I posted on here a while ago about my cat who has been diagnosed with renal failure. He is now on fortekor for high BP, felimazole for thyroid problems and we have started a renal diet.

A couple of months ago he was sitting quietly on the arm of the chair then suddenly fell off and couldn't get back up. He temporarily lost the use of his back legs and was scrambling to move. It was very distressing and I took him straight to the vets by which time the symptoms had subsided. Vet said it may be due to the fortekor and may have been just an episode of very low BP - monitor and return if any further problems.

This hasn't happened again but it does worry me that it may happen when he's out and can't get up from the road etc. He's very much an outdoor cat but since this episode he rarely strays further that the front lawn. He can't get in or out of the back garden due to high fences. We feed him on top of the chest freezer (as the dog eats it if it's on the floor) and he won't jump up there anymore so just meows at me till I lift him up. Which is quite funny as he doesn't like being picked up either and he sticks his legs out to the sides as if to get his balance.

There is a little old lady across the road and I think she feeds him so that is interrupting his renal diet. He has started sneezing and coughing in the last week or so and he's stopped grooming himself - I've been cleaning him with a damp towel as he gets in a bit of a mess some times. He's also losing bladder and bowel control so he's leaving us little presents in the house when he can't get to his tray on time.

He doesn't appear to be in pain, his weight is stable, he's not vomiting, his stools are loose but not runny - there is no blood in stools or urine. He's still able to manage the stairs and get up to chairs/beds etc and he still loves cuddles so he's still got some quality of life left and isn't suffering.

Due to his reducing mobility and risk of an unsuitable diet - should I be trying to keep him indoors? Or should I just let him live out his remainder in the way he wants? It's still nice weather out and it would be a struggle to keep him indoors but I don't want to increase the dangers for him.

Is it poss that he can go in the back garden when you are at home. That way he can be safe but enjoy a bit of sunshine?
Or when he's on the front stay with him.
If not then i would try to keep him in, or mention to the old Lady that he is on a special diet so you would be grateful if you didn't give him anything to eat.

Has for the eating arrangements maybe you could put him in one room for his food and Litter tray where the Dog is not allowed and then that might help.
When you pick him up he might not like it because it could be uncomfortable for him.

As for the weak bladder i would put a tray upstairs as well as one downstairs.
We have a 17 year old and that's what we have done.
Most of the time she misses the tray when she goes for a poo, bless her

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I've told the old lady many times not to feed him. He was previously on specific dental biscuits as was prone to gingivitis. I wasn't aware at the time that she was feeding him wet food so he wasn't eating as much at home. About 18 months after we moved here he needed 7 teeth removed due to decay as he wasn't eating his biscuits and he was eating meat. She interferes in everyone's business on the street - proper curtain twitcher!

He's never liked being picked up and he is acting the same as he always has in that way. It's more like "whoa what are you doing, put me down and don't drop me!" than "ouch that hurts a bit!". If that makes sense??

The only room downstairs he soils in is the bathroom and only when no-one is home, we keep the litter tray in the bedroom where he soils most often. The dog has access to every room down stairs but not allowed upstairs so I can start feeding him up there again. If I have a litter tray downstairs and don't empty immediately the dog will eat the contents but I guess I could keep it in the bath and put it on the floor when we go out. The dog stays in the kitchen when we're out and at night.

The dog has free access to the back garden and she chases the cat if he's out there. He has a kennel out there that he likes to be in and we have a low shed that he sunbathes on where the dog can't get him but I wouldn't want him to be out there alone. The dog is fine with him under supervision but she likes to play and chase so if he runs away she thinks it's a game. They are very sweet on the sofa together though and she likes to lick his ears and he is starting to let her!

In view of symptoms like the incontinence etc I wonder if he sustained a minor physical/neurological injury when he fell off the sofa? The temporary paralysis, unwillingness to jump on surfaces and somewhat reduced mobility could well point to this as well.

When was the last time he had some bloodwork done? Blood pressure check? CRF cats can suffer from low potassium-this can cause bad leg weakness-which needs to be supplemented if necessary. So I'd rule this out as well.

It's really important he sticks to the renal diet so for this as well as general safely I would try to confine him indoors/ to the back garden where I'd give him supervised time. Perhaps even neighbour's feeding is leading to the runny stools as well? I'd ask her to stop this. Failing that if renal diet is the culprit perhaps a different one might help. I'd like to stop these runny stools-can point to intestinal inflammation.

Glad to hear he's eating well. It can be hard managing a cat with dual conditons but it sounds as if he's doing well otherwise.

When he fell he didn't try to hold on the the arm of the chair he just slipped so at the time I thought ?stroke. The vet said this was unlikely but that his back legs were stiff possibly due to the fall.

He hasn't had a BP check ever and last blood work was March - we changed vets from one that was very invasive i.e. lots of test to one where they work more with presenting symptoms rather than test results.

I'm going to have another word with the lady across the road but wonder if I might do better by taking her some of his food as I really don't trust her to stop completely? I think first though I'll keep him confined to quarters for a few days to see if anything improves.

Oh I see! Falling off in that manner, yes I know what the vet meant by low BP though I'd still say the same about the paralysis etc.

I wouldn't be too happy with him even crossing the road to be honest. I assume he goes over there for the food in which case it might be better if she stopped completely! Does she feed other cats as well in which case could you trust her to feed him his renal diet?

Yes, I'd try confining him and see if stools improve for one thing when on his own food.

Well I managed to keep him in all day yesterday, he didn't like it at all but we managed. Untill Hubby came home from work and opened the door, totally forgot I was keeping him in and he let Kenny out. That was at 5pm and he hasn't been back since! I've been across the road and he's sunbathing in the old lady's back garden! It means he's obviously getting food from somewhere i.e. her and he's not getting his medication.

There should be a thread on here for training humans!

I would definitely try to keep him inside or in the back garden because that lady is effectively killing your cat. I would be having more than a quiet word with her, I must admit. Do you have any Renalzin because this is a phospherous binder and should help to eliminate any excess phosphorus being retained as a result of eating the wrong diet?

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