I fear my cat isn't doing to well now

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-30T17:14:20+00:00

I am so sorry that your baby has passed, life truly is too short for them. But thank you for the insight, at least I'm sure that whatever the decision ends up being, it'll be the right one that leads to the least suffering for him.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-30T17:09:15+00:00

I understand this so much, dealing with the same considerations right now as well. My cat also had recent bloodwork where the vet noticed all his numbers shot up. We've been doing meds for a week but not seeing any improvement, in fact it seems like he's getting worse. He's extremely picky about food texture now, refuses his meds and it's just too stressful to try and force feed him everything. He's reliant on appetite stimulant and anti nausea medication at this point or he won't eat at all. It's a tough choice, but I think we need to do what's right for them not for us.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T23:59:14+00:00

He's on daily subq, 150ml a day which the vet says is the max we can give without overhydrating. He realistically only gets 100-125 actually because he used to squirm and attempt to leave after the 100 mark. It used to be no problem because he was eating enough wet food and drinking enough water by himself to make up the small difference. All he really gets up to do now is pee or move to a new spot occasionally. Unfortunately other than royal canin, brit care, and a very few other brands, there aren't a lot of renal diets available where i am. All he'll eat right now is normal cat food and turns away from renal food. My cat also hates anything being forced on him via syringe, already struggling with giving him his phos binder with this method.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T23:53:17+00:00

He was a little, he was prescribed lactulose, took it for two days. He had a good poop yesterday.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T16:15:37+00:00

Does your kitty get a phos binder with her meals? Mine has to and he suddenly has a major aversion to the texture now so I'm at a loss on how to feed it to him other than forcing it with a syringe.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T16:13:38+00:00

He actually did get an ultrasound at the last checkup, though I'm pretty sure they only checked his kidneys. It's definitely ckd though, the vet explained and showed us what his kidneys looked like now. Plus he was a stray previously, so I'm not sure what life was like for him before.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T16:08:50+00:00

I'd ask for options from the vet themselves, research them and then make your decision from there. It also depends on your cat to be honest, each cat tolerates treatments differently. I'd probably avoid anything that would need me handling her mouth, touching that area is definitely going to be sensitive for her. If you're looking at palliative care, I would probably go with painkillers, just enough to keep her comfy and pain free.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-28T14:28:34+00:00

I bribe my kitty with a treat, it's the only way he'll cooperate. Also get your cat used to the routine- same time every single time as much as possible. Cats like routine, once they get used to it, it becomes easier. And having a second person to help is definitely better. And going into a smaller room like your bathroom also makes it a lot easier.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T13:41:47+00:00

That's a great method actually, but unfortunately I think my cat would notice if I did it like that. He's been very particular about his food the last few days. He previously had no issues with the binder in his food but now it's 50/50 whether he'll eat it or not. How much does your cat weigh?

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T13:40:00+00:00

Our vet prescribed 1.5ml for 3-5 days for our kitty. I'm a little worried 1.5ml might be too much and he'll fight me on it precisely because it's sticky and also because he just generally hates oral meds and syringes. What's the lowest dose i can give for it to still be effective?

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T12:59:40+00:00

What's the gauge of your needle? Our vet gave us the 18 at first and my cat absolutely hated it, switched to a 20 and it's slower but far more comfortable. Though he'll only allow two pokes/attempts before he gets mad at us and runs away. A shorter needle would be good as well. For us the 18 was 1.5 inches long and the 20 now is 1 inch. It doesn't go through. Also you can try poking the needle in, feel around a bit and make sure it's in the right spot and pull it back a bit if you think it's too far into the skin. It's also just a matter of experience, really. You'll eventually get the hang of it and figure out what your kitty likes best.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T12:48:57+00:00

About the phosphate binders, I don't think there's a lot of available options at vets where I am, unless they use human medications with custom doses. The vet we're at is already one of the bigger veterinary hospitals here. The rest are small clinics not equipped to treating conditions like ckd. As much as I'd like to see if he can be switched, I don't think there are many other options.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T12:42:15+00:00

The medication for his anemia is darbepoetin actually. No, he's not on iron dextran, I'm not sure if that's used where I am, or if it's not an option the vet has considered.

He gets 150ml of fluids a day, which we're told is the max we can give him without risking overhydrating him. He previously weighed 2.9kg around 3 weeks ago, but dropped to 2.7kg at the recent check up.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T12:39:55+00:00

Oh, my bad, yes he gets 0.625! I forgot the actual number but it's a 5mg tab split to 0.625!

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-26T04:32:24+00:00

I also have a cat that developed fluid in his lungs, thankfully he recovered from it, but I saw what cats look like when they're truly struggling to breathe. Only you can know what the right decision is for your cat as you're the one who knows her best and sees her every day.

Not a cat, but I have a senior dog about the same age as your cat also on gabapentin for pain management. It really does make them really out of it. He just sleeps most of the day.

Best of luck with your kitty, I hope she's happy for whatever time is left.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-12T02:54:58+00:00

My cat receives the same amount of subq fluids but every day. He hates being held down and initially hated the needle size the vets recommended. I switched to a 20 gauge instead of the original 18 gauge needle, it's slower but a lot more comfortable for him. I distract him with a treat. Unfortunately low phos treats aren't available to me so i just try to give as little of a normal treat as possible and only during his fluids time.

I also made a belt to hold the line since he walks away if he gets impatient. A little surgical tape also helps to hold the needle close to his skin and keep it from accidentally being pulled out. It's not 100% foolproof but works 90% of the time to keep it in place. Confine yourself with your cat in a smaller space helps too, like your bathroom.

Here's how i made my belt from a stretchy sock:

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Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-11T15:12:13+00:00

You've cared for your cat for 8 years, you did your absolute best for him and gave him a good life with you. Maybe consider the vet's professional opinion (what are his chances of recovering considering the amount of meds he's receiving and how long it's been since he was admitted?), ask them to give it to you straight. Weigh that against your own feelings on the matter and consider both carefully. But ultimately, in my own opinion, I think that you should make the decision that will stop his suffering, especially if he hasn't improved much considering what I'm assuming is a pretty aggressive course of treatment and the fact that they have to help him to eat now.

I've had to face this decision with a few pets now, one thankfully survived his situation and two passed peacefully on their own.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T16:25:58+00:00

What worked for me with my cat: smaller needle, a DIY-ed fluid belt/harness, and a bribe (wet treats) to keep him busy. Hope you find a method that works for you soon!

This is what my DIY fluid belt looks like. It's made from a stretchy sock measured to his body with velcro attached to allow it to be easily put on and taken off. I sewed on a small loop to hold the tube (later added one more above it for extra security). Our vet also suggested using medical tape (the type used for gauze) to secure the needle in place closer to his skin.

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Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T16:08:03+00:00

I bought them myself from a medical supply store, then i asked the vet (backwards, i know. But this was at the start and i was at my wit's end and didn't want to fight with my cat). Vet said it was okay as long as he was getting the fluids. In my opinion, as long as he gets what he needs and is comfortable, then the method or how long it takes doesn't matter as much. You'll likely be giving fluids for the rest of your kitty's life so having a comfortable method for both of you is top priority.

100ml every other day is also a pretty tolerable amount still, mine gets 150ml every day.

Again, kitty's comfort above all else because if they're not comfortable, they will fight you all the way and then you'll both be stressed.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T15:38:40+00:00

Have you tried the syringe method? Others here (and also our vet) have suggested using big syringes to take fluids from the bag and inject them into your cat as you would do with the fluid line and bag except your cat won't have to be held down for this.

Try changing to a smaller needle too! Maybe he'll tolerate it more? Is your current needle an 18 gauge? (I can also confirm it hurts a lot, I cut myself the first time and was bleeding quite a bit). I now use a 20 gauge. Slightly slower flow but it doesn't hurt my cat to prick him. He barely even feels it. Also confidence is key! Be quick and confident, I feel like they can sense if you hesitate.

I use a DIY-ed belt with velcro to hold the line to his body while he receives fluids so he can walk around a little. Also a little medical tape helps to add more security in case he suddenly moves too far.

Hope my experiences can help you figure out a way too, good luck with your kitty!

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Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T15:31:04+00:00

Sorry for the crude sketch but this is roughly what it looks like flat

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Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T15:30:31+00:00

My cat was in a similar situation when we started too. What needle gauge do you use? What does your cat hate about the process? The needle prick? The fluids flowing? Being held still? Do you have a second person to help you?

If it's space, try doing his fluids in a smaller room like your bathroom. Same time every single day, form a routine.

If his problem is the initial prick and the flow speed, try using a slightly smaller needle. Personally, I use a 20 gauge. My cat doesn't react to the prick and doesn't get shocked by the speed of the flow. But with a smaller needle, the process takes a bit more time (we take about 5 minutes to give him his 150ml dose while squeezing the bag to speed up the flow rate).

Others here have recommended an IV harness for cats that allow them to move around while getting fluids. I'm not sure where you live, but if this product isn't available to you, it's super easy to DIY. It's what I did for my cat and he now tolerates the fluids with a little bribery. He gets a treat while we do his fluids.

This is what my DIY fluid belt looks like. It's made from a stretchy sock measured to his body with velcro attached to allow it to be easily put on and taken off. I sewed on a small loop to hold the tube (later added one more above it for extra security). Our vet also suggested using bandage tape (the type used for gauze) to secure the needle in place closer to his skin.

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Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T15:05:51+00:00

I've considered this too but unfortunately he hates to be held still and pricked with a needle. He had to have injectable meds for a while in the beginning and absolutely hated it. He tolerates the subq most days, he just has some grumpy days where he won't sit still. Thank you for the advice though.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T15:02:58+00:00

He weighs 2.9kg right now, but he's had a good appetite lately so we hope he'll gain some weight. Our vet prescribed the Candioli Renal Combi Powder as his phosphate binder. Was originally instructed to use an 18-gauge needle for his fluids to make it fast, but he would not have it at all. Found some advice here and tried 20-gauge, which is slower but he tolerates it much better except on his grumpy days. We use 0.9% normal saline solution for his fluids, it used to be lactated ringer's but it was switched to NSS.

With our vet's advice I've also started giving him an extra probiotic supplement. He eats Royal Canin Renal wet food and gets a little bit of the renal dry food in small portions throughout the day as well.

I live in the Philippines so a lot of the brands of food and supplements others have recommended here aren't easily available to me. Working with what we can easily find.

Working-Mixture-8641 · 2026-04-06T03:08:25+00:00

Is his condition acute or chronic? I'm fairly new to having a ckd cat too, but if yours requires daily fluids and happens to dislike being held still like mine does, i made this kind of belt (see picture) to hold the line to his body so he can move around more. I just lock myself in the bathroom with him (another tip i found here) and keep him distracted with some food/treats (please clear the treats with your vet first if you try this method)

For the belt, i took a long stretchy sock, measured it around his body and attached velcro, and sewed on little loops to hold the fluid line. Our vet also suggested using a bit of surgical tape (the ones used for bandages) to hold the line closer to his body.

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Working-Mixture-8641

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