Cats in renal failure often become weak and thin.
They often stop playing the way they used to play and become sluggish and depressed.
When cats act as described above, they display signs of Qi deficiency.
Qi Deficient Cats in Renal Failure Need a Warming Diet
Qi deficient cats in renal failure appear lazy, lack energy, and snuggle up in warm places.
If your cat suffers from kidney disease and displays the characteristics listed above, a warming cat food recipe will make him feel much better!
The classic signs of Qi deficiency in cats are:
- Pale, swollen tongue
- Drooling
- Shortness of breath
- Seeking warm places
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Loose stools
- Wiry pulse
- Depression
- Frequent urination
- Slow metabolism
What Is Qi Deficiency in a Cat in Renal Failure?
In TCVM, Qi is the energy of the body.
Qi is the energy of the meridians within the body, the energy of food, and the energy of the universe.
Qi deficiency is a state in which the body lacks Qi.
When a cat suffers from renal failure, the entire body suffers and slows down, resulting in Qi Deficiency.
Energetically Warming Foods for Qi Deficient Cats in Renal Failure
Use Eastern Food Therapy to warm a cool cat.
Treat cat Qi Deficiency by feeding an energetically warming cat food.
A nutritionally balanced diet for cats in the early stages of renal failure contains:
- 80-90% protein (meats)
- 10-20% grains, fruits, and vegetables
- A minimum of 2% fat
- Avoid salt, bones, dairy
In late-stage renal failure, increase fat content to decrease the protein level of the diet. You may need to increase carbs to help accomplish an overall lower protein level.
Consult with a TCVM veterinarian for the best advice for your cat’s late-stage renal failure diet. Your vet will tweak the diet to your cat’s individual needs. And, remember to avoid salt, bones, and dairy.
Use the list of foods below to create endless delicious recipe combinations for your furry friend!
Just mix up the ingredients as needed to create a food that your cat loves.
You can easily track protein, carbohydrate, and fat ratios in an online food log like the ones found on Fitbit and Livestrong websites.
You also need to add a taurine supplement to each batch of cat food you make.
For cats, taurine is an essential amino acid.
Taurine is critical for normal digestion, heart muscle function, normal vision, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Energetically Warming Food List for Cats in Renal Failure
It’s best to use all warming foods, but you can use one neutral ingredient per batch for convenience.
And remember, avoid salt, bones, and dairy!
Meats/Protein Source
- Chicken
- Venison
- Shrimp, lobster
- Ham
- Sunflower seeds
- Pork, pork liver & kidney (neutral)
- Beef, beef liver (neutral)
- Fish, salmon, sardines, tuna, catfish, carp, mackerel (neutral)
- Goose (neutral)
- Pigeon (neutral)
- Wild rabbit (neutral)
- Quail (neutral)
Vegetables/Fruits
- Sweet potato
- Pepper
- Pumpkin
- Tangerine
- Sweet pepper
- String beans (neutral)
- Green beans (neutral)
- Green peas (neutral)
- Beets (neutral)
- Cabbage (neutral)
- Apple (neutral)
- Carrots (neutral)
- Cauliflower (neutral)
- Asparagus (neutral)
Grains/Beans/Starch
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Corn (neutral)
- White rice (neutral)
- Beans, soy, black, broad, kidney, red (neutral)
- Peanuts (neutral)
- Potato (neutral)
Fats
- Olive oil
- Flaxseed oil
- Soya oil
- Peanut oil (neutral)
- Black sesame oil (neutral)
Creating the TCVM Warming Diet for Cats in Renal Failure
3 pounds meat and dairy (see “meat/protein source” section above)
1/3 pound vegetables and fruits (see “vegetable” list above)
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil or flaxseed oil
1/4 pound sweet potatoes (or grains and beans, cooked weight)
1/4 pound white rice (or grains and beans, cooked weight)
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon clove
Directions:
Debone and chop meat and vegetables.
Place all ingredients in crockpot layering:
- Slow cooking root vegetables on bottom
- Meat in the middle
- Fast cooking items on top
- Top with 1 cup water
Cook on low for 4 hours.
In addition, add the following to your pet’s diet:
- One cat multivitamin dose per day
- Calcium supplement 50mg/kg of body weight (22mg/lb of body weight) per day. Some other good choices for calcium are eggshell powder or bone meal.
- Taurine between 250mg and 500mg per cat per day
Cat Renal Failure Diet Feeding Schedule
Feed 2-2.5% body weight per day. (You may increase to 3.5% of body weight per day if your cat is losing weight.)
Monitor your cat’s weight. If an undesirable weight loss occurs, please contact your veterinarian immediately so you can make an adjustment in your cat’s feeding/diet plan.
If your cat is picky, you may want to run the food through the blender prior to feeding.
When cooked this way, the vegetable pulp mixes with cooked meat juices to create a nutritious broth.
Often, cats will lap up the broth more readily than eat small vegetable chunks.
As you can see, cooking for your cat isn’t really difficult, and can be a rewarding experience for both you and your cat!
Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when cooking at home for your cat.
Even though pet food recalls and the poor quality of some pet foods are a concern, many veterinarians voice concerns over homemade diets.
Some vets feel that when fed exclusively, homemade diets may result in vitamin/mineral deficiencies that can adversely affect a pet’s health.
If you choose to feed your cat a homemade diet, you must understand and meet your cat’s needs to stay healthy.
Please share our recipe with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can advise you on supplements for your pet’s individual situation.
Monitor your cat’s health by observing his/her temperament, skin, coat, and waste. If you notice anything strange, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Powerful Tools for Cat Renal Failure Challenges
There are several quick and easy changes you can make at home to help you give your cat an edge on easing kidney disease and renal failure challenges.
- Learn more about cat renal failure.
- Ask your vet about Epakitin. Epakitin is a chitosan-based supplement that helps with the filtering your cat’s kidneys can no longer do.
- Home cook for your pet. Go to our slow-cooker recipe page and try one of our cat food recipes for kidney disease or renal failure. Make sure to run it by your holistic vet first!
- Learn more about TCVM Herbal Remedies. Chinese medicine offers many amazing natural solutions for cat renal failure. Some good examples are:
