Purina Institute Announces New Data on Changes in Fecal Gut Metabolites in Cats With Chronic Kidney Disease
Abstract presented at the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum
ST. LOUIS, Mo., July 15, 2026 — At the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum held June 12th in Seattle, Washington, researchers from Nestlé Purina PetCare Global Research & Development shared new data from a collaboration with investigators at Texas A&M University, The Ohio State University, University of Pennsylvania, and Kansas State University.
This study looked at stool samples from cats with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD) to better understand how the gut and kidneys are connected.
Research Findings
Researchers analyzed samples from 108 cats, including healthy non-CKD cats and cats at different stages of CKD. They found clear differences in the fecal metabolites of cats with CKD compared with healthy cats. Many of these differences involved fats and fat-related compounds, suggesting that CKD may affect the gut lining, inflammation, and how fats are processed in the body.
One compound, N1-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2PY), a uremic toxin, stood out as the strongest fecal marker of CKD. Analysis of previous research data1 has shown that serum levels of this uremic toxin were elevated even in early-stage CKD, increasing further with worsening disease severity. The research team further demonstrated that the levels of 2PY were associated with serum creatinine, the commonly used surrogate marker for kidney function. This new data further supports the usefulness of this compound as a marker for CKD in cats.
The study also found higher levels of certain branched short-chain fatty acids in cats with CKD, which may reflect changes in gut microbial activity.
“These findings highlight that the gut-kidney axis in feline CKD may play a key role in disease pathophysiology and gut metabolism, opening new opportunities for earlier detection and more targeted care,” said Dr. Qinghong Li, from Nestlé Purina PetCare Global R&D, the senior author of the paper.
Overall, the results suggest that cats with CKD have important changes in gut metabolites, especially lipids, that are potentially linked to gut health, inflammation, and kidney disease progression. Further exploration of gut-related metabolic changes may lead to identification of novel markers that allow earlier identification of CKD in cats, enabling more targeted nutritional management. The article preprint is available online.
Nestlé Purina PetCare Global R&D advances the science of pet nutrition through research, innovation, and collaboration to improve the health and well-being of pets worldwide.
Schmidt, T., Quimby, J. M., Whitehouse, W. H., Aronson, L., Suchodolski, J. S., & Li, Q. (2026, June 12). Changes in fecal gut metabolites in cats with chronic kidney disease [Conference abstract]. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum, Seattle, WA, United States.
References
- Li, Q., Cominetti, O., Holzwarth, J. A., Summers, S., Wang, X., & Dayon, L. (2025). Integrated multi-omics analysis of renal metabolism in domestic cats with spontaneous chronic kidney disease. Communications Biology, 8(1), Article 1794. doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-09164-8
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