Chronic kidney disease in cats
Also known as CKD, Chronic renal failure.
A slow, irreversible loss of kidney function and the classic disease of older cats. It cannot be cured, but if it is caught early and managed with a renal diet, the cat can live well for years.
- Is it urgent?
- Not usually
- Spreads to other cats
- No
- Spreads to people
- No
- Typical cost in Spain
- Kidney blood panel with SDMA, €90–170; renal diet, €30–70 a month; a crisis needing hospitalisation, €400–1,200.
Symptoms
- Drinks and urinates more
- Gradual weight loss
- Eats less or becomes fussy
- Unkempt coat
- Vomiting and bad breath in advanced stages
- Sudden blindness if there is hypertension
Causes
Mainly age. Also polycystic kidney disease in Persians and Exotics, amyloidosis in Abyssinians, past poisonings, infections and blockages.
How it is diagnosed
Blood tests with creatinine and SDMA, urinalysis with specific gravity and protein, blood pressure and ultrasound. It is classified into IRIS stages.
Treatment
A renal diet, good hydration (wet food, water fountains, sometimes subcutaneous fluids at home) and control of blood pressure, urine protein, phosphorus, nausea and anaemia.
No doses, on purpose: any medicine must be prescribed by your vet for your cat.
Prognosis
It depends on the stage: in the early stages a cat can live for years; in advanced stages, months.
Prevention
Blood tests every year from age 7 and every six months from age 10. Plenty of water, and no lilies or over-the-counter anti-inflammatories.
Breeds at higher risk
It is described more often in these breeds. That does not mean all of their cats will have it, nor that a moggy is free of it.
Frequently asked questions
What causes chronic kidney disease?
Mainly age. Also polycystic kidney disease in Persians and Exotics, amyloidosis in Abyssinians, past poisonings, infections and blockages.
Can chronic kidney disease be cured?
It depends on the stage: in the early stages a cat can live for years; in advanced stages, months. A renal diet, good hydration (wet food, water fountains, sometimes subcutaneous fluids at home) and control of blood pressure, urine protein, phosphorus, nausea and anaemia.
How much does it cost to treat chronic kidney disease?
As a guide for Spain in 2026: Kidney blood panel with SDMA, €90–170; renal diet, €30–70 a month; a crisis needing hospitalisation, €400–1,200. Prices vary a lot between clinics and cities, and out-of-hours emergencies cost more.
Which breeds are most at risk?
It is described more often in Persian, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Abyssinian and British Shorthair. That does not mean every cat of those breeds will have it, nor that a moggy is free of it.
More in kidneys and urinary tract
Educational content from Michipedia. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a vet: if you have any doubt about your cat's health, ask. Costs are a guide for Spain in 2026.