[driver8]

What an interesting thread - good to know this is a common enough problem to make a sticky thread.

My Lucy is about to turn 14. For the past two yearly check-ups, she has lost weight each time, and this time she had lost enough to start doing investigations. She throws up a fair bit, but she's always had hairball problems so we assumed that's what it was, but maybe it was the renal failure symptoms. Her liver function was normal, but her creatininine was elevated, thyroid normal, no diabetes. The vet said it was "mild to moderate" chronic renal failure.

She's always been a petite cat, and she is tiny but not emaciated. She has lots of energy still. Runs around the house, rolls on the carpet to get attention from guests, etc. Because she's had dry food most of her life, we're trying the dry food first - Renal LP from Royal Canin. She seems to like it so far, and hasn't thrown up at all since we started introducing it. She drinks tons of water on her own, so I'm not worried about dehydration so far.

For me, it's a quality of life thing and as long as she is happy and energetic and not in discomfort, I'm happy. But it's sad to know there is a tangible sign that she is becoming and older, more frail cat.