Signs & Symptoms of Chronic Renal Failure in Cats

Regularly checking for signs of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) in your cat can help you catch and treat it early. No matter how slight the symptom, see your veterinarian for a diagnosis, as early symptoms are inconspicuous. Cats naturally hide illnesses and pain, and according to the Feline CRF Information Center, some cases of CRF go unnoticed until kidney failure is at 70 percent, at which point cats deteriorate rapidly and CRF symptoms become more pronounced. However, treatment may enable your cat to live for months or years with a high quality of life.

  1. Excessive Thirst

    • The first sign of CRF is usually excessive thirst and urination. Some cats sit over their water bowls or become obsessed with drinking water from the sink faucet, which owners may dismiss as the behavior of a quirky personality. However, this excessive thirst is a sign that something is wrong. In a cat with CRF, the kidneys stop producing concentrated urine, resulting in diluted urine that the body quickly eliminates. As a result, your cat needs to drink more water to hydrate herself.

    Dehydration

    • Dehydration occurs in cats with CRF because they cannot make concentrated urine. On the other hand, your cat may stop eating and drinking as a result of extreme illness, which also leads to dehydration, and vomiting is dehydrating. Signs of dehydration include gums that are dry or tacky to the touch, lethargy and constipation. You can test for dehydration by gently pinching some skin at the back of your cat's neck and pulling up on it; if it is slow to fall back, your cat is dehydrated.

    Nausea and Loss of Appetite

    • Another symptom of CRF is stomach upset, which can lead to nausea and vomiting. Vomit may be food or a foamy liquid, but either way it will probably look different than typical hair balls. This stomach upset may cause your cat to lose his appetite, especially in the later stages of CRF. On the other hand, you may observe your cat eating litter, a sign he has become anemic and is desperate for the iron and nutrients found in cat litter, according to veterinarian Carol A. Tice in an iVillage article on cats eating litter.

    Lethargy

    • As CRF cats lose their appetites, they also lose weight, which weakens them. As a result, your cat may seem lethargic or depressed, sitting still for long periods of time with little energy or interest in activity or food. This is a serious sign that something is wrong, as cats tend to hide their discomfort unless it is severe. Take your cat to the veterinarian immediately if any of these signs appear.