Mabel's kidney stage 1 care plan

I have been looking through my notes on Mabel since her last visit. She is my 12-year-old ragdoll and we just got the confirmation that she is in stage 1 kidney disease. I am trying to be proactive, but I am a bit overwhelmed because I also have Ollie, my 8-year-old tabby who is diabetic, so I am worried about cross-contamination of their routines or getting the wrong food for the wrong cat.

Right now, Mabel is eating a standard senior wet food that she has liked for years. The vet said to monitor her, but did not give a specific dietary prescription yet. I want to know if I should switch her to a renal specific food immediately or wait until her next test in four weeks. I am particularly concerned about her protein intake since she is quite active and loves to play with her feather wand.

I am sorry to hear about Mabel's diagnosis, Joan. It is a heavy thing to carry, especially when you are also managing Ollie's diabetes. I think it is important to look at the bigger picture of her quality of life right now. If she is eating well and playing, forcing a strict renal diet too early might cause more stress than it helps. Stress can impact kidney function in subtle ways that we do not fully understand yet.

I would suggest you look at the initial steps for stage 1 diagnosis to see if there are any gentle transitions recommended. My cat River is quite shy, and when I changed his food too quickly, he stopped eating for two days, which was terrifying. Maybe a slow blend is better?

yo i have a 2 year old tabby named milo and he is basically a tank but i know an older friend who had a cat with kidney issues. they said the biggest thing is water. if mabel is drinking more that is actually a good sign? or bad? i am confused. i read somewhere that you need to check the phosphorus levels. is that in the blood work? i think reading the blood work was helpful for me when my neighbor asked about their cat. does anyone know if renal food has too much sugar for diabetic cats like ollie? i am worried about mixing their bowls.

@RiverQuiet, you are right to point out the stress factor. Mabel does hate change. I was looking at the thread I started about managing both conditions and I realized I had not considered that the renal food might have different textures that she would reject. She is very particular about the consistency of her wet food.

@SamR, I am not sure if the sugar content is the main issue for Ollie, but I do not want to risk it. I am thinking of keeping their bowls on opposite sides of the room. I found a list of recommended wet foods for kidneys but none of them are the exact brand Mabel is used to. Do you think I should try mixing a small amount of the new food into the old one? I saw tips for transitioning picky cats but they seem to take a lot of time.

Oh my, I am so sorry for you, Joan. :((( I lost my Pepper last year and I know how scary it is when the health issues start stacking up. My Mittens has arthritis so I have to be careful with what I buy for her, but she is not on any special diet yet.

I think you should talk to your vet about the water intake. I remember reading that ways to encourage hydration are very important for kidney cats. Maybe a water fountain? My Mittens loves running water. I hope Mabel stays strong for you. You are doing a wonderful job taking care of them both. Do not let the internet advice scare you too much, just listen to the doctor.