Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the most common cause of death in cats over 12 years and requires ongoing management to maintain quality of life for affected animals.
CKD causes chronic nausea, reduced appetite, weight loss and progressive lethargy. Cats experiencing uraemia suffer from nausea equivalent to constant seasickness. Early detection through annual screening from age 7-9 allows intervention before severe symptoms develop. Quality of life assessment is central to CKD management; prolonging life at the cost of daily suffering is a welfare failure.