Hi

Just discovered my cat (15 years of age) has early stages of reduced kidney function, and vets have suggested a change of diet to a kidney supporting dry food (he eats iams currently) or a natural high protein diet.

Can anyone suggest a good brand of dry food or natural diet ideas.


Thanks

Cats need a lot of moisture in their diet, so a dry diet for a cat with already compromised kidneys isnt ideal, prescription or otherwise. However, your vet's suggestion of a more natural diet is a good one. I'd definitely ditch the dry food completely and switch to a wet food diet. This site is one of the best for all info relating to kidney disease Tanya's Feline CRF Information Centre , this site offers ideas for a natural diets Feeding Your Cat** Know the Basi and this also has ideas for natural diets and gentle holistic treatments for CRF Home

Whatever you do, ditch the dry food. Think about it. Cats (and people) with renal insufficiency need a lot of moisture, and dry food is the worst possible choice for a cat in this situation. The secret is to feed a really good source of protein and try and keep phosphorus levels down. Oral health is really important too as toxins released by diseased gums harm the kidneys. I'm a raw feeder which is really the best diet for all cats, including CRI sufferers, but realise that this kind of feeding isn't for everyone. Therefore I'd say your best bet is a really good quality wet food that's low on grain, high in animal protein, and low in phosphorus. (you may have to do a bit of research for this!) Keep an eye on your cat's teeth. Contrary to what a lot of vets (in the UK) advise, feeding a low-protein diet, particularly in the early stages of CRI is NOT beneficial and can lead to an insufficiency in protein intake, leading to the cat using up valuable muscle resources and literally wasting away.

Just over a year ago my cat was in the early stages of CRI. I switched her to a raw diet and her latest blood test came back completely normal, as did her specific gravity on her urine. She is however, on 2.5mg of Fortekor every day. She is strong and solid with fantastic muscle tone. The vet says although she can see she's an adult cat, she'd no way guess she was 16 years old and classed as "anziana" (elderly) as they say over here in Italy!!

Good luck with whichever route you take and feel free to PM me with any raw feeding questions if that's what you choose to do

Thanks for your replies - I will rethink his diet altogether now. I was prefering dry food as he has always had problems with his teeth/gums thats why I put him on dry food years ago, but obviously may not have been for the best.

Thanks very much again !!!