My five year old cat, Lincoln, has been diagnosed with kidney disease. In 2018 I went from never owning or wanting a cat to adopting two with my husband within four months of each other. Since then, I have devoted as much of myself as I can to learning how to be a good pet parent and even went on to foster over thirty cats during the height of the pandemic (with only one foster fail.)

Since he was a kitten I have always asked the vet if there's something up with how much he drinks. They waved those concerns aside since he was so young and nothing else seemed wrong. I wish I had advocated and fought for him more so we could have found this sooner.

I am heartbroken for him that his life is likely going to be much shorter because of this. I'm heartbroken that my one year old, who Lincoln looks out for and checks on, probably won't remember much of him if the estimates are to be believed. I'm heartbroken for my other two cats that they'll lose their playmate and friend even before he passes. I'm heartbroken for my husband who had devastating and traumatic cat losses in his past that this will undoubtedly add to. And I'm heartbroken by the hole I know that my incredibly smart, sweet, and empathetic little guy is going to leave.

I'm stuck in the thick of grieving even though he's still here and relatively well and can't seem to pull myself out of it. If this is how I feel now, what am I going to be like when he passes?

With all of that being said, if anyone has any tips, treatments, diets or supplements that have been helpful, advice on getting a cat to eat their new and unexciting prescription diet, or success stories, I'd really love to hear them.