15 year old cat with CKD

[PenguinsRabbits]

Got a 15 year old cat with chronic kidney disease. Noticed about 6 months ago she had a seizure and appeared to be almost blind, did lots of vets checks and vets found enlarged kidney but said she was fine in tests. Went on holiday and cattery had to take her to vets as she was unwell after a week there. Their vet diagnosed CKD and put her on a renal diet.

We've just taken her to our vets who said one of her blood results has worsened quite a bit. She's starting to hide more and more and is getting moody if all attention isn't on her she will attack the person. She purrs when stroked. She's still cleaning herself.

Initially vet seemed very bleak but then said she could live for months or years. Does anyone have any experience. If she is close to dying I want to make it as comfortable for her as possible, not sure how we do that but want to do all we can for her. We have to take a urine test to doctors then she may get meds. Before our holiday she would purr so much.

My 16 yo boy has CKD. We tried one load of meds that he didn't do well on, and he is now on Fortekor crushed and mixed with lickelix, and Ipatikine sprinkled on his normal wet (non renal) food. His dry food is Kattovit, which is a renal one. His last set of bloods were good, so for the moment we carry on.

The moment he starts to get uncomfortable etc, I will take him to the vets, but for now, he's eating, grooming himself, going for little potters around the garden and still has a good quality of life. You just have to keep an eye and make the hard decision when necessary.

Thanks very much. I hope the vets will give us some meds, sounded like they would. She's not to easiest cat to persuade to do things, the vets are refusing to do any more blood tests as they said it would require sedation and that would be dangerous but will do urine tests. But can try and see if we can get medicine in her and she how she gets on. Expected her to refuse renal food but she does eat it - get the ones from PetsAtHome.

Sorry to hear your cat has this too. Ours has woken up all perky - she was lying at foot of our bed in the sun, woke up and purred really loudly leapt over the 50cms steps to our bedroom in one go (old house) and ran downstairs for food. She did go in the garden yesterday but she hides so much and howls. The howling does seem to be though as she wants DH and no-one else will do. If DH comes she starts purring, she ignores me and attacks the children. Trouble is when DH isn't here, she will howl for 1 hour solid. Even when DH strokes her she will attack him if he looks at his phone or me.

Our 17 yo boy cat howls at night when everyone's gone to bed. He loves my dp and misses him at night. I suspect he's got a touch of dementia. He drinks a lot and I suspect he's got kidney failure. If he looks to be in pain he'll be PTS.

Thanks very much - I did wonder about dementia as the howling always stops with attention from DH. Or the other day I said DH will be back in 20 minutes and come to see you to the cat and she did a massive purr and was then quiet. But its lots of howling at night trying to wake DH up and anytime he's out it starts.

She will lie on him at night but if he even looks at me or replies to me she flounces off. Yesterday he was trying to make a phone call and got bitten and scratched for not being 100% dedicated to her. He worships her too.

She doesn't drink huge amounts though may need to drink more than she is. When she was younger she would use a cat water fountain may try one of those again but she stopped before.

Will ask the vet what they think too.