WEll, this is an evolving issue. A couple of years ago my vet was telling me
what a contentious subject among vets the idea was that higher, better
protein *was* the best thing. Prior to this, the entire vet community though
lower protein and phosphorus was the key (I really don't understand the
though that lower protein would help a carnivore, but I'm sure there is
something to do with kidney function involved). However, there is a split
now on that notion. Also, feline nutrition in general is still a big debate.
I think the "catkins" idea is finally emerging as the best thing for the
species, but it is slow going. No cat needs more, or really *any* grain.

I wonder if it's because, in nature, cats don't live as long as they
do in a domestic situation. They evolved to eat mostly meat (although
they do get carbs, calcium, and other minerals from their natural
diet as well), so when they start to live longer than the normal life
span of a cat in the wild, their kidneys are often the first thing to
go. Whereas in the wild, they would be as likely to die of starvation
or predation, or other illnesses, as kidney failure, if they were lucky
enough to get old enough to have it. It's just that, through years of
domestication, and especially recently, with keeping cats indoors and
a better quality of diet and health care overall, we have developed
expectations of a longer life in cats. But eventually, *something* has
to end their lives, as with all life.

The same thing happens with humans. We're living longer and longer, and
now we're dying of things that most of our ancestors didn't get. Some of
this has to do with the stresses of modern life, environmental pollution,
processed foods, etc, that didn't exist long ago. But it's also due to
the fact that more of us are getting really old. A different set of
things go wrong at 85 than what happens to people at 55. So now we're
seeing diseases that many people didn't used to live long enough to get.

Joyce

To the best of my knowledge, grain is not a good thing for cats.  It
can cause diabetes, and my vet says she's gotten many a diabetic cat
off of insulin just by removing all dry foods from the menu.

Dry food is loaded with protein, 30% or so.  Wet food is around 8.
Considering what a normal diet should be for a cat, i.e. birds, rodents,
with a high moisture content I would not choose to give my cats dry food as
their main diet.  Boyfie gets a sprinkle of dry food a couple of times a
week because he loves it but it would certainly not be his main diet.
Kitty FC has managed to live her long life of 22 years because of her diet
(I think.)  She was feral for many years and ate birds, mice and rats.  She
likes nothing better than to eat a collared dove even now, providing Boyfie
gets her one..she will leave any commercial food to eat one.  It takes her
two days now to eat it when once it would have taken only a day.  Feathers,
beak, legs all disappear down her tiny throat.
She has CRF now herself, but I guess *something*  will threaten her life at
her great age.

You have lost your beloved kitty with CRF, too young. ((hugs))
What part commercial cat food plays in CRF I don't really know, but my gut
feeling is that dry food as a total diet is a no-no. I would not like to
load my cat's kidneys for many years with 30% dry protein.

Tweed

I don't know if that's the answer, but if it is, that should be easy
enough to fix.  It's just a matter of convincing the food makers, I
would think.

I personally am more convinced that it's the water.  Having talked to
two people who know of what they speak (one works for the EPA, the other
the water department), our tap water is just horrible (at least in my
area, and I am sure it is the same many other places).  Neither one will
give their cats tap water; only bottled.  I am frustrated, being without
transportation, because it is almost impossible for me to do this
anymore, although I did it for years.  And although Cosmo was diagnosed
with CRF, he was diagnosed in May 2000, and he is still with us.  It
wouldn't surprise me in the least if the bottled water is the reason.

Ginger-lyn
just surmising