A kidney diet with a special fat raised energy markers in cats with kidney disease

A renal food with 8% C8 medium-chain triglycerides raised blood ketones and lowered several inflammatory lipids in 16 cats with chronic kidney disease, in a crossover study at a pet food company’s research center published in January 2026 in Journal of Animal Science. Whether it slows kidney disease in cats is still unknown.

Chronic kidney disease is very common in older cats. Damaged kidneys have trouble producing the energy they need, and inflammation adds to the damage. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat found in coconut oil, are absorbed quickly and turned into ketones, which kidneys can use as fuel.

What did the study look at?

16 cats with naturally occurring chronic kidney disease, housed at a pet food company’s research center, ate two foods in turn, 8 weeks each, in an order assigned by sex and age. The control was a dry renal food. The test food replaced part of the pork fat (from 12.3% to 4.3%) with 8% C8 MCT, alongside fish oil. Researchers measured blood metabolites, kidney markers and blood counts after each period.

What did the study find about kidney disease in cats?

• Fasting blood levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone the kidneys prefer as fuel, rose with the test food.
• Several inflammatory lipids, including some ceramides and phospholipids, decreased.
• Carnitine compounds involved in fat burning changed in both directions.

Why does this matter?

Renal diets are a cornerstone of care for cats with kidney disease, mainly by limiting phosphorus. Adding fats that provide easier energy and reduce inflammatory signals could be a further step. But this study measured blood markers, not kidney function over time or survival.

How solid is this evidence?

It’s limited. Mongevity rates it C on our A-to-E scale: a controlled crossover study, but small, short and based on biomarkers. Limits: it was carried out at a pet food company’s center, cats lived in a research colony rather than homes, and it doesn’t show whether the food slows kidney disease or helps cats live longer or better.

What are the open questions?

Longer studies in pet cats at home are needed to see whether C8 MCT diets slow kidney decline, improve appetite and weight, or extend life.

What does this mean for you?

If your cat has kidney disease, a veterinary renal diet is one of the most effective treatments. Ask your veterinarian which one suits your cat and how to make the switch gradually. Don’t add coconut oil or other fats on your own. Mongevity does not recommend specific brands or products.

How do I explain this at dinner?

Cats with kidney disease ate a special kidney food with a fat that turns into easy fuel for the kidneys. Their blood showed more of that fuel and fewer signs of inflammation. Whether that helps them live longer is still unknown. A good question for the table: how old is the oldest cat you’ve known?

In one sentence: in cats with chronic kidney disease, a renal food with 8% C8 medium-chain triglycerides increased circulating ketones and reduced inflammatory lipids compared with a control renal food.