Little Molly cat, our CKD (chronic kidney disease) kitty died last weekend. She had a stroke, or liver failure, or likely a combination of events, we don’t know exactly what. It was sudden and catastrophic, so for once the decision for humane euthanization was clear-cut.

Molly Adopts Us

Molly found Terry when Terry was visiting a friend. It was night, and dark, and Terry heard a funny little croaky meow, followed by a friendly head bump. Molly was a stray, and Terry’s friend fed her. He lived in subsidized housing and couldn’t let her inside unless he paid a large cash deposit, which he didn’t have.

Naturally we took her in. Our veterinarian estimated she was about 18 months old, and had been spayed. We never could find out where she came from, if she had been dumped, or accidentally lost, or what happened.

I’m an unrepentant dotty old critter lady who thinks all animals are special, and Molly was extra-special. She was confident yet careful, a thinker who wasn’t prone to panic. We live out in the sticks with owls, coyotes, neighbor dogs, and other predators, so we always made her come in at night. I was always a little worried anytime she was outside because she was so little, barely 7 pounds, a nice hors d’oeuvre. But I wasn’t going to keep her captive indoors. She loved being outside, and had her favorite hangouts in the pastures and forest.

Molly was my constant companion, especially her last few months when she was declining and not feeling well. I learned to hold her comfortably in a one-armed cuddle and type at the same time. When she got tired of cuddling she had her own special lounging spot on my desk. She came with me on my breaks to take walks outside, and helped with outdoor chores.

We made a lot of accommodations for little Molly. We couldn’t have any carpets because she thought they were for peeing on. We had to have an indoor litter box. She needed extra attention when she didn’t feel well. We spent a fortune in veterinarian bills, and during the warm months spent a lot of hours looking for her in the evening to bring her inside. Once we went out in a howling rainstorm at night to rescue her out of a tree.

It didn’t matter. If I could have Molly back with ten times the hassles I would take it all. These little ones are precious. They need us, and we owe it to them to do our best.

Food is Everything

Molly was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in June 2016, when she was about 3 years old. We knew something was wrong because she drank a lot of water, urinated a lot, and lost weight. She wasn’t as energetic as a young cat should be. It is unusual for young cats to have CKD, because it is more typical for older cats.

We treated her as best we could, giving her medication to control nausea and excess stomach acid, and consulted with Dr. Lisa Pearson to craft a customized diet for her. Feeding the right food to kidney kitties is the most important treatment. There are other treatments to prolong their lives and keep them comfortable, but there is no cure. Tanya’s Comprehensive Guide To Feline Chronic Kidney Disease is a wonderful resource for learning all about this illness and how to manage it.

We’ve been using Dr. Pierson’s recipe for normal healthy cats for years for all of our cats, and it’s made a giant difference in their health and well-being. Most commercial cat foods are not good for cats. Cats are obligate carnivores. Foods that are full of grains, low-quality by-products, and that are nutritionally unbalanced are the cause of numerous cat diseases including CKD, diabetes, and hyperthyroid. Catinfo.org is a great starting point to learn more about this.

If I Could Have a Do-Over

We did our best for little Molly. We gave her two extra years of life, and they were great years. I had time to spend with her, and she had the dogs, Stash cat, and the horses to hang out with. She had a whole beautiful outdoor world to explore and hunt in.

The one thing I would change is to take to her to a veterinary that specializes in cats. Our regular vet is excellent, but in hindsight not all that clueful about CKD kitties. We have to balance comfort and quality of life with medical treatments, and a specialist would have been better for helping us figure it out, and known more about treatment options.

Taking in rescues is a gamble. It can be expensive because the odds of them having health problems are higher. We know we’re going to outlive them, and losing them never gets easier. But the rewards are amazing, and you know the saying:

“Saving one animal won’t change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal.”

Whether human or critter, getting older or being sick costs more. We just spent $1000 on dental care for Granny Seven the horse and little Molly cat. Granny is 27, which is old for a horse, and especially a horse who didn’t get the care she needed earlier in life. We adopted her when she was 20 and spent a lot of time and money rehabilitating her health. Now we’re spending a lot of money on special feeds that are easy for her to eat, and to keep her weight up.

Molly is only 4 years old, but she has chronic kidney disease (CKD). She came to us when she was about 18 months old, and have no idea what happened to her. CKD is rare in young cats, so maybe she drank poison, or was so malnourished it damaged her kidneys. She went in to have to her teeth cleaned, with severe tartar and inflamed gums. She came out minus her six upper incisors, and dubious forecasts for the longevity of several of her remaining teeth. Molly is doing well overall. We feed her a restricted diet to support kidney function, and give her oral medication as needed to control nausea and appetite loss. She is keeping her weight up and has gone from listless to hellion. We enjoy  her helling around because she is acting like a real cat.

There are several  morals here. The first one is prevention costs a whole lot less. Both Molly and Granny Seven would be in much better condition now if they had received proper care from the beginning.

The second moral is these critters deserve the best care we can give them because we are responsible for them. They didn’t sign up for this.

The third moral is all of the above applies to humans, too. Prevention is the most cost-effective, we all get old, we all get sick, so don’t waste energy being surprised and appalled by some people needing more support. That’s life. Plan for it.