Imagine the following: You're a veterinarian and Max, a 7-year-old, neutered tabby cat has been brought to you because his owners have noticed he seems to be losing weight and his coat is looking scruffy. He seems to be using the litter box a lot more though it's hard to tell if he's actually urinating, and he has begun throwing up his food a few times a week. You have a suspicion and the lab results prove it. For Max and many other older cats, these clinical signs aren't just indications of old age but a disease that has become one of the leading causes of death for older cats – chronic kidney disease, or CKD. CKD is a common ailment, affecting 30-40 percent of cats over the age of 10.