A Japanese scientist has developed a treatment targeting chronic kidney disease (CKD) in cats, potentially extending their lifespan to 30 years.
Cats and kidney disease: Cats, with an average lifespan of just 15 years, face CKD as a major threat as it dramatically worsens their health, particularly in adults. Affecting nearly 30% of cats by the age of 10, CKD is a complex ailment that can ultimately lead to organ failure and death.
Understanding the problem: In 2015, Dr. Toru Miyazaki, an immunology specialist at the University of Tokyo, discovered a protein called apoptosis inhibitor of macrophage (AIM) that helps the kidneys flush out toxins using immunoglobin antibodies. While AIM is present in the blood of many animals, he noticed that the protein doesn’t always function properly in cats. This prevents crucial waste removal in felines, making them susceptible to kidney failure.
Combating CKD: Fueled by his passion for cats, Miyazaki has dedicated years of research to developing the “AIM” injection, a treatment targeting the root cause of feline kidney disease.
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Miyazaki’s research faced a hurdle early in the process when COVID-19 stalled his funding. But in 2022, he shared his struggles with Jiji Press, sparking a wave of support from cat lovers worldwide. When donations totaling 300 million Japanese Yen ($2 million) poured in, he decided to resign from his university position and focus solely on developing the AIM treatment.
What’s next: The “AIM” injection has shown promising results in ongoing clinical trials, exceeding expectations and even showing improvement in terminally ill cats, reported the Sankei Shimbun. Miyazaki’s team is actively working to ensure the affordability of the medication, making this life-saving treatment accessible to all cat owners. The injection is expected to be commercially available by 2025.
Improvements in human medicine have over doubled human life expectancy from 32 to 71 since 1900. Do you think anyone above 40 is also “cheating” death?
From my experience, CKD quality of life changes come on quickly, so you’d be giving your cat a lot more high quality years of life. And even an elderly cat can still enjoy a lot of the good things in life, even if they can’t run and jump quite like they used to.
Is it purely medicine or is a big part of that living conditions?
I guess it is a bit more nuanced than I formulated in my original comment. If your cat is healthy and dies of some kidney disease it is completely OK to heal that cat, in my opinion.
I just don’t think a cat, as it stands now, is made to live to 30 years because of cell decay etc.
In my time I have seen people keep other beings in a miserable state just because they couldn’t let go. They pump them full with medicine, not because they have a better life this way, but because they can’t let go.
And those beings where completely helpless and suffering. That is just something I don’t wish for a innocent being.
That was where my initial response stemmed from.
That’s a much more nuanced take that I can fully get behind.
One of the hard parts about living with aging animals is that we can’t just ask them what they want. We have to guess about their quality of life, and do so while trying to put the animals wellbeing above our own emotional distress about losing them, and that can understandably be very challenging sometimes.
Cats in particular don’t complain. If they’re sick, they are more likely to hide and rest. If your cat is quiet or passive, it’s probably not doing well.