How to Get a Cat Urine Sample to the Vet

Veterinarians may request a cat's urine sample to diagnose health problems.

A veterinarian may request a cat's urine sample to diagnose a health condition or as part of a regular checkup after the cat is more than 7 years old. Some veterinarians will take a urine sample in the office, others will ask for a sample from home. A cat's urine sample from home should be brought into the veterinarian's office no more than two hours after collecting, according to The Cat Health Guide.

Things You'll Need

• Garbage bag
• Paper towels
• Non-absorbent material (such as packing peanuts, plastic aquarium pebbles)
• Clean, dry container

Instructions

1. Put the dirty litter from the cat's litter box into a garbage bag. Dispose of garbage bag.

2. Use water to thoroughly clean the litter box. Remove any remaining traces of litter.

3. Rinse cleaned litter box with water. Use paper towels to dry thoroughly. Dispose of paper towels.

4. Fill the litter box with non-absorbent material, such as packing peanuts or plastic aquarium pebbles. Some pet stores sell non-absorbent material for a cat's urine collection.

5. After the cat has urinated, remove the non-absorbent material. Pour urine into a dry, clean container. Store in refrigerator until sample is transported to the veterinarian, ideally no more than two hours after collection.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are collecting urine samples from more than one cat, separate the cats and provide each with a separate litter box to collect independent samples. Label the containers accordingly.

References

• The Cat Health Guide: Cat Urine Health