Veterinarian

• If you intend to manage your cat's chronic renal failure using holistic methods--either alone or in conjunction with conventional treatment--you should begin by consulting with a holistic veterinarian. Chronic kidney failure is a serious disease and a holistic veterinarian will be able to make recommendations and prescriptions that will be best for your individual pet's circumstances. You can find a holistic veterinarian practicing near you in the directory on the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association's website, ahvma.org/.
  
  

Diet

• The first aspect of a pet's health that most holistic practitioners examine is diet. Most holistic veterinarians are going to recommend that you feed your cat with chronic renal failure a homemade diet made of human-grade ingredients and organic meats. Fillers, preservatives and chemicals in commercial pet foods may increase the load on the cat's kidneys. A cat with chronic renal failure is also going to need to avoid grain, which many packaged pet foods contain.
  
  

Herbs

• Many holistic veterinarians will prescribe herbs to support the cat's health and to try to slow the progression of kidney disease. Stinging nettle seed helps lower creatinine levels, an important property for cats with kidney disease. Dosage and formulation is determined based upon the needs of each particular cat. Slippery elm bark is a commonly prescribed herb for cats with kidney disease. Slippery elm nark helps reduce nausea, hyperacidity and other symptoms of chronic renal failure in cats.
  
  

Supplements

• Holistic veterinarians will likely recommend some supplements for your cat with chronic renal failure. Potassium is one of the most likely. Many cats with chronic renal failure have low levels of potassium. Vitamins C and B-Complex, along with fish oil, L-taurine, and Coenzyme Q10, are also likely to be prescribed. Supplements can be especially important for cats with chronic renal failure because anemia is often a complication of kidney disease.
  
  

Fluids

• One of the primary conventional treatments for cats with chronic renal failure is the use of subcutaneous fluids. Most holistic veterinarians will recommend this practice as well. Delivering fluids with subcutaneous therapy is the delivery of fluids through a needle that is inserted under the cat's skin. Many cats with chronic renal failure do not drink enough as their disease progresses. They also may have frequent vomiting. Both of these factors place the cat at risk of becoming dehydrated and create the need for many of these cats to have subcutaneous fluids.