2026 iCatCare consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease in cats
Abstract
Practical relevance: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in senior cats. Early diagnosis can facilitate interventions to slow progression and minimise clinical signs. Management according to the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) staging system for CKD can lead to prolonged survival and an excellent quality of life for affected cats.
Aim: The '2026 iCatCare consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of chronic kidney disease in cats' provide information on the pathogenesis of CKD, guidance on making a diagnosis and staging of disease, and practical content on medical and nutritional treatment. They also discuss optimising the home and veterinary clinic environment to positively influence mental wellbeing and, in turn, physical health, as well as working with the whole veterinary team and caregivers to slow disease progression and maximise quality of life.
Clinical challenges: Affected cats may show minimal or no clinical signs in the early stages of CKD, which can result in a delay in diagnosis. The condition is generally progressive and management requires consideration of multiple factors in order to address clinical signs. Complications such as hypercalcaemia, hypertension, proteinuria and anaemia may develop, requiring treatment. Moreover, as advancing age is a risk factor for CKD, cats may have important comorbidities that need to be balanced, with impacts on the kidney. Caring for a cat with CKD can result in caregiver burden. Hence, supporting…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a guideline, done in animal, not in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- eggNOG 5.0: a hierarchical, functionally and phylogenetically annotated orthology resource based on 5090 organisms and 2502 viruses
- Online Survival Analysis Software to Assess the Prognostic Value of Biomarkers Using Transcriptomic Data in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
- OptiType: precision HLA typing from next-generation sequencing data
- Nicotinic Cholinergic System and COVID-19: In Silico Identification of an Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and Nicotinic Receptors with Potential Therapeutic Targeting Implications
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells have three Omega class glutathione S-transferases acting as 1-Cys thiol transferases
- Hemolysis at low blood flow rates: in-vitro and in-silico evaluation of a centrifugal blood pump
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.