Chronic kidney disease is the leading cause of death in senior cats, and its management involves complex decisions about treatment intensity, quality of life, and end-of-life care.
Managing CKD in cats involves ongoing welfare balancing between treatment benefit and treatment burden. Early-stage CKD may cause minimal obvious symptoms while later stages cause nausea, appetite loss, and lethargy that significantly impair quality of life. The treatment decisions in CKD management — dietary transitions, fluid therapy, medication regimes — must be evaluated for their welfare impact on the individual cat. Some cats tolerate subcutaneous fluid administration well and benefit clearly from improved hydration; others experience significant distress from the procedure. Welfare-centered CKD management prioritizes the cat's experience of its illness and treatment over pursuing maximum lifespan extension regardless of quality.