How to Collect a Urine Sample From a Cat

If your cat is suddenly not using its litter box, urinating more than usual, showing signs of pain when urinating, has discolored urine, or has blood in its urine, your veterinarian might ask you to get a urine sample. Getting a urine sample from a cat is different than getting one from a dog, and can take a few days, so it is best to start early in the week, in case you are not so lucky in the first day.

Before you start you will need something to contain the urine sample in, a syringe works nicely. These are available from a veterinarian or livestock supply store.

If you have a large dog kennel you can use that. Alternatively you will need to prepare a room for the cat. A bathroom works best, because if you set the cat in a bedroom he, or she, may just urinate on the bed defeating your purpose. Wherever you prepare. it should be basic, with no towels. Give the cat a clean empty cat litter box, with no litter. The litter box should have been washed well and bleached so it does not contaminate the urine sample. The cat should also have food and water.

Confine the cat for the night. In the morning you should find that the cat urinated in the box overnight, if not the cat must be kept in the room until it does pee. You can only let it out for short times when you can supervise it fully, otherwise it will urinate someplace else and your efforts will be wasted. Try a second night.

If by the following morning, after the second night, the cat has still not urinated, call your veterinarian and see what they suggest. Some will ask you to try again a third night, while others will suggest you bring the cat in and they can physically take a sample, of course this will be more expensive to you, and stressful to your cat.

When you do find urine in the litter box tip it so the urine pools in a corner, use a clean syringe to suck it up. Place the syringe in a baggy and take it to the veterinarian immediately. If you cannot get to the vet right away, store it in the refrigerator until you can, however you do want to provide them with a fresh sample so you will not want to leave it too long.

The urine sample can be used to diagnose a bladder infection, crystals in the urine, diabetes, and several other problems that may occur in cats.