Urine samples are very important as they give information even sooner than blood samples or diagnostic
imaging can about multiple health conditions. Cats are excellent at hiding symptoms of being unwell and
urine samples contain so much data about the kidneys, the bladder, potential for diabetes, painful cystitis and underlying infections. Your help in collecting this urine sample will allow your doctor to provide even better care for your kitty!
- Please note – urine samples must be refrigerated immediately after collection and brought to the
veterinarian in under 6 hours in order to be viable for testing. Keeping this in mind, we recommend
that you attempt to collect urine at a time you know the vet’s office is open and accepting samples and that you are available to transport it there. - If you have multiple kitties, the best chance for success is to close your kitty in a bathroom or
bedroom with the box with your cat’s preferred collection method in it overnight, being sure they have access to food and water.
Free-Catch
If you have a very relaxed kitty who does not require privacy in the litter box, you may use a shallow plastic lid and slip it under your kitty mid-stream while they are urinating. This sample can then be placed in a clean lidded container and refrigerated for transport to the vet. NOTE: Most kitties will not even consider urinating with you slipping something under them, so we do not recommend trying this unless you have a cat who regularly urinates right in front of you with no concerns for privacy.
Black Plastic Beads
- NoSorb beads (or Plasti-litter) are non-absorbent pellets that can be used in place of your regular litter.
- Completely clean out the litter box; wash thoroughly with soap & water and dry completely with a clean cloth or paper towel. Once dry, place all of the beads into the box – this will not look like enough litter, but it is! Your kitty just needs something to scratch around.
- After your cat urinates, the beads and urine can be put back into the collection container or the urine can be drawn up using a dropper or syringe and put into the collection container and brought to the hospital.
Hydrophobic Sand
- Hydrophobic sand (Kit4Kit Sand) does not absorb liquid and works by allowing the urine to puddle on top.
- Completely clean out the litter box; wash thoroughly with soap & water and dry completely with a clean cloth or paper towel. Once dry, place all of the beads into the box – this will not look like enough litter, but it is! Your kitty just needs something to scratch around.
- When the cat urinates in the sand, use a pipette or syringe to suck up the liquid urine beads from the top and then squeeze out the urine into a container to be sealed and brought to the vet clinic.
Plastic Wrap
- If your cat has tried both types of litter collection methods and refused to use them, you can try placing a piece of plastic sheeting over their normal litter.
- This can be done with a couple of layers of saran wrap or by placing the entire litter box in a clean plastic garbage bag. Make sure the plastic lays flat against the litter and that the litter in the box has been completely changed out and is cleaned. The cat will feel the litter under the plastic and use the box as they normally would. You can then retrieve the urine sample with the syringe provided.
Frozen Peas
- If your cat has tried all of the above methods and refused to use them, you can try frozen peas.
- Completely clean out the litter box; wash thoroughly with soap & water and dry completely with a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Once dry, open a box of peas and place 2 cups of the frozen peas into the clean, dry litter box- this will not look like enough litter, but it is! Your kitty just needs something to scratch around.
- After your cat urinates, pour the urine off of the peas into the collection container or the urine can be drawn up using a dropper or syringe and put into the collection container and brought to the hospital.
If you are not able to collect a urine sample using the above methods, please let us know; we always have the option of having your kitty spend a few hours with us so we help!
“Your Pet Deserves To Live Its Best Life!”