You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Acidosis is an important feature of renal failure in cats

Studies have shown that over 80% of cats with renal failure have metabolic acidosis as determined by estimation of blood bicarbonate and blood pH.  The degree of acidosis is variable and depends upon several factors including :

• The stage of renal failure
• Dietary factors
  • Sulphur-containing amino acids such as cysteine and methionine are metabolised to sulphuric acid
  • Low calorie rations or anorexia increase protein catabolism to produce energy and so increase acidosis
  • All energy-generating metabolic processes generate organic acids, and renal failure patients are usually in a catabolic state
  • Dry cat foods often contain phosphoric acid to increase palatability, and it is also produced naturally from the metabolism of proteins.
• Potassium concentrations in the blood
• Extracellular volume status
• Respiratory compensation 

Metabolic acidosis is important because it has several effects on the body including :

• It increases protein catabolism and loss of muscle mass (lean body mass)
• It creates a negative nitrogen balance
• It contributes to demineralisation of bone (renal secondary osteodystrophy)

Preventing metabolic acidosis in cats is very difficult because protein catabolism is a major factor in it's development and cats are obligate carnivores and preferentially breakdown proteins to produce energy. As a result of cats relatively high protein requirement, protein concentrations in food can not be reduced too far, and even if dietary protein is restricted cats will breakdown their own body proteins to release energy. Nevertheless diets fed to cats with renal failure should be formulated to minimise acid load. 

The severity of acidosis should be monitored in renal failure patients and treatment with sodium bicarbonate at an initial dose rate of 1-2 mmol/kg body weight.

Updated January 2016