According to Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM, kidney disease, or kidney failure, is the most common major medical problem of older cats. As the disease progresses, the kidneys can't eliminate waste products from the body, resulting in toxic buildup, and eventually euthanasia will be necessary.
Proper treatment by a veterinarian can slow the progression of the disease, and improve the cat's quality of life.
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Kidney Disease Symptoms
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Recognizing the symptoms of kidney failure can help your cat get immediate treatment.
• Diarrhea. Diarrhea is more common in the later stages of kidney failure.
• Excessive urination
• Excessive thirst
• Dehydration
• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Weight loss
Kidney Disease Diagnosis
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Your veterinarian starts the diagnostic process by performing a thorough physical examination and taking a medical history of your cat.
Tests may be ordered, including:
• Complete blood count (blood test)
• Biochemical profile
• Urinalysis
• Kidney ultrasound or biopsy
Treatment of Diarrhea
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Cat diarrhea can be caused by problems in either the small or large intestine. If the problem is high in the small intestine, the cat will eliminate a large amount of feces, but the number of bowel movements will not increase.
If the problem affects the large intestine, bowel movements with be frequent and uncomfortable. Several unsuccessful attempts may be made to defecate, and when feces are finally expelled, the amount is small and coated with mucus.
If the cat uses a litter box, watery feces mix with the litter, and the cat's owner may not realize that the cat has diarrhea.
Other signs associated with diarrhea include:
• Feces staining around the bottom, or the cat continually tries to clean around the bottom area.
• Bad smell
• Weight loss
Give your cat an unflavored oral electrolyte solution to replace fluids and minerals lost through diarrhea.
If severe diarrhea continues, fluid replacement therapy can be administered by your veterinarian, through the placement of a catheter under the skin. The port on the catheter is outside of the skin and attached to a fluid-giving system, and fluid can be administered daily or twice a week, depending on the cat's requirements. Medication can be added to the fluids if necessary.
Fluid Replacement for Kidney Failure
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Cats suffering from kidney failure are frequently dehydrated due to excessive urination and diarrhea, so an adequate water supply should always be available.
If your cat doesn't like plain water, flavor the water with chicken or tuna. Offering water from different bowls or a pet fountain, may entice your cat to drink more water.
Diet for Kidney Failure
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Feed the cat a low-protein diet to avoid accumulation of toxic products in the blood from protein breakdown. Use commercial canned products that provide adequate amounts of protein to avoid excessive weight loss; moisture in the canned food helps replace fluid lost due to diarrhea.
If the cat doesn't want to eat the low-protein food, try warming it up or mixing small amounts of it with regular cat food.
Diarrhea can destroy beneficial bacteria in the cat's system. Replace the good bacteria by offering the cat plain or nonfat yogurt.
Rubbing a little pancake syrup on the gums can boost flagging energy from the dehydration of diarrhea.
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