Answers: Goaltending the Food Bowl

Cats evolved to eat prey, and mice are not made of rice and corn. I can't imagine why we ever thought we could force such a radical change in their diet without grave consequences. And I believe we are seeing these consequences now.

 

Additional thoughts: the polyphagia could be a third disease issue. In older cats, this is often more the rule than the exception. Your cat may need a full workup to look for this.

 

Radioactive iodine therapy does more than control the disease, it effectively cures it. You don't have to give medications with significant possible side effects and you don't have the continued accrued disease damage you still get for two half-hour periods a day with the best of pill control. There are risks and costs associated with it, but they should be discussed with your vet and balanced with the costs and risks of the course you are currently pursuing. 

 

In summary: talk to your vet. If you are not dosing twice a day, bring it up for discussion. Consider rechecking that T4 if you have not done so since the dose change. Consider a full workup to look for other causes of polyphagia. And definitely discuss changing the diet by removing the grain entirely if the stage of the renal disorder permits.

 

 

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  1. Chronic renal disease in cats is generally divided into four stages, each indicating the approximate level of kidney function that has been lost. There are usually no symptoms of renal disease in Stage 1, which denotes function loss of less than 66%. Stage 2 denotes 66 to 75% loss of function, Stage 3 denotes 75 to 90% loss and Stage 4 denotes over 90% loss.