Cats do not like to drink water, they are prone to kidney failure, so you must urge them to drink water

Chronic renal failure in cats is now one of the most important diseases leading to the death of elderly cats. The incidence of this disease is about 1-3%. With the increase of age, cats over 15 years old are as high as 30-50%. And once the disease is diagnosed, it cannot be cured unless a kidney transplant is performed. Today I will introduce to you the chronic kidney disease of cats, so you must study hard! Kidney disease is terrible. Give it more care!

Chronic renal failure can be divided into four levels according to the degree of renal damage. There are not too many obvious clinical symptoms in the two stages of primary (kidney injury <67%) and secondary (kidney injury> 75%), or even no clinical symptoms. Therefore, it is not easy for many owners to find changes, especially in multi-cat families. When the cat has been significant weight loss, appetite loss, and vomiting, it will go to the doctor again, and it has developed to grade 3 (kidney damage >90%) or grade 4 (kidney damage). Damage>95%, also called uremia). At this time, not only the treatment cost is high, but there is a no more effective treatment.

But if we can diagnose the disease in the middle or even early stage, then doctors can work out a corresponding treatment plan according to the physical condition of each cat to effectively control the condition, prevent deterioration, and greatly extend the life span.

Therefore, the early diagnosis of kidney disease and the monitoring of the disease are very important, and the annual routine physical examination or the special examination for the kidney is particularly important.

Why do cats get kidney disease so easily?

This may be related to the cat's body structure and living habits.

• Water drinking habits: Cats drink less water, which is related to evolution. Its ancestral home is the Great Desert of Ancient Egypt. In order to adapt to the lack of water, it has developed a habit of not drinking water.
• Eating habits: Cats are natural carnivores. Because it needs to obtain some amino acids and vitamins that the body cannot synthesize from meat food. For example taurine, vitamin A. Therefore, its protein intake will be excessive, and protein is metabolized by the kidneys, which will naturally increase the burden on the kidneys, thereby aggravating the deterioration of kidney disease.
• Kidney structure: The basic unit that constitutes the structure and function of the kidney is called the "kidney unit". The nephron of a cat's unilateral kidney is 200,000, which is only half of that of a dog. As the age grows, the nephrons will gradually die out, and the fewer nephrons are left, the more serious the condition will be. Cats have fewer nephrons than dogs, so the chance of kidney disease is much greater.

What symptoms can indicate that a cat may have chronic kidney disease?

• Polydipsia, polyuria
• Anorexia, lethargy
• feel sick and vomit
• Gradually lose weight
• Bad breath
• Sudden blindness

However, due to the development of chronic renal failure, the loss of nephrons is gradual, and renal function can maintain a stable period of months or even years, and clinical symptoms are usually atypical. When symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and extreme weight loss appear, the end stage of renal failure may have been reached.

In order for cats to drink more water, owners can buy mobile drinking fountains, which can stimulate the cat's curiosity and encourage it to drink more water! Don't give cats oil and salt in daily life, as this will increase the burden on the kidneys.