Working on a tailored hydration plan for a 14-year-old CKD cat and aiming for about [redacted]/kg/day without bumping phosphorus — what’s sustainable at home? If you’ve tried water-to-food slurries (1:3), gelled broths, or timed fountains, did appetite and stool stay steady over two weeks?
I got my CKD guy to drink more by serving his wet food as a warm ‘1:2’ water-to-food slurry and spreading it thin on a wide plate — he licked it clean and his appetite/stool stayed steady for a month. Small caveat: I ditched bone broths; they bumped phosphorus even when gelled. Have you tried warming to mouse-warm first, @OP?
@OP What worked for my 15‑yo CKD girl was whisking renal canned food into a 1:2.5 water‑to‑food slurry using the can’s own gravy to scent it, warmed to mouse‑warm and spread thin on a saucer — appetite and stool stayed steady for two weeks and her phosphorus didn’t budge on labs. I also put the fountain on a smart plug to pulse on at meal times, which bumped lapping without needing gels. If helpful, this breakdown on flavoring low‑phos water was solid: https://www.felinecrf.org/water_and_dehydration.htm.
Quick add, @OP: I pre-rig a soft basket muzzle that still lets them pant — , nothing spikes stress faster than a nylon one on a hot dog. It makes loading calmer so I can keep the fan going and hit those 5‑minute temps without a wrestling match, and I toss up a cheap reflective windshield shade to make instant curbside cover at a 3 p.m. pickup. If you’re building a dash card, the AVMA heatstroke brief is a solid base to trim and laminate: https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/heatstroke-dogs-and-cats.
What finally moved the needle for my 16‑yo CKD cat was offering Purina Hydra Care as a separate ‘drink’ twice a day — he laps about 60–80 ml/day and appetite/stool stayed steady over two weeks; it’s lower-mineral than broths so phosphorus stayed in range. I still log total fluids and skip a serving if he seems gassy; tried this yet, @tgreen50 — https://www.purina.com/pro-plan/cats/wet-cat-food/hydra-care.