick with the safe catch tuna as well.

 

[maggie101]

Wish you lived next door. I would offer so many things to try!

 

[Kflowers]

cats will starve themselves, when they feel bad, or don't trust their food. When they don't eat for a day or so, many times not eating clicks in and then it's really hard to get them to eat again. Yes, they can die from not eating.

 

[fionasmom]

I have three cats, all young, who have renal issues. We struggle with the food; in fact, you are doing better than I am at this point.

As for the quote, there is such a thing as transitioning a cat into a timed feeding schedule but that is not exactly what you are trying to do. Your cat is resistant to eating the renal food, and starvation is not going to convince her to eat it. I would not chance doing this.

A healthy cat who is going to get his favorite food at a certain time will come and eat, and then wait happily for the next feeding. Your cat is not in this category.

The last sentence bothers me as it suggests that this worked because the owner starved the cat for a week, and then anthropomorphized the cat into someone who intentionally lied and manipulated them.

 

[maggie101]

Is it mostly morning you have trouble feeding her? One of my cats sometimes feels sick in the morning so I use a food timer at night if I remember and many small meals

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I found that my cat with kidney failure did well with regular subcutaneous hydration and regular cat food. Steamed chicken is also good. I believe the extra hydration is the key.
Personally I believe the "prescription " cat foods are overhyped and overrated.

 

[maggie101]

I remember when my cats had to stay st my parents for a few nights,my mom prepared my cats food mushed like a loaf. She would not eat it. My cat Coco has to eat on a flat plate and has trouble eating shredded meat. If she will eat the vets renal food then feed her that.

 

[Furballsmom]

I believe the extra hydration is the key.

To support this thought in addition to maintaining caloric intake, I found a website that has information that's provided in a little different format than TCS's article or felinecrf .org

This is from todaysveterinarynurse .com the ins and outs of managing feline chronic kidney disease

Water intake is of utmost importance in all kidney patients. Polyuria can quickly lead to dehydration. Frequent vomiting and bouts of anorexia also contribute to dehydration in these patients much more quickly than in healthier cats. Feeding canned diets that are high in moisture (>75% as-fed basis), adding water to the existing canned or dry diet, and making sure all water bowls are cleaned daily may encourage water consumption. Circulating water fountains can be provided for cats that like to drink running or dripping water, and multiple water bowls should be offered throughout the home. Also, the size and depth of water bowls may need to be considered, and different types of water (e.g., distilled, warm, cold) may need to be tried. Canned diets are preferred because of their water content. When further diluting diets to increase water consumption, it must be taken into consideration that the calorie:volume ratio is also being diluted, and pets may need to consume a greater volume of food to maintain body weight.

 

[maggie101]

One more suggestion you probably already heard. What do you do when you put down the bowl? Sometimes my cat will not eat unless I put down the bowl in front of her and will only eat if I'm right there. If I get up she walks away.
Fatty Liver Disease in Cats | PetM
Caused by a cat not getting nutrition

 

[FeebysOwner]

I guess I would have to ask - just how much tuna & juice are you using? Surely, it can't be so much that trying to force her to eat things she doesn't like is worth it. As has already been stated - in many different ways above - a renal cat is a sick cat, who is not going to get any less sick as the disease progresses. She is better off with some tuna than she will be if she eats too little otherwise.

You can always decrease the amount of tuna/juice slowly and by tiny, tiny, tiny bits over time just so she isn't eating as much of it. But you are really fighting a losing battle. She isn't doing this to be stubborn, she is doing what so many renal cats do - overall, their interest in food diminishes, because they just don't feel as well. So, when they find a food that they enjoy eating, that is a blessing in a manner of speaking.

Thank your lucky stars that there is a food she is willingly to eat. There may come a time when she will stop with this current food combination, and THEN you can pull your hair out trying to figure out where to go next.

What else are you doing to help her with her kidney issues - prescription food isn't the only action that can be taken.

 

[Mighty Orange]

I just used standard wet food she ate and phosphate binder.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Is it mostly morning you have trouble feeding her? One of my cats sometimes feels sick in the morning so I use a food timer at night if I remember and many small meals

No. True she has bouts of not feeling like eating. But when she eats she eats Purina Pro Essentials and FF Petites.
Twice last week I made a blender mash of soaked renal kibble and tuna with a few sprinkles of tuna on top and she went wild! I gave it to her again today and she was just at my feet begging for more, although she had 2 servings already..lunch and dinner. She had Purina for breakfast. It's not like I am giving her a whole can...it's shredded between my fingers and sprinkled just enough to give flavor and a few morsels to get her to eat the kibble and the regular food as well as a treat.
I will feed her the tuna renal kibble mash again later on in the week .
But yes, she eats the Purina and FF regular. (tonight I added a few morsels of tuna to her Purina as a surprise and she loved it.
I don;t like giving too much dry because she vomits when it mixes with drinking water and swells in her stomach.
They say to ease renal food in over several days anyway. I always add water to the dish and mix it so she is getting her fluids. But I only wish I could get her to eat wet renal food.
But I'll take what I can get right now as long as she eats.
I think that post about taking the food away is dangerous, but I just thought I, a first time cat Mom would ask the veterans here on the board and I am grateful for each and every answer.

 

[GranolaLouise]

I just used standard wet food she ate and phosphate binder.

Did the binder work to prolong life?

 

[maggie101]

No. True she has bouts of not feeling like eating. But when she eats she eats Purina Pro Essentials and FF Petites.
Twice last week I made a blender mash of soaked renal kibble and tuna with a few sprinkles of tuna on top and she went wild! I gave it to her again today and she was just at my feet begging for more, although she had 2 servings already..lunch and dinner. She had Purina for breakfast. It's not like I am giving her a whole can...it's shredded between my fingers and sprinkled just enough to give flavor and a few morsels to get her to eat the kibble and the regular food as well as a treat.
I will feed her the tuna renal kibble mash again later on in the week .
But yes, she eats the Purina and FF regular. (tonight I added a few morsels of tuna to her Purina as a surprise and she loved it.
I don;t like giving too much dry because she vomits when it mixes with drinking water and swells in her stomach.
They say to ease renal food in over several days anyway. I always add water to the dish and mix it so she is getting her fluids. But I only wish I could get her to eat wet renal food.
But I'll take what I can get right now as long as she eats.
I think that post about taking the food away is dangerous, but I just thought I, a first time cat Mom would ask the veterans here on the board and I am grateful for each and every answer.

Glad to hear that she does eat and that you disagree with that dangerous post! Sounds like you know what to do. Great news!

 

[lisahe]

To support this thought in addition to maintaining caloric intake, I found a website that has information that's provided in a little different format than TCS's article or felinecrf .org

This is from todaysveterinarynurse .com the ins and outs of managing feline chronic kidney disease

Water intake is of utmost importance in all kidney patients. Polyuria can quickly lead to dehydration. Frequent vomiting and bouts of anorexia also contribute to dehydration in these patients much more quickly than in healthier cats. Feeding canned diets that are high in moisture (>75% as-fed basis), adding water to the existing canned or dry diet, and making sure all water bowls are cleaned daily may encourage water consumption. Circulating water fountains can be provided for cats that like to drink running or dripping water, and multiple water bowls should be offered throughout the home. Also, the size and depth of water bowls may need to be considered, and different types of water (e.g., distilled, warm, cold) may need to be tried. Canned diets are preferred because of their water content. When further diluting diets to increase water consumption, it must be taken into consideration that the calorie:volume ratio is also being diluted, and pets may need to consume a greater volume of food to maintain body weight.

I so agree with this and what JamesCalifornia wrote. We've given fluids to three of our cats, for various reasons -- one with upper respiratory infection, one with kidney disease and IBD, and the last with some sort of stomach inflammation -- and fluids have never failed to perk them up and eat better.

We learned how to administer fluids ourselves; it's a bit nervewracking the first time but not difficult.

 

[iPappy]

I have three cats, all young, who have renal issues. We struggle with the food; in fact, you are doing better than I am at this point.

As for the quote, there is such a thing as transitioning a cat into a timed feeding schedule but that is not exactly what you are trying to do. Your cat is resistant to eating the renal food, and starvation is not going to convince her to eat it. I would not chance doing this.

A healthy cat who is going to get his favorite food at a certain time will come and eat, and then wait happily for the next feeding. Your cat is not in this category.

The last sentence bothers me as it suggests that this worked because the owner starved the cat for a week, and then anthropomorphized the cat into someone who intentionally lied and manipulated them.

Yes, that "she will cry and tell you how cruel you are, she is lying" bit is kind of crap. So is the "she's S.O.L. until the next meal" comment. I had a (human) family member who had kidney disease and their appetite was not good. Never was she offered food for 10 minutes then had it taken away and told "S.O.L until next meal time".
You can NOT tough love a cat into eating, let alone a renal cat.

 

[silent meowlook]

Sorry, didn’t read replies. Never starve a cat

Often these renal cats are nauseous and that is why they refuse to eat sometimes. Treating nausea helps. The other thing is that sometimes if they eat a certain food and they vomit it, they think it’s the food that caused them to vomit and they won’t eat it again.

Canned food is best for renal cats since carbs are hard for them to digest and dry food is full of carbs. I they won’t eat the rental diet, find out from your vet about “Epakatin” it is a phosphorus binder used in renal cats. You sprinkle it on the food.You can use other phosphate binders like plain aluminum hydroxide powder but most cats won’t eat that if it’s on their food.
Protein is ok for cats with renal disease. Phosphorus is not. I believe the Royal Canin makes a decently accepted canned cat food for renal cats called renal, you might want to try if you haven’t already.

is your cat on anything for nausea?

 

[GranolaLouise]

No.She is not nauseous that bad.
My battle is getting her to eat renal wet food. RC was the first..no joy. I have spent literally a few hundred dollars on renal variety packs and prescription 24 can orders only to either toss them out or sit in my pantry. Something is in those foods that makes her think there is poison in it. I have even hidden a tiny bit under her regular food ,she goes to the bowl,sniffs and turns away! Can't see it but picked up the scent. Then if I empty and wash her bowl and give her more of the Purina she eats it. I AM EXAUSTED.