Kidney failure in cats is one of the most common illnesses in four-legged friends. If undetected, the disease can be dangerous, which is why you should act quickly at the first signs. But what exactly is kidney failure and how does it manifest itself in cats? Find out here how you can recognize kidney disease in your cat, what causes kidney failure and how you can treat your furry friend.
What is kidney failure in cats?
Renal insufficiency in cats is also colloquially known as renal weakness and means a restricted function of the kidneys . Like humans, cats have two kidneys each, which are located on either side of the spine. The kidneys are responsible for purifying the blood and detoxifying the body . They filter the blood and dispose of metabolic waste products and toxins via the urine. In addition, the kidneys keep the cat's fluid and electrolyte levels in balance and produce hormones to produce new blood and regulate blood pressure. The kidneys are made up of numerous small units of renal corpuscles and renal tubules. The blood is filtered within the renal corpuscles and toxins are released into the urine via the tubules. Together, the renal corpuscles and renal tubules form what are known as nephrons .
In the case of kidney failure, not all nephrons function as normal, which means that the remaining nephrons have to take over the work of the diseased tissue. This leads to an overload of the kidneys in the long term and ever larger parts of the organ fail. For this reason, if left untreated, kidney failure gets steadily worse and is generally considered incurable . However, with special food and a suitable kidney diet, your cat's kidneys can be relieved and the progression of the kidney disease can be slowed down.
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Chronic and acute renal insufficiency
Acute renal failure occurs primarily when the kidneys are acutely affected by external influences , for example by poisoning the cat. If acute renal failure is recognized and treated immediately, the kidneys can recover completely.
Chronic renal insufficiency (CKD) , on the other hand, has usually already been present for at least two months or longer when it is diagnosed. Recovery of the diseased kidney tissue is usually no longer possible. As kidney function becomes increasingly poor, doctors also speak of shrunken kidneys in this context. As a result of renal insufficiency, so-called urinary substances such as uric acid, urea and creatinine are no longer excreted in the urine and poison the body. Renal insufficiency can trigger high blood pressure and diseases of other organs such as the heart or brain. If left untreated, chronic renal insufficiency ultimately results in complete kidney failure and is life-threatening for cats. As the condition of the kidneys steadily worsens as the disease progresses, renal insufficiency often occurs in older cats . The symptoms and warning signs of declining kidney function should therefore by no means be dismissed as typical signs of aging.
Symptoms of Kidney Failure in Cats
Unfortunately, kidney failure in cats is very difficult to detect . The first symptoms often do not appear until two thirds of the cat's kidney tissue has already been destroyed. In addition, not all symptoms are immediately apparent. You should therefore keep a close eye on your cat's behavior, even if it is in the best of health.
The following symptoms may indicate kidney disease in your cat:
- weakness, fatigue, apathy
- Increased drinking and frequent urination
- weight loss
- loss of appetite
- Bad-smelling breath
- Scaly skin and dull coat
- Urine changes in color and smell
- blood or pus in the urine
- High sensitivity to pain
- Vomit
- tooth and gum diseases
- stiff gait
- Sudden blindness (as a result of high blood pressure)
If your cat drinks a lot , urinates frequently and loses weight at the same time, you should pay attention. Since the kidneys normally regulate the cat's fluid balance and concentrate the urine, cats with kidney disease often excrete large amounts of water and are at risk of dehydration . Reduced appetite and the associated weight loss can also be an alarm signal in cats. If your cat vomits and actually has kidney disease, the kidney function is already almost completely exhausted and the toxins and urea that have accumulated in the body are increasingly poisoning the cat. If you suspect that your cat has kidney disease, you should definitely not waste any time and see a vet immediately.
triggers of renal insufficiency
There are several possible causes of acute or chronic renal failure in cats:
- Acute poisoning (houseplants, heavy metals, antifreeze, pesticides, etc.)
- dehydration, blood loss or shock
- injury to the kidney
- Increasing age of the cat
- diseases of the immune system
- Infectious diseases (e.g. Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) )
- kidney stones, struvite stones
- Inherited or congenital kidney diseases
- tumor diseases
- Increased blood pressure
- hyperthyroidism
- anesthesia
- Incorrect diet (e.g. feed with too high a phosphorus content)
If your cat has acute kidney failure, triggered by poisoning, for example, you should investigate the cause of the poisoning. Is it possible that your cat had access to a poisonous houseplant, heavy metals or pesticides? Make sure that your cat is out of reach of poisonous objects and substances to prevent (re-)poisoning of the kidney tissue. Caution is also advised with struvite stones : These can block the access to the urethra and prevent toxins from being released from the kidney into the urine, which in the worst case can lead to kidney failure.
diagnosis of renal insufficiency
Because the symptoms appear late and are not clear, diagnosing kidney failure in cats is often difficult. If you want to be on the safe side or if you have the feeling that something is wrong with your cat, you can keep a weight diary and weigh your cat regularly. Steady weight loss can be one of the first noticeable signs of kidney disease. If you notice that your cat is behaving unusually, losing weight and some of the symptoms mentioned above apply, a visit to the vet is necessary. Even if the suspicion of kidney failure turns out to be incorrect, early detection and clarification of the symptoms by a vet is vital. From the age of seven, it is also recommended that the cat be taken to the vet for a check-up at least once a year .
The veterinarian can determine kidney failure through the cat's blood values . If the concentration of substances that are excreted in the urine, such as creatinine , is increased in the blood, it is most likely that the cat has a kidney disease.
treatment of renal insufficiency
If your cat has kidney disease, the vet can prescribe medication depending on the stage of the disease and adjust it to your cat's individual needs. If your cat suffers from high blood pressure as a result of the kidney disease, you should also protect your cat's circulation. In addition to medicine, your pet's diet is very important: cats with kidney disease dehydrate quickly and can no longer filter the blood properly. As a result, sick cats excrete proteins that are difficult to digest and put a strain on the kidneys in their urine, and substances such as sodium, magnesium and phosphorus build up in the body. Since parts of the kidneys are already irreparably damaged, the remaining parts should not be unnecessarily burdened by difficult-to-digest food.
Cat Food for Renal Insufficiency
To help your cat and relieve the strain on its kidneys, you should always provide it with plenty of fresh water and special diet food for animals with kidney disease . Ideally, you should offer your cat food in several small meals throughout the day. Wet food is also recommended to counteract the large amount of fluid lost by sick cats. When changing food, you should be patient and use a high-quality diet replacement for the usual food. Kattovit's Kidney/Renal diet food is low in sodium and phosphorus and contains a reduced but high-quality protein content. The food is also enriched with potassium citrate , which ensures that the urine is less acidic and thus prevents the formation of kidney stones .
To encourage your cat to drink, you should change its water regularly and think about attractive offers such as a drinking fountain in the house. Special drinks can be added to the water to encourage drinking and also contain important nutrients for your cat with kidney disease.
