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First of all, my sympathy(more aptly, empathy) is with you.

I have quite a bit of experience dealing with feline CRF, unfortunately. My last kitty, a Persian, was diagnosed with CRF when he was 9 years old; his was attributed to polycystic kidney disease, which is fairly common in that breed, and incurable.

First of all, if your cat is in kidney failure, this will be evident in kidney function tests. Kitties will have either some or all of the following: elevated BUN/urea,creatinine, phosphorus, calcium, or potassium. There are other elevations that can be found in a regular blood panel.

If kidney failure is evident, you have several options: the use of subcutaneous fluids and phosphorus binders(if needed), special diet and other home treatments. Some cats don’t respond at all and, ultimately, need to be euthanized. I have known people with elderly cats who got good results, so there could be some hope for your kttty. The goal is to make your pet as comfortable as possible by giving him or her the best quality life attainable.

I’m enclosing a link for you that you will find helpful. It’s a site for those dealing with feline kidney disease, and it’s not only very informative(I used it frequently when dealing with my sick ones), but supportive:

www.felinecrf.org

Had it not been for this site, I don’t think my last cat would have experienced 4 more years of high quality life. He was on daily subcutaneous fluids(not all CRF cats need fluids) and several other medications, but you would have never known he was sick by looking at him. My husband and I made this commitment to him and, although, it was a little expensive, it was worth it.

Have a look at the website I included. Even if you opt for no treatment you will find a lot of encouragement and support as you go through this process of letting go. The woman who owns this site, and others who contribute, have been through it all.

My heart goes out to you——I know how hard this is. Hugs to you and your kitty.