cat help

[elizabear]

Since his diagnosis of kidney disease, we've been hydrating Ben with sub-q fluids every two days, and he's perked up a lot and seems to feel much better. We've switched to Hill's Prescription Diet K/D; dry is out all the time, and I've started giving them the wet stuff about every two days. Some of their old food is out, too, and they nibble it now and then. I'm weaning it out. Phoebe likes the K/D wet food more than Ben, but I have seen Ben eating it.

Benedick is still losing weight, and so is Phoebe. From a high of about 11.5 lbs most of his adult life, Ben was at 9 lbs 10 oz when diagnosed last month. He maintained for a couple of weeks at 9-9, but he's at 9-6.5 today. Phoebe's high was around 8.5 lbs, and she was at 7-4.5 in September. Like Ben, she maintained that for a couple of weeks, but she's at 7-2.5.

They are both acting normally, patrolling the house, snuggling, being active, doing their cat things, but they need to stop losing weight and hopefully put some on. Anyone out there with CRF/kidney disease cats who can offer some advice? Google searches haven't really given me anything useful. I will start putting out the wet food every day, but I need something attractive to Ben.

Thanks.

Comments

[ladymacgregor.livejournal.com]

This was what happened to Sable. A very gradual losing of weight, coupled with a non-interest in eating. He had had a urine-crystal thing when he was quite young, so he had been on the special kibble all his life, and for most of the time, he was quite happy with that.

He ended up not wanting to eat dry food, so we were pureeing the (special) wet food with a bit of warm water, and (at the end) giving it to him on a spoon so we could be certain he ate it. (This was when he was quite old - 15 or 16 - so it was more when he had gotten "geriatric" and crotchety and wanted to be fussed over.) Warm water brings up the scent of the food and makes it more appetizing. If you put some warm water in the wet food and coax him to eat it, he may take to it, and gain a bit of weight back. Good luck!

[dsrtao]

Come to think of it, I have known several cats who wanted their wet food microwaved closer to blood temperature.