Senior Cat Comfort & Care

Aging can wear out the kidneys. Chronic kidney disease affects 30% of cats over 10.

During the initial stages of the disease, your cat may not show symptoms. That’s why regularly monitoring your cat’s kidney values and blood pressure is important. Start this at or before 10 years old for a better chance of early detection and intervention.

Early signs include weight loss, increased thirst and urination, and lethargy. These usually start around 10 to 14 years of age. As the disease progresses, you will notice bad breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and poor appetite.

While there is no cure, treatments can slow the progression, better manage the side effects, and greatly improve your cat’s quality of life. Treatment can include specialized diets, medications, supplements, and subcutaneous fluids. To help protect your cat:

• Keep them well hydrated
• Control stress
• Maintain a healthy weight to manage blood pressure
• Give omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics.
• Avoid exposure to things like cleaning products and plants that are toxic to cats
• Use tick prevention
• Get routine dental care and lab work