Never had a cat with serious kidney disease, but one of my family's cats developed the urinary crystals and a bladder infection at around 12 years old. We caught it early, before he developed any blockage, because we took him as soon aswe noticed he was going to the box too often. The vet was surprised he hardly seemed to be sick - probably *because* we brought him early, before it got worse; guess they were used to seeing cases that had already progressed further. Fortunately a few days of antibiotics and a diet change solved the problem, and it didn't recur. He lived to 17 years. If you think something isn't right, you shouldn't wait. The sooner it gets diagnosed and treated, the better.
My kitty's creatinine quickly spiked up to over 7 in April, however, believe it or not, she's very stable now with supportive care. So for anyone out there dealing with CKD, or and chronic illness; don't give up hope! I've come to learn how important mindset is in healing in addition to supportive medical care. Cats are very sensitive, and they can sense our stress! I really believe that part of Fergie's health improvement is from the deep love from Hannah and Andrew...and the beautiful harp song!
@@ronaldkrikorian4712 She’s still doing great! It’s a miracle! I started giving her Vetoquinol Epakitin which is a phosphorus binder and it lowered her other kidney values. It also raised her hemocrit slightly. Low hemocrit is a sign of anemia.
Great video. I lost my little Spotty cat to chronic renal disease back in 1984 at 17 years old. I still cannot think of that last trip to the Vet without tearing up. Now my Boy is dealing with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (He's a Weegie) and he is only 6. HCM might be a good topic for your Vet Tales. Keep up the good work.
This means so much for me. At 4 years old my baby girl started having problems with kidney stones. There was 4 stones and I thought I was going to lose her. My vet did surgery and got 3 out but we had gone through so many diets to help her pass the last one. Now 7 years old and living on kidney food I am so happy she is still with me. I feel I have the best vet for me.
My cat Cooper was approximately 12 when I rescued him off the streets at work. He passed away a year later and vet said he had chronic kidney disease so I’m glad you’re educating the world about it. Thank you both for all the work you do!
We learned in vet asst. School about assigning human feelings to our animals (esp cats) with their communications being seen as spite/anger when it's actually just discomfort
Exactly this. I’ve seen this so much with cat owners.. it’s very sad that their health isn’t taken into account so often, and it’s just assumed that it’s “jealousy” or whatever other human emotion gets brought up- when really they’re in a lot of pain and discomfort. They don’t pee or poop on things outside of their normal place for no reason. It goes completely against their nature but so many people humanize them way too much :( that on top of people just not bringing cats to vets as much, or just tossing them outside, just makes it a huge problem.
Just like children, cats can be stressed by their parents constantly fighting. Anger, loud voices, crying, slamming doors. Cats are amazing though...the police forced my friend to leave her apt during the fire, when Montana was hiding, and when my friend was let back in, Montana was sitting at the door like, "Well, where have YOU been?" Luckily, they were 2 floors up and at the opposite end of the hall, so no smoke damage. But Montana never left the apt, while another cat did leave the apt and go into an apt across the hall but no one noticed. Poor cat hid for 2 days before the neighbor noticed it was there!
Thank you, you just solved a mystery for me 5 years ago my 3 year old sweet boy Rugby developed a chronic uti he would take him in he would get treatment be fine bring him home with antibiotics and a few days later we would have to take him back in. It was heartbreaking to see him like that after about 6 weeks it stopped and has never repeated since then I now realize that happened while we were having work done on the house including the kitchen his favorite place poor baby was probably all stressed out. 😢
My Giles kitty is 17 years old and just starting to have kidney failure. I actually took him to a Banfield Hospital for an emergency appointment since he wouldn't eat. They help him a lot.
Frequent drinking and urination can also be a sign of diabetes. That was a big one for my little guy. We were able to manage it for 5 years before he passed.
Absolutely 💯 Our cat Teddy passed away 1 year ago and he'd sleep with his head on the water dish and was always near the fountain. 😢 I knew it was bad when he wouldn't leave the water area. 😢
I had cats all my life , and kidney failure or kidney stones or urinary “ sand” are specially cat diseases .Poor Angels. But there is special diet food for the b f f . ❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️
We took my 12 year old family cat to the vet for the first time since kitten-hood this year. We’re lucky she’s in good health and just needed her shots. We didn’t take her for so long as she can be really aggressive to strangers. Little did we know that vets are super used to dealing with upset animals and knew just what to do! Even better, she behaved very well the entire time. Please take your cats to the vet regularly!
I adopted a kitten last year who was 6 months old. He drank a lot of water and I didn't know about this being a sign of kidney disease at the time and I didn't take him in for bloodwork until I'd had him for almost four months and he started to lose his appetite. I found out he had congenital kidney disease and his kidneys were failing because the demands of his growing body were becoming too much. I had to have him euthanized and I still feel so much guilt that I didn't catch the signs sooner. Even if it couldn't have saved his life ultimately, his quality of life during those months that I had him could have been so much better. Right after he was put down, I met Fergie and it has been so awesome learning about this stuff in real time and seeing him thrive in your care.
The irony of Take your Cat to the Vet Campaign is that the vets in my area are swamped with work. It’s more than a month’s wait for an appointment. We had an emergency two weeks ago and four emergency hospitals we called had no vacancy and the one we went to had a six to eight hour wait to be seen by a doctor. They said they’d triage the sickest animals for priority treatment but others just didn’t have the capacity or the doctors to handle the work. We are still trying to get a complete diagnosis and treatment for my cat. They treated her for a UTI but symptoms came back two days after the medication ended. They had us pick up a urinalysis kit yesterday.
Thanks for this Hannah! Also, I seriously LOVE the Vet Chat and Wellness Plan features the vet talked about. All three of my cats are on Wellness Plans, which has been amazing- they call me to schedule appointments when my cats are due, so I don't have to remember who needs to go to the vet and when. They also have access to the vet chat, so if you chat with the on-call vet, your regular vet will see your messages the next day and they usually call to check on my kitties, as well as schedule them for a visit if needed. SO recommend Wellness Plans to pet owners.
I am so happy you did this video, one of my boys is barely 2 years old and he has FLUTD. just one day he started screaming and licking himself a LOT more, like mid walk he would stop and groom himself and cry. and then he was leaking a bit, like where he would sit, some pee came out and I knew something was wrong. I had to wait a day or so, probably because it was the weekend I can't remember, but I got him in and I was so scared. he stayed there for a whole week, getting fluids and trying to unblock him. now he's on the urinary specific diet from either royal canin or hills, I believe. sometimes one is in stock and the other isn't so the vet said they could be interchanged if necessary. also would LOVE if you did a video about feline cancer, masses, things of that nature. unfortunately I have had some cats pass from cancer and it is always a mystery how it starts, no warning signs until it's too late and I wondered if there was more info on that
Same here! My cat is almost 2 and a week ago, I had to take my cat to the vet coz he was behaving differently and I noticed him licking his genitals more often. I also noticed him go to the litter box, and found a small puddle of pee; when he used to pee a lot more than that. He was found to have small struvite stones and a UTI. Since then, we have shifted from dry to wet food and increased his fluids dramatically. He seems to be doing well these days. Although I have to take him back to the vet on the 25th for a follow-up check up.
I also had a cat pass away from cancer a couple years back so I approve of that as well.. I think one of the only signs I ever noticed was that he stopped grooming himself(But unfortunately at age 12 I figured it was just old age...) When he finally started showing serious sympthoms such as heavy breathing it was way too late for him.. Cancer was pretty much in his endstage..
Though my girl's been in ckd treatments for over a year now, it's always good to get a refresher on the basics. This also has given me the courage to try giving her her subcutaneous fluids again, because she's been fighting me on it for a while. Thank you, KL. 💖
I just started giving fluids in April and have been working on the best system for me and my kitty. Maybe some of these tips will help? Many cats don't like the cold temperature of the fluids. Have you tried warming up the fluids? Put the bag in a large bowl or pot of warm tap water that's comfortable to your touch for about 10 minutes. Do not use a microwave. Shake it gently after to make sure the temperature is even. Also, many vets suggest an 18 gauge needle because it makes the fluids flow fast which is good thinking, however it's a big needle. I switched to Terumo 20 gauge and my kitty is more comfortable and doesn't seem to mind that it takes a bit longer. Also, the most important thing is your mindset; stay calm and remind yourself that your doing it because you love them, and perhaps play some relaxing music. Turn it into a bonding time, then do something immediately after that your kitty loves like a favorite treat. My kitty loves to get brushed, so I brush her right after. Wishing all the best to you and your kitty!
@@micheled5167 thank you Michele! I think the biggest thing right now is the needle gauge. Both the insertion and the flow rate seem to be unpleasant for her, so I'm gonna ask the vet for some smaller ones. 💖 Thank you!
When one of my previous cats started losing too much weight after I'd finally gotten her weight down near a healthy level... she started getting *desperate* for food suddenly and started losing weight more rapidly. I took her to the vet immediately as she'd still been eating the same amount. I said to them I thought she might have hyperthyroid and it turned out, she did. She was on medication for it for a good 4 years and really well managed, before heart related issues took her. I'm glad I had noticed it when I did because it was easier for them to get her condition under control catching it fairly early.
Thank you for this - such good information! I learn so much from your channel. Have an 18yo female with kidney disease. On Canin kidney diet, BP meds, and renal supplement and she is maintaining well. Just got a fountain and she loves it!
My cat is 16 with hypothyroidism and kidney disease. I have to make sure there is always water for her and even give IV fluids. Lately she doesnt want IV fluids. I love her so much. I just lost my job but I won't neglect her medical care. I'll find another job soon.
My cat of 3 years old was recently diagnosed with CKD and I will put you in my prayers to do you find all there is need to provide your kitty the best support and care you can
I adopted 2 cats during the pandemic. One has hyperparathyroid disease…there isn’t much info on that online, our veterinarian was very familiar either. I’d love a “rare” disease video 💕
I was helping a stray cat that got a big wound infection and broken foot. And since he had to follow traetment I had him in a room. He was super sweet cat but would get stressed since he was used to be outside (specially the roof). So he ended up getting a urinary infection. Thankfully he is now healthy and back to his regular life. And he will come to the house often so I can give him food and he is now a strees free kitty haha
Last spring I adopted 2 kittens that are litter mates that don't look alike at all. My husband seen the female orange tabby and wanted to name her Tang. Her sister looks like a Siamese so I decided to name her Milk to stay with the liquid drink. They are now 16 months old and very healthy. Just had them to the very at the beginning of this month an had their wellness check and vaccines. ❤ They are also spade and so cuddly.
I love watching your videos because it's helpful and informative. I wish I had a kitten but I'll wait until I can adopt one. For the meantime I'll carry on watching your videos and making sure I learn everything I can about them including their health. Thank you for all the work you do. You are always inspiring 😺💖
I really like these webinars because I have always thought that it was weird that we don't have first aid for our pets. I know this isn't exactly first aid, but having knowledge of how your pet's body works could really help you determine the care they need. You know how when you go to the vet and they kind of give your pet a physical? I feel like that would also be very helpful knowledge for pet owners, to know maybe how to give a light physical.
I'm Glad you made this video cuse this is what I'm going through with my 3 yr old cat, Pepsi. Only found out she had kidney disease after she lost weight and Kept looking weight. 😭 But I feel like my vet didn't give me the 101 on what's to be expected and what to be concerned about
@@chayanikade1236 sadly they weren't adding up so I went to another vet. Turns out she didn't have CKD, all but one of her organs had failed. And I had to put her down a year ago... So I'd recommend getting a second opinion if you can to verify that's what your cat has.
My 18 year old has been battling kidney disease for over three years. Caught early. Have only had to change his diet. He still is losing weight though.
Be careful with what diet you are using. If there are no other abnormalities in your cats bloodwork (i.e. hyperthyroidism- very common in older kitties), contact a vet nutritionist. Kidney disease cats lose muscle mass and these low protein diets do not help them retain their muscle mass. The important things are HIGH QUALITY MEAT PROTIEN (no veggie protein) and low phosphorus. Wet food over dry food.
@@coyotelady6132 My 4yr old all of a sudden plugged on a Fri, then again on Tues, then again the very next day. The vet said he had an 'insane' amount of sludge, and we had him altered so that the narrow, long urethra has been shortened and widened. That fixes the passage but not the development of the sludge itself (which was solidifying). I've always tried to get him to eat wet food, and though he likes dry I've given him the better stuff. So now here he is on dry, low 'meat by products' c/d food. Just feels so wrong. What about the cranberry supplements? Wouldn't that bring the ph down?
@@coyotelady6132 Thank you for the response. He is on Hills KD wet and KD Mobility dry food. He loved KD Mobility wet food but unfortunately you can no longer find it.
My guy had the same problem at that age. We gave him baby food and he loved it. You can also try warming his food up to increase the smell. Hope this helps.
@@debradowling800thanks for confirming this. My cat has chronic kidney disease and while he's barely eating, I've been buying meat baby food, second stage KMR and even fancy feast chicken complementary to get him to eat. Unfortunately, just last week I took him to the vet and said that his kidneys were super small so that's why I bought the KMR to increase his water intake.
Cats need wet food. Especially if they have kidney issues. If you are feeding dry food, they will eventually have bladder and/or kidney problems, which can easily be fatal. They're also much more likely to become diabetic.
See if there's a cat specific hospital near you. I just switched to one. It just seems many vets give up too easily with ckd. I read many times when people were told to with put their cat to sleep or that there cat didn't have much time left, and then they either switched vets or researched on their own and found some supplement to really help, and they have a remarkable turnaround. All the best to you and your kitty!
The medication Azodyle has been a life saver for many of my kitties. My cat Amadeus has been in kidney failure for 6 years and while old is one of our more energetic cats. (Think of a 70 year old man who runs marathons.)
My old 15 pounder has always had bladder issues but not crystals he gets mucus build ups and sometimes gets plugs. So far nothing had helped very much he gets hospitalized about every two to three years with a obstruction. 😢
My cat is fine ish. Though one year he scared my mom and I badly after he got really sick. I guess he had a ear infection or something which spread to the spine. Thankfully he pulled through and we are able to spend another year with him
Hannah, I suspect I have two foster kitten sisters, 15 weeks, with kidney disease. My rescue has not yet scheduled labs. Do you have advice about what I should be doing in the meantime to support them?
I was excited to see your video...Well I've been back and forth to the vet $800. Each time and they just send us home with the KD food. I was hoping you'd discuss the other therapy's to help a cat with kidney disease. Can you help give more help for our kitties? Thanks!
@@ronaldkrikorian4712 Dyna girl didn't make it, we gave her all our love and support. Annie is with us she's a trooper. She goes back and forth with how well she's feeling. We're giving her love, she enjoys her water fountain, and the best food possible. Thank you for asking
Rescued my best buddy ever Prince Lucifer Meowingstar on devils night, and he never leaves my side. he gets the best care i can give him. He has a premium wellness plan with banfield, and gets nothing but the best of food, royal canin wet/dry mixed and a filtered water fountain that he likes to mainly use for cleaning himself or playing with water lol
How can you tell if a cat is straining to pee? My 1 year old female cat is a vertical/high pee-er so she ends up squatting then standing and shaking her tail/butt while peeing, that is normal for her but I just don’t know what straining looks like!
If they’re straining they might howl because it’s painful or they might keep going to the litter box and either nothing or just a little bit comes out.
Standing in a strange position, trying for a while, any shaking, going in and out of the litterbox in a short amount of time. Some cat's are just weird and do strange things but if it was a thing that started out of nowhere and she does any of the other things I mentioned I'd really get a urinalysis at the vet.
An alarming number of cats are being surrendered at my local shelter. It boggles my mind why so many people are dumping their cats when they're so easy to take care of! Any suggestions on how we could reverse this awful trend?
My 19 year old Bengal cat has been good always using the litter box. All of a sudden this summer he is starting to go potty in a floor place . He walks all the time almost tripping us and napping. He walks so much we have to pick cat up or relocate to cat box room just to let out 3 dogs for potty so he doesn’t get ran over. He walks so much Mojo must be burning off his calories . He is eating all day but loosing weight.
My brother-in-law had a couple of cats with congenital defects. Neither one lived past 5 because he never took them to the vet to figure out if they had health issues.
Ok. What if the cat does NOT want to eat the special prescription food at all? My 16 year old wants to eat the other cats' food which is what she ate for her whole life. She'll eat some of the new food but not as much as the food she ate before.
UTI is more common in males cats if I remember rightly its b/c their urethra is a lot more shorter than female cats, but female cats can still get UTI and kidney disease though
Feed him a raw and a cat can food diet and visit the vet regularly. Cats mainly get their water from their food so don't just feed him kibble plus always look out for signs of UTI in cats which was discussed on this vlog. Desexing a cat also helps too
I doubt a cat would ask you to take them to the vet even if they could talk :P We once had a cat who would pee on things just to spite us. He developed an attitude, after his tail was paralyzed, where if we said or did something he didn't like, he'd just back up and pee on whatever was closest. We had him checked out, there was no medical issue to explain it, so it was all behavioral. We also had to learn how to get the smell out of car air vents :(
Make CERTAIN you always have fresh running water for your cat(s). Fountains ⛲️ are best, however always have fresh bowl of water too in case the power were to fail.
*Also properly clean your water fountains weekly. Take apart the entire fountain (including the internal components) clean well with mild dish soap, rinse really well and reassemble with cool fresh water.
09:00 would aggressiveness be included in those signs of kidney issues? Cuz my cat has been drinking alot but no other signs of something wrong besides the being aggressive
My 16 yo cat was recently diagnosed with kidney disease. He wouldn’t eat his k/d food, so I had to mix in fresh food from Smalls (US cat food delivery service) 1:1 ratio and with supplements like Aminavast or Pet Wellbeing Kidney support, fish oil, and occasionally CBD oil. We also gave 50ml subQ fluids once a week. And the thing that I believe has really has improved his kidney values are homeopathic remedies. I gave him Berberis 30c 3 times a day for 5 days. Also, mercurius 30 c once a week, as needed. And nat mur 6c twice a day for three days. (All the remedies are in liquid form - aprox 3 pellets diluted in 4 oz of purified water and 6-10 shakes. I give 1 ml syringe on his tongue or gums).Not only does he behave like a kitten again, but he’s gained weight and licks his plate clean. If anyone is interested I would recommend seeking a homeopathic vet. There aren’t many out there. Wish it was integrated into conventional vet medicine. Also, if anyone tries these remedies, please note that once you see improvement do not continue the remedy. Only give it when symptoms appear. That is why a homeopathic vet is needed for guidance. Remedy can have side effects if it’s prolonged, or not the right fit.
My personal opinion, is that it's related to the type of litter being used, but it could be totally un-related. Dogs go pee and poop outside, and the posture is also different. Dogs lift a leg to go pee, where as cats usually lift the tail and squat, or maybe it's something to do with the spine, as a cats tail is an elongated spine.
Our cat has heart murmur and hip dysplasia, because she was an inbred (Maincoon) she is 5 the pet adoption where we got her gave her 7 year's, we give her all the love she deserves and more and of course hates us lol, but to those who backyard breed are just jerks, to make a buck off of these poor animals...
I'm relating to and empathising w/ other ailurophiles here who have limited resources and must care for their furbabies without oversight from a vet. Remember the most important ingredient is love. Just purrrrrrrrr.
My cat has had urinary issues since he was 1 year old. He’s been controlled by his medicated wet food. The ONLY times he’s been sick have been because we’ve stopped his food, during a hurricane, and when my husband and I went on our honeymoon and he got stressed without us. Stick to the food guys, it’s cheaper that a 2k/3k hospitalization.
Hannah, this a bit off the immediate subject, but how often do you upload vids? I haven't been able to find any vids, less than 1yr old. Are you still doing TH-cam vids now? I'm an "obsessed" subscriber than needs some new video "fixes" to keep me happy! I truly love your videos! 😻😻😻😻👍👍👍👍
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Never had a cat with serious kidney disease, but one of my family's cats developed the urinary crystals and a bladder infection at around 12 years old. We caught it early, before he developed any blockage, because we took him as soon aswe noticed he was going to the box too often. The vet was surprised he hardly seemed to be sick - probably *because* we brought him early, before it got worse; guess they were used to seeing cases that had already progressed further.
Fortunately a few days of antibiotics and a diet change solved the problem, and it didn't recur. He lived to 17 years.
If you think something isn't right, you shouldn't wait. The sooner it gets diagnosed and treated, the better.
can you tell me what type of litter you used ?
My kitty's creatinine quickly spiked up to over 7 in April, however, believe it or not, she's very stable now with supportive care. So for anyone out there dealing with CKD, or and chronic illness; don't give up hope! I've come to learn how important mindset is in healing in addition to supportive medical care. Cats are very sensitive, and they can sense our stress! I really believe that part of Fergie's health improvement is from the deep love from Hannah and Andrew...and the beautiful harp song!
How’s your cat doing now?
@@ronaldkrikorian4712 She’s still doing great! It’s a miracle! I started giving her Vetoquinol Epakitin which is a phosphorus binder and it lowered her other kidney values. It also raised her hemocrit slightly. Low hemocrit is a sign of anemia.
@@micheled5167 Do you give your cat fish oil?
@@ronaldkrikorian4712 I’ve tried, but she doesn’t like it.
@@micheled5167 I give my cat Nordic Naturals fish oil & mix it in his prescription canned food!
Great video. I lost my little Spotty cat to chronic renal disease back in 1984 at 17 years old. I still cannot think of that last trip to the Vet without tearing up. Now my Boy is dealing with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (He's a Weegie) and he is only 6. HCM might be a good topic for your Vet Tales. Keep up the good work.
This means so much for me. At 4 years old my baby girl started having problems with kidney stones. There was 4 stones and I thought I was going to lose her. My vet did surgery and got 3 out but we had gone through so many diets to help her pass the last one. Now 7 years old and living on kidney food I am so happy she is still with me. I feel I have the best vet for me.
My cat Cooper was approximately 12 when I rescued him off the streets at work. He passed away a year later and vet said he had chronic kidney disease so I’m glad you’re educating the world about it. Thank you both for all the work you do!
I have been watching Hannah for 5 years and she is truly amazing! You improved my love for kittens so much!
@@topvisualkitten4338 😂who even are u. I have actually. I wrote a whole book about all the things she has taught me throughout the years…
We learned in vet asst. School about assigning human feelings to our animals (esp cats) with their communications being seen as spite/anger when it's actually just discomfort
This.
Exactly this. I’ve seen this so much with cat owners.. it’s very sad that their health isn’t taken into account so often, and it’s just assumed that it’s “jealousy” or whatever other human emotion gets brought up- when really they’re in a lot of pain and discomfort. They don’t pee or poop on things outside of their normal place for no reason. It goes completely against their nature but so many people humanize them way too much :( that on top of people just not bringing cats to vets as much, or just tossing them outside, just makes it a huge problem.
Or stress causing bladder inflammation.
Just like children, cats can be stressed by their parents constantly fighting. Anger, loud voices, crying, slamming doors.
Cats are amazing though...the police forced my friend to leave her apt during the fire, when Montana was hiding, and when my friend was let back in, Montana was sitting at the door like, "Well, where have YOU been?" Luckily, they were 2 floors up and at the opposite end of the hall, so no smoke damage. But Montana never left the apt, while another cat did leave the apt and go into an apt across the hall but no one noticed. Poor cat hid for 2 days before the neighbor noticed it was there!
Thank you, you just solved a mystery for me 5 years ago my 3 year old sweet boy Rugby developed a chronic uti he would take him in he would get treatment be fine bring him home with antibiotics and a few days later we would have to take him back in. It was heartbreaking to see him like that after about 6 weeks it stopped and has never repeated since then I now realize that happened while we were having work done on the house including the kitchen his favorite place poor baby was probably all stressed out. 😢
My Giles kitty is 17 years old and just starting to have kidney failure. I actually took him to a Banfield Hospital for an emergency appointment since he wouldn't eat. They help him a lot.
Frequent drinking and urination can also be a sign of diabetes. That was a big one for my little guy. We were able to manage it for 5 years before he passed.
Absolutely 💯 Our cat Teddy passed away 1 year ago and he'd sleep with his head on the water dish and was always near the fountain. 😢 I knew it was bad when he wouldn't leave the water area. 😢
I had cats all my life , and kidney failure or kidney stones or urinary “ sand” are specially cat diseases .Poor Angels. But there is special diet food for the b f f . ❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️😺❤️
I love cat
We took my 12 year old family cat to the vet for the first time since kitten-hood this year. We’re lucky she’s in good health and just needed her shots. We didn’t take her for so long as she can be really aggressive to strangers. Little did we know that vets are super used to dealing with upset animals and knew just what to do! Even better, she behaved very well the entire time. Please take your cats to the vet regularly!
I adopted a kitten last year who was 6 months old. He drank a lot of water and I didn't know about this being a sign of kidney disease at the time and I didn't take him in for bloodwork until I'd had him for almost four months and he started to lose his appetite. I found out he had congenital kidney disease and his kidneys were failing because the demands of his growing body were becoming too much. I had to have him euthanized and I still feel so much guilt that I didn't catch the signs sooner. Even if it couldn't have saved his life ultimately, his quality of life during those months that I had him could have been so much better. Right after he was put down, I met Fergie and it has been so awesome learning about this stuff in real time and seeing him thrive in your care.
The irony of Take your Cat to the Vet Campaign is that the vets in my area are swamped with work. It’s more than a month’s wait for an appointment. We had an emergency two weeks ago and four emergency hospitals we called had no vacancy and the one we went to had a six to eight hour wait to be seen by a doctor. They said they’d triage the sickest animals for priority treatment but others just didn’t have the capacity or the doctors to handle the work. We are still trying to get a complete diagnosis and treatment for my cat. They treated her for a UTI but symptoms came back two days after the medication ended. They had us pick up a urinalysis kit yesterday.
That's so amazing that Fergi ,is doing much better. 😸
Thanks for this Hannah! Also, I seriously LOVE the Vet Chat and Wellness Plan features the vet talked about. All three of my cats are on Wellness Plans, which has been amazing- they call me to schedule appointments when my cats are due, so I don't have to remember who needs to go to the vet and when. They also have access to the vet chat, so if you chat with the on-call vet, your regular vet will see your messages the next day and they usually call to check on my kitties, as well as schedule them for a visit if needed. SO recommend Wellness Plans to pet owners.
I am so happy you did this video, one of my boys is barely 2 years old and he has FLUTD. just one day he started screaming and licking himself a LOT more, like mid walk he would stop and groom himself and cry. and then he was leaking a bit, like where he would sit, some pee came out and I knew something was wrong. I had to wait a day or so, probably because it was the weekend I can't remember, but I got him in and I was so scared. he stayed there for a whole week, getting fluids and trying to unblock him. now he's on the urinary specific diet from either royal canin or hills, I believe. sometimes one is in stock and the other isn't so the vet said they could be interchanged if necessary.
also would LOVE if you did a video about feline cancer, masses, things of that nature. unfortunately I have had some cats pass from cancer and it is always a mystery how it starts, no warning signs until it's too late and I wondered if there was more info on that
Same here! My cat is almost 2 and a week ago, I had to take my cat to the vet coz he was behaving differently and I noticed him licking his genitals more often. I also noticed him go to the litter box, and found a small puddle of pee; when he used to pee a lot more than that.
He was found to have small struvite stones and a UTI. Since then, we have shifted from dry to wet food and increased his fluids dramatically. He seems to be doing well these days. Although I have to take him back to the vet on the 25th for a follow-up check up.
I also had a cat pass away from cancer a couple years back so I approve of that as well.. I think one of the only signs I ever noticed was that he stopped grooming himself(But unfortunately at age 12 I figured it was just old age...) When he finally started showing serious sympthoms such as heavy breathing it was way too late for him.. Cancer was pretty much in his endstage..
Though my girl's been in ckd treatments for over a year now, it's always good to get a refresher on the basics.
This also has given me the courage to try giving her her subcutaneous fluids again, because she's been fighting me on it for a while.
Thank you, KL. 💖
I just started giving fluids in April and have been working on the best system for me and my kitty. Maybe some of these tips will help? Many cats don't like the cold temperature of the fluids. Have you tried warming up the fluids? Put the bag in a large bowl or pot of warm tap water that's comfortable to your touch for about 10 minutes. Do not use a microwave. Shake it gently after to make sure the temperature is even. Also, many vets suggest an 18 gauge needle because it makes the fluids flow fast which is good thinking, however it's a big needle. I switched to Terumo 20 gauge and my kitty is more comfortable and doesn't seem to mind that it takes a bit longer. Also, the most important thing is your mindset; stay calm and remind yourself that your doing it because you love them, and perhaps play some relaxing music. Turn it into a bonding time, then do something immediately after that your kitty loves like a favorite treat. My kitty loves to get brushed, so I brush her right after. Wishing all the best to you and your kitty!
@@micheled5167 thank you Michele! I think the biggest thing right now is the needle gauge. Both the insertion and the flow rate seem to be unpleasant for her, so I'm gonna ask the vet for some smaller ones. 💖 Thank you!
@@MaiseNow No problem! I really hope it helps! Wishing you and your kitty all the best!
I got my Kitten Club Member Fergie card yesterday! I was so excited!!!!!
I can only imagine the cuteness!
I wish the best life for Fergie
When one of my previous cats started losing too much weight after I'd finally gotten her weight down near a healthy level... she started getting *desperate* for food suddenly and started losing weight more rapidly. I took her to the vet immediately as she'd still been eating the same amount. I said to them I thought she might have hyperthyroid and it turned out, she did. She was on medication for it for a good 4 years and really well managed, before heart related issues took her. I'm glad I had noticed it when I did because it was easier for them to get her condition under control catching it fairly early.
I always learn something from this channel. I love learning Cat facts and details.
Thank you for this - such good information! I learn so much from your channel. Have an 18yo female with kidney disease. On Canin kidney diet, BP meds, and renal supplement and she is maintaining well. Just got a fountain and she loves it!
What's the name of the renal supplement?
@@comkverI would like to know too. Thank you.
My cat is 16 with hypothyroidism and kidney disease. I have to make sure there is always water for her and even give IV fluids. Lately she doesnt want IV fluids. I love her so much. I just lost my job but I won't neglect her medical care. I'll find another job soon.
My cat of 3 years old was recently diagnosed with CKD and I will put you in my prayers to do you find all there is need to provide your kitty the best support and care you can
I adopted 2 cats during the pandemic. One has hyperparathyroid disease…there isn’t much info on that online, our veterinarian was very familiar either. I’d love a “rare” disease video 💕
my boy had lud and this is so helpful we didnt find out till we had an emergency situation
I was helping a stray cat that got a big wound infection and broken foot. And since he had to follow traetment I had him in a room. He was super sweet cat but would get stressed since he was used to be outside (specially the roof). So he ended up getting a urinary infection. Thankfully he is now healthy and back to his regular life. And he will come to the house often so I can give him food and he is now a strees free kitty haha
Last spring I adopted 2 kittens that are litter mates that don't look alike at all. My husband seen the female orange tabby and wanted to name her Tang. Her sister looks like a Siamese so I decided to name her Milk to stay with the liquid drink. They are now 16 months old and very healthy. Just had them to the very at the beginning of this month an had their wellness check and vaccines. ❤ They are also spade and so cuddly.
I love watching your videos because it's helpful and informative. I wish I had a kitten but I'll wait until I can adopt one. For the meantime I'll carry on watching your videos and making sure I learn everything I can about them including their health. Thank you for all the work you do. You are always inspiring 😺💖
I think that's a very smart thing to do. You're in the makes of becoming a very good and responsible cat owner.
I really like these webinars because I have always thought that it was weird that we don't have first aid for our pets. I know this isn't exactly first aid, but having knowledge of how your pet's body works could really help you determine the care they need.
You know how when you go to the vet and they kind of give your pet a physical? I feel like that would also be very helpful knowledge for pet owners, to know maybe how to give a light physical.
I'll be looking into phospherous binder. Thank you.
I'm Glad you made this video cuse this is what I'm going through with my 3 yr old cat, Pepsi. Only found out she had kidney disease after she lost weight and Kept looking weight. 😭 But I feel like my vet didn't give me the 101 on what's to be expected and what to be concerned about
Hi ... How is your baby ... My cat of 3 yrs was recently diagnosed with CKD ... Would love to hear how the treatments are going
@@chayanikade1236 sadly they weren't adding up so I went to another vet. Turns out she didn't have CKD, all but one of her organs had failed. And I had to put her down a year ago... So I'd recommend getting a second opinion if you can to verify that's what your cat has.
@@chayanikade1236me too! Thank you.😢
Ferguson is in great hands
this channel has helped so much!
My 18 year old has been battling kidney disease for over three years. Caught early. Have only had to change his diet. He still is losing weight though.
Be careful with what diet you are using. If there are no other abnormalities in your cats bloodwork (i.e. hyperthyroidism- very common in older kitties), contact a vet nutritionist. Kidney disease cats lose muscle mass and these low protein diets do not help them retain their muscle mass. The important things are HIGH QUALITY MEAT PROTIEN (no veggie protein) and low phosphorus. Wet food over dry food.
@@coyotelady6132 My 4yr old all of a sudden plugged on a Fri, then again on Tues, then again the very next day. The vet said he had an 'insane' amount of sludge, and we had him altered so that the narrow, long urethra has been shortened and widened. That fixes the passage but not the development of the sludge itself (which was solidifying). I've always tried to get him to eat wet food, and though he likes dry I've given him the better stuff. So now here he is on dry, low 'meat by products' c/d food. Just feels so wrong. What about the cranberry supplements? Wouldn't that bring the ph down?
@@coyotelady6132 Thank you for the response. He is on Hills KD wet and KD Mobility dry food. He loved KD Mobility wet food but unfortunately you can no longer find it.
My guy had the same problem at that age. We gave him baby food and he loved it. You can also try warming his food up to increase the smell. Hope this helps.
@@debradowling800thanks for confirming this. My cat has chronic kidney disease and while he's barely eating, I've been buying meat baby food, second stage KMR and even fancy feast chicken complementary to get him to eat. Unfortunately, just last week I took him to the vet and said that his kidneys were super small so that's why I bought the KMR to increase his water intake.
Cats need wet food. Especially if they have kidney issues. If you are feeding dry food, they will eventually have bladder and/or kidney problems, which can easily be fatal. They're also much more likely to become diabetic.
Foster parent for over ten years. NOT an ignorant idiot.
She knows a wet food diet is best.
I haven’t found a lot of Vets who care about cats as much as dogs
See if there's a cat specific hospital near you. I just switched to one. It just seems many vets give up too easily with ckd. I read many times when people were told to with put their cat to sleep or that there cat didn't have much time left, and then they either switched vets or researched on their own and found some supplement to really help, and they have a remarkable turnaround. All the best to you and your kitty!
I have had the most wonderful vet the last 3 years who specializes in cats only. Sadly, she is now retiring.
The medication Azodyle has been a life saver for many of my kitties. My cat Amadeus has been in kidney failure for 6 years and while old is one of our more energetic cats. (Think of a 70 year old man who runs marathons.)
Love this show . Awesome lady .
My old 15 pounder has always had bladder issues but not crystals he gets mucus build ups and sometimes gets plugs. So far nothing had helped very much he gets hospitalized about every two to three years with a obstruction. 😢
I love cat . And I am a cat person
My last four cats, all seniors, had kidney disease.
My cat is fine ish. Though one year he scared my mom and I badly after he got really sick. I guess he had a ear infection or something which spread to the spine. Thankfully he pulled through and we are able to spend another year with him
I just lost my baby of 14 yrs to kidney disease it was a rough week for my Sylvester and Monday was a bad day
I'm so sorry for your loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss. May he Rest In Peace.
I'm so sorry for your loss.. grieving a pet is never easy..
I’m team “5 Cats” too 😃💕
Hannah, I suspect I have two foster kitten sisters, 15 weeks, with kidney disease. My rescue has not yet scheduled labs. Do you have advice about what I should be doing in the meantime to support them?
I was excited to see your video...Well I've been back and forth to the vet $800. Each time and they just send us home with the KD food. I was hoping you'd discuss the other therapy's to help a cat with kidney disease. Can you help give more help for our kitties? Thanks!
How’s your cats doing?
@@ronaldkrikorian4712 Dyna girl didn't make it, we gave her all our love and support. Annie is with us she's a trooper. She goes back and forth with how well she's feeling. We're giving her love, she enjoys her water fountain, and the best food possible. Thank you for asking
My cat had this lived til she was 17,very happy very sassy
So glad to hear fergies kidney levels are improving!
Ferguson is sooo cute
I had a cat that used to get utis a lot.
How did you lower creatinine levels?
Rescued my best buddy ever Prince Lucifer Meowingstar on devils night, and he never leaves my side. he gets the best care i can give him. He has a premium wellness plan with banfield, and gets nothing but the best of food, royal canin wet/dry mixed and a filtered water fountain that he likes to mainly use for cleaning himself or playing with water lol
How can you tell if a cat is straining to pee? My 1 year old female cat is a vertical/high pee-er so she ends up squatting then standing and shaking her tail/butt while peeing, that is normal for her but I just don’t know what straining looks like!
If they’re straining they might howl because it’s painful or they might keep going to the litter box and either nothing or just a little bit comes out.
Standing in a strange position, trying for a while, any shaking, going in and out of the litterbox in a short amount of time. Some cat's are just weird and do strange things but if it was a thing that started out of nowhere and she does any of the other things I mentioned I'd really get a urinalysis at the vet.
You could make a video of your cat in that situation and show it to the vet.
An alarming number of cats are being surrendered at my local shelter. It boggles my mind why so many people are dumping their cats when they're so easy to take care of! Any suggestions on how we could reverse this awful trend?
Please make a rescue video I'm wwaaaiiiiitttinnnnng!!!
Waiting to see Fergie
My 19 year old Bengal cat has been good always using the litter box. All of a sudden this summer he is starting to go potty in a floor place . He walks all the time almost tripping us and napping. He walks so much we have to pick cat up or relocate to cat box room just to let out 3 dogs for potty so he doesn’t get ran over. He walks so much Mojo must be burning off his calories . He is eating all day but loosing weight.
take it to the vet
worms is a possibility
Sounds like dementia
Please take him to the vet. This doesn't sound normal for him.
Sounds like uti or ckd.
Just like us humans, if the cat's diet is good (remember that cats are strict carnivores and eat mainly meat) they live healthier, longer lives.
My brother-in-law had a couple of cats with congenital defects. Neither one lived past 5 because he never took them to the vet to figure out if they had health issues.
Could you do a video about feline anxiety pleaaasee
Ok. What if the cat does NOT want to eat the special prescription food at all? My 16 year old wants to eat the other cats' food which is what she ate for her whole life. She'll eat some of the new food but not as much as the food she ate before.
There are phosphate binders (for example porus one, but there are others, talk to your vet) that can be mixed with normal food she's used to.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!
My Siamese 4 years had CKD so young. Why young cats get it?
Do you think dry food cause it?
I don't know what it's like in other countries, but in New Zealand it costs more for a vet visit than a doctor visit
I just lost my Beloved cat to kidney disease. He was able to live 2.5 years past the Diagnosis.
So sorry for your loss 😞
Is uti more common in males then females. Do kittens need to be on uti food for infection???have a new Male kitten so concerned
UTI is more common in males cats if I remember rightly its b/c their urethra is a lot more shorter than female cats, but female cats can still get UTI and kidney disease though
Feed him a raw and a cat can food diet and visit the vet regularly. Cats mainly get their water from their food so don't just feed him kibble plus always look out for signs of UTI in cats which was discussed on this vlog. Desexing a cat also helps too
*I remember now its b/c their urethra is long and narrow compared to a female cat
I doubt a cat would ask you to take them to the vet even if they could talk :P We once had a cat who would pee on things just to spite us. He developed an attitude, after his tail was paralyzed, where if we said or did something he didn't like, he'd just back up and pee on whatever was closest. We had him checked out, there was no medical issue to explain it, so it was all behavioral. We also had to learn how to get the smell out of car air vents :(
Make CERTAIN you always have fresh running water for your cat(s). Fountains ⛲️ are best, however always have fresh bowl of water too in case the power were to fail.
*Also properly clean your water fountains weekly. Take apart the entire fountain (including the internal components) clean well with mild dish soap, rinse really well and reassemble with cool fresh water.
09:00 would aggressiveness be included in those signs of kidney issues? Cuz my cat has been drinking alot but no other signs of something wrong besides the being aggressive
I have a girl kitten how is 8 week old & she is just like fargisen
I just wish there were programs and organizations that help with vet costs.
There. Are.
❤🤗
Can i syringe water to my cat
Please can u tell me how to make sleep my cat at night?
Cats are nocturnal animals so it's a bit difficult. Try to play with your cat, with a lot of exercise they might sleep when you go to sleep.
@@paolagrando5079 Thanks..... ❤
VETS CHARGE AS MUCH AS HUMAN DOCS!! THEY NEED TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ANIMALS!
You can get health insurance for your pets. There are a lot of companies that provide it.
❤
Fergie
Starts at 5:30 in
My 16 yo cat was recently diagnosed with kidney disease. He wouldn’t eat his k/d food, so I had to mix in fresh food from Smalls (US cat food delivery service) 1:1 ratio and with supplements like Aminavast or Pet Wellbeing Kidney support, fish oil, and occasionally CBD oil. We also gave 50ml subQ fluids once a week. And the thing that I believe has really has improved his kidney values are homeopathic remedies. I gave him Berberis 30c 3 times a day for 5 days. Also, mercurius 30 c once a week, as needed. And nat mur 6c twice a day for three days. (All the remedies are in liquid form - aprox 3 pellets diluted in 4 oz of purified water and 6-10 shakes. I give 1 ml syringe on his tongue or gums).Not only does he behave like a kitten again, but he’s gained weight and licks his plate clean. If anyone is interested I would recommend seeking a homeopathic vet. There aren’t many out there. Wish it was integrated into conventional vet medicine. Also, if anyone tries these remedies, please note that once you see improvement do not continue the remedy. Only give it when symptoms appear. That is why a homeopathic vet is needed for guidance. Remedy can have side effects if it’s prolonged, or not the right fit.
My personal opinion, is that it's related to the type of litter being used, but it could be totally un-related. Dogs go pee and poop outside, and the posture is also different. Dogs lift a leg to go pee, where as cats usually lift the tail and squat, or maybe it's something to do with the spine, as a cats tail is an elongated spine.
Pure boy 78
Our cat has heart murmur and hip dysplasia, because she was an inbred (Maincoon) she is 5 the pet adoption where we got her gave her 7 year's, we give her all the love she deserves and more and of course hates us lol, but to those who backyard breed are just jerks, to make a buck off of these poor animals...
hmm…
I'm relating to and empathising w/ other ailurophiles here who have limited resources and must care for their furbabies without oversight from a vet.
Remember the most important ingredient is love. Just purrrrrrrrr.
My cat has had urinary issues since he was 1 year old. He’s been controlled by his medicated wet food. The ONLY times he’s been sick have been because we’ve stopped his food, during a hurricane, and when my husband and I went on our honeymoon and he got stressed without us. Stick to the food guys, it’s cheaper that a 2k/3k hospitalization.
Unfortunately some kidney diseases appear because of poor cat food, which companies such as purina are responsible for
This two used cats kidney ,,elite there animal crualite
Hannah, this a bit off the immediate subject, but how often do you upload vids? I haven't been able to find any vids, less than 1yr old. Are you still doing TH-cam vids now? I'm an "obsessed" subscriber than needs some new video "fixes" to keep me happy! I truly love your videos! 😻😻😻😻👍👍👍👍
She’s been uploading videos weekly/biweekly for over a year! You click on her channel and then hit the “videos” tab