I have some eye-opening information for you cat parents! I recently had an enlightening conversation with Dr. Michelle Dulake, the brilliant veterinarian and co-founder behind Fera Pet supplements. What she shared about cats and supplements is going to change how you think about your kitty's long-term health.
You can listen to our full conversation on Cat Chat here or watch us chat on YouTube - it's so much fun to see the real humans behind the expertise!
The Shocking Truth About Cat Kidneys
Here's something that's going to blow your mind: every single cat on the planet will develop kidney disease as they age. We're talking about cats as young as six or seven years old starting to show the earliest signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Dr. Michelle made it very clear: "At least a minimum of 30% of cats over the age of 7 develop some sort of kidney disease." However, eventually ALL cats will suffer from CKD because their kidneys naturally become calcified over time, making it harder to do their filtering job.
The bombshell news is that chronic kidney disease is basically normal in cats! It’s not bad luck or even bad diet that are entirely at fault for chronic kidney disease - it’s just how the cat’s body works (and then begins to stop working).
There will be inevitable kidney decline in every cat. But take heart! There is something we can do about it preventively to slow or lessen the progression of CKD.
Cats Aren't Just Small Dogs
I really got excited to learn about the Fera Pets feline supplements because until now the pet supplement industry has treated cats like tiny dogs - they take their dog supplement, make it smaller, slap a cat picture on the label and think they are good to go.
But cats are not little dogs! They have completely different physiology, different dietary needs (they are obligate carnivores, of course), and they have different supplement requirements.
Dr. Michelle gets this. As both a practicing veterinarian and acupuncturist trained in Eastern and Western medicine, she created supplements at Fera Pets just for cats - not adapted dog supplements, but genuinely feline-specific formulas.
The 50-Cent-a-Day Prevention Plan
Here's the brilliant part: Fera Pets’ kidney support supplement costs around $30. It lasts two months. That's 50 cents a day, people! A small price to keep a terrible disease at bay.
Consider what it costs to have a cat with kidney disease: expensive prescription diets that many cats won't eat (not to mention using dry “prescription renal kibble” for kidney disease - totally counterintuitive to an animal that needs extra fluids!), getting subcutaneous fluid treatments at the vet’s or that you give at home, emergency vet visits, and watching your kitty feel miserable with declining health.
How about a daily supplement that can help slow down and lessen what you and your cat have to go through as time goes by? You’d sign up for that, right?!
The ingredients in the kidney support supplement are fascinating: astragalus root, specialized mushrooms like cordyceps, and clinically studied probiotics - all working together to slow kidney disease progression.
But here's the challenge: you start this when your cat is healthy, not when they're already sick. It’s not as though you’ll see dramatic results next week - you're investing in your cat's future.
Three Cat-Specific Solutions
Fera Pets makes three supplements designed specifically for cats:
- Kidney Support - the prevention powerhouse we just discussed
- Lysine Immune Support - for upper respiratory infections (huge problem in cats!)
- Wellness Blend - comprehensive formula targeting six body systems, including probiotics isolated from mountain lions (how cool is that?!)
The Faith Factor
Starting supplements while your cat is healthy requires what Dr. Michelle calls "faith" - we’re not talking about religious faith, but belief in prevention-focused science.
We Westerners think: "You're fine until you're sick, then throw medicine at it." Eastern medicine says: "Keep your body balanced so you don't get sick."
It's like wearing sunscreen or taking vitamins - not because you feel bad today, but because you want to feel good in 20 years.
My Take: Better Than Doing Nothing
I've rarely recommended supplements before because many have mediocre ingredients based on flimsy science, often from companies that make pet food or supplies and think "there's money in supplements!" and they outsource to companies that put their name on a product they’re not even involved in creating.
Dr. Michelle is different - she's seeing sick cats daily and using both veterinary training and Eastern medicine knowledge to create supplements that can give your kitty a longer, healthier life, by starting right now (whatever age your kitty might be).
Will your 12-year-old cat avoid chronic kidney disease that would otherwise develop? Quite possibly - but certainly it will have much less impact than it would if you just allow the kidneys to deteriorate the way they will naturally. Will you have a longer, higher-quality life for your cat- and an extended quality relationship with your beloved feline? I believe so.
As Dr. Michelle put it simply and without hype: "It's better than doing nothing."
You can find Fera Pet supplements at ferapets.com, Chewy, Amazon, Petco, PetSmart, and independent pet stores.
When it comes to cats we love - who live longer than dogs anyway, and give us more years if we can keep them healthy - who wouldn't want to do everything possible to keep the dream alive?
Listen to my full conversation with Dr. Michelle Dulake on Cat Chat or watch it on YouTube. Your cat's future self will thank you!