Kidney disease is a broad term that can include any time when the kidneys don’t function properly. This may be a long-term, chronic problem that slowly wears down the system over time, or it may occur suddenly.
What is kidney disease?
Kidneys filter blood. They filter metabolic waste products that are carried from the organs by blood to the kidneys and out of the body in the form of urine. When kidney disease develops, the tiny filters that do this may fail to do their job for any reason.
chronic kidney disease
In chronic kidney disease, the kidneys gradually lose the ability to filter blood and make urine. As the kidneys struggle to maintain normal function, the metabolic waste that the kidneys are supposed to eliminate begins to accumulate in the blood. This buildup of waste products in the blood causes certain clinical symptoms that can make kidney disease life-threatening for cats.
How do I care for a cat with kidney disease?
chronic kidney disease
A cat with chronic kidney disease will not recover. Once the damage is done, it remains and the disease continues to progress on its own. However, there are some things you can do to slow it down as well.
To slow the progression of the disease and help a cat with chronic kidney disease feel better in general, bring them to the vet first. Here is a list of some simple things you can try, especially with your veterinarian’s permission. Some work better for cats than others, so it may take a little trial and error to find the things that work best.