In memory of ?... (CKD awareness)

Tiny floof Rudy was born just a few days before Halloween to a loving British shorthair mom. She cared greatly for her single kitten as she lost tiny lilac baby during birth. This sorrowfull but beautiful autumn happened all the way back in 2010.

The tiny kitten soon turned out to be not so tiny at all. In fact, he became a giant, muscular furball with paws almost as powerful as your average wrestler. Proud and cute he would concur each day swinging his huge tail as a sword ready to go on his housecat adventures.

One day Rudy fell ill. Still trying his best to do his daily tasks of catching the cotton mouse and other exploits, he was hit by strange sensations not at all related to battle wounds. He realised he couldn't use the box properly. He felt nauseous all the time...

It was puzzling for a young, energetic kitty to feel that way. After all, he thought he had a great diet, consisting of high quality dry food rich in protein. Well, it tasted good, too. And he would successfully find it in his bowl each day.

However, as the symptoms became noticeable and Rudy would go to the vet for treatment, it also meant that the kidney disease has progressed to life-long condition.

Rudy saw hope after feeling better from IV fluids. But he wasn't looking forward to eating the same specially made food for the rest of his life.

The special food made his goofy silly self come back a bit. He would enjoy many scritches during that time. Running around seemed fun, too.

The happy days went on, but Rudy's disease was still active. Sneakily and silently it was ruining his body. His nausea persisted and appetite dicreased. It had been 9 years since his diagnosis, much longer than the vets said it could go on. Rudy's family was devastated and didn't know what to do. They wanted to help him but the vet said there was nothing to be done, just waiting...

The waiting continued for one more year.
One night Rudy felt very very bad. The usual vet was not at work at that time, so the only way was to go to another clinic. The good doctors offered IV fluids and gave some extra to use at home. Rudy would be able to live another month with his loving family.

In June of 2022 it was time for his spirit to go on a new adventure.

Thank you for reading Rudy's story.
1 in 3 cats suffer from renal disease.
In the wild cats will normally hydrate mostly from eating the prey. One of the causes for kidney disease is thought to be improper dry food nutrient combo, or it might be simply the fact that it doesn't contain water at all. As in any animal, the kidneys are very sensitive to dehydration, especially the very small but persistent dehydration. Please consider looking into proper cat nutrition and adding wet food to their diet! Stimulate their drinking instinct by having cold water, proper bowls (to not irritate the whiskers), or by using the water fountains.
I'm thankful to Jackson Galaxy for spreading awareness about this and many other issues. There is a lot we can learn online nowadays!
If you notice behavioral, litter box or appetite changes, your cat could be falling ill. All improper behavior is usually a way for your cat to communicate to you that something is wrong. Trust your gut if your kitty acts strange. My personal tip - don't hesitate to go to another vet when you're told your pet has incurable condition.
Wishing you and your kitties all the best health!