Renal Amyloidosis in Cats: A Rare but Serious Kidney Condition

In this guide

Renal amyloidosis is an uncommon kidney disease, but it is worth knowing about, particularly for owners of Abyssinian, Siamese and other Oriental breed cats, since it appears far more often in these bloodlines than in cats generally.

What is happening in the body

Amyloidosis occurs when an abnormal protein called amyloid builds up in organ tissue, most often the kidneys in affected cats, disrupting normal function. In Abyssinians specifically, this tends to be an inherited condition, with amyloid deposits often starting to form in the kidneys well before a cat shows any outward symptoms, sometimes as early as nine months to two years of age.

Symptoms

Because it primarily affects the kidneys, renal amyloidosis in cats looks a great deal like other forms of kidney disease. Affected cats typically show increased thirst and urination, weight loss, lethargy, reduced appetite, and sometimes a poor quality coat. In some cats, the disease progresses quickly and leads to kidney failure within a year of diagnosis. In others, the amyloid deposits remain mild and the cat may live a long life without ever being significantly affected.

Diagnosis

Blood and urine tests can point towards kidney disease in general, but confirming amyloidosis specifically requires a kidney biopsy, since the tissue needs to be stained with a special dye to reveal the amyloid deposits under the microscope. This is a more invasive step than the routine blood work used for most kidney conditions, so vets typically reserve it for cases where the pattern of disease and the cat's breed make amyloidosis a strong suspicion.

Treatment and outlook

There is no treatment that reverses or removes existing amyloid deposits. Management instead focuses on supportive care for kidney function, the same approach used for chronic kidney disease generally, including a renal diet, fluid support and blood pressure control where needed. If you own an Abyssinian or another predisposed breed, most vets recommend yearly blood work while your cat is young and twice yearly once it reaches middle age, since catching kidney changes early allows supportive treatment to start sooner. If you are buying an Abyssinian or Siamese kitten from a breeder in India, it is reasonable to ask whether the parent cats have any family history of kidney problems, since responsible breeders increasingly track this within their lines.

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