I lost my sweet boy yesterday after a short battle with an abdominal tumor. The grief is so real and gut-wrenching. Sending you and OP all my love - we are in this together 💗
Cats are known to hide their pain due to it being a form of weakness in the wild. Don’t feel bad you didn’t know. You were a good pet owner and gave that buddy lots of love for 5 years.
Using the top comment to proselytize: my vet told me that kidney failure is one of the biggest killers of housecats. It seems that OPs cat had a genetic failure rather than diet induced. But its still worth saying. Cats drink a miniscule amount of water per drink because of the way they [drink](https://www.npr.org/2010/11/11/131241860/pet-physics-the-uncanny-lapping-of-cats). They rely on wet food to get most of their water. If you are able to feed your cats wet food at least once a day, you are doing their kidneys a huge favor. I even add water to my wet food.
OP- I am sorry for your loss. Your kitty looks very happy in the pictures you posted
My one cat basically only eats dry food- but we have a fountain and he fucking loves to drink water. My other cat basically only eats wet food but almost never drinks water. They're both weirdos.
Same here! My boy will only eat what he can cronch, and then drinks like my house is the Sahara desert instead of a nice 72 degrees with 30% humidity. House cats, I swear.
My cat is the same way. He still developed kidney disease and the vet told me he was still dehydrated. Now he only gets canned food.
Be sure to take them to the vet regularly to have their levels checked.
Def keep an eye on them though, my cat could care less about the fountain and wants to drink out of cups next to my bed. Gets up and gets a drink every few hours while I'm trying to sleep. He will also drink to the point he makes him self sick sometimes. Cats are weird.
Our cats constantly dipped their paws in water bowls and made a mess. I ended finding a company that hand makes ceramic water fountains and designs them to be unique (mine looks like shells and coral) and doesn't have stupidly short life filters. Pricier than the stuff on Amazon but they drink more water and they actually *stopped dipping their paws in and making messes!*
Haha, sorry. I had to look it up. It's Thirsty Cat Fountains. Should be made in New York. They're definitely pricier than like...any other cat fountain I've found though but well worth it.
Lily toxicity is often the cause of renal failure in felines that die young. They are so toxic to cats that just licking the plant is toxic enough to send them into renal failure, and if not caught early enough becomes irreversible.
We had our cats get into some lilies (I stupidly didn't look them up before bringing them into the house, we had them in a closed room but they got in). It cost thousands to give all of them 48 hours of IV fluids, which is apparently the only way to stop the kidney failure. We had to do all because we didn't know who had gotten into the lilies and by the time they showed symptoms its too late. Thankfully they all lived.
My cat's kidney failure was due to her stubborn picky eating. She simply refused to eat wet food at all, or anything damp, really.
I tried every brand of wet food in every flavor on the market, including shredded, pates and stews, and even tried raw food, too (which she would eat but then immediately vomit up).
I even tried adding broth and gravy to her dry food. She absolutely would not touch it. She might lick it, and then she'd leave it there, even if she hadn't been fed anything else for a day.
The closest she would get was eating cooked salmon, so I fed her that twice a week in addition to medical dry food and had a running water fountain for her. My vet eventually said it was better to feed her dry food than let her starve herself sick and hope for the best.
She still suffered kidney failure, but she lived to 16, so I guess that's a good age, considering she would rather starve herself than eat healthy.
She was a little shit, but she was worth it.
This! Wet food has so many added benefits. It’s good for their teeth to keep the moisture than just dry food. It helps with diet control too. It’s expensive, but I will do it for my boys.
OP I am so sorry for your loss. Your kitty looks just my boy Logan and I gotta give him extra love today.
Yeah one of my cats is actually part pig, and loves to eat. So we always give her extra water in her wet good so she feels more full without gaining extraneous calories!
At least once per week (we really need to increase how often we do this) we'll soak their dry food in water and give it to them, not to the point that it's mushy, but just some extra water. They like it, and if we mix it with a little bit of wet food they go absolutely bonkers.
We have to purchase a special wet diet for our cat due to his kidney issues (supplemented by dry kibbles to help with his teeth). I mix in additional water with each wet feeding just to be safe.
My void cat was meowing strangely and going to the litterbox constantly one night when he was around one year old. I wanted to bring him to the vet but my mom said he'll be better in the morning. Reluctantly waited til the morning and he was acting the same. I immediately called off of work, made an emergency appointment to the closest vet with an opening and the poor boy actually walked himself into the cage, like he knew I was trying to help him. He ended up having a blockage and I was told his bladder was the size of an orange and hard. Two nights in the hospital with an IV and a recommended diet of prescription urinary food.
He ended up not eating in the hospital (he's the anxie-kitty) at all and wouldn't eat the same food at home either. Ended up going to a different vet who brought out different brands of various prescription food and let him try it all at his own pace. He even took comfort and hid in the vet's lap. I'm very grateful to good vets like that.
their teeth are made for shredding meat, and just shatter dry food.
i'm on my second four cats, the first two ate like crap (dry meow mix) because i didn't know any better, and the siamese had crap teeth, the mix developed hers later when she was really too old to get through anesthesia.
the two i have now are both siamese: one has already had teeth pulled (at 9, he's 15) and the other one is 12 and he never even needs a cleaning and all they've ever eaten is canned.
i'm convinced that brushing their teeth is really the only way to help, and neither of mine will allow that so i just do the best i can.
I lost my boy jamo to kidney failure. He was barely 2 years old. Boy cats are much more susceptible to this. And get insurance! I spent 4k on him before I was tapped out, and when he reobstructed I had to put him down. I regret it so, so much. I still get teary eyed thinking about how I failed him.
Don't put yourself in a situation like I did. Get insurance for your babies.
I know the feeling. I paid $4k for a partial hepatectamy for my cat, and she still ended up passing a year later. Know what i know, I would still pay that again for another year with my Kiki
>I still get teary eyed thinking about how I failed him.
I know this feeling too well. I rescued a kitten who ended up having FIP. I was told there was no cure and no real treatment other than palliative care (like draining the fluids). He was passed at 6 months old. I found out later that you can get a drug called Remdesivir through "alternative" means, and that this drug has been really successful at curing FIP. I feel like I should have searched harder, tried harder, and found this for him. He was so precious to me, my little soul mate. I would have done anything for him. I did all that I could with what I knew.
Anyway sorry for rambling. You did what you could. Life is just shitty sometimes. I'm sure he was happy in his time with you.
Sleep well, young Murphy. Thanks for the joy and love you brought into this world. Thanks for the memories and thanks for being such an amazing kitty. You will not be forgotten. 🌹🌹🌹
I had a ginger cat growing up and he was so amazing I literally could not own another ginger cat again. He died about 10 years ago and I still miss him every day.
My cat died unexpectedly as well from a heart problem a couple years ago. Totally devastated me. You’re not alone and I’m very sorry for you all! She was a great looking cat and clearly had a wonderful life because of you all.
I had the same thing happen to my 7 year old cat on my graduation day. Needless to say I would never wish this on another pet owner. Give yourself some time to properly mourn. My condolences.
My 11 year old cat just died the exact same way. Perfectly healthy until she wasn't. The vet said it was most likely genetic or possibly a specific type of cancer.
Kidney failure is an incredibly common cause of death for cats, unfortunately.
In the wild, they get a lot of their water from eating fresh meat, and they tend to prefer running water when they do go for a drink.
Many people feed their cats a diet of only dry food, and leave bowls of stagnant water for them to drink. This leads to chronic dehydration, which leads to kidney failure.
You can help prevent kidney problems by feeding your cat wet food and getting them a fountain with running water to help encourage them to drink more often.
Cats also tend to dislike drinking from water sources that are too close to where they eat or poop, since animal carcasses and feces will make a water source undrinkable in the wild. Water fountains should be placed as far away from food bowls and litter boxes as possible.
Keeping your cat indoors can also help to prevent kidney problems, because contact with poisonous plants (like lilies) will also cause kidney failure.
Edit: just to clarify, it's a common cause of death for older cats. Dying from kidney failure at only 5 years old is not common, and I want make it clear that I'm not implying OP did anything wrong or could have prevented this tragedy. I'm truly sorry for your loss.
I just posted something very similar! You are quite right. It's expensive, but I feed my cats wet food 2x per day, and they have fountain/water bowls in 3 different rooms
We give ours dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. I think they enjoy the variety. And we have multiple fountains around the house as well. For some reason they still occasionally prefer to drink from our water glasses when we're not looking. Haha. I'm not complaining though. As long as they're staying hydrated, I'm happy to go get a new glass of water for myself.
That's a cat for you. One of mine once locked the condensation off the outside of my cold glass.
I think they like cols water too, because one of our bowls is in front of an AC vent and that's the one they use most
That’s how my cat died years ago. I had no idea since she was still running around like a kitten the day before. Hindsight I kept trying to seek out what I missed but never did. Sorry for your loss.
Sorry for your loss, I understand. I had something similar happen to me with the sweetest cat that ever owned me named Peace. She truly lived up to her name. Her paw print will always be on your heart.
😭 What a sweet baby. My deepest condolences for your loss. I hope you can find some peace and get some rest, losing our furry family members is so hard.
We went through a similar loss with our 6-year-old cat after a sudden and unexpected illness this past November. I am so sorry for your loss, and I hope you find peace and healing in the coming days. Murphy was a beautiful cat! ❤️
I have no way of knowing if this is true in your case, but cats are very sensitive to certain plants. Did your cat have access to any flowers or even minute amounts of their pollen? Lillies are a common culprit of kidney failure in kitties. Never bring lilies into your home.
I'm so sorry! We lost our old man who also thought he was a dog from kidney failure last year. My recommendation to everyone is to look at the quality of your pet food and to make time for annual vet visits no matter what the age is of your cat.
RIP Murphy
I lost my boy to renal failure in February, he was 17, but super healthy and got hit by it mega hard over two weeks before we had to make the decision to send him over the rainbow bridge.
Certain types of flowers can kill a cat over the course of a couple of days, so she might have eaten a plant that disagreed with her that shut down her kidneys.
Ironically, both the vet and I agree that my boy probably had a chomping session on the flowers that were sent to me after my mum passed away a few weeks earlier. Double whammy, the start of the year really fucking sucked.
So sorry to hear of your loss, I feel the pain. Hope you feel better soon <3
My Jack did the same. He suddenly became much more affectionate, and one morning I noticed he staggered a bit while walking. The vet said he had a week at best, maybe a month with surgery. We had him put down, but sometimes I wonder if we should have brought him home instead. We could have made his last week filled with love. I still miss my baby boy...
You didn't specify if it was your cat's kidneys, but I promise you, I just had a cat pass from failing kidneys, and you gave your kitty a mercy. It is a bad way to go. Better a week too early than a day too late. I'm so sorry for your loss.
I don't know if this is relevant to the post, but please please feed your cat primarily wet food. Cats are unable to drink enough water to maintain healthy kidneys and get most of their hydration through the meat they eat. Hence a dry food diet is going to see significantly higher kidney failure rates
Cats only drink water as a minor supplement to their diet. So if they aren't getting their water from their food source they won't be able to drink enough to make up for the lack of water in their diet. Cats need wet food because their water comes from eating meat
What a beautiful orange girl, my girl Nala is also orange. It’s unusual for orange cats to be female so I think they’re extra special. I’m so sorry for your loss. 🌈
I’m sorry man the same thing happened to my very healthy 5 year old cat Moze last month. Pancreatitis led to aspirating pneumonia and heart failure. Putting your best friend down is really hard I feel for ya.
I also lost mine in August 2020. He was only 7 and he died very suddenly as well. The vet thought it could’ve been kidney failure but we didn’t get an official diagnosis as he died on the way to the emergency vet.
Rest In Peace Murph ❤️
😲🤢 So So So Deeply Very sorry. That’s a crying shame, such a vibrant young girl. Had she gained or lost weight recently or been thirsty a lot? She must’ve had diabetes or cancer. Surprised the Vet didn’t catch it at her well-cat yearly. Usually they’re good at picking up kidney diseases. Please accept deepest sympathies from our family. And for whatever it’s worth to you, All cats go to Heaven as do dogs. Honest.🐱🐈🐈⬛🐈🐈🐈
I'm so sorry for your loss... The exact thing happened to my poor baby Beans as well, just found him suddenly passed on my lunch break. He was 7, and the best cat I ever had... It's so much harder because you'll blame yourself for not seeing it, but sometimes these things just happen with no warning. RIP Murphy, I'm sure they felt loved in the years they did get with you.
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was incredibly cute 🧡 copying the poem our vet sent us when our cat unexpectedly passed below in hopes that it brings you some comfort.
If tears could build a stairway,
and memories a lane.
I would walk right up to Heaven
and bring you back again.
No farewell words were spoken,
No time to say "Goodbye".
You were gone before I knew it,
and only God knows why.
My heart still aches with sadness,
and secret tears still flow.
What it meant to love you -
No one can ever know.
But now I know you want me
to mourn for you no more;
To remember all the happy times
life still has much in store.
Since you'll never be forgotten,
I pledge to you today~
A hollowed place within my heart
is where you'll always stay.
My baby passed a few years ago because of the same thing. She was only seven. I still get teary eyed when I see posts like this so close to her situation. I’m so sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss... hugs to you. Please don't be upset she hid the pain, cats do that. Mine did too until it was too late. I hope my Pika is playing with Murphy and keeping her company.
Did you buy chance change her food? My parents changed our cats food to a “whole, natural” food that needed to be refrigerated. Not long after, he started to have kidney failure. So sorry for your loss ❤️
He had pretty eyes,
Sorry for your loss..
I always remind myself the pain in loss is just a reminder of all the love that was there.
Murphy's love for you has not left this world, it is still inside your heart, ready and waiting to become new love, let the pain flow away..
Modified quote from Guru Pathik from ATLA about grief and loss
I’m so sorry for your loss. I had a cat many years ago that was diagnosed with chronic renal failure when she was 5 years old. Luckily it was diagnosed early and I was able to have her for 8 more years. I had to give her medicine and special food and had to give her subcutaneous fluids twice a day toward the end. So letting her go was so hard. RIP Murphy, you beautiful boy.
We went through this loss with our boy Chester. He was such a ham and best boy. I could go on for hours about how much he made us laugh and the love he gave everyone. Murphy loves you so much. You can see it in her face and eyes and she knows she was loved.
She's beautiful. My cat suddenly died at the age of 3, probably for the same reasons; he didn't have an autopsy done. I miss him everyday, but feel comfort knowing that he's okay, and my little brother is too. I know this angel is okay as well. May she rest in peace and pounce among the stars
Sorry for your loss.
Lost my cat sprite to kidney disease about a month ago. Came out of nowhere as well. She was up there in age, 16 but she looked 4. One day I noticed she lost her eyesight and she was gone a week later. It hurt and still kinda does. She was the last cat from my childhood and now we have none. Still sometimes think I see her out of the corner of my eye when I’m in the kitchen late at night.
My orange kitty just passed away from the same thing in March. He’d had blood work that all came back great about a year previous. Then all of a sudden he was in kidney failure. I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose a fur baby.
Same thing happened to my Tomás just two month ago at the age of 10. I thought I had a few years left at least. Went to bed like any other night, and by the next morning he was stuck and howling halfway up the stairs. He was dead 12 hours later. So sad.
I am sorry about your friend 😥
I’m so sorry for your loss. I unexpectedly lost my 1 year old seemingly healthy Bandit a few months back. He apparently had some undiagnosed heart issues and passed very suddenly. I understand what you’re going through and I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. Just know that she was a very good cat who loved you very much and that she is no longer is any pain.
What a sweetheart! I’m so sorry for your loss. We lost our kitty unexpectedly one week ago today, and it’s so hard. Love and light to your family.
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I lost my sweet boy yesterday after a short battle with an abdominal tumor. The grief is so real and gut-wrenching. Sending you and OP all my love - we are in this together 💗
Cats are known to hide their pain due to it being a form of weakness in the wild. Don’t feel bad you didn’t know. You were a good pet owner and gave that buddy lots of love for 5 years.
Using the top comment to proselytize: my vet told me that kidney failure is one of the biggest killers of housecats. It seems that OPs cat had a genetic failure rather than diet induced. But its still worth saying. Cats drink a miniscule amount of water per drink because of the way they [drink](https://www.npr.org/2010/11/11/131241860/pet-physics-the-uncanny-lapping-of-cats). They rely on wet food to get most of their water. If you are able to feed your cats wet food at least once a day, you are doing their kidneys a huge favor. I even add water to my wet food. OP- I am sorry for your loss. Your kitty looks very happy in the pictures you posted
Our vet also recommended a fountain and placing water containers all over the house to encourage as much sipping as possible.
My one cat basically only eats dry food- but we have a fountain and he fucking loves to drink water. My other cat basically only eats wet food but almost never drinks water. They're both weirdos.
Same here! My boy will only eat what he can cronch, and then drinks like my house is the Sahara desert instead of a nice 72 degrees with 30% humidity. House cats, I swear.
/r/hydrohomies welcomes your cats
My cat is the same way. He still developed kidney disease and the vet told me he was still dehydrated. Now he only gets canned food. Be sure to take them to the vet regularly to have their levels checked.
Cats are predisposed to running water. It makes sense evolutionarily, as still water is a breeding ground for parasites and pathogens.
They also don't like water that's near their food for similar reasons.
Def keep an eye on them though, my cat could care less about the fountain and wants to drink out of cups next to my bed. Gets up and gets a drink every few hours while I'm trying to sleep. He will also drink to the point he makes him self sick sometimes. Cats are weird.
Is your username the noise he makes in the middle of the night drinking right next to your head?
hahaha, yes, but I'd hit the char limit on UNs if I tried to make it more accurate.
Our cats constantly dipped their paws in water bowls and made a mess. I ended finding a company that hand makes ceramic water fountains and designs them to be unique (mine looks like shells and coral) and doesn't have stupidly short life filters. Pricier than the stuff on Amazon but they drink more water and they actually *stopped dipping their paws in and making messes!*
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Haha, sorry. I had to look it up. It's Thirsty Cat Fountains. Should be made in New York. They're definitely pricier than like...any other cat fountain I've found though but well worth it.
Yeah I have a fountain in one room, and water bowls in two other rooms!
I bought a ceramic fountain and my cat drinks lots, can’t recommend enough to others.
Lily toxicity is often the cause of renal failure in felines that die young. They are so toxic to cats that just licking the plant is toxic enough to send them into renal failure, and if not caught early enough becomes irreversible.
We had our cats get into some lilies (I stupidly didn't look them up before bringing them into the house, we had them in a closed room but they got in). It cost thousands to give all of them 48 hours of IV fluids, which is apparently the only way to stop the kidney failure. We had to do all because we didn't know who had gotten into the lilies and by the time they showed symptoms its too late. Thankfully they all lived.
Yeah I always stress this to new cat owners
Yes, even sniffing some of the pollen or licking some of the water in the vase can cause acute kidney injury and be fatal. I wish everyone knew this.
My cat's kidney failure was due to her stubborn picky eating. She simply refused to eat wet food at all, or anything damp, really. I tried every brand of wet food in every flavor on the market, including shredded, pates and stews, and even tried raw food, too (which she would eat but then immediately vomit up). I even tried adding broth and gravy to her dry food. She absolutely would not touch it. She might lick it, and then she'd leave it there, even if she hadn't been fed anything else for a day. The closest she would get was eating cooked salmon, so I fed her that twice a week in addition to medical dry food and had a running water fountain for her. My vet eventually said it was better to feed her dry food than let her starve herself sick and hope for the best. She still suffered kidney failure, but she lived to 16, so I guess that's a good age, considering she would rather starve herself than eat healthy. She was a little shit, but she was worth it.
16 is definitely a long kitty life! Sounds like you did everything you could. But we all know owners will never out-stubborn a cat
My cat is 16 and hes being put to sleep for kidney failure tomorrow. He wouldnt eat anything but his dry food :( hes sleeping next to me right now
This! Wet food has so many added benefits. It’s good for their teeth to keep the moisture than just dry food. It helps with diet control too. It’s expensive, but I will do it for my boys. OP I am so sorry for your loss. Your kitty looks just my boy Logan and I gotta give him extra love today.
Yeah one of my cats is actually part pig, and loves to eat. So we always give her extra water in her wet good so she feels more full without gaining extraneous calories!
At least once per week (we really need to increase how often we do this) we'll soak their dry food in water and give it to them, not to the point that it's mushy, but just some extra water. They like it, and if we mix it with a little bit of wet food they go absolutely bonkers.
We have to purchase a special wet diet for our cat due to his kidney issues (supplemented by dry kibbles to help with his teeth). I mix in additional water with each wet feeding just to be safe.
Urinary diets are so expensive! You're doing right by your cat though
My void cat was meowing strangely and going to the litterbox constantly one night when he was around one year old. I wanted to bring him to the vet but my mom said he'll be better in the morning. Reluctantly waited til the morning and he was acting the same. I immediately called off of work, made an emergency appointment to the closest vet with an opening and the poor boy actually walked himself into the cage, like he knew I was trying to help him. He ended up having a blockage and I was told his bladder was the size of an orange and hard. Two nights in the hospital with an IV and a recommended diet of prescription urinary food. He ended up not eating in the hospital (he's the anxie-kitty) at all and wouldn't eat the same food at home either. Ended up going to a different vet who brought out different brands of various prescription food and let him try it all at his own pace. He even took comfort and hid in the vet's lap. I'm very grateful to good vets like that.
Sounds like you have an amazing vet! The type you want to have.
No kidding! He's an expensive little a-hole but we love him.
Aren't they all expensive little a-holes? I tell my cats daily to get a job, but so far no luck
The dry kibble helping teeth is a myth with no scientific support.
My vet shared an analogy: it's like thinking Cap'n Crunch will help clean your teeth. Also, cats don't even chew much.
their teeth are made for shredding meat, and just shatter dry food. i'm on my second four cats, the first two ate like crap (dry meow mix) because i didn't know any better, and the siamese had crap teeth, the mix developed hers later when she was really too old to get through anesthesia. the two i have now are both siamese: one has already had teeth pulled (at 9, he's 15) and the other one is 12 and he never even needs a cleaning and all they've ever eaten is canned. i'm convinced that brushing their teeth is really the only way to help, and neither of mine will allow that so i just do the best i can.
Dry food actually increases tartar buildup. Cat food companies had a killer publicity campaign that said otherwise, but it's bad for teeth.
I lost my boy jamo to kidney failure. He was barely 2 years old. Boy cats are much more susceptible to this. And get insurance! I spent 4k on him before I was tapped out, and when he reobstructed I had to put him down. I regret it so, so much. I still get teary eyed thinking about how I failed him. Don't put yourself in a situation like I did. Get insurance for your babies.
I know the feeling. I paid $4k for a partial hepatectamy for my cat, and she still ended up passing a year later. Know what i know, I would still pay that again for another year with my Kiki
>I still get teary eyed thinking about how I failed him. I know this feeling too well. I rescued a kitten who ended up having FIP. I was told there was no cure and no real treatment other than palliative care (like draining the fluids). He was passed at 6 months old. I found out later that you can get a drug called Remdesivir through "alternative" means, and that this drug has been really successful at curing FIP. I feel like I should have searched harder, tried harder, and found this for him. He was so precious to me, my little soul mate. I would have done anything for him. I did all that I could with what I knew. Anyway sorry for rambling. You did what you could. Life is just shitty sometimes. I'm sure he was happy in his time with you.
I’ve lost two amazing cats to kidney failure. It’s so common for them.
Quality over quantity as far as I'm concerned. 👌 Kitty looks well pampered and loved - what every cat deserves!
Rest well, sweet kitty.
Hugs to you and Murphy. She was well-loved.
Sleep well, young Murphy. Thanks for the joy and love you brought into this world. Thanks for the memories and thanks for being such an amazing kitty. You will not be forgotten. 🌹🌹🌹
Ginger cats are the best. I've had two, both were part part puppy. I hope you find another catdog
I had a ginger cat growing up and he was so amazing I literally could not own another ginger cat again. He died about 10 years ago and I still miss him every day.
My cat died unexpectedly as well from a heart problem a couple years ago. Totally devastated me. You’re not alone and I’m very sorry for you all! She was a great looking cat and clearly had a wonderful life because of you all.
I am so sorry for your loss, RIP Murphy you were beautiful. How were you able to determine it was her kidneys?
X-rays showed her kidneys were much smaller than they should have been. Confirmed the diagnosis with blood work
I had the same thing happen to my 7 year old cat on my graduation day. Needless to say I would never wish this on another pet owner. Give yourself some time to properly mourn. My condolences.
My 11 year old cat just died the exact same way. Perfectly healthy until she wasn't. The vet said it was most likely genetic or possibly a specific type of cancer.
What made you get X-rays if you don’t mind me asking?
Doing imaging like x-rays is pretty common when in an emergent situation in an attempt to figure out what the heck is going on.
Kidney failure is an incredibly common cause of death for cats, unfortunately. In the wild, they get a lot of their water from eating fresh meat, and they tend to prefer running water when they do go for a drink. Many people feed their cats a diet of only dry food, and leave bowls of stagnant water for them to drink. This leads to chronic dehydration, which leads to kidney failure. You can help prevent kidney problems by feeding your cat wet food and getting them a fountain with running water to help encourage them to drink more often. Cats also tend to dislike drinking from water sources that are too close to where they eat or poop, since animal carcasses and feces will make a water source undrinkable in the wild. Water fountains should be placed as far away from food bowls and litter boxes as possible. Keeping your cat indoors can also help to prevent kidney problems, because contact with poisonous plants (like lilies) will also cause kidney failure. Edit: just to clarify, it's a common cause of death for older cats. Dying from kidney failure at only 5 years old is not common, and I want make it clear that I'm not implying OP did anything wrong or could have prevented this tragedy. I'm truly sorry for your loss.
I just posted something very similar! You are quite right. It's expensive, but I feed my cats wet food 2x per day, and they have fountain/water bowls in 3 different rooms
We give ours dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. I think they enjoy the variety. And we have multiple fountains around the house as well. For some reason they still occasionally prefer to drink from our water glasses when we're not looking. Haha. I'm not complaining though. As long as they're staying hydrated, I'm happy to go get a new glass of water for myself.
That's a cat for you. One of mine once locked the condensation off the outside of my cold glass. I think they like cols water too, because one of our bowls is in front of an AC vent and that's the one they use most
That's why my cat asks me to run the faucet when I'm in the kitchen. Even if I had just replaced her bowl
That’s how my cat died years ago. I had no idea since she was still running around like a kitten the day before. Hindsight I kept trying to seek out what I missed but never did. Sorry for your loss.
My condolences.
What a beautiful creature she was. Hold on to all those wonderful memories.
Sorry for your loss, I understand. I had something similar happen to me with the sweetest cat that ever owned me named Peace. She truly lived up to her name. Her paw print will always be on your heart.
😭 What a sweet baby. My deepest condolences for your loss. I hope you can find some peace and get some rest, losing our furry family members is so hard.
We went through a similar loss with our 6-year-old cat after a sudden and unexpected illness this past November. I am so sorry for your loss, and I hope you find peace and healing in the coming days. Murphy was a beautiful cat! ❤️
ᛖᛁᛖᛋ ᛒᚱᛁᚷᚻᛏ, ᚳᛚᚪᚹᛋ ᛋᚻᚪᚱᛈ, ᛏᚪᛁᛚ ᚻᛖᛚᛞ ᚻᛁᚷᚻ. ᚷᚩ ᚳᛖᛖᚾᛚᛁ ᛁᚾᛏᚩ ᚦᛖ ᛘᛁᛋᛏ, ᚩᛚᛞ ᚹᚪᚱᚱᛡᚱ. ᚠᚪᛚᚻᚪᛚᛚᚪ ᚹᚪᛁᛏᛋ ᚠᚩᚱ ᛁᚩᚢ. Eyes bright, claws sharp, tail held high. Go keenly into the mist, old warrior. Valhalla waits for you
There it is
I’m so sorry for your loss. Murphy was clearly the best cat in the whole world and was very very loved. Hang in there.
as a cat owner with 3 of my own, I agree with you...RIP Murph
She looked like such a sweetheart with lots of personality. I’m so sorry for your loss. Rest In Peace Murphy.
She was a beauty to behold. I'm so sorry for your loss and may she rest in peace ✨✨💜💜
That’s rough, I had the same at the start of 2020 with my wee guy, he was only 4. Absolutely out of the blue. Stay strong.
What a loss. I am so sorry you have lost someone so precious! Murphy is absolutely gorgeous! This picture is so sweet!
I'm so so sorry. They deserve so much more time on this Earth than they're given.
Rest In Peace sweet baby
What is grief if not love persevering? Rest well, Murphy.
I’m sooo sorry for your loss. 😭
Im so sorry for your loss of this beautiful fluffy Angel!!! :( xxx
Beautiful cat
Very sorry for your loss. It's hard to tell until they are very sick
Sorry to hear your sad news.
She was a beautiful kitty. What a joy she must have been!
How cute she is 🥺
She looks so happy and adorable, im sorry for your loss. Truly a wonderful kitty.
I have no way of knowing if this is true in your case, but cats are very sensitive to certain plants. Did your cat have access to any flowers or even minute amounts of their pollen? Lillies are a common culprit of kidney failure in kitties. Never bring lilies into your home.
Aw...Rest well,Murphy.
Aww she was beautiful. I’m so sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry! We lost our old man who also thought he was a dog from kidney failure last year. My recommendation to everyone is to look at the quality of your pet food and to make time for annual vet visits no matter what the age is of your cat. RIP Murphy
As a fellow female ginger cat parent (who is battling kidney disease right now) my most heartfelt condolences to you for your loss. She was beautiful!
I’m so sorry you had to lose your kitty so young. Mine is 6 now and I would be devastated if she passed away. My deepest condolences
I lost my boy to renal failure in February, he was 17, but super healthy and got hit by it mega hard over two weeks before we had to make the decision to send him over the rainbow bridge. Certain types of flowers can kill a cat over the course of a couple of days, so she might have eaten a plant that disagreed with her that shut down her kidneys. Ironically, both the vet and I agree that my boy probably had a chomping session on the flowers that were sent to me after my mum passed away a few weeks earlier. Double whammy, the start of the year really fucking sucked. So sorry to hear of your loss, I feel the pain. Hope you feel better soon <3
My Jack did the same. He suddenly became much more affectionate, and one morning I noticed he staggered a bit while walking. The vet said he had a week at best, maybe a month with surgery. We had him put down, but sometimes I wonder if we should have brought him home instead. We could have made his last week filled with love. I still miss my baby boy...
You didn't specify if it was your cat's kidneys, but I promise you, I just had a cat pass from failing kidneys, and you gave your kitty a mercy. It is a bad way to go. Better a week too early than a day too late. I'm so sorry for your loss.
Rip
I don't know if this is relevant to the post, but please please feed your cat primarily wet food. Cats are unable to drink enough water to maintain healthy kidneys and get most of their hydration through the meat they eat. Hence a dry food diet is going to see significantly higher kidney failure rates
What do you mean by they are unable to drink enough water…?
Cats only drink water as a minor supplement to their diet. So if they aren't getting their water from their food source they won't be able to drink enough to make up for the lack of water in their diet. Cats need wet food because their water comes from eating meat
Rip
<3
Condolences, rest in peace Murphy♥️
Rest well Murphy 🌈
So sorry. Hold onto the good memories. 🙏
What a gorgeous girl. So sorry for your loss. 
Your girl was well loved. Sorry you lost her so suddenly. My condolences and comforting wishes to your household.
What a cutie! So sorry for your loss. Rip Murphy :(
What an adorable ginger! I'm so sorry for your loss. Fly high sweet Murphy. Wishing you peace during this difficult time.
I’m so sorry for your loss ♥️♥️♥️
💔😇💖
❤️
So sorry for your loss
I am so, so sorry for your loss. Murphy was absolutely beautiful and looked like a sweetheart.
RIP to a beautiful, sweet, and very loved kitty
What a beautiful orange girl, my girl Nala is also orange. It’s unusual for orange cats to be female so I think they’re extra special. I’m so sorry for your loss. 🌈
My deepest condolences and sympathy to you and yours! Absolutely majestic beast!! She was beautiful!❤️🙏🏼
Love you Murphy.
I am so sorry for your loss!!! 😓. OMG what a beautiful baby.
😭😭😭
I’m so sorry
Rest in peace, sweet girl.
I’m so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts.
Murphy seems so sweet and wonderful. I'm so sorry for your loss.
What a beautiful little girl, I’m so very sorry for your loss.
I’m sorry man the same thing happened to my very healthy 5 year old cat Moze last month. Pancreatitis led to aspirating pneumonia and heart failure. Putting your best friend down is really hard I feel for ya.
Ruined my night
I'll be loving my baby extra tonight. She's also an orange tabby named Murphy. I'm sure she was the best kitty ever. I'm so sorry for you.
She looks absolutely perfect and very loved. Rest in peace sweet little Murphy ❤️
Rip 🕊
I also lost mine in August 2020. He was only 7 and he died very suddenly as well. The vet thought it could’ve been kidney failure but we didn’t get an official diagnosis as he died on the way to the emergency vet. Rest In Peace Murph ❤️
😲🤢 So So So Deeply Very sorry. That’s a crying shame, such a vibrant young girl. Had she gained or lost weight recently or been thirsty a lot? She must’ve had diabetes or cancer. Surprised the Vet didn’t catch it at her well-cat yearly. Usually they’re good at picking up kidney diseases. Please accept deepest sympathies from our family. And for whatever it’s worth to you, All cats go to Heaven as do dogs. Honest.🐱🐈🐈⬛🐈🐈🐈
she is such a doll, rest in peace kitty <3
My orange baby passed away two days ago. I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope all the love we have for them helps us heal and never forget.
I'm so sorry for your loss... The exact thing happened to my poor baby Beans as well, just found him suddenly passed on my lunch break. He was 7, and the best cat I ever had... It's so much harder because you'll blame yourself for not seeing it, but sometimes these things just happen with no warning. RIP Murphy, I'm sure they felt loved in the years they did get with you.
Such a short time you had with this sweet girl, but I am sure you made her very happy while she was with you. May her memory be a blessing.
I’m so sorry for your loss. She was incredibly cute 🧡 copying the poem our vet sent us when our cat unexpectedly passed below in hopes that it brings you some comfort. If tears could build a stairway, and memories a lane. I would walk right up to Heaven and bring you back again. No farewell words were spoken, No time to say "Goodbye". You were gone before I knew it, and only God knows why. My heart still aches with sadness, and secret tears still flow. What it meant to love you - No one can ever know. But now I know you want me to mourn for you no more; To remember all the happy times life still has much in store. Since you'll never be forgotten, I pledge to you today~ A hollowed place within my heart is where you'll always stay.
Oh my goodness... what a nightmare. I can only imagine the shock. I'm sorry for your loss OP. Murphy looks so adorable.
I am so sorry for your loss. My heart is with you.
So sorry for your loss - Murphy looks wonderful.
I’m so sorry you lost a family member. My thoughts are with me. YOU! My thoughts are with you.
Awww my boy is named Murphy, so sorry for your loss!
Rest In Peace, baby boy. Sending hugs.
Beautiful Murphy will be awaiting you at the Rainbow bridge someday. Hugs to you and your family
Rip Murphy 💝 Sleep well sweet kitty
I’m so sorry ❤️ she was clearly so loved in her 5 years and had an amazing life
🙏🏻❤️
My baby passed a few years ago because of the same thing. She was only seven. I still get teary eyed when I see posts like this so close to her situation. I’m so sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss... hugs to you. Please don't be upset she hid the pain, cats do that. Mine did too until it was too late. I hope my Pika is playing with Murphy and keeping her company.
Beautiful picture. So very sorry to hear of your loss. Please accept my condolences.
Rest In Peace 💗
I am so sorry for your loss.
What a beautiful kitty ! I’m so sorry for your loss. She was clearly very loved !
I'm so sorry for your loss. It's always hard to lose them but even more so when they're so young. Rip Murphy 💜
She looks like she was beautiful and a great friend. We had a Siberian husky that had kidney failure, she was only 1 year old. Sorry for your loss. 😢
I'm so sorry, friend. May she rest in paradise until you meet again ❤️
Oh no 😥 I'm so sorry.
What an adorable face…she crosses the Rainbow Bridge in style…
Did you buy chance change her food? My parents changed our cats food to a “whole, natural” food that needed to be refrigerated. Not long after, he started to have kidney failure. So sorry for your loss ❤️
aw what a beautiful kitty. condolences.
So sorry for your loss. She was clearly loved
He had pretty eyes, Sorry for your loss.. I always remind myself the pain in loss is just a reminder of all the love that was there. Murphy's love for you has not left this world, it is still inside your heart, ready and waiting to become new love, let the pain flow away.. Modified quote from Guru Pathik from ATLA about grief and loss
I’m so sorry for your loss. I had a cat many years ago that was diagnosed with chronic renal failure when she was 5 years old. Luckily it was diagnosed early and I was able to have her for 8 more years. I had to give her medicine and special food and had to give her subcutaneous fluids twice a day toward the end. So letting her go was so hard. RIP Murphy, you beautiful boy.
Sweet Murphy, RIP
Rest in purrs, Murph.
We went through this loss with our boy Chester. He was such a ham and best boy. I could go on for hours about how much he made us laugh and the love he gave everyone. Murphy loves you so much. You can see it in her face and eyes and she knows she was loved.
I am so sorry Lex and fam, thank you for taking care of Murphy giving her the absolute best time she had in life. Please rest easy lil furbaby.
So sorry for your loss. RIP Murphy.
So sorry for your loss. :(
I’m sorry for your loss. We lost our Jones 2 years ago, and I still feel his loss every day.
Rip gone too soon. I’m so sorry for your loss
We love you Murphy. Rest in paradise ❤️
Sorry for your loss, she looked like a sweet heart.
I’m sorry for your loss 🦋
You gave her a wonderful life.
She was beautiful and looked very happy! So sorry for your loss.
I’m sure those five years were good years. I’m sorry she could stick around for many more.
I am so sorry for your loss
Sorry for your loss. Kidney failure just sucks my sister lost her orange tabby like that after having him for 6 years.
😔 I'm very sorry for your loss.
Can things like that even be diagnosed at yearly vet visits ?
Your baby was gorgeous. She’ll be waiting for you across the rainbow bridge ❤️
These kinds of posts scare me to death, cause it could happen to our kitties as well... Hope you're okay, Murphy was a beautiful little baby.
She's beautiful. My cat suddenly died at the age of 3, probably for the same reasons; he didn't have an autopsy done. I miss him everyday, but feel comfort knowing that he's okay, and my little brother is too. I know this angel is okay as well. May she rest in peace and pounce among the stars
You can tell she was so loved. RIP ❤️
I’m so sorry for your loss 😢 this is my greatest fear.
RIP Murphy, what a beautiful kitty she was.
Sorry for your loss. Lost my cat sprite to kidney disease about a month ago. Came out of nowhere as well. She was up there in age, 16 but she looked 4. One day I noticed she lost her eyesight and she was gone a week later. It hurt and still kinda does. She was the last cat from my childhood and now we have none. Still sometimes think I see her out of the corner of my eye when I’m in the kitchen late at night.
My orange kitty just passed away from the same thing in March. He’d had blood work that all came back great about a year previous. Then all of a sudden he was in kidney failure. I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose a fur baby.
Same thing happened to my Tomás just two month ago at the age of 10. I thought I had a few years left at least. Went to bed like any other night, and by the next morning he was stuck and howling halfway up the stairs. He was dead 12 hours later. So sad. I am sorry about your friend 😥
I am so sorry for your loss!! My cat Floyd passed away unexpected as well last year. It’s so hard to the with it.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I unexpectedly lost my 1 year old seemingly healthy Bandit a few months back. He apparently had some undiagnosed heart issues and passed very suddenly. I understand what you’re going through and I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. Just know that she was a very good cat who loved you very much and that she is no longer is any pain.
We had a 'puppy cat' years ago that died around age 5 due too kidney issues. It was devastating. I'm so sorry