Your cats kidneys do many important things. They help manage blood pressure, make hormones and red blood cells, and remove waste from her blood.
Cats kidneys begin to fail with age. Untreated, kidney disease can lead to a series of health problems. When its chronic, theres no cure. But with early diagnosis and good care, you can help boost both the quality and length of your pets life.
Older cats arent the only ones at risk. Kittens can be born with kidney diseases. Trauma and infection are also causes.
There are two types of kidney failure in cats. Each has different causes, treatments, and outlooks.
Acute renal failure develops suddenly, over a matter of days or weeks. It happens in cats of all ages and is usually the result of:
If diagnosed in time, acute renal failure can often be reversed. But chronic kidney problems can be harder to treat. Found mostly in middle-aged and older cats, they develop over months and even years. If your cat is 7 years or older, pay special attention to her health.
While the exact causes of chronic kidney disease arent always clear, even to vets, they include:
See the article here:
Cat Kidney (Renal) Failure Symptoms and Causes - WebMD