Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How cat owners feed and medicate cats with chronic kidney disease
By Markovich, Jessica E et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2015·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Survey of dietary and medication practices of owners of cats with chronic kidney disease.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A survey of cat owners revealed that many cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often have poor appetites and may require coaxing to eat. The average age of these cats was about 14 years, and many were also dealing with other health issues like hyperthyroidism or heart disease. Most owners followed their veterinarian's advice when choosing a diet, with many feeding special kidney diets. However, a significant number of cats were not receiving important medications to manage their condition. Understanding these dietary and medication practices can help improve care for cats with CKD.
People also search for: cat kidney disease diet · why is my cat not eating · chronic kidney disease treatment for cats · cat appetite problems · medications for cats with kidney disease
Abstract
The objective of this study was to describe the dietary and medication patterns of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this prospective, cross-sectional descriptive study, owners of cats with CKD were asked to complete a web-based survey. The study was advertised on CKD-, pet-, veterinary- and breed-associated websites and list serves. Owners of 1089 cats with CKD participated in the study. The mean reported age of the cats with CKD was 13.7 ± 4.2 years. Forty percent (430/1089) of cats had concurrent diseases, with hyperthyroidism, heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease being the most common. Veterinarian recommendation was the most common reason reported (684/1032; 66%) for diet selection, and 51% (556/1089) of owners fed a veterinary therapeutic diet formulated for kidney disease as some component of the diet. Many owners (466/1079; 43%) reported that their cats had an abnormal appetite; of these owners, 52% responded that their cats had a poor appetite or required coaxing to eat 5-7 days per week. Forty-seven percent and 51% of cats were receiving subcutaneous fluids and oral medications, respectively; however, most cats (811/1036; 78%) were not receiving phosphorus-binding medications. Fifty-six percent and 38% of cats received commercial cat treats and dietary supplements, respectively. Anorexia or hyporexia is a common problem in cats with CKD and may lead to cats being fed suboptimal diets for their disease. This information may be useful for treating or designing nutritional studies for cats with CKD.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25535212/