Senior cat food?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

Kidley has been diagnosed with kidney problems, and the vet gave me samples of kidney-friendly foods to try out on him. He actively likes one of the dry foods and thinks it's a great nighttime snack, but he firmly rejected all the wet foods, so I asked the vet what the next best thing was. He said that I should try foods formulated for senior cats. The trouble is that I have been to two pet food stores, and neither has any such foods.

What are some brands to look for?

[BainsBane]

1. Science Diet makes one

http://www.petfooddirect.com/product/17000/Hills-Science-Diet-Feline-Senior-11Plus-Age-Defying-Dry-Cat-Food?extcid=PLA&gclid=CP3nxtPph7UCFa4-Mgodaz8AJg

I think a number of brands do. I had a cat with kidney problems and we had to buy a low protein food. I don't recall which one it was, but I found this on the Science Diet website: http://www.hillspet.com/products/pd-feline-kd-feline-renal-health-dry.html

I'm not endorsing this particular brand. It just happens to be what I fed the cat, who did end up dying from his congenital kidney disease. He had been sick from a young age.

[hollysmom]

2. I need reading therapy

I thought this was about older people eating cat food, but
This web site is just going up - check in a little while and it might help, the dog food advisor is fantastic help.
http://catfoodadvisor.com/

This is up right now
http://www.petsadviser.com/cat-food-advisor/

[ginnyinWI]

3. I know you said he hates wet food but--

If you will read what they have to say at www.catinfo.org you might be motivated to try to transition him to it. It would help so much.

Cats on dry food can be chronically dehydrated, which isn't good for kidneys, or any other organs. Good luck!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Oh, I definitely want to feed him wet food--he's used to it

He just hated the kidney formulation. When I set it out for him, he'd take a mouthful or two and walk away. Then he'd pester me in the way he always does if I space out and don't realize that it's his normal feeding time. In other words, it didn't register as food in his little cat brain.

[ginnyinWI]

6. that stuff is low protein, that's why

I had a renal failure cat once who wouldn't eat it either. The woman who has that website gives reasons why prescription foods aren't necessary, if we will only get rid or dry food.

One of my current cats recently had her first UTI, so I'm being more strict than ever about giving her dry food, much as she loves it. She's a Maine Coon mix, and I give her 3/4 of a can of wet food per day mixed with a little extra water (good for urine production) plus about 2 T. of dry food. She needs to lose two pounds or I'd give her a whole can.

I'm also going to look into homemade recipes, if I can find one that doesn't use really hard to find ingredients like rabbit!

[Curmudgeoness]

5. When my cat had renal failure,

she hated the prescription food that the vet's office had, which was Science Diet for kidney problems. I also tried Purina prescription and it was also a no-go. Someone here on DU suggested Royal Canin for kidney, and she loved it. She always ate the dry food, so I didn't try the wet, but I do know that this was the one I ended up using.

As for water, I bought a water fountain that is supposed to entice the cat to drink more water with the gurgling and movement of the water, and both my cats at the time ended up loving it....but it took a few days for them to get used to it. You might want to try that too.

Good luck.

[ginnyinWI]

7. I had to send my fountain back!

Both cats studiously ignored it for more than a week, so I finally gave up. Maybe some other time with some other cats.

[Curmudgeoness]

8. Well, we all know that cats have a mind of their own.

I suppose it is like the "running tap" vs the "I ain't getting near that water" drinkers. They are all individuals. I still think that it is a good idea if the cats will embrace it.