5 Best Non-Prescription Cat Food for Kidney Disease

Where do you go from here?

Your loving feline has just been diagnosed with kidney disease.

You may have learned that kidney disease is irreversible, incurable, and uncomfortable.

There must be something you can do to help your favorite friend.

Feeding a diet formulated for kidney disease can absolutely increase your kitty’s comfort and help prevent further kidney destruction.

Keep reading to find out how and for a list of the best cat food for kidney disease.

Quick look: Top 5 Best Cat Food for Kidney Disease

What does it take to be a good cat food for kidney disease?

First of all, it needs to contain high quality protein, but in a decreased amount than regular maintenance cat food.

This is because as protein is broken down toxins are released that are filtered out in the kidneys.

If the kidneys aren’t working properly like with kidney disease, the toxins aren’t filtered out of the body and instead they build up in the bloodstream and make your kitty sick.

Since cats would prefer to only eat meat, a high protein diet, so the little amount of protein that they are allowed to eat with kidney disease should be of a high quality.

Secondly, cat foods for kidney disease should be low in phosphorus.

High phosphorus can cause further damage to your kitty’s already damaged kidneys.

Keeping the phosphorus content of the food low still provides cats with the necessary phosphorus needed to maintain healthy bones, but doesn’t allow for extra to cause more kidney damage.

It’s also very important that kitties with kidney disease drink plenty of water.

Staying well hydrated helps to dilute the toxins in the blood and keep your kitty feeling better.

No matter what cat food for kidney disease you choose, always have plenty of fresh, clean water for your furry friend to drink.

Royal Canin Renal Support Cat Food

Royal Canin really knew about the effects of kidney disease when they created this diet.

Since kitties with kidney disease often are picky eaters, Royal Canin provides various dry and wet formulations with different flavors and textures to entice even the finickiest appetite.

The dry food comes in three flavors; A, F, and S.

Each of these flavors has a different texture.

The canned version comes in three flavors as well; D, E, and T again with different textures.

This allows for a multitude of flavor and texture combinations that can be used to increase any cat’s appetite.

Obviously, the major benefit to Royal Canin’s Renal Support system is the nearly endless possibilities to get your cat to eat.

Besides that reason though, Renal Support has the reduced protein and phosphorus recommended to help maintain kidney function.

There is also a starter kit available that contains samples of all the different formulations to save customers from buying large amounts of food that their cats might not eat.

Royal Canin Renal Support is a very involved cat food for kidney disease.

What does this mean?

It means cat owners may have to put some additional effort into feeding their cats the different combinations to see what they like so it’s not a food you can just feed and forget it.

A list for best otc cat food for kidney disease would not be complete without Royal Canin Renal Support.

This innovative kidney diet cat food is one that should keep your kitty’s appetite up while providing the nutrition necessary to maintain kidney function without causing further damage.

With a variety of flavors and textures in both canned and dry formulas, there should be something for every cat.

Purina NF Kidney Diet

Purina NF is a diet specifically formulated for cats with kidney disease.

It is one of the best non-prescription cat food for kidney disease because it comes in two stages, early care and advanced.

Both formulations have moderate amounts of high quality protein, with the advanced care have a slightly lower percentage.

They also have reduced amounts of phosphorus, again with the advanced care being even lower.

Purina NF also contains antioxidants and omega fatty acids for overall health.

The benefit of this Purina NF diet is that it does contain the recommended reduced amounts of protein and phosphorus to help maintain kidney disease.

Also, having the two different formulations is a nice touch to further refine the diet of your kitty with kidney disease to give them the ​best cat food to prevent kidney disease.

Downsides to Purina NF are that there seems to be some inconsistency in the taste.

Some cats will really like it for one bag and then not like it the next go around.

This could also be due to how kitties were feeling and not just what the food tasted like though.

Cats with kidney disease can be even more finicky when it comes to eating.

Purina NF is on the best cat foods for kidney disease list because it can be a little more tailored depending on the stage of the disease.

This just helps to keep your kitty comfortable for as long as possible.

It also contains the recommended reduced amounts of protein and phosphorus to help cats with kidney disease stay healthy longer.

There is a canned version that would be a good option for those kitties that aren’t drinking enough water.

Again, staying hydrated is a major concern with kidney disease.

Hill’s Prescription Kidney Care Diet K/D

Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d is another great cat food for kidney disease.

K/d contains moderate amounts of protein to help keep toxic byproducts lower and has reduced amounts of phosphorus as well.

Additional amounts of antioxidants and omega fatty acids are added for overall health.

An added benefit to k/d is what’s called Enhanced Appetite Trigger Technology to help enhance your kitty’s appetite and make sure he’s getting the nutrients he needs.

Hill’s k/d has been on the market for a long time and has helped lots of cats with kidney ​failure stay comfortable longer.

The reduced levels of protein, phosphorus and sodium help to maintain proper body functions without overworking the kidneys.

The Enhanced Appetite Trigger Technology is nice because cats with kidney disease tend to have a reduced appetite, so weight and muscle loss are huge concerns.

Some customers have complained that the new formula doesn’t seem as tasty as the older version and that their cats wouldn’t eat it anymore.

This can be a major issue again because cats with kidney ​problems tend to be more finicky anyway.

K/d also has a slightly higher amount of phosphorus than other brands of ​renal non-prescription cat food.

Hill’s Prescription Diet k/d is on this list of best cat foods for kidney disease because it gets the job done.

It helps support kidney function without causing further damage.

K/d is also made to taste better and trigger appetites of already finicky eaters so that they get the proper nutrition to feel better.

Hill’s k/d does come in a canned version for those that need the moisture or are having dental issues due to kidney disease and can’t eat the kibble anymore.

Blue Natural Veterinary Diet KM Kidney + Mobility Support

Blue Natural Veterinary Diet KM is a food that helps support two of the main issues facing older cats; kidney disease and arthritis.

This food contains very low levels of high quality protein, low levels of phosphorus and sodium and has glucosamine, chondrotin, and DHA to help support joint function.

What a great idea!

With this food you don’t have to choose which ailment to feed your kitty for.

The multi-functionality of this product is obviously a major plus.

Even if your kitty isn’t showing any signs of arthritis or other joint issues, the glucosamine and chondrotin can still help.

Blue Natural KM is also one of the lowest in protein content but still gets that protein from whole meat rather than byproducts.

This is something other brands of kidney care cat foods can’t say.

One issue with Blue Natural KM is that this food is intended for intermittent or supplemental use only, meaning this won’t be your cat’s main food.

This is something that might be hard to accomplish for some pet owners as they want an easy to feed and follow diet for their kitties with kidney disease.

This kidney diet is definitely something that owners will have to be more involved in rather than just putting food out in a dish.

It’s best to discuss this with your veterinarian before starting this diet.

Blue Natural KM is one of the best ​renal support cat food because it is able to accomplish two things at once.

It helps support not only kidney function but joint function as well.

Most cats seem to like it and it contains antioxidants and omega fatty acids to support your kitty’s overall health.

There is also a canned version available.

Hi-Tor Neo Diet Renal Care Cat Food

Hi-Tor Neo is a cat food for kidney disease that is non-prescription.

It is the only food on this best cat food for kidney disease list that you can get over-the-counter.

Because of that, it isn’t as high of quality as the rest but is less expensive and easier to get a hold of.

It only comes in a canned version which is great for adding moisture to your kitty’s diet, but is bad news if your cat turns his nose up at the softer stuff.

The main benefit of Hi-Tor Neo Diet is its non-prescription nature.

So if expense and availability are going to be an issue when feeding your friend a cat food for kidney disease, this food just might work for you.

Hi-Tor Neo is also slightly lower in protein and phosphorus than regular maintenance cat foods and will have a high moisture content to keep your kitty hydrated.

Customers have said that their cats liked the flavor as well which goes a long way in cat food for kidney ​problems.

Since Hi-Tor Neo isn’t a prescription diet, it’s not as high quality as those brands that are.

The protein and phosphorus are lower but only slightly.

This means that it will have some benefit in managing kidney disease, but might not improve your cat’s comfort as well as a prescription diet.

For those kitties that prefer the crunch of kibble, you won’t find that option here with Hi-Tor Neo.

This food made the list of best cat food for kidney disease because it provides another option for those cat lovers that simply can’t afford a prescription kidney diet.

It might not have all the benefits that a prescription kidney diet provides, but should help more than a maintenance diet.

Conclusion:

The most important thing when it comes to feeding your cat with kidney disease is getting them to eat.

Since kidney disease causes a decrease in filtration, toxins can build up in your kitty’s bloodstream and make the very thought of food unappealing.

Finding a cat food that your kitty will eat with consistency should be the number one priority when choosing a food.

After that make sure your kitty stays hydrated in order for him to be the most comfortable and to prevent further issues.

Having your cat companion diagnosed with kidney disease is bad enough.

Then you find out the struggles there are with choosing a good food that won’t cause further kidney damage but is tasty enough that your kitty will eat it.

Hopefully this list of best cat food for kidney disease will give you some ideas of good foods to try to make your kitty comfortable and healthy for as long as possible.

Be sure to have regular veterinary checkups to help manage your cat’s kidney disease and to discuss food changes when necessary.

With the right diet and some extra love from you, your kitty can live as comfortably as possible with kidney disease.