Feline chronic kidney disease is the most common serious disease in older cats, requiring careful stage-appropriate management to maintain quality of life over months to years.
CKD causes a gradual decline in wellbeing that is initially subtle and accelerates as disease progresses. Cats with CKD experience nausea, fatigue, and progressively reduced appetite that makes maintaining body condition challenging. Uraemia in advanced stages causes neurological signs including disorientation and reduced consciousness. The welfare management of CKD is a careful balancing act - aggressive dietary management that the cat will not eat is worse welfare than a less perfect diet the cat accepts willingly. Home subcutaneous fluid therapy, when accepted by the cat, extends good quality life significantly. The endpoint of CKD management is clear: when quality of life cannot be maintained, euthanasia is the welfare-positive choice.