How One Cat Changed Everything

My Journey into Feline Nutrition & Kidney Health

I never thought I would be a cat person. In fact, I admired cats from a distance but never imagined sharing my home with one. That all changed when my good friend—who was battling stage 4 cancer—asked me to take care of his beloved cat, Milo.

Milo was only two years old when he became my responsibility. With no experience in feline care, I stumbled into the world of cat ownership completely unprepared. But as my friend’s health declined, so did his ability to care for Milo, and I slowly found myself stepping in more and more.

At first, it felt like an obligation. But somewhere along the way, that obligation transformed into deep love and responsibility. By the time my friend passed away, I couldn’t imagine life without Milo.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that loving a cat isn’t enough to keep them healthy—they need the right care, the right diet, and the right environment.

The Incident That Changed Everything

For the first few years, I did what most cat owners do: I fed Milo commercial cat food, kept his litter box clean, and assumed I was doing everything right. Then one day, I found him hiding under the couch, lethargic and in distress. He wasn’t eating, wasn’t drinking, and worst of all—he wasn’t urinating.

I rushed him to the emergency vet, where I was hit with two devastating realizations:

Milo had ingested an onion plant—something I had unknowingly left within his reach. Onions are highly toxic to cats, and I had no idea.
He had developed struvite stones, making it nearly impossible for him to urinate. The toxins from the onion made his condition even worse.

Milo survived, but the experience left me with an overwhelming sense of guilt and responsibility. How had I let this happen? How had I gone years without questioning what was in his food or whether I was truly meeting his health needs?

That moment changed everything. I promised myself that I would never let ignorance put Milo’s life in danger again.

Diving Into Feline Kidney Health & Nutrition

I started researching feline nutrition, kidney disease, and urinary health, and what I learned shocked me.

Kidney disease is one of the leading causes of death in cats, yet most commercial cat foods are dehydrating and filled with harmful ingredients.
Prescription diets marketed for kidney health often contain low-quality fillers and byproducts.
A high-moisture, species-appropriate diet can prevent kidney disease, urinary blockages, and other common feline health issues.

My research quickly became an obsession. I learned how to:
✔ Prepare raw cat food from scratch, ensuring a balanced, biologically appropriate diet.
✔ Incorporate hydration into meals to prevent kidney and urinary issues.
✔ Identify harmful ingredients in commercial pet foods.
✔ Understand the dangers of high-carb, low-moisture diets that contribute to kidney disease.

During this journey, another cat entered my life—Luna, a feisty little rescue who became Milo’s best friend. Unlike my early days with Milo, I knew exactly how to care for Luna from day one—no kibble, no hydration issues, no guesswork. Seeing both of them thrive was all the validation I needed.

Why This Blog Exists

When I first started this journey, I struggled to find reliable, research-backed information on feline kidney health. Many pet websites barely scratched the surface, and some vets continued to push questionable prescription diets instead of addressing real nutritional needs.

This blog exists to fill that gap.

It’s for:
✔ Cat owners who want to improve their pets’ health through better nutrition.
✔ Those caring for cats with kidney disease, urinary issues, or struvite stones.
✔ Anyone looking for honest, research-backed insights on feline health and raw feeding.
✔ People who, like me, thought they were doing everything right—until they realized there was so much more to learn.

I’ll be sharing everything I’ve learned—from preventing kidney disease to debunking myths about feline nutrition. Whether you’re here because your cat is struggling with health issues or because you want to prevent problems before they start, I hope this blog empowers you with the knowledge you need to give your cat the healthiest, longest life possible.

Milo’s near-death experience changed everything for me. It turned me from an uninformed cat owner into a fierce advocate for feline kidney health. I created this blog so that no cat has to suffer due to a lack of information—because when we know better, we do better.

🐾 Welcome to my journey—I hope it helps you on yours. 🐾

~ Minda Hartwell, Feline Nutrition & Kidney Health Researcher

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