“More than three years ago, I came out of the vet’s office with my cat Paws and started weeping uncontrollably in my car. The vet had diagnosed him with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and it felt like our much-loved, cuddly and daring kitty had been handed down an imminent death sentence. All the reassuring words I had heard in the treatment room just seemed to bounce off me; I was rigid with shock and couldn’t begin to ask any questions. “Your cat may die of CKD”, were the words I heard in an endless, cruel loop.
It was only a few days later that my professionally trained curiosity kicked in. As a trained journalist I started to investigate. I was determined to research the facts about CKD. Driven on by my personal involvement, I gathered all the information that had even the slightest connection with the disease. It was a difficult and painstaking business, however, as I found out that there was no comprehensive and accumulated German source of information on CKD. I also initially found it difficult getting to grips with the many specialist terms.
My conversations and correspondence with other owners who had cats with CKD became ever more frequent. We shared our knowledge and practical experience with each other. The more I found out about the disease, the more targeted my questions became, which, I’m grateful, I could direct on to numerous veterinarians. Finally, I made the decision to publish the information I had collected. This blog is my attempt to contribute to a better understanding of the disease. I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me in its development and who never tired of patiently and clearly explaining the many details of CKD to me. Special thanks also to all those who contributed to the design of the blog and the graphics!
If I find out any news or other information about CKD, I will of course publish it on my website.”
Kind regards
Constanze Nieder