1 of 2

Write now Article Tools

Page 3 of 3

food-remember that the cat is dehydrated-and feeding a canned food that is low in phosphorous. STOP feeding kibble; that will only kill your cat all the sooner. Even Science Diet kibble will kill your cat. Your cat needs water first, a high quality source of protein second, and a low-phosphorous diet third.

About good cat foods: A high quality source of protein is something like chicken. Not chicken meal, not chicken by-product, not poultry by-product-straight chicken. And "chicken" (or "beef" or "tuna" or whatever animal your carnivore prefers) should be first on the list of ingredients in any canned food you purchase. Phosphorous levels are a bit harder to track down; there is a link on http://www.catinfo.org that will take you directly to a page where the phosphorous values of a hundred different cat foods are listed. You want to pick a food that contains less than 225 mg of phosphorous per 100 kcal.

Early intervention is key to treating the CRF cat. Because I caught Tibbles's so early, I was able to make changes to her diet that, in the weeks since her diagnosis, have her more energetic than ever, eating with an increased appetite, and filling out so that she is no longer scrawny, but an otherwise perfectly healthy, if somewhat cantankerous, old cat.

Learn more about this author, Judy Lin.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3

Add your voice

Know something about Feline chronic renal failure in cats: Signs and treatments?
We want to hear your view. Write now!