My Cat is CKD Stage 2 - Should I Panic?
Q: Hi Dr. Kris,
My 14-year-old tabby, Miso, was just diagnosed with CKD during a wellness check here in Vancouver. My vet mentioned he’s “Stage 2,” but I’m feeling unsure what that actually means for his future. Miso still seems pretty active, and demands breakfast at 6 a.m. sharp. But now I’m constantly second-guessing everything: his food, his water intake, even how much he naps.
Can you explain what Stage 2 really means? Is it a slow decline or can cats live a while like this, and I’m getting different opinions. I want to do everything I can but don’t want to panic unnecessarily.
A: I’m not really a “stages” guy. You don’t have to be one either. Yes, stages are helpful. They’ve guided a generation of vets (myself included) to better understand and treat cats with CKD. So I’m not throwing shade here. Because let’s be real - cats don’t read medical checklists. And if they saw a “Stage 2” checklist, they would be more likely to sit on it, shred it, or push it off the table at 3 a.m.
I’m more of a trends kind of guy. That means looking at your cat, learning what’s normal for them, making predictions, and then tracking how things change over time. Trends let your cat be their own baseline, and that’s where real insight begins.
Now, when someone says “Stage 2,” all it really means is that CKD has stepped out of the shadows. It’s no longer hiding on blood and urine tests. We can see it. That’s helpful. But after that? Every cat writes their own CKD story.
I’ve calculated that there are hundreds of different ways CKD can show up. That’s why you’ll find so many differing opinions. None of them wrong, just written for different cats.
I may be doing a poor job so far of reducing your anxiety here but keep reading.
Is CKD a slow decline?
Well… I’m in a slow decline myself. That’s just biology and life doing its thing. But I try to stack the odds in my favour. I keep my body moving, eat as much real food as possible, and I’m working on getting enough sleep but that’s going to take years. It all helps build resilience, so everything in my body supports everything else.
CKD is like that. Body wide resilience is the name of the game. And for cats, that means supporting the body in a way that slows down fibrosis. That’s the real issue here. It just means the kidneys are getting stiff and scarred over time.
Don’t let it scare you. Learn the basics. Start small. I’ve written it all down for you in my guide, Nine Lives, One Mission. It’s packed with at-home steps that reduce second-guessing and build confidence, so you’ll know you’re doing the right things for your cat, regardless of “Stage”.
Hope that helps,
Dr. Kris
