I can’t say for certain whether or not Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™ cat food saved my pet’s life, but I can say that Felix has improved considerably in the four months that he has been on this particular brand. After noticing that he was constantly thirsty I became alarmed, and took him to the veterinarian, to discover that he was diabetic. After that subsided, preliminary tests indicated that his kidneys might be bad. Seven months later, Felix is off the insulin, has lost three pounds, and his kidneys are functioning well.

The k/d™ stands for kidney disease, but this is not as ominous as it sounds. While renal failure would certainly result in death, in Felix’s case it merely meant that his kidneys were not working to their potential, so to speak. Thus, even though his diabetes had subsided, he was still drinking a lot of water. After trying Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™ for a month, Felix showed fairly normal kidney functioning at his last vet visit in April of 2007.

Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™ is not cheap. I purchased a 10-pound bag for $13.70, probably three or four dollars more than I would have spent for a more common brand. However, Hill’s will probably save me money in the long run, as Felix’s improved health has meant fewer vet visits. His last appointment was April 20, 2007, and barring some unforeseen illness, he won’t need to return until December, when he is due for his rabies shot. During the past year, vet bills have run me $618.39; an annual rabies vaccination costs just $18.00.

Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™ is composed of a base of rice and corn gluten meal, flavored with chicken, fish and liver, the kinds of food that felines find palatable. Hill’s contains vitamins and minerals specifically intended to promote not only kidney but heart health, important concerns for older cats (Felix is 10). Usually, diet food –animal and human- tastes pretty bad, but from what I’ve seen with my cat, this isn’t the case with Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™. Felix gobbles every morsel. The instructions suggest mixing k/d™ with the cat’s regular food, gradually increasing the former and decreasing the latter until the cat gets used to the new food. I didn’t bother doing this with Felix, and I have never had a problem.

A feeding chart on the bag suggests daily amounts based on the cat’s target weight, i.e. what you would like your feline to weigh. At 17 pounds, Felix had to drop a few or suffer even more serious health consequences, so I set his target weight at 14. According to the feeding chart, with a target weight of 15 pounds, the cat should eat 5/8 to 7/8 of a cup of k/d™ per day. I improvised and began feeding him about ½ cup, divided into two feedings, one at 6:00 a.m. and one at 6:00 p.m. Initially, Felix was a bit unhappy about being put on a diet, not realizing that it was for his own good. Eventually he adjusted, and both of us are happier because of Hill’s.

Although I feed Felix only dry food, Hill’s Prescription Diet™ k/d™ is also available in cans.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 13.70