BackgroundHypertension is a common problem in older cats, most often associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cross‐sectional studies have suggested that blood pressure in cats increases with age.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo determine whether blood pressure in cats increases with age and whether this occurs independently of the presence of CKD. To investigate risk factors for developing hypertension.Animals/SubjectsTwo hundred and sixty‐five cats with CKD and 133 healthy cats ≥9 years were retrospectively identified.MethodsFour groups were created according to status at initial evaluation (CKD or healthy) and blood pressure at the last included visit (normotensive [NT] or developed hypertension [DH]): Healthy‐NT, Healthy‐DH, CKD‐NT and CKD‐DH. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) over time slopes were compared with 0 and between groups. Risk factors for the development of hypertension were investigated, and associations of biochemical and clinical variables with SBP were examined.ResultsCats that were hypertensive at CKD diagnosis (n = 105) were not included in further analyses. Twenty‐seven cats with CKD and 9 healthy cats developed hypertension ≥3 months after diagnosis of CKD or their first visit. Systolic blood pressure significantly increased with age in all cats (P < .001). Healthy cats were at less risk than cats with CKD to become hypertensive (hazard ratio 0.2, P < .001), with creatinine being an independent risk factor for the development of hypertension.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe high prevalence of hypertension in azotemic cats in this study shows the importance of monitoring of SBP in elderly cats, and in particular in cats with CKD.

BackgroundNumerous validated psychometric tools are available to assess impact of disease on a human's quality of life (QoL). To date, no psychometrically validated general health‐related QoL tool exists for cats.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo develop and validate a tool for assessment of owner‐perceived QoL in cats (CatQoL) and to use this tool to compare QoL between healthy cats and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Animals/SubjectsTotal of 204 owners of young healthy cats (YH, n = 99; <9 years), older healthy cats (OH, n = 35), and cats diagnosed with CKD (CKD, n = 70) completed the CatQoL.MethodsDiscussions with a focus group and 2 pilot surveys informed design of 16 QoL questions grouped into 4 domains. Each item scored according to frequency and importance, and item‐weighted‐impact‐scores were calculated. The validity of the tool was assessed using principal components analysis and Cronbach's α. The average item‐weighted‐impact‐score (AWIS) was compared among groups and domains.ResultsSixteen‐item CatQoL showed good internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α, 0.77) and unidimensionality with significant loadings (0.2–0.7) and communalities (>0.3). Young healthy cats had significantly higher AWIS (median [IQR], 1.25 [0.63, 1.88]) than OH (0.56 [−0.06, 1.00]) and CKD cats (−0.06 [−0.81, 0.88]), P < .001). CKD cats had significantly lower AWIS for eating domain (YH: 2.00 [1.00, 3.00]; OH: 2.00 [0.67, 3.00]; CKD : 1.00 [0.00, 2.67]) when compared with the YH group and OH group, and all groups differed significantly in their management domain (YH: −0.50 [−1.00, 0.00]; OH: −1.00 [−1.88, −0.50]; CKD : −1.50 [−2.50, −1.00], P < .001).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe CatQoL was validated for use in cats, and can be used as additional assessment parameter in clinical and research settings.

Background: Dietary phosphate restriction improves survival in cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, feeding a phosphate-restricted diet may disrupt calcium homeostasis leading to hypercalcemia in some cats. Objectives: To identify risk factors associated with increasing plasma total calcium (tCa) concentration after transition to a phosphate-restricted diet and to explore its role in CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) in cats. Animals: Seventy-one geriatric (≥9 years) euthyroid client-owned cats with International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage 2 to 3 azotemic CKD. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. Changes in plasma tCa concentration in the first 200 days of diet transition were assessed using linear regression. Binary logistic regressions were performed to identify risk factors for increasing calcium concentration. Changes in clinicopathological variables associated with CKD-MBD over time were explored using linear mixed model and generalized linear mixed model analyses.