Hiya, im new to the forum but was wondering if anyone has a cat with crf?
My ragdoll was recently diagnoised with this and im so confused!!
I have read that cats ideally should be feed wet food, my vet gave me RC dried and wet but he really doesnt like it and ive had to hand feed him small amounts the past two days.
He only has a third of one kidney working, and is having bloods done on monday to see how its coping, its only been a 3 days since hes been out of the vets and at home.
If anyone can help about the condition and the food dilema then i would be very grateful.
Thank you,
Sharon. x

Hi Sharon and welcome!
My cat Misi was diagnosed borderline crf 3 years ago, I mean really borderline. I put her on a raw diet and the vet prescribed Fortekor and away we went. Every blood test after that came back pretty much normal, a slightly elevated Blood Urea (BUN) on account of the raw diet, but really good. She was ill earlier this year with a stomatitis flare-up. The vet put her on cortisone, which being immuno-suppressive led to her having a cold (she's a calici carrier, I think). She never really recovered properly from that and her last blood test showed a deterioration to stage 3 crf. A shock and a blow, but onwards and upwards!!

So, for your kitty, it really depends how her bloodwork comes back as to how serious it is. Vets will always scare the be-Jesus out of you by going on about 75% kidney function lost, and whatever. Cats can do very well indeed on very little kidney function, it's all about supporting them and being able to manage it. At this point, I'd urge you to look at this website: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Renal Failure and join the yahoo crf group that Helen, who wrote the site has set up: tanyas-crf-support : Tanya's Feline CRF Support Group
You will find the most amazing support and advice there.
Do not be tempted to feed your puss dried food. It is completely inappropriate for a crf cat who needs to keep as hydrated as possible. Your puss almost certainly won't like any of the renal diets the vet prescribes. In the absence of feeding a raw diet, you should be looking at a grain-free wet food that is as low in phosphorus as possible. There is info on this on Helen's site. The most important thing and the thing that will keep your cat well is eating! There is a supplement called a phosphorus binder which can be added to normal food to take up some of the phosphorus. It is the phosphorus more than the protein that causes the damage.
I'll stop now because I don't want to bombard you. You're not alone and although scary, there's loads that you can do to help your puss

__________________
http://catscanjump.blogspot.com

Wendy, mum to:
Simba von Wurzbachtal, Turkish Van, born Austria, 5/9/10

RIP
Tarka, 1989 - 2008 my gentle Phileas Fogg
Bruno, 2008 - 2010 taken too soon my darling boy
Misi, 1993 - 25/3/2012 My brave, beautiful tabby

Hi Misi, thank you so much for your helpfull reply i will have a look at the link you gave me.
It is a very worring time and i just want to do the best i can for him.

Sharon

You're very welcome, and please feel free to PM me if you need to
Night night

__________________
http://catscanjump.blogspot.com

Wendy, mum to:
Simba von Wurzbachtal, Turkish Van, born Austria, 5/9/10

RIP
Tarka, 1989 - 2008 my gentle Phileas Fogg
Bruno, 2008 - 2010 taken too soon my darling boy
Misi, 1993 - 25/3/2012 My brave, beautiful tabby

Hi

My cat Oscar was diagnosed with very early Stage 2 CRF back in May. I have found Tanya's website that you have been directed to invaluable.

Oscar wouldn't take to a wet renal diet so I feed him on whatever wet food he will eat mixed with a phosphrous binder called Renalzin - if you have to use a binder.

Oscar seems to be doing really well and is due to have more blood work to see how he's getting on.

Please try not to worry, as has been said the vets can scare the be-jesus out of you, but take a deep breath and read Tanya's website. At first it will be quite daunting but you will soon work your way around it.

Hi Sharon and welcome,

My cat has just been diagnosed too! and not eating the prescription food either. Reading the replys here, it sound's like the supplement phosphorus binder is well worth a try.

Could somebody please let us know where we can buy this supplement. I hope all goes well for you Sharon I know just how confusing and worrying all this can be at the moment but I'm sure that once we find a diet that our cat will like things will be easier and a lot less worrying

Best wishes

Hiya

You can get it off t'Interwebs

Renalzin - Chemist Direct

For example. Or, you can use ground up eggshell, but I'm not sure where you can buy this if you don't prepare it yourself. Renalzin is good in that it doesn't interfere with the blood calcium levels.

__________________
http://catscanjump.blogspot.com

Wendy, mum to:
Simba von Wurzbachtal, Turkish Van, born Austria, 5/9/10

RIP
Tarka, 1989 - 2008 my gentle Phileas Fogg
Bruno, 2008 - 2010 taken too soon my darling boy
Misi, 1993 - 25/3/2012 My brave, beautiful tabby

Hiya Misi, jayne31 and Trixie,

Thanks for all the advice and good wishes...Yes it is all very confusing and new to me at the moment.

Im learning very quickly..

Today ive syringe fed Archie slightly watered down wet food, he has bloods tomorrow so couldnt feed him after 9, haha like he was gonna eat anyway.
I know its no laughting matter but seems so strange when they say to "starve him after 9" when he wont eat the wet food anyway...Argh!
He has only ever had dried food and i never knew it was so bad for them or i would have got him on wet food from a kitten.
Fingers crossed his bloods come back ok and he starts to fall in love with wet food very soon....Hope all your fluffballs are doin well

Sharon x

It's brutal, for sure. Hang in there. If the vet recommends sub-cutaneous fluids (sub-qs), he'll feel loads better. Misi isn't presently on sub-qs, but it will be something that's coming up soon, I think. She's still eating and can concentrate her urine up to a point, so the vet says she's okay for now. However, I'm ringing the vet today about her grinding noise she makes when she's eating and will book her in for bloods tomorrow. So, fingers crossed all round!!

__________________
http://catscanjump.blogspot.com

Wendy, mum to:
Simba von Wurzbachtal, Turkish Van, born Austria, 5/9/10

RIP
Tarka, 1989 - 2008 my gentle Phileas Fogg
Bruno, 2008 - 2010 taken too soon my darling boy
Misi, 1993 - 25/3/2012 My brave, beautiful tabby

Hi everyone

Great news, Archies bloods are looking good, the vet is so pleased with him. She has put him on 2.5mg Fortekor tablets. Now he has to start eating properly!!
Hope all is going ok with your babies too.

Sharon x