The kidneys are responsible for many vital bodily functions, and when they are compromised, significant health problems can occur. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common condition in felines, especially older cats, but the disease can be managed to improve your whiskered pal’s longevity and quality of life. Our Bartow Animal Clinic team is committed to helping pets live longer, and we offer information about CKD in cats, so you know what to expect if your feline friend is affected.

What is feline chronic kidney disease?

CKD occurs as persistent kidney function declines over time. Because the kidneys play so many important roles in the body, CKD leads to numerous problems such as:

  • Toxin accumulation — The kidneys are responsible for removing metabolic wastes, and when they don’t function properly, these damaged organs cause toxins to accumulate in the bloodstream.
  • Dilute urine production — When the kidneys are healthy, they produce dilute urine if your cat drinks excess water, and concentrated urine if your cat doesn’t drink enough water. CKD inhibits the kidneys’ ability to produce concentrated urine.
  • Anemia — The kidneys produce the hormone erythropoietin, which is responsible for signaling the bone marrow to produce red blood cells (RBCs). If the kidneys can’t make enough erythropoietin, anemia occurs.
  • Hypertension — The kidneys are responsible for regulating blood pressure, and CKD often leads to hypertension.
  • Protein loss — While the kidneys filter out metabolic wastes, they normally preserve important proteins, but CKD causes urinary protein loss.
  • Mineral and electrolyte imbalances — The kidneys are responsible for balancing minerals, such as calcium and phosphorus, and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. CKD leads to mineral and electrolyte imbalances that can cause numerous significant health complications.

What causes feline chronic kidney disease?

In many cases, CKD’s cause is impossible to identify. However, factors that can cause CKD and increase your cat’s risk include:

  • Age — CKD is more common in senior cats, but the condition can affect felines at any age.
  • Obesity — Cats who are overweight or obese have an increased CKD risk, likely because they often have high blood pressure, which can damage the kidneys’ filtering units.
  • Acute kidney injury (AKI) — Cats who experience an AKI, such as a toxicity, severe kidney infection, or urinary obstruction, have a high CKD risk.
  • Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) — PKD is an inherited disease most commonly seen in Persians. This disease causes normal kidney tissue to be replaced with fluid-filled cysts.

What are feline chronic kidney disease signs?

Cats don’t typically exhibit CKD signs until about 70% of their kidney function is compromised. As CKD progresses, signs can include:

  • Increased thirst and urination
  • Vomiting
  • Foul-smelling breath
  • Weight loss
  • Decreased appetite
  • Lethargy
  • Hiding
  • Urinating outside the litter box
  • Oral ulcerations

How is feline chronic kidney disease diagnosed?

Our Bartow Animal Clinic team often diagnoses CKD during a cat’s annual or biannual wellness examination. Because cats usually don’t exhibit signs until CKD is advanced, regular screening is critical to detect kidney dysfunction as early as possible. Screening tests that help our team detect CKD include:

  • Red blood cell (RBC) — Because CKD can lead to anemia, your cat’s RBC may be low.
  • Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine — BUN and creatinine are kidney function markers that increase when the kidneys are damaged, but these values don’t change until about 75% of kidney function has been lost.
  • Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) — SDMA is a much more sensitive test for CKD than BUN and creatinine, because this kidney function marker rises when as little as 25% kidney function has been compromised.
  • Phosphorus — Cats with CKD often have elevated phosphorus levels.
  • Urine specific gravity — This test measures urine concentration, and cats with CKD often have extremely dilute urine.
  • Urine sediment — A urinalysis often reveals protein in a CKD cat’s urine sediment.

If screening tests indicate your feline friend has CKD, we may recommend other diagnostics. To stage your cat’s condition and inform our treatment plan, we may perform the following tests:

  • Blood pressure evaluation — CKD frequently is caused by or leads to hypertension, and we will likely assess your cat’s blood pressure to determine whether they need treatment.
  • Urine culture — CKD cats have a high urinary tract infection (UTI) risk, and we may perform a urine culture to determine if your cat needs antibiotics.
  • Imaging — Imaging techniques, such as X-rays and ultrasound, can help our team better evaluate your cat’s kidneys and the CKD damage.

How is feline chronic kidney disease treated?

CKD treatment typically involves a multimodal approach. Our team will devise an appropriate management strategy based on your cat’s individual case, but potential treatments include:

  • Fluid therapy — Appropriate hydration is critical for CKD felines, and if your cat doesn’t drink enough water, they will need intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous fluids to prevent dehydration.
  • Dietary modification — Our team often recommends prescription CKD diets that have a low protein and phosphate content.
  • Medications — We may also prescribe medications to control complications such as anemia, high blood pressure, mineral and electrolyte imbalances, and nausea.

Early CKD detection is important to ensure your feline friend’s quantity and quality of life are maintained. Contact our Bartow Animal Clinic team today to schedule your cat’s wellness examination.