Understanding The Cat Kidney Disease Epidemic

Cats are prone to kidney disease due to a combination of factors, including their diet, genetics, and lifespan. Firstly, cats have a high-protein diet, which can put stress on their kidneys. Additionally, domestic cats are desert creatures with kidneys that are highly efficient at filtering water. This means that even if they consume dry food, they may not adjust their water intake sufficiently, leading to chronic dehydration, which is detrimental to kidney health. Furthermore, cats have a longer lifespan than their wild counterparts, and their kidneys do not regenerate, making them susceptible to age-related kidney failure.

Cats' kidneys work overtime

Firstly, cats' kidneys are naturally predisposed to working harder than those of other species. Cats are originally desert creatures, so their kidneys are highly efficient at filtering out water. This means that even when they are well-hydrated, their kidneys are working overtime to process the water in their bodies.

Secondly, domestic cats often live much longer than their wild counterparts, who would only live to around 10-15 years of age. This means that domestic cats' kidneys are working for a longer period of time, and are more likely to experience general organ failure as the cat ages.

The domestic cat's diet also places additional strain on the kidneys. A high-protein diet is common for cats, and while there is a level of protein that is thought to be renoprotective, it is still stressful on the kidneys. Kibble or dry food can also lead to constant dehydration, which is bad for the kidneys as they have to work harder to process the limited water in the body.

Genetics also plays a role, as some cat breeds are more susceptible to kidney disease than others. For example, long-haired cats are more prone to polycystic kidney disease.

Additionally, the environment can contribute to kidney strain. Exposure to toxins such as ethylene glycol (antifreeze), lilies, pesticides, cleaning fluids, and certain human medications can be highly toxic to a cat's kidneys. Ingesting even a single tablet of ibuprofen, for instance, can lead to kidney shutdown.

Finally, underlying medical issues can also impact kidney function. These include urethral obstructions, pyelonephritis (kidney infection), parasitic infections, feline infectious peritonitis, trauma, severe allergic reactions, and chronic infections.

In summary, a combination of factors, including genetics, diet, age, environment, and underlying health conditions, can cause cats' kidneys to work overtime, increasing their susceptibility to kidney disease and failure.

Cats don't drink enough water

Cats are naturally desert animals, and historically, they got most of their moisture from their prey. This means they didn't need to drink water as often as dogs. However, in modern times, cats are often fed a dry food diet containing only 6-10% moisture, a fraction of the moisture they would get from their natural diet.

Cats can be very particular about their water intake. They may not drink enough water for several reasons, including:

• They don't like the location of their water bowl.
• They prefer running water to still water.
• They are sensitive to the smell and taste of water.
• They are fussy about water temperature.

Cats may also not be drinking enough water because they are elderly or living with thyroid problems, or because they are experiencing vomiting or blood loss.

The Dangers of Not Drinking Enough Water

One of the biggest dangers of a cat not consuming enough water is dehydration, which can lead to:

• Serious electrolyte imbalances.
• Reduction in blood and oxygen flow to body organs.
• Accumulation of harmful toxins in the body.

In addition, improper water consumption can lead to a lack of energy, poor organ functioning, poor skin health, and an increased risk of urethral obstruction in male cats.

How to Get Your Cat to Drink More Water

• Try using a water fountain that offers fresh, filtered water and the bonus of splashing.
• Offer multiple drinking stations with different types of bowls in various locations around the house.
• Switch from dry food to wet food, which is a great source of water for cats.
• Add a little tuna, salmon, or clam juice to their water.
• Place a few ice cubes in your cat's water bowl.
• Try adding low-sodium chicken broth to their water or dry food.

Kidney Disease in Cats

Kidney disease is the leading cause of death in cats over five years of age. It is seen frequently in domestic cats because they live long lives. Strained kidneys aren't a problem for wild cats, who usually don't live long enough to experience kidney failure.

Cats with kidney disease lose the ability to concentrate their urine and, therefore, urinate more than usual, which can lead to dehydration if they don't drink enough to compensate.

Some ways to help prevent kidney disease in your cat include:

• Encouraging your cat to drink enough water.
• Providing a diet with restricted protein and low phosphorus.
• Monitoring blood pressure and treating high blood pressure with medication if needed.
• Supplementing with potassium, as cats in renal failure tend to lose too much potassium in their urine.

Cats' kidneys are more susceptible to toxins

Additionally, cats' kidneys work hard to filter out water as they are naturally desert creatures. Their diet, especially if it is high in protein, can also put stress on their kidneys. While a high-protein diet is thought to be renoprotective, it can result in more ammonia and nitrogen-containing compounds, which can theoretically put strain on the kidneys. Furthermore, cats' kidneys are susceptible to toxins such as ethylene glycol (antifreeze), lilies, and other toxic plants, certain human medications like ibuprofen, and heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. Ingesting these toxins can lead to acute or chronic kidney failure.

Another factor contributing to cats' kidney susceptibility is their long lifespans. In the wild, cats typically wouldn't live long enough to experience kidney failure, but with longer lifespans, their kidneys can struggle to keep up with the demands over time.

It's important for cat owners to be vigilant about potential toxins in their homes and take their cats for regular veterinary check-ups to detect any early signs of kidney disease.

Cats' kidneys don't regenerate

Cats are predisposed to kidney disease because of their high-protein diets, which put stress on the kidneys. They are originally desert creatures, so their kidneys are very efficient at filtering out water; they work hard. Domestic cats are not made to live long lives. Their kidneys are usually the first thing that goes as they age. Cats' lifespans were more like 10-15 years, and now they are living 15-20 years on average.

Cats are also prone to kidney disease because they don't start their lives with as many 'spare' nephrons as other animals. Nephrons are the 'functional units' of the kidney. We're all born with more nephrons than we need, and as we age, nephrons die off by simple wear and tear and through disease. If too many nephrons are lost, renal failure develops.

• Cats start out with about 200,000 nephrons in each kidney
• Dogs have about 400,000 per kidney
• Humans have somewhere around 1,000,000 in each kidney

While we can help our cats live longer lives with good diets and advances in medical care, we can't give them more nephrons.

Cats' diets are high in protein

Cats' diets are typically high in protein, and this has been linked to kidney disease. Protein restriction has been a mainstay of therapeutic approaches to kidney disease for many decades. While there are controversies around this, the benefits of protein restriction include reducing the accumulation of nitrogenous wastes and harmful uremic toxins, reducing proteinuria, and decreasing renal oxidative stress.

Protein restriction is particularly important for cats with IRIS CKD Stage 2 or 3, or earlier if proteinuria is detected. Cats with CKD have compromised phosphorus excretion, leading to hyperphosphatemia, which is associated with the development of mineral disorders, a decline in kidney function, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Protein restriction in cats with CKD aims to reduce the production of uremic toxins, which are normally excreted by the kidneys. Over 130 uremic toxins have been identified, and they can have detrimental effects on the body, including accelerating the progression of renal disease and the development of cardiovascular disease, bone disorders, and neurological complications.

However, there are risks associated with protein restriction. One concern is that it may lead to weight loss and loss of lean muscle mass in cats. It is important to carefully monitor a cat's appetite, caloric intake, body weight, body condition, and muscle condition to minimize the risk of protein-energy wasting.

The degree of protein restriction recommended varies, and there is ongoing research to determine the ideal level. Commercial renal diets typically contain around 55-95 g of protein per 1000 kcal ME, which is above the recommended allowance for adult cats but below the amount in typical maintenance diets.

While a cat's diet is an important factor in kidney health, other factors also contribute to kidney disease, and it is often a combination of factors that lead to the development of the disease.

Frequently asked questions