Did you know that it is necessary to care for the cat's kidney health? 

Your cat's kidneys play a vital role in maintaining its health. The organ helps to control substances, like sodium, potassium, contributes to the hormonal balance and helps in blood filtration and urine production, among other functions.

But, did you know that cats can be more prone to the development of kidney problems? Studies show that one out of three cats will develop a renal disease throughout their lifetime. Hence, the prevention and early diagnosis are vital for maintaining their health.

“Advancing age, inflammatory diseases and even the animal's lifestyle can impact the proper functioning of the pet's kidneys”, explains the veterinary doctor and Product Manager at Avert Saúde Animal, Priscila Brabec.

Multifactorial in origin and clinically silent, renal diseases are commonly diagnosed when clinical signs become more evident, with the animal presenting symptoms such as vomiting, anorexia and weight loss. Hence, it is key to make regular check-ups and, if any change in the pet's behavior is detected, the vet's guidance should be sought.

In addition, maintaining the pet properly hydrated helps a lot to protect the kidneys, besides facilitating the proper distribution of nutrients throughout the body, which is vital for the cat’s general health.

As with other diseases affecting cats, prevention is always the best strategy to ensure the pet's well-being. Therefore, Priscila listed six tips to help owners caring for the cats’ kidney health. Check out:

Encourage water intake:

Cats are naturally selective and therefore need stimuli to stay hydrated. Having several bowls of water spread around the house is a good strategy to encourage feline to drink water. After all, the easier the access to water, the more intake is encouraged. However, it is important to remember to always keep the water clean and fresh, otherwise the cat will not drink.

Water fountains can be an alternative:

An interesting fact is that some cats prefer to drink running water. Therefore, water fountains can be appealing to some cats, and encourage them to stay hydrated.

Wet food to help with hydration:

Add wet food to your pet's routine. Cat-specific pouches and canned mousses have more water in their composition compared to dry food and help to keep hydration, besides ensuring the cats’ intake of more water. In addition, their palatability is attractive to the cat.

Look for new ways to encourage water intake:

On warmer days, the owner can make an ice cream for the cat, freezing a small portion of sachet, for example. This way, the animal will have a different item to entertain and play with while hydrating. Just put the content of the sachet in ice molds, freeze and then offer it to the cat. 

Encourage cat to exercise:

Physical activity is key to keeping cats active and maintain their weight and general health. Cats need stimuli to exercise, so the tip is to invest in items that encourage them to hunt like balls or wands, for example.

Maintain nutritional balance:

It is important that the cat have a balanced nutrition to maintain proper functioning of the body. Food supplements can also contribute in some specific cases. 

“It is important to emphasize that there is no cure for renal disease; hence, the preventive methods and the veterinary doctor’s monitoring are crucial”, concludes Priscila.