Recent advances in the dietary management of chronic renal failure in cats

Dietary modification is recognised as a corner–stone in the management of chronic renal failure (CRF), which is a common, generally progressive, condition in the geriatric cat. Key recommendations have included restriction of dietary phosphate and protein; however, there have been few reports of dietary intervention studies in cats with naturally occurring CRF. The study reported here showed that a diet restricted in phosphate and protein, together with oral phosphate binders in some cats, was able to bring about significant reductions in plasma phosphate and parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations in a group of cats with naturally occurring CRF, compared with a group not receiving this regimen. Median survival time in the group receiving dietary management was also significantly greater, and the results suggested that the management regimen might have slowed the progression of CRF.