The worst news for me wasn't learning my cat had kidney disease, it was learning about the requirements and responsibilities that I would shoulder to keep her healthy. In this article, I will describe a very simple way to administer these fluids to your beloved feline.

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[edit] Steps

Purchase an IV pole. This is not a frivolous purchase in the least. If you've caught the kidney disease early, you could be administering fluids for the next 3 years or so. They can be found on Ebay for around $30. If you're feeling really cheap, you can hang a hanger on a door and attach the fluids bag to it. The main point is to get the bag elevated well above kitty so that the fluids will drip faster and save you both some grief.
Start with a hungry kitty. She should be 1-3 hours overdue for her supper. Don't hide anything you're doing from her. You can even tell her "okay, we have to do fluids now!" But don't pick her up until you have everything in place and ready to go.
Fill up a large bowl with warm water.
Put the IV bag in it to warm it up.
Turn on some quiet music that you enjoy. This is to help keep you calm, which will help keep her calm. Pet her and talk to her softly so she isn't agitated when you touch her.
While the bag is warming, clear off a large space on your kitchen counter (next to the sink is best) and wash it well.
Set up the IV pole.
Gather a clean towel and your clean needle. Take the IV bag out and feel it. It should feel lukewarm-warm. Go ahead and hang it up once it feels nice.
If it is a new bag, yank off the small bit of white rubber at the bottom of the bag. Take the line and find the pointy end, surrounded by a clear plastic cap. Remove the cap and insert the pointy end into the bottom of the bag. Be careful not to puncture the sides of the bag's inner tube.
Attach the needle and flush the line (run a small stream of fluids out to clear any air bubbles). Make sure that everything is exactly where you want it and can reach it without having to move more than your arm.
Bring out a can of cat food and put about 2 tablespoons of food directly on the counter, wherever you want her face to be. Break it up well and put 2 teaspoons of water over it to make it mushier.
Chances are good that even if she knows what's coming next, she'll still let you pick her up because she knows there's yummy food to eat.
Set her on the counter and let her get interested in the food. She might jump down once or twice, but you should just keep standing there. If she's hungry enough, she'll come right back.
Once she has started eating, hold her in place, as lightly as you can, and find a good place between her shoulder blades with lots of loose skin.
Using your thumb and middle fingers, gently lift up the skin. Push your index finger between them, creating a "tent" of skin.
Insert the needle just below your index finger and parallel to the spine. Make sure that the hole of the needle is facing up; this is less painful for those tough-skinned cats, as the needle slips in with less resistance. The needle doesn't need to be inserted all the way; just enough so that it won't fall out.
Start the fluids. The pole should be close enough that you can easily check it often to make sure that everything is running as it should, and to know when to shut the fluids off.
As long as everyone is calm and she's eating her food, you shouldn't have to hold on too tightly to her. Of course you shouldn't let her go, but just keeping your hands on her should be enough. She can even take a step to eat a stray bit of food.
Once she's gotten enough fluid in her (or as soon as she's finished the food - she'll lose patience as soon as the food's gone, so make sure you've given enough!), take the needle out, aim it at the sink, and let her go. She can jump off the counter and get back to life while you get the stream turned off and everything cleaned up.
As soon as you've taken out the needle, give her a hearty cheer. Something along the lines of "You were so brave!" or "You did so well! Good Job!"
Before you begin cleaning in earnest, give Kitty the rest of her dinner in her regular bowl in its regular place.
Clean everything well and then give yourself a treat. At least in the beginning, this will be much more unpleasant for you than it is for her!

[edit] Tips

Keep everything sterile! Don't touch the needle to anything but the point of insertion. Don't touch either end of the line, or where the line connects on the bag. DON'T double stick- always use a new needle with each insertion.
It is not that important that the cat eats while it's getting fluids, so if she doesn't want to eat, don't force her to.
You want your cat to be as still as possible, so just accept that you'll be scrubbing the counter once before she eats and once after.
Some people do very well administering fluids while sitting in an easy chair. They just keep the pole next to the chair and hold the cat on their lap. If this works for you, go for it! Don't wimp out on her.
Keep reminding yourself that you love her and you're helping her live longer. This will keep you from strangling her when she gets away from you without getting the full treatment!
If the cat doesn't want to eat, and keeps trying to leave, try placing her in a deep cardboard box, with a soft blanket or towel in the bottom. This helps calm some cats.
If the flow decreases:
- Try lifting and adjusting the skin above the needle.
- Try moving the needle out slightly.
- Move the fluids bag higher.

[edit] Warnings

Some cats try to lick the needle out. Watch out for this!
Some cats act aggressively and may bite/scratch the handler after being poked with a needle. Know how to restrain your cat properly just in case this happens.
Your cat may leak fluids after the needle is removed; if it was a particularly traumatic stick the cat may even bleed a bit. Apply pressure to the area for a minute or so if possible.
Do not do this without the recommendations of a veterinarian!