Gigi, shown here taunting a furry guest while lounging in his bed, has always been a tad spoiled.

Every few days, I hang an IV bag on a twisted metal coat hanger from an open kitchen cabinet door. I change the rather big needle on the bag’s tubing and spread an old pink bath towel on the countertop.

That’s the setup for what I call kitty dialysis, a process that requires me to inject fluid under the skin on the back of my beloved cat’s neck for 10 minutes or so. Gigi is in kidney failure as older cats commonly are, and the fluids help her stay hydrated and flush out waste products.

As anyone who adores cats knows or can imagine, administering kitty dialysis is not an easy task. Once I pick up Gigi and she spots that dreaded towel, she twists and hides her face in my shoulder. I try to soothe her, and since the needle doesn’t seem to hurt, I’m pretty sure she is more uncomfortable than anything from being wrapped in a towel to stay still on the counter and by the fluid temporarily pooling under her skin until absorbed.

Not everyone opts to give their cats kitty dialysis once they find out they are in kidney failure, which in Gigi’s case was signaled by vomiting and refusing to eat. I decided to give the fluids a try, and since Gigi isn’t nearly as sick as she was nine months ago when her symptoms first appeared, I’m definitely continuing.

Here are a few suggestions I have for those with cats in kidney failure:

• Try a specialized commercial canned cat food if your cat won’t touch anything the vet prescribes. Gigi likes some of the Friskies Special Diet flavors, which are lower in magnesium and other categories than some common commercial options.
• If your vet suggests using Pepcid AC, grind it up and mix it into canned cat food. There is absolutely no way Gigi would let me give her even half a pill as the vet advised.
• Stock up on disposable wipes and carpet cleaner. Gigi still gets sick quite a bit, but the vet says that is normal.
• Keep tuna on hand for when all else fails. I try to use it sparingly by spreading a few flakes and juice on top of her canned food, but Gigi knows a mournful look will earn her more.
• Use your air conditioning as soon as it starts to get warm and keep it on for the season. You may feel like a crazy cat lady, but if you’re like me, it won’t be the first time.