Advice on a renal diet please

[Beamur]

Have just found out my lovely Oriental boy has kidney trouble. No formal diagnosis yet, having a scan soon to look for Polycystic disease. He has all the symptoms it seems and has been picked up ahead of a dental. Poor boy is only 5.
We're hoping he will be well enough to pull through this and the vet seemed quite positive about putting him on a renal diet. Currently checking for kidney infection, cystitis and also kidney failure as well as polycystic disease.
Any advice? He's a much loved pet and I don't want to say goodbye yet.

Sorry to hear. Our 2 year old Birman cat has just undergone major surgery (SUB by-pass) for kidney disease and blocked tubes. The vet recommends plenty water and a mostly wet food diet despite them usually recommending dry food. Salt free chicken stock is an idea. No milk (even lactose free) because of the calcium.
Hope your cat does well.

@citronella the advice for kidney stones and a SUB by pass is quite different to renal failure.
@Beamur renal diets are low phosphorus and low readily digestible protein diets. I find the most palatable diet is the royal canin renal, but I actually prefer a phosphate binder to a renal diet.

What is a phosphate binder?

@Beamur it prevents phosphate in food being absorbed into the body. So makes a normal diet low in phosphate.

My poor kitty is gravely ill. Looks like congenitally deformed kidneys, they're tiny. Not responding to hydration treatment as hoped. Vet has sent him home. Also anaemic and barely eating.
He looks a shadow of himself and is unsteady and terribly quiet and withdrawn. He's also got an E coli infection.
Vet says not to make any rash decisions but it's hard to see how he can pull through, poor boy just seems so poorly.
Any advice on helping him eat? I've got to get tablets down him for 5 days and have no idea how to if he won't eat.

Crush the tablets and then cover in likelix. My boy with CKD has half a fortekor every night like this, and comes and tells me it's time for his 'treat'.

Thanks for your help. Sadly he deteriorated overnight and has died quietly at home this morning.

oh, what a sad update OP. Sending my condolences - heartbreaking with him being so young.

It really is heartbreaking. He was such a brilliant boy, good humoured, funny, affectionate and comical. House is far too quiet without him.