And they can be deadly for your cat. Log in 24/7 to access your pets health care information. But cats are carnivores, and protein is what makes their diet palatable. Commercially available kidney support diets tend to be quite palatable because it is so important for these cats to eat in a way that slows the progression of their CKD. Heres how to handle a cat thats addicted to tuna: Introduce cat foods with other flavors. However a new study found that cats with kidney disease may not have elevated stomach acidity as compared to healthy cats. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists fish as a top food allergen for cats, noting that common signs of an allergic reaction include itching, hair loss, red or swollen skin and red bumps. they are known to cause acute kidney failure in dogs. This is a very essential vitamin for your cat as it supports the following health functions: Immune system Nervous system Digestive tract Talking with your vet about the cat food you provide and following the directions on the label will help ensure your cat's diet is balanced and your cat stays healthy. You may struggle with feeding a cat who has kidney problems, as you do not want its condition to get worse. They need to consume a lot of water on a regular basis to stay healthy. However, if your cat is living with kidney disease, you should start off by limiting the protein. In fact, you may be surprised to learn some of the common foods your cats should never eat. Dehydration, high phosphorus levels, metabolic acidosis, fluid retention, and constipation may make you want to puke up an intestine. Giving your cat wet food will ensure it gets enough water when it eats. To feed a cat with kidney problems, give it wet food instead of dry food, since cats with weak kidneys struggle to stay hydrated. Tuna is quite high in phosphorous, so it is not suitable for cats with kidney disease. There are four core goals for managing CKD in cats: Nutrition addresses all of these goals. (5) Jupiter Images Unlimited and Dorling Kindersley / Getty, (9) Jupiter Images Unlimited and Dorling Kindersley / Getty, (14)Dorling Kindersley / Getty and iStockphoto, (16)Cultura / Getty and Jupiter Images Unlimited, (17)Jupiter Images Unlimited and Photlibrary, (18)FoodPix and Dorling Kindersley / Getty, , PetEducation.com: "Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Cat. Cats can be addicted to tuna, whether it's packed for cats or for humans. ", Petalia.com: "Human Foods That Poison Pets. Just make sure that these are low in sodium. Omega-3 fatty acids. Kidney Shield For Cats & Dogs is another best-seller loaded for Optimal Kidney Health for your cat with kidney disease. If your cat has a chronic health condition, such as kidney disease, you should not feed it canned tuna. "If theyre not eating, the best thing to feed them is anything theyll eat," Dr. Weigner tells me. veterinarian has been very informative. The protein in this fish is rich in thiamine, an anti-inflammatory. Ingredients such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen are common in pain relievers and cold medicine. Adding other kidney-friendly foods into their diet can bring the additional flavor. Monitoring food consumption is very important when managing your cat's health. But make sure that youre giving it alternative treats, too. Unlike processed, tuna-flavored cat food, real tuna does not contain preservatives, coloring, fish meal, additives, or other synthetic chemicals that can damage cat's organs and digestive system. Keeping food items where your cat can't get to them and keeping pantry and cupboard doors closed will help protect your cat from serious food-related illness. The safest thing to do is always feed your cat canned food, especially when she has developed kidney problems. Its OK to treat your cat with tasty foods, like tuna. The higher the proof, the worse the symptoms. Dietary supplements may be prescribed to help with low potassium. Your vet can show your human how to do this at home. Throughout your cats life, any disease process or illness that could affect hydration should be treated promptly with IV fluids. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. A cat with heart disease is fed a low sodium and high taurine diet. Kidney issues tend to show up in older cats or cats who have other health issues like high blood pressure, a hereditary disease, or cancer. It has a unique flavor that is different from white-fleshed fish. Most of the time, cats with kidney disease benefit more from centrally acting anti-nausea medications, so talk with your veterinarian about these types of medications. Cats with certain health issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease, should not eat tuna because it may cause flare-ups. Creatinine (CREA): measures how well kidneys are filtering waste from blood. Kidney disease can be caused by a variety of factors: For some cats, the disease could have occurred after a serious kidney injury, from a severe infection (including feline infectious peritonitis, feline immunodeficiency virus, and pyelonephritis), ingestion of a toxic substance (like antifreeze or lilies), and from certain medications. Got a question for he who knows everything feline? ", Pets.ca: "Cat Treats table scraps Can I Give My Cat Treats. I always urge pet parents to ask their veterinarian for nutritional information for their pet. Set up your myVCA account today. There are many kidney diets, not just the brand your vet carries. Other non-kidney-related issues could also make you ignore your food bowl: pain, dental disease, antibiotics, and pancreatitis. Due to water pollution, all fish and shellfish contain some mercury. That way, your cat will benefit from the high levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in tuna but will still be eating a nutritionally balanced meal. These often develop into one of two categories: acute or chronic. Adding condiments to your meal may help rev up your appetite. Cats are carnivores and need meat. In addition to onions, garlic, which is 5 times as potent as onions,and chives can each cause major health and potentioanally life threatening problems. The problem is that tuna is naturally very high in mercury. HILL'S PRESCRIPTION DIET. The most dangerous kinds, though, are dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate. The second is rare problem in which a protein in raw egg whites, called avidin, could interfere with the absorption of the B vitamin biotin. Before it's baked, bread dough needs to rise. Most experts will tell you that canned tuna is fine for your pet but it is also safe. Small amounts of liver are OK, but eating too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity. When compared with normal maintenance adult cat food, a kidney support diet contains less protein, sodium, and phosphorus, and increased omega-3 fatty acids. Early diagnosis and intervention are keys to maintaining quality of life. In addition to tea and coffee -- including beans and grounds -- caffeine can be found in cocoa, chocolate, colas, and stimulant drinks such as Red Bull. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Feed-a-Cat-with-Kidney-Problems-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Feed-a-Cat-with-Kidney-Problems-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Feed-a-Cat-with-Kidney-Problems-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid8731269-v4-728px-Feed-a-Cat-with-Kidney-Problems-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"