We are among the large number of cat owners who have dealt with or are dealing with cats suffering kidney disease. Many of you are treating your cats with fluids and feeding special food to give the cat a longer and more comfortable rest of its life.
We gave our Himalayan, Katy, subcutaneous fluids for
over a year to offer her a beautiful rest of her life—weekly for a while, then more often.
Lily had kidney disease maybe from birth and we were able to enjoy her and watch her enjoy life for 11 wonderful years. Recently our aging tortie, Sophie, had been diagnosed with kidney disease and we started the treatment for her. She was just a week from turning 18 years old when she let us know she was ready to go. The treatments were not helping her. Olivia is now an only cat and requiring a lot of love and attention.
Kidney disease seems to be so prevalent in cats. Why? Is it the food we feed them or just the way cats are wired? I’d like to come across information/research with some sort of lifelong care we can provide for our cats to help keep the kidneys functioning. Maybe someday.
But there are many other diseases cats can suffer and some that used to mean a death sentence, but are now preventable, like feline leukemia.
Ever hear of Staggering Disease? It’s so prevalent in 
cats living in Europe that scientists began researching it. Staggering Disease causes a cat to lose control of its limbs, suffer with tremors, seizures and there is no known cure. This disease has been known for half century, previously associated with encephalitis. While it’s a disease affecting mostly domestic cats, it is also seen in a variety of wild animals.
Research teams have finally isolated the virus that causes the disease—now to find a cure. Here’s that story: https://phys.org/news/2022-07-staggering-disease-cats-europe-unraveled.html
Here’s a fascinating article featuring an interview with Dr. Leslie Lyons, cat genetics specialist. She talks about how knowing more about cat diseases can help find cures for cat as well as human diseases and ailments. One study they’re conducting relates to our cat allergies. She says that their research does not include experimenting on cats, but that they use the blood from cats with certain conditions to learn more about the condition and how to treat it. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/28/science/cats-genome-health.html
So sorry to hear about Sophie. As I told you last year, we lost Marmalade at 11 years to kidney disease also. Our Vet had not mentioned anything about giving fluids to her, just the special diet. By the time she showed how sick she was, it was too late to help her. So glad you got to be with Sophie for almost 18 years because your bond with all your feline loves is very obvious. Carry on your magic gift of story telling to honor the wonderful world of cats.
What a beautiful note. Thank you. “Honoring the wonderful world of cats.” I love that. I’ll do my best for as long as I can.
Patricia