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My senior cat has kidney disease. Can I feed her fresh tuna or salmon?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 16 years old | 8 lbs

Dear friends; my 15 y.o. cat is chronic renal. she takes 125 ml serum w/lactate every 48 hs. No appetite: I must feed her Recovery & AD 120 ml/day via a seringe in the mouth. The only food she will eat spontaneouly is ND tuna or tuna&salmon. I live in Brazil, these cans are imported, very expensive. The vet told not to feed commercial canned tuna for its sodium content. Question: what if I buy natural tuna or salmon at the fishmonger and give her? Thank you VERY much!

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Lauren Jones VMD

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on January 31st, 2022

The challenge with chronic kidney disease is that it's often necessary to limit protein intake, but they can be a bit nauseous if their kidney values (BUN and creatinine) are high. Some cats also require supplements of potassium to help keep their electrolytes under control. I don't know specifically what you have available in Brazil with respect to prescription diets, but I usually prescribe either Hill's Science Diet k/d, Purina NF, or Royal Canin renal support. I would start by asking your vet if you could try one of those diets for Sophia - possibly mixed with the A/D to help make it more palatable to her. Ultimately, when it comes to managing cats with kidney disease, it's more important to get them to eat something - anything - over nothing. If you try all of the renal diets and Sophia rejects them all, I would next try any other canned commercial cat food. If she also rejects those, you'll just have to give in and go with the higher protein fish option, such as cooked fresh tuna or salmon. It's not ideal, but what in life is? I hope that everything goes well for Sophia!
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on April 29th, 2017

    I am sorry to hear about Dolly's diagnosis. Unfortunately, this is a disease we see all too often in senior kitties. I am assuming that your veterinarian has already discussed with you the special kidney diets that are made my all the different pet food companies. I don't know which ones you have tried already, but there are a whole bunch of them out there worth giving a shot. Just off the top of my head there is Hill's KD, Purina NF, Royal Canin Renal Support, and Royal Canin Low Protein. Ask your vet about ordering these if Dolly tried one and didn't like it. As for tuna fish, in terms of meat and seafood choices Tuna doesn't have that much phosphorus, which is the primary mineral we are trying to keep low in kidney patient's diets. If that is all that she will eat, then that will have to be OK for the time being. Another option you may want to speak with your vet about are appetite stimulants, which work wonders with some cats. Also, kidney disease is known to cause nausea and ulcerations in the body. Sometimes, once these are treated, the appetite picks up quite a bit. I wish you and Dolly the best. If you want to talk more about her lab work or anything, let me know and we can set up a consult.

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    3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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