Your vet will advise you to buy what they sell. If you are feeding low meat content you have to make up for it else where will fillers that are not natural and more harmful to your cat. Orijen is brilliant, im not sure why you think a high meat content is bad for an old cat? That should really be the main ingredient to any cats diet. Although i am no expert on kidney failure i have to say! I do know bad diet can contribute to it.

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I'd walk right up to Heaven, And bring you home again.

My vets have a variety of foods, but know I never get my food from them, so are impartial.

Most of the books say reduce protein for a older cat as the kidneys are less efficient and also the cat uses less energy.

Yes that would make sense i get it now. But cats primary diet should be meat, i cant see how giving them food with low meat content will help, they have to make it up in other ways which means feeding them the rubbish they use to 'fill' commercial cat food. For example Hills dry food (not the worst by far) first ingredients are brewers rice and ground maize, if i fed that to my bengal she'd be bloated, eating more and have the runs.

From what i understand its more about giving your pet high quality protein rather than restricting it which is hard unless you can make your own food for your cat.

I found a couple of good articles actually, hope you dont mind but this interests me

kidneyfailure

feline kidney failure disease of the kidneys in dogs and cats

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If tears could build a stairway, And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven, And bring you home again.

I am very confused by this discussion, as I always understood cats with renal problems had to have a diet lower rather than higher in protein

Yes thats what most vets advise, but there are lots of articles that explain its more about giving them good quality protein rather than reducing it alot. I just want to know what you replace it with if you reduce it. Phosphorus/phosphate have to be minimised too.

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If tears could build a stairway, And memories a lane,
I'd walk right up to Heaven, And bring you home again.

Well - after 2 days back on the RC chicken sensitivity control pouches Cattie has not vomited since & hopes its going to stay that way. I might try to mix the occasional meal with a Renal food pouch and see if she can tolerate that - the vet calls her a sensitive soul ! Good news too on the allergic dermatitis (became allergic to felimazole about 4 weeks ago) - her skin blisters are healing up & not found many new ones which I am pleased about - thankfully they have not bothered cattie - she has never scratched them once. She seems much more settled on the lower dose of Vidalta for her hyperthyroidism and her sleepign is not as comatose & prolonged as before.
Thank You all for your comments and no doubt will be back on forum to update you soon, she is due her ear check up soon for her persistant ear polyps that return every couple / 3months.
She is such a laid back cat - she is scared of nothing (perhaps because she is mostly deaf ) and takes it all in her stride. Considering I was only looking after her for a friend for a week while she moved house but that was 15 years ago!!!