My cat got thinner toward the end. He seemed happy and comfortable though and he didn't mind the subQ fluids so we carried on with that for two years. Everyone told me I'd know when it was time and I did. It's always so hard with aging cats who are nearing the end.

It is challenging to keep weight on them when they acquire chronic disease like CKD or hyperT. Three of my CKD cats (one of whom is also hyperT) are taking cyproheptadine daily as an appetite stimulant, and that helps keep them eating. Still, two of them are currently under their ideal weights, so I make a point of feeding them more often during the day to try to prevent further weight loss. Have you tried an appetite stimulant with your boy?

Laurie

Yes, our kitty was thin near the end. She took the cypro to stimulate the appetite, and she did eat more. Our vet said as long as she was enjoying life--sitting in the sun, being petted, maybe brushed, curled up comfortably napping, etc. then she was ok. When she stops enjoying, it is time to think seriously about her life.

Thanks for your responses.
I was told his thinness is caused to his eating the kidney food (Purina/NF). He has all along had an appetite and still does. I was told it was because the food is low-protein there's nothing in it that allows him to gain.
Maybe an occasional regular can of something might help.

Protein does not cause weight gain, carbohydrates and fats do. You might try adding oil or fat to his diet.

I agree with Socks that many very old cats do become thin and frail just as a consequence of being old. Cancer can also be a cause of weight loss. All my cats were thin with prominent ribs when they reached their late teens and 20s. The same is true for many geriatric human patients.

I also agree with Socks that as long as your elderly cat appears comfortable and has a good appetite, he is still healthy for his age and you are doing a very good job caring for him.

I'm not sure these photos illustrate how thin my 20 1/2 yr old cat actually is but you can feel every rib when you pick her up. She is a feather weight. She looks disgruntled in the top two pics because I disturbed her nap and lifted her into a standing position hoping to capture her physique. (Also she has many comfy beds, but like all cats, often prefers a cardboard box. The bottom photo is of her sleeping on her heating pad.)

One of the reasons I do NOT feed renal prescription diets to my kidney cats is because the low protein does cause muscle wasting and weight loss. Feline physiology is designed to thrive on high protein. When a feline body is protein-deprived, the body suffers.

I feed my kidney cats diets with high quality, meat protein sources. Foods with a higher animal fat content will also boost usable caloric intake.

Laurie

Hi there...
When my kitty got renal disease, she did lose some weight. She hated and refused to eat renal food, and the vet told me that as long as she was eating anything, that was good.

I fed her Wellness wet food and Royal Canin dry food and she did really well on that for three years. She passed away last May, after three good years on SubQ fluids and regular cat food, not from kidney disease, but from cancer.

Don't give up on your old kitty yet. You can tell when they are not enjoying life any longer.

I hadn't thought of muscle wasting being associated with a lack of protein, but that makes sense. It's a moot point with me since I feed my cat home-cooked pure meat (chicken mostly) with calcium and other supplements added.

spedigrees,
My Tobey looks very much like your precious kitty - I can see through the "kalico" to the "thinness" (rib cage, etc.).
Checked on the price of Wellness, but costs even more than the Purina or SD formulas. Found something at Wal-Mart for senior cats and is supposed to help some with kidney function as well. He seems to like it and it's cheaper. We'll see how it goes.

David

David, are you administering sub-q liquids? That kept my kitty quite comfy for a long time.

Be careful if you feed a non-renal diet. Protein raises the BUN level in the blood. You can counteract this by using a phosphorous binder or sticking with your rx food and using a protein powder to help build muscle. There is a specific one out there that is kidney friendly developed by a DR for his crf kitty. Its called Astros Protein powder.

How is your kitty doing? My girl with kidney disease seems to be losing weight now even though she still eats ravenously. The vet wanted to start her on rx renal food but I won't do it after doing my own research. It seems there's a paradigm shift happening WRT the special renal food. I just ordered some Renavast and we'll start that as soon as I get it; it may help with the muscle tissue wasting. She still drinks a lot of water but I may start her on a low subQ regimen. Hope you guys are okay.

bunnygirl, if your cat is eating ravenously and losing weight, you should have a Total T4 blood test run ASAP to check her thyroid function.

Laurie

Okay, I will have that done. Thanks, Laurie!!