Low/high Protein For Elderly Cats?

[randomsyllables]

Well, I occasionally have read this or that about cats and their diets. Obligate carnivore gets tossed around, and so I hear a lot of calls for higher protein, specifically, higher animal protein. Well. I have with me a dear old puss and she is turning 17 this summer. We brought her to the vet for one reason or other, and he reported her kidneys had shriveled. He said that's normal for old cats. The kidneys get less spongy or something. Anyway. They work, just not as efficiently. So he suggested a lower protein diet for her since she is old and brought out a bag of Royal Canin Renal A. I'm unfortunately not good at questioning a vet to his face. Or really anyone with years of training and education. So I didn't say anything to my mother who was the one who makes the decisions. But when I got home and read the ingredients, I cringed at seeing the first three ingredients all grains.

However, he's probably given an incentive to suggest THAT brand. But I wonder, should protein content be effected at all by a cat's age? Do they lose their ability to digest proteins as efficiently and need simpler or fewer proteins? Or is that some awful hogwash that this Vet was probably taught by marketers who have invaded Vetrinary boards or something?

I want what is best for this cat. She's technically not mine but I do have SOME limited control over her, but armed with good information I may be able to convince other members of the household to change a few things.

 

[IndyJones]

I do know canned food is better for cats with ckd because of its water content canned food generally has a higher meat content as well.

With kidney disease protein and phosphorus binders are the key. These help the kidneys by binding the phosphorus and protein so it is excreted with the stools rather than entering the bloodstream where the already stressed kidneys are.

 

[LTS3]

If you need something low protein and is commericially available with better ingredients than prescription food, check out these web sites:

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Diet and Nutrition Overview
Feline CRF Information Center - Dietary Management

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

It really depends on which STAGE of kidney disease your cat is in whether or not you need to start feeding a lower protein diet. Do you have any idea what stage she's in? The Vet probably wouldn't have told you, but information from her blood workup, in conjunction with looking at the website referenced above and here will tell you: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Nutritional Requirements

 

[randomsyllables]

No, I wasn't told what stage she was in. I thought maybe he was prescribing it more as a preventative of further kidney stress/damage. I'd even be surprised if I would even get to see her lab results.

Phosphorous binding, eh? I may have to look into getting her some wet food... although I'm not sure I will be able to get her to switch over. She seems to turn her nose up at most meat (weird cat!) except eggs, if you consider egg 'meat' since it technically doesn't have muscle in it. I try to tell her she's an obligate carnivore but she just eyes me suspiciously and then licks her paw.

Bah... being in Canada may limit what I can get my mitts on, even through online retailers.

mrsgreenjeens Thank you for the helpful link!