Today it's not unusual for domesticated house cats to live to 12-14 years of age or longer, especially when they are kept indoors in comfortable surroundings. However, the downside of cats living longer is that many develop chronic health problems as they get older, kidney disease being one of them.
The kidneys are usually one of the first organs to show signs of deterioration. So cats suffering from kidney failure is now a fairly common veterinary condition, particularly with older cats.
If your cat is starting to have kidney problem, you may notice an increase in drinking water and more frequent urination. The increase in drinking and peeing is because the cat's kidneys are having a harder time concentrating the urine and getting rid of toxins from the body. Other symptoms you might notice include:
Loss of appetite
Lethargy
Weight loss
Vomiting, both clear and food
Dehydration
Poor grooming
Drooling
Weakness
Ulcers on tongue and gums
A peculiar or ammonia-like smell on the breath
Shortness of breath
Itching/scratching
Also, because kidney failure sometimes triggers high blood pressure, a frightening symptom can be the dilation (widening) of your cat's pupils, even in bright light, which can lead to permanent blindness.
If left untreated, kidney failure will cause toxins to build up in your cat's body and eventually, she will suffer from uremia – which is such a high build-up of toxins that it can lead to coma or death.
However, a diagnosis of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) can only be properly diagnosed with a series of blood tests. So if you notice any of these symptoms, take your cat to the vet immediately.
The kidneys have a large reserve capacity. Symptoms of kidney failure often do not even show up until about 75% of the kidneys are no longer working. This was the case with our cat, Michou.
Kidney failure is also the most common cause of death among older cats.
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