Have you visited the site below?

Here is a statement from one of the members: "I've also taken a cue from some advice on the web I've read a couple of times: I spike Mitzi's drinking water 1:2 parts unflavored pedialyte/water. It helps keep electrolyte balance and Mitzi likes it."

When my dog was in her last weeks of CRF I fed her whatever she would eat. I know what you're going thru isn't easy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Feline CRF

I wouldn't give Pedialyte to a CRF cat because a CRF cat's electrolytes are sometimes so out of whack that you really need to control which electrolytes you're supplementing and in what amounts. Pedialyte may contain sodium, which is NOT an advisable electrolyte to supplement in CRF cats. That said, potassium is a critical electrolyte for CRF cats because it is excreted in urine. As a result, CRF cats tend to lose potassium quickly and are often potassium deficient unless they are receiving daily potassium supplementation. Potassium is essential to all cells in the body, and potassium deficiency is often demonstrated by weakness in the hind legs. If you are not supplementing potassium, I strongly recommend you ask your vet about starting immediately. If your vet balks, ask what your girl's potassium level was in her most recent bloodwork. CRF cats should have a potassium level in the upper half of the reference range. A potassium level in the lower half of the reference range represents probable deficiency in a CRF cat.

The easiest way to supplement potassium is to buy potassium gluconate powder or tablets at a drug or health food store. Mix it into a canned food meal (always give with food, as it will irritate an empty stomach) twice daily. The link below will provide you with more information about potassium supplementation for CRF cats.

http://www.felinecrf.org/treatments.htm#low_potassium

Anemia is also common in late stage CRF, and it can cause significant weakness. If you haven't had your girl's HCT or PCV checked recently, it would be a good idea to do so. This link will provide you with information about CRF-related anemia:

http://www.felinecrf.org/anaemia.htm

If your girl isn't eating adequately, that may also account for her wasting and weakness. The following link will provide you with lots of tips, tricks, and resources to hopefully help get your girl eating better:

http://www.felinecrf.org/persuading_cat_to_eat.htm

You're not killing your girl by feeding her Temptations. If that's what she wants to eat, then indulge her. Yes, it would be best if she would eat a renal prescription food, but if she doesn't want to eat it, it won't do her any good, anyway. Feed her what she's willing to eat. She MUST eat, even if that means indulging her junk food preferences.

Lastly, if she's not absorbing her fluids as quickly as before, have your vet (or better yet, a veterinary cardiologist) check her heart. If she's retaining fluid or is in congestive heart failure, she'll need meds to address those problems, as well.

I am currently off the CRF roller coaster, having lost my Billy this last spring, but I'll likely be hopping back on before too long with five geriatric cats in the house. I don't envy your position, but I sure am familiar with it. All you can do now is try to keep up with the symptoms for as long as humanely possible. Hopefully you will find that your girl's wasting and weakness can be successfully treated for now.

I wish you and your girl the best,

Laurie

Thank you.

Yes, I've been going to the Feline CRF websites since my cat was diagnosed 15 months ago.

I was wondering if anyone had personal experience with the Pedialyte.

My cat's last check-up was in early August. I told the vet that that would be her last visit, as it was too stressful for her, and, there was nothing he could do for her. She's been on 2 heart meds for 15 months. She came to me, from the ASPCA, with a Level One heart murmur. Her blood pressure had also been elevated when I brought her to the vet 15 months ago.

I called the vet a month or so ago about potassium. He said that her last test results gave no indication that she needed potassium, so, he could not recommend it. And, yes, at the time she was exhibiting slight anemia, but, the vet said that the meds for anemeia had serious side-effects that were too dangerous for her.

My cat also has cancer.

I know I've mentioned this ad nauseum in other posts. I apologize for rehashing all this.

This is my first time, in all my years growing up with cats and dogs, that I've dealt with this.

It's a heart-wrenching and exhausting balancing act and guessing game.

Although my cat is still using the litter box, eating a little and purring; she's much too frail to go to the vet and get tests. It wouldn't be fair or kind to her.

Anyway, thanks, again for your input and help.

bbaird,
It is awfully heartbreaking to see your cat deteriorating and not being able to know how to help. Cancer & CRF.. that sounds like what I went through with my Picasso over 2 years ago. You are ahead of me as far as understanding this condition (at least back then), and taking a pro-actice role with her care. At the time, Laurie was my support and my 'long distance vet' if I can say so. Her help was absolutely amazing, and I am glad she still takes time to share her knowledge and experience on this forum.

This said, you know your cat best, and if you feel that a vet's visit (and more tests) would be too much, this is a risk worth taking. I often feel that less is more, and treating the cat, not the numbers, is better with many cats. Potassium supplementation--not pedyalite- would be worth discussing with your vet (without another test) for an appropriate dosage. Feed her what she wants (with preference to food with low phosphorus). B12 injections (if YOU can handle it at home) would help too.
Have you tried CoQ10 (15 mg/day)? With her heart condition, it might really be worth trying!

I wish you AND your cat my VERY, VERY best... Keep her purring!

Anne-Marie

Thanks.

Yes, Laurie(laurief) and Meghan(meghane)gave me a lot of help a few years ago when I was dealing with my cat's hyperthyroidism. They pointed me toward radioiodine treatment and Meghan emailed me several times. I can't thank them both enough.

Laurie also insisted, recently, that I warm my cat's fluids. I'm very glad that Laurie was so insistent/perisitent. She was right.

No, I gave my cat B12 a few weeks ago. I keep focussing on the CRF (because that's what I'm actively treating) and forgetting/ignoring the deadly cancer which is untreatable.

My kitten's in her last days. I had hoped it wasn't so.