Feline
Update (June 15, 2026): Maropitant Reduces Vomiting in CKD Cats Without Impairing Kidney Function Markers
TL;DR. A prospective clinical study found maropitant significantly reduced vomiting in cats with CKD while kidney function parameters remained stable.
What just dropped
- Prospective controlled study (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11104052/): maropitant produced a statistically significant decrease in vomiting in cats with CKD
- Cats receiving maropitant did not show statistically significant differences in key kidney function parameters vs controls in the same study
Context
Cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) commonly experience nausea and vomiting from uremic toxin accumulation, driving inappetence and progressive body weight loss. Maropitant (Cerenia) acts as a potent neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptor antagonist that blocks substance P at the vomiting center and peripheral emetic reflex arcs (Cerenia prescribing information, https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3bc065ce-09d6-4131-a5a0-dca3909e0bc8).
A prospective study in client-owned CKD cats evaluated maropitant treatment and found a statistically significant reduction in vomiting frequency compared with untreated controls. Critically, cats in the treated group did not show statistically significant differences in creatinine, BUN, or phosphorus concentrations relative to controls during the study period, addressing the concern that antiemetic treatment might mask worsening renal function.
What this changes in maropitant (Cerenia) for vomiting in dogs and cats (https://www.thevoyage.ai/forvets/knowledge/maropitant-dogs-cats-vomiting)
CKD-related nausea is among the most common scenarios prompting maropitant use in feline practice. This prospective dataset strengthens the evidence base for use in CKD cats specifically and confirms that routine kidney function monitoring remains informative alongside treatment.
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References
- Prospective study of maropitant in cats with CKD (2024). PMC11104052. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11104052/
- Cerenia (maropitant citrate) prescribing information. DailyMed. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=3bc065ce-09d6-4131-a5a0-dca3909e0bc8
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