Clinical Trials

Does Your Cat Have Chronic Kidney Disease?

Join a Clinical Study on a Dietary Management of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Cats

A cat being scratched on its cheek

Dietary management of cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be very complicated due to the need to balance many dietary needs to delay CKD progression, such as protein and phosphorous restriction. In conjunction with Cornell University, we are examining whether feeding a hydrolyzed protein diet will provide more amino acids while also keeping protein levels low enough to help prevent muscle wasting while still optimizing the other needs. 

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ages 2-16 years
  • Cats with IRIS Stage I or Stage II Chronic Kidney Disease
  • Good general health based on physical exam and laboratory analyses
  • Body Condition Score 2/5 or greater
  • Normal Appetite

Exclusion Criteria:

  • FIV, FeLV, FIP
  • Hepatic or biliary disease associated with jaundice
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Hyperthyroidism (unless treated and stable with I-131 therapy)
  • Confirmed neoplasia (exception: alimentary small cell lymphoma)

Compensation: You will receive the food for free for the duration of the study. Additionally, there will be a 10% hospital discount on all study-related visits to the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. The study-related visits involve what is normally recommended as part of routine monitoring of CKD in cats. 

Owner Responsibilities: Your cat will be given one of three commercial diets that have been formulated to be more digestible, with two of the three utilizing the specially selected protein ± natural anti-inflammatory nutrients. All diets are fish ± chicken based. You will feed this diet exclusively for a minimum of 1 month and up to a maximum of 12 months if the response is favorable. All treats and supplements must be discontinued prior to your cat’s enrollment. You will be required to bring your cat to the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center for the initial appointment including a brief exam, urinalysis, fecal examination and blood work and again at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months after beginning the diet for additional brief exams, urinalysis, fecal examination and blood work. You will also fill out a survey related to your cat’s quality of life and diet performance each month during the dietary trial. 

Principal Investigator: Nahvid Etedali, DACVIM (SAIM)

Contact/Schedule an Appointment: Please email Kidney.Research@amcny.org to schedule an appointment. Your pet’s referring veterinarian may also contact the hospital to refer your pet. If you currently see an internal medicine specialist at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center already for management of your pet’s CKD, they can continue to manage your pet and do the study follow-up appointments.

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