Recommended Diet for a Cat With Kidney Disease

Feline kidney disease, medically referred to as renal disease, is a serious condition that can lead to kidney (renal) failure if left untreated. Kidney failure inevitably progresses until the cat passes away. However, a cat suffering from kidney disease can benefit from a change in diet. Diet changes can prolong life and provide comfort and ease for the affected feline.

  1. Nutrients and Homemade Diets

    • Often, a homemade diet is the best option for a cat suffering from kidney disease. However, homemade diets can be time-consuming.

      A homemade kidney disease diet for cats should be low in protein. Avoid feeding beef, as it is among the highest in protein levels. Instead, aim to feed chicken or chicken liver. Chicken (liver) can be diced and paired with vegetables, lightly salted and served with boiled white rice.

      The new diet should also be low in phosphorus and, if possible, contain calcium. Calcium can be added by giving small portions of cottage cheese or yogurt and will help entice a cat's appetite. However, it is important to feed them only in small doses to avoid too much protein intake.

      Even with an ideal homemade diet, many cats will require vitamin supplementation. Common vitamin supplements include vitamin D, vitamin B, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids and potassium. However, these should be given only if recommended by a veterinarian. All dosing instructions as recommended by the veterinarian must be followed to ensure the cat does not become ill.

    Other Options

    • For owners who do not have enough time to cook their cat a new meal every day, there are brand-name options that can be bought through the cat's veterinarian or by prescription at local pet stores.

      These diets are ideal for busy owners, because they can be fed at small intervals throughout the day without worry about whether the cats are receiving adequate levels of nutrition. Owners can also rest assured that their cats won't receive too much of any nutrient, such as protein or phosphorus.

      Some popular brand name foods include Science Diet's k/d from their Prescription Diet line of foods, IVD Modified, Eukanuba Nutritional Kidney Formulations and CNM NF-FORMULA. All of these are safe for cats suffering from kidney disease or kidney failure.

      Some of these companies also produce wet canned foods for feline kidney disease, which can also aid in water intake.

    Fluids

    • Along with a healthful diet, the cat should be provided with plenty of fresh water to drink. Many cats aren't frequent visitors to the water bowl, so consider investing in a pet water fountain. A water fountain provides running, filtered water, which is more appealing to a cat and can help encourage the cat to drink additional water.