Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a heritable condition causing progressive kidney failure in cats, especially Persians, that is preventable through genetic screening of breeders.
PKD represents a preventable welfare crisis in pedigree cats. A genetic test accurately identifies affected cats and carriers, yet many breeders still fail to test, and many registries do not require it. Cats with PKD live for years before kidney failure becomes clinically apparent, meaning owners often do not connect their cat's illness to a preventable breeding decision made before the cat was born. Progressive kidney failure causes nausea, lethargy, and eventually uremic suffering. The disease is entirely preventable at the population level by excluding PKD1-positive cats from breeding programs. Breed clubs and registries that mandate testing have achieved dramatic reductions in prevalence.