Just got one of my cats out of the hospital

[CountAllVotes]

My 10 year old male cat has been acting rather strange and has some sores that developed on his temples.

It seems the sores are skin cancers that needed to be burned off and he badly needed to have his teeth cleaned. His gums were highly inflamed - even pressing a fingernail pressed against the gums in the back caused bleeding.

So, I left him at the vet after trapping him - all 17 lbs. of him. Boy was that ever a huge chore!

The vet called me yesterday and said that his kidney function tests were off a bit and wants him to now eat Purina Veterinary Diets® NF® feline formula. He doesn't seemed very attracted to this food but his mouth is still very sore no doubt. :shrug:

Another thought was that the somewhat off kidney test is the result of an infection from the gums being so inflamed/infected. No other cause for an infection was found after a thorough check-up.

They gave me samples of this food to take home with him yesterday. I'm not sure how much he likes it but if I and able to switch him to it, it would be that all three of my cats will get switched to this food.

I'm thinking this is likely very pricey food.

What are the benefits in feeding him this really?

Does anyone know?

Thanks in advance for any help/options/etc.

[livetohike]

1. Sending good vibes to your cat and you

:hug: I have dogs, so I'm no help as far as the suggested food goes. I know the dog food version is very expensive, as it was suggested for my old guy Ranger back in 2003 (he was 15 years old then). I know the BUN and creatinine levels indicated kidney disease in Ranger and he was very sick - I don't believe if those levels are out of whack that it's caused by an infection. Is that what the vet said? That the BUN and creatinine levels indicated a problem? If they were only "off a bit", then maybe the change in diet would be enough to help him.

[CountAllVotes]

2. yes that is what the vet said

The vet thought that between his age and the infection (from what?) were from the teeth. He is really meowing a lot today and kicking up a big fuss. I let him outside for about 10 mins.

My youngest cat is hissing at him and hiding. I'm thinking she can smell the vet on him (I got her from the local pound and oh how she hates being anywhere near where animals are locked up).

He seems better today. I saw him doing a fairly good job cleaning himself up this morning.

They vet injected him with an antibiotic that lasts for 2 weeks (being he isn't a candidate for taking oral medications - too uncooperative for that!).

I often think that vets push a certain type of food because they get kickbacks by selling it. He also gave me samples of some sort of Hills brand food for kidneys. I haven't tried that one on him yet.

Hill's Prescription Diet Cat K/D Food Dry



The vet gave me two cans of the dry foods in wet form (one Purina and one of the Hills). None of my cats like canned food. I tried it anyway and it sits in the kitchen uneaten.

Thanks for the positive vibes on this. I do appreciate at as my other cat that is about to turn 17 years old has the same problem (skin cancers on the temples) and she has a chronic herpes infection in both eyes.

*sigh*

[livetohike]

3. Sounds like he is doing much better

Maybe you can heat up the wet food a little in the microwave and the smell would entice them to try it.

I know that the kidney function decreases with age, but it really sounds like the infection is the source and if that clears up, maybe you won't have to do the special food.

[FloriTexan]

4. Greenies Pill Pockets for Cats are GREAT! N/T

[Warpy]

5. Here's a site explaining it

and what is generally done to treat it, as well as what's in the works in the future: http://www.felinecrf.com/what0.htm There's also a support group for people there.

Infection can add to it, so it's good that your cat's teeth have been seen to.

Cats generally don't like change in their diet, so you're going to have to wait him out on the renal diet. It's most likely a high potassium diet since cats with renal failure tend to pour potassium out of their kidneys, the opposite of humans in failure.

My cat is looking at all that in the not too distant future, chronic renal failure being associated with Maine Coons as a breed.

I love the fact that I've had my loyal furry friend so long, but I hate the diseases of age that seem to be hitting her.

[CountAllVotes]

6. thanks for the link Warpy

He is still all out of sorts tonight. The other younger female cat, his comrade, is still hissing and hiding from him.

He wanted to go outside again so I let him out for awhile.

He just keep meowing and meowing very loud non-stop.
:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

I wonder if he is trying to attract the other cat or if something is wrong. I have not seen him eat any thing much today but I am sure his mouth is pretty sore considering how bad the gums looked (nasty at best).

Thanks again.

[Warpy]

10. The poor little guy HURTS.

Tomorrow get some strained chicken baby food and see if he'll eat that. Just make sure it's 100% chicken, no onions or other "flavor enhancers." You can introduce the renal diet when he's feeling a little better.

The female cat is hissing at him because he smells like THE VET.

[badgerpup]

16. Ask your vet before proceeding, but...

...kitties can process small amounts of aspirin (NOT Tylenol aka acetaminophen!):yoiks:

At 17 lbs a baby aspirin might alleviate some of his ouchiness...my vet has allowed how as occasional doses are beneficial for my 13 lb, 12 yr old Esme's creaky hips...:shrug:

I keep a bottle of coated baby aspirin on hand just for the kitties (along with D'Artagnan's inhaler and Wimsey's eyedrops...)

Hope your boy feels better soon! It HURTS when your furbabies hurt and you don't know what to do to make...it...STOP...:banghead:

[CountAllVotes]

17. thanks for the tips

He seems much better today (meow has a friendly tone to it again) and he is eating some now. He's been in the closet sleeping most of the time but he is now beginning to interact with the other younger cat again.

His coat looks a lot better and he seems to be feeling better best I can tell (no pain - not nearly as bad as it was).

Thanks for the info. on the baby aspirin! I had no idea re: this.

:)

[Lisa0825]

7. If it is very pricey, you might check with some non-profit groups....

to see if they can order it wholesale or at a non-profit discount, and maybe they would pass it on to you for a donation. At Whiskerville, there are several brands that we will order for people for a minimal markup, making it much cheaper than retail stores.

[glinda]

8. Huge benefits. I have five cats on NF. Two have heart problems, one is elderly, another was melamine

poisoned and the other was also but not as bad. My cats like Royal Canan dry and wet. Wet in small cans as chunks and also bigger more pureed. They also like KD. I switch the canned around a little but keep the dry the same.I also add a little water to the dry and also to the wet sometimes.Kidney failure is the most common cause of death due to bad things in pet foods and other reasons. Am sure these foods are not perfect but they are good. Go for it! Your kitty will eat it when he gets hungry!

[murielm99]

9. My cat also eats the Royal Canan, dry and wet.

It is the first renal failure food that she likes. She screeches for the wet food when she is hungry.

She has gained weight and her fur is thicker. She is fourteen, and will die eventually of kidney failure. But right now she is healthy and happy.

Yes, this is expensive. I don't know what else to say about that.

[CountAllVotes]

14. awwww she is so cute!

n/t :D

[murielm99]

15. Thank you.

She can be loving, but she can be an evil critter, too.

[CountAllVotes]

12. this has nothing to do with food quality

I've bit the bullet and spent good money on quality dry food for my cats being they do not like canned food and of course the China/melamine thing. None of the food they were eating had any of this in it. Luckily I have never fed any of my cats cheap food (see picture of Old Kitty who is about to turn 17 years old and is doing pretty darn good!) no matter how hard times have been for me. Cats first, me second! :D

I was feeding them a type of dry food that is made in California and had no chemicals, nothing in it - just too high of a fat content it seems so I had to switch to something else.

Since this became an issue, I began feeding them Katzenflockin as it is lower fat. They seem to like this quite a bit but Old Kitty only weighs 7 lbs. and the other cat weighs about 12-1/2 lbs. and is said to be a bit overweight.

I hope I can get all of them to like this other type of food. My worry about these foods is that they are LOW protein and the first ingredients in the dry food is CORN. The vet said that with this food the kidneys have to work only half as much as with other types of higher protein food.

It is difficult with three cats as they call the shots, not me! :banghead:

[glinda]

13. I never fed my pets any cheap food. Unfortunately even higher end mornatural foods had toxin in them

So our attempt to never feed crap still didn't help.

[CountAllVotes]

11. update on this situation

He seems better today. He was howling and moaning into the wee hours of the morning. Finally he stopped and went into the closet (his den) and fell asleep.

He got up this morning and sounded out a happier "meow" rather than a loud moan.

He is eating a little bit but I think that Warpy is right - poor old guy is in pain!

He looks a lot better already - coat is not so dull looking.

I think he will be ok once I get him on the right diet.

The teeth were a mess and I'm sure it was causing him a lot of pain.

Here is a picture of him with Old Kitty taken not too long ago (on the left):



Thanks everyone! We (the cats and I that is) appreciate all of your ideas, thoughts, info., help, etc. so very much! :D