HOW TO PERFORM A URINALYSIS ON A CAT
Channel: Veterinary Channel
Date: 2023-06-21

How to perform a urinalysis on a cat

Unfortunately, nobody has ever observed a cat willing to urinate into a cup. As a result, your veterinarian will almost certainly need to collect your cat's urine sample. In an awake and attentive cat, attempting to pass a urinary catheter is nearly impossible. However, an anxious cat may pee in the examining room, allowing your veterinarian to take that sample for evaluation.

Your veterinarian may be able to express the bladder gently until your cat urinates for a free catch sample. Samples obtained in these ways are adequate for routine testing. Still, a sample evaluation has to be done because the final product is not necessarily what started in the bladder since the urine passed through other locations along its way out.

To collect a clean urine specimen directly from the cat's bladder, it is best to use a technique called "cystocentesis," which refers to inserting a small needle through the skin directly into the bladder and removing a specimen in much the same way that a blood sample is obtained. The procedure is fast, safe, and relatively painless. Considering how valuable information can be found in a urine sample, it's well worth the effort.