Why is my senior cat with kidney disease vomiting, raspy, and yowling?

Vague behavior changes like you are describing can be the first sign of illness in an older cat, so if you feel something is wrong I would encourage you to see your veterinarian again. Blood work might be recommended to rule out kidney or liver disease. The vomiting could be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease or even an intestinal mass and if the blood work is normal an abdominal ultrasound might be recommended. Finally, the vocalizing and hissing could be a sign of pain from something like arthritis and there are some supplements and now pain medications that can be used in cats.

HI and thank you for reaching out at Pet Coach. Howling like this can be related to senility in older cats (which, unfortunately there is nothing you can do about that). It sometimes can also be related to high blood pressure. Kidney disease is one of the diseases in older cats that can cause hypertension. I would recommend to have your cat's blood pressure evaluated. Thank you.

Hi there. It's certainly possible that vomiting could be due to progression of her kidney disease, but could also be due to a number of other issues such as a simple upset stomach, or some other illness such as hyperthyroidism or pancreatitis. I would recommend taking her back to the vet tomorrow for a recheck, to see what her lab values look like and determine if any new problems have popped up. Your veterinarian can advise you on what should be done in terms of treatment from there.

It is important to note that elderly feline patients with chronic renal disease are much more likely to dehydrate than your average kitty. Some thing you will want to check for at home for evidence of dehydration is the moistness on the gum line as well as the pink / paleness, the skin turgor (the skin should return to the body when you pull on it). Dehydrated cats will also usually appear weak, lethargic and unwilling to perform some normal activities. Without having your cat in front of me, I would say that an actively vomiting cat with chronic renal disease should be seen tonight for sure IF the vomiting continues even once more. If you decide to hold off on going for now, that may be OK. You can consider trying to give something for the vomiting like pepsid or prilosec, though unfortunately I am unable to offer doses. Hope this makes sense. If you are having any doubts are all about your kitty's well being just bite the bullet and have him seen .

I recommend a urine screen to determine his urinary tract health and any cause for pain or discomfort in this area. Kidneys are only rarely damaged by urinary obstruction but if there is evidence of issues, a blood test may be required also. Wet food, calming supplements and pain relief may be recommended depending on the results

Congratulations on taking such good care of Katrina that she has lived such a long life! I would recommend starting with having your vet examine her to what might be going on. If Katrina isn't showing any other signs, then I would recommend having your vet recheck her blood work and check her blood pressure. Cats that have kidney disease can develop high blood pressure which can cause howling. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Coco! Yes, I would be concerned about this cough, as in a senior cat it could be caused by cardiac disease or cancer. It's important she is seen by a vet for it, and I would take her in tomorrow if possible for a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays. These tests will aid the vet in diagnosing her symptoms so that a treatment plan can be developed.