Chronic Kidney Disease - Cat - Need some advice

C
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My cat, Titi, is 9 years old. Just over 2 years ago, the vet diagnosed him with Stage 3 CKD. He advised me to feed him renal dry food and give him Semintra once a day. Those two years went quite well. He even went from weighing roughly 8 lbs 13 oz to 15 lbs 7 oz. About a week ago, Titi stopped eating; his coat was dull and he had very bad breath. He was isolating himself. I took him back to the vet who told me he is now at Stage 4 (his creatinine, urea, and phosphate levels were higher than the machine could detect). He had large ulcers under his tongue. So, he has an AKI (acute kidney injury) on top of the chronic condition. The vet's prognosis was guarded, if not very pessimistic, and he talked about putting him to sleep. The vet said the AKI might be caused by kidney stones. He did an ultrasound where he saw large stones. He then referred us to a veterinary hospital. Titi had another ultrasound which showed that he has almost no left kidney left and that his right kidney is still quite large but with irregular borders. But that wasn't the main issue. The vet hospital advised trying a 48-hour stay to put Titi on an IV drip. The vet also gave him an injection of a steroid and a broad-spectrum antibiotic. After just under 48 hours (around 30 hours), the levels had come down but not enough. They are detectable by the machine but still very close to the maximum limits. The vet stopped the drip and explained that it wasn't right to keep pushing, and since he wasn't eating anymore, it was the end. He gave him a week at the absolute most to live. He could have fitted a feeding tube, but he didn't recommend it. So we decided to bring him back with us to be with him in his final days and give him some comfort. Titi is back home now. For the first three days, I still did two round trips a day to the vet for morphine and anti-sickness injections. I started feeding him (cat fish soups) and giving him water with a pipette (almost every hour) plus Semintra. The vet then suggested trying liquid renal food. Titi took it very well at first. After three days, he had regained some strength and even the vet was surprised. His prognosis went from a few days to a few weeks. So he decided to stop the morphine but keep the anti-sickness meds. This is the first morning without morphine, and I find Titi is really flat, and it's very difficult to feed him. He's drooling from the sides of his mouth. Plus, Titi is constantly going back and forth to the litter tray without necessarily doing a wee. No poo for at least three days. What should I do? Thank you so much for your replies.

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39 answers
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  • B
    Bri 93 Icon representing the flag French
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    Don’t lose heart, we have to keep fighting the illness for them.. it’s a daily struggle.. with its ups and downs.. It’s so draining because you feel so helpless and just don’t know what to do for the best anymore.. I’ve got a long road ahead of me to come to terms with it all, he was my whole life.... stay strong too, we have to try everything we can because they give us so much love. Best wishes to you.
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    B
    Bri 93 Icon representing the flag French
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    Hello

    You must never give up... my pooch was diabetic and needed daily care, and then came kidney disease... it’s so hard emotionally... you just don’t know what to do for the best... I stayed with him right until the very end... we go into denial... but the suffering is there... my pooch was 15 and a half... he’s with me every single day.

    Whatever you do, don’t give up—as long as there’s life, there’s hope. Best wishes to you..

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    Soil
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    Hang in there, my girl has been living with CKD for nearly a year now, and it’s a real emotional rollercoaster!
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    B
    Bri 93 Icon representing the flag French
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    Thank you mounette for your support. No, Toutouille didn’t smell, but I was checking his gums and there were white patches on them... it’s so painful for you as well... the urea levels wouldn’t come down and neither would the creatinine... it’s toxic for the system... their appetite just goes despite all the efforts to get them to eat... thank you for your support, all the best... bri93
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    M
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    Just a heads up, when a cat's breath starts to smell, it's usually a sign that the illness is quite advanced. I think you really need to weigh up the pros and cons for your cat's sake. The urea is essentially poisoning their system...

    Taking care of your cat also means knowing when to let them go to spare them from suffering that is becoming unavoidable.

    I’ve only just had to say goodbye to my own. She’d stopped eating, wasn’t passing any stools and had been completely withdrawn for a week.

    Sending you strength.

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    B
    Bri 93 Icon representing the flag French
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    Thank you for your support. Yes, I’m still hurting, it’s only been seven days... yes, I’m remembering all the mischief from when he was young... it does help... I miss him so much... I think you’re very brave to have supported four cats through their illnesses... time eases the pain, but they are a part of us.

    We’re like parents to these little kitties who can't speak to tell us where it hurts.

    Thank you again for your support.

    Best wishes,

    Bri93

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    ?
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    It’s a really draining illness for us owners too because there are so many ups and downs; your emotions are on a total rollercoaster and you feel so helpless despite all the wonderful care you give them. You feel hopeful one day and then in despair the next, but getting him to 16 is already an incredible achievement for a cat with CKD. That was the oldest I managed to get one of mine to, with his treatment lasting seven years; another passed away at 15 and a half, and sadly it was very quick for two others—they didn't even last six months. All four of my cats were diagnosed at the same time because once the first one fell ill, I had the other males tested. I can't even begin to tell you what I went through, so I completely understand your heartbreak. But try to think of all the lovely times you had with him—when he was young and being a little monkey, the big cuddles, and the mischief. We really do miss their mischief in the end. Most importantly, please don't feel guilty, as you’ve been a wonderful 'mum' to him to have got him this far with this illness. Time will ease the pain, but we never forget them.
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    B
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    Thank you for your support, I’m going through a very difficult time... it’s a heart-breaking decision to make... but seeing him suffer day and night is so painful, you feel completely helpless... all the trips back and forth to the vet... the emergency vet, the endless treatments, you feel like things are finally on the mend and then the next day the illness takes over again... thank you for all your support...

    Best wishes,

    Bri 93

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    B
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    Thank you so much for your comforting message..

    Kind regards,

    Bri93

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    ?
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    You’ve made the right decision; letting them go peacefully is a true act of love. Your cat had reached the end of the road, but he had a long and wonderful life—try to hold on to that. I’ve lost four cats to CKD, so I know exactly what you’re going through, but you can’t do the impossible. You did everything you could for him. We always feel guilty, even though we know it was the best thing for them so they aren't in pain anymore. Thinking of you.
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