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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Sparklingcat. I can't help but have a bad feeling.

81 replies

Sparklingbrook · 05/02/2018 18:10

I noticed recently that she seemed a bit lighter. She had her booster today and she's lost 400g in a year.
She's not underweight (last year she was deemed overweight) she is now ideal weight. Howevwer she is probably eating a bit more than she used to.

So i immediately think thyroid. But vet said her coat was too shiny/ good and she didn't seem to show any other signs like seeking out warm places or being always on the go.

I have to take her back in 4 weeks and if she has lost more weight the investigations/blood tests etc will start.

We got her in 2010 and Cats' Protection guessed she was 3 or 4 then so I guess she's in the right age bracket to have some issues. Doesn't make it any easier though, I have a feeling it won't be good.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 12/02/2018 22:07

Thanks Bluebell, we have had a cuddle and she's now gone out for her night time wee.

I am trying not to google. They are starting her on the thyroid tablets to start with. They wonder if the thyroid problem is masking the kidney one.

OP posts:
AiryFairy1 · 12/02/2018 22:11

Yes, try not to google ... tough though. These DCatties of ours are family xxx

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 12/02/2018 22:13

They really are Airy. I am glad that she doesn't seem poorly, apart from the eating she's her usual self. So I don't feel sorry for her yet.

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PinkSparklyPussyCat · 13/02/2018 09:44

I'm sorry to hear that @Sparklingbrook. I don't have any experience of thyroid issues but Harry was diagnosed with early CKD last year despite showing no symptoms of it.

The vet told me the main way to manage it is by diet, but needless to say he wasn't going to eat that. We then tried adding Pronefra to his food but he refused to eat it (it's known as the Pronefra Protest at the vets!). In the end we tried him on Ipakitine, which is a powder that's added to his food and he's eaten it without any problems. The vet didn't want to give him that one as it's an old one and there are newer and better things on the market but, as I pointed out to her, they are only better if he takes them! He's been on the Ipakitine for a while now and his kidney results were back at normal levels at Christmas.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2018 13:45

Thanks for that Pink, you hear the word 'chronic' and start to feel it's the beginning of the end. How did you find out about Harry? I looked at the symptoms but Sparklingcat doesn't seem to be displaying any of them yet, and have read that most cats have some sort of kidney thing going on to some extent.

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 13/02/2018 16:54

I know what you mean, I had him at death's door as soon as the vet mentioned it. He had no symptoms and we only found out by accident. He'd been having problems with his jaw and he went for an x ray last May and the vet asked if she could do blood tests, which showed up kidney disease. Apparently it was early stage and there would probably have been a couple more years before he showed any symptoms.

He had another blood test in September and his results had got a bit worse and I was in bits by that point. He then hurt his leg on Christmas Eve and the emergency vet wouldn't give him loxicom because of his kidneys. We took him back to his own vet who did another blood test which came back normal! I nearly cried when the vet told me, I'd had such an awful few months I was fully expecting to be told the worse.

I've read that most cats have kidney issues as they get older. Harry is 13 so I suppose it's only to be expected. It doesn't make it any easier though.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2018 17:24

We are managing to get the tablets down her. In the food-even though she's starving hungry, everything apart from the tiny pink tablet was eaten. So we are using the syringe gun thing.

She's 12 (approx) so these things will start to happen, but yes, it's never easy.

OP posts:
PinkSparklyPussyCat · 13/02/2018 19:01

That’s good. We can’t get pills into Harry as his jaw never healed properly after he fractured it and, knowing his luck, we’d damage it trying to help him with medication!

StewPots · 13/02/2018 19:50

So sorry to hear your news SparklingBrook , sending Thanksand hugs x

acatcalledjohn · 13/02/2018 20:12

Our boy had kidney disease and sadly hated the food. Try lots of different ones and see what he goes for. And change the food gradually. Senior food is already a bit lower in protein, so anything that's for senior cats is a start. Hills, Royal Canin, and then have a look on places like Zooplus, where they sell more brands.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 13/02/2018 20:26

I haven't received any food advice as yet. That could be tough. She only eats Felix as Good as it looks and only Fish ones.

Thanks StewPots. I think i have got my head around it now, hopefully it can all be managed.

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acatcalledjohn · 13/02/2018 22:20

The thing with the kidney food is that it is very fatty, which is quite different to their tastebuds. We stick to the Felix AGAIL too, and our boy was very used to that before we had to put him on the diet (he was diagnosed when it was already at a more advanced stage of CKD).

Your vet should be able to inform you on the choices. However, be aware that the Royal Canin kidney food is meat only. No fish.

I'm sorry your boy has it. However, early diagnosis is good to allow for dietary management.

acatcalledjohn · 13/02/2018 22:22

No idea why I said 'your boy' when you clearly said you have a girl.

Blush
LittleCandle · 13/02/2018 22:27

One of mine had thyroid issues and it was only picked up because they were doing tests for a heart murmur that he developed suddenly. He had no symptoms at all until near the end, when his weight dropped. That probably also had to do with losing his brother a couple of months before. It is horrible when they aren't well and you fear the end is near. I had my boy put to sleep 10 days ago, but he was 15.

Hope it isn't too serious.

Feezles · 13/02/2018 22:32

We can only get tablets into our girl by coating them cream cheese. Then she'll lick the lot off my finger.

CanYouHearThePeopleSing · 13/02/2018 22:36

We used to get tablets into ours by cutting a Whiskas treat in half, and pushing half the tablet into the soft centre of the treat. She ate them like that with no problems for about 8 months!

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2018 06:56

Right I need a plan. Two tablets a day but a two person job. DH gets up at 5am and leaves for work at 6 so I got up at 5 to do the tablet.
She has never understood treats and even in her ravenous state won't eat one on demand.
So I need to get her to have it in her food unless I want to get up at 5am.

Mmmm.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2018 06:57

I like the cream cheese idea but she's never had cheese.
However I do it the food needs to be on her plate I think.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 14/02/2018 07:03

Can they be crushed? I've never tried to give the Bengal a tablet.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2018 07:12

That might be worth a go! The tablets have a bright pink coating but are white underneath so I should be able to tell if it's all been eaten.

Why don't they just make the tablets fish flavour? Grin

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Feezles · 14/02/2018 07:13

We had a cat once who needed a ridiculous amount of tablets - literally about 12 a day. We used to grind them up you can buy special tablet grinders that work really well.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 14/02/2018 07:15

The vet recommended Easy Pill (or something like that). Apparently they’ve never known a cat refuse it as it’s irresistable to cats. Normal cats maybe but not Harry. It might be worth a try though even if she doesn’t like treats.

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/02/2018 07:20

I've just googled & it says not to crush thyroid tabs. Fish flavour would be so much better.

I requested liquid antibiotics for ours once as he was going to the cattery & they were pineapple flavour. His new toothpaste is vanilla flavour Hmm

There's a pretty obvious gap in the market here.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2018 07:22

Ah ok. No to crushing then.

Easy Pill definitely looks worth a go.

Pineapple. That's a new one. Irresistible to cats?! Confused

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 14/02/2018 07:36

Obviously. The cattery said he ate it with no problems.

Google said it can be made into a liquid suspension though, but that's more expensive in human medicines.