Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) in Cats

The site below has extensive information.

TANYA'S FELINE CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE
INFORMATION CENTRE

http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm

Introduction

Hello. My name is Helen. I have had three cats with CRF, Tanya, Thomas and Ollie - you can see their photos at the top of this page. I created this website because I know first-hand how scary the CRF diagnosis is, and how helpless it can make you feel, and I wanted to give people the detailed, practical information which would have helped me when my cats were first diagnosed, all together in one place.

This website is named in honour of Tanya, who was my first CRF cat. Unfortunately Tanya did not receive as much proactive care as Thomas and Ollie, because at the time that she was diagnosed, I did not know about the treatment options described on this website. Thomas, in contrast, had much more severe CRF yet survived longer than Tanya because he received more proactive treatment. Ollie was a somewhat different case: he came to me at the age of fifteen with relatively mild CRF but with a host of other health problems which ultimately took him from me.

If your cat has just been diagnosed with CRF, you may have been told that there is no hope for your cat; your cat may even be in the midst of a crisis, perhaps on intravenous fluids (IV, or a drip) at the vet's. If so, you are probably feeling shell-shocked and frightened; but please take a deep breath and don't give up all hope just yet, because it may be possible to help your cat.

If Your Vet Has Recommended Immediate Euthanasia

Please read the Just Diagnosed? What You Need to Know First page urgently. Unfortunately, some vets are not overly familiar with the latest treatments for CRF, and may recommend euthanasia prematurely. You need to educate yourself and work out how severe your cat's case is before you make this irrevocable decision.

Aims of Tanya's Feline Chronic Renal Failure Site

This site was originally created primarily to help people in the UK, but it has always attracted people from all over the world, perhaps because the site is quite simple in design yet the most comprehensive site available. Having had three cats with CRF, I know first-hand the initial shock of the diagnosis, and am familiar with issues such as persuading a CRF cat to eat, giving them fluids at home, treating anaemia etc. Believe me, I know how you feel. I am English, but I lived in the USA from 2004-2008. I therefore have firsthand experience of feline veterinary care on both sides of the Atlantic. This site shares all the information and tips I know, in great detail, in order to help your cat feel better and hopefully extend his/her life.

I am not a vet. My goal is to describe in layman's terms the symptoms which you may be seeing now or which you may see in the future; to tell you what these symptoms and the bloodwork mean; and, most importantly, to educate you about treatments which can often help; all this from an owner's perspective. The site also aims to cover the emotional aspects of living with CRF and to help you to cope with it, including at the end of your CRF journey. The site provides information on an international basis, aiming to help you wherever you happen to live, although in practice much of the information relates to the USA and Europe since these are the areas where the most information and treatments are available.

Most people who arrive here for the first time have two overwhelming concerns:
they want to know how severe their cat's case is.
they want to know how best to help their cat, and quickly.
I therefore recommend that you read these two pages first:

How Bad Is It?

Key Issues

These pages will get you started quickly so you can hit the ground running. Then, later on, you can gradually get up to speed on CRF in more detail...


Please visit http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm for more info.